4' 90 Gallon converted to 240 4' Square Plywood and Glass Build

[haxjester]

I'm very curious to hear about your results with testing the rubber coat to glass when it's completely cured. I've been planning on building a plywood tank this summer, and would like to use rubber coat, but badoleross's problems with it not bonding to glass have made me think twice. I hope it goes well for you!

 

[greengiant]

to think I kind of inspired you to do this and you are the one closer to being finished lol. I have a large wooden box with nothing in it. I haven't managed to actually order my Zavlar (had to call it by the Canadian name just to screw ppl up) but my Grandma is in bad shape and I may have to take a drive about 8 hrs to go see her. if I do I will go to Liquid rubber HQ and pick it up on my way back as I will have to drive 2 blocks away form them. I am gonna get 5 Gallons so I can finish the 350 and build a central sump for my other tanks. then I may strip down my 150 and build a 500. the panes of glass on it are 4'X3' and the sides are about 20"X3' lots of fun glass to play with off of it. then theres the 300 with a 72"x32" front and rear pane unbraced. dang now how the hell am I supposed to get any sleep????? gee thanks Pete

 

[bubbles123]

I'm very curious to hear about your results with testing the rubber coat to glass when it's completely cured. I've been planning on building a plywood tank this summer, and would like to use rubber coat, but badoleross's problems with it not bonding to glass have made me think twice. I hope it goes well for you!

I second that. I was waiting for the weather to warm up so I could start building, and get it shipped here. After seeing badoleross's problems, I'm glad I haven't started yet. I'm eager to see your results. I still think this liquid rubber is the stuff I'm going to use, I just may switch to acrylic.

I may have to take a drive about 8 hrs to go see her. if I do I will go to Liquid rubber HQ and pick it up on my way back

Are you in BC? The liquid rubber website doesn't mention a BC distributor. Hmm....for me, shipping from a BC distributor would be easier because it would make weather forecasts more reliable, unless I wait a couple more months, then it wouldn't matter.

 

[xdragonxb0i]

its funny how Pete, got everyone sold on PC, but he hasn't finished his projects yet!

try get some work done Pete, you got too many projects.

 

[greengiant]

pete isn't the first to use Pondcoat/Zavlar/Vazlar/... there have been a few builds with it so far. after we got to see a few there ara many of us that are planning to use the product. Bubbles here is the contact info for Liqid Rubber in Calgary. also Home Hardware and Home Building Center is supposed to be stocking it by April. I have spoken with LR a few times now and would prefer to buy locally but if need be I will pick it up in Calgary Contact information Below

Keith Brown
Business Development Manager
866.979.0300 x 229

Liquid Rubber Industries Inc.
www.liquidrubber.ca

Ray Schultz

Liquid Rubber Canada
Bay #2, 7605 Flint Rd SE
Calgary, AB T2H 1G3

Office 403 253-8388
Cell 403 923-6845
Fax 403 253-8333

 

[greengiant]

oh forgot to say if you go into home hardware and they don't know what your talking about tell them you are looking for Liquid Rubber Zavlar. tell them to talk to their Home Hardware head office sales rep and get the coding. that should get things going. HH has a contract with Liquid rubber to stock it.

 

[nolapete]

Yep, greengiant, I owe all this madness to you.

My initial assessment of the liquid rubber on glass is that the people having problems with it either didn't clean or cleaned the glass improperly. BadOleRoss told me he found a spot where the liquid rubber had stuck quite well.

What I have found with JUST ONE COAT applied is that where it is thicker it sticks really well. My brush was fairly caked up and it was late when I was applying it to the glass, so the coat is uneven in thickness. Where it is thin you can rub it off with your finger. You can't do that where it is thicker. I think we're fine with it on glass.

All these people who swear by using acetone to clean the glass I have a challenge for you. If you're so sure that it evaporates, LICK THE GLASS THE NEXT DAY. If you won't lick the glass, why on earth would you dare use acetone to clean your tank?!

USE distilled white vinegar and water to clean the glass and rinse thoroughly until you can't smell it. Vinegar breaks down hard water build up too.

 

[Arkangel77]

All these people who swear by using acetone to clean the glass I have a challenge for you. If you're so sure that it evaporates, LICK THE GLASS THE NEXT DAY. If you won't lick the glass, why on earth would you dare use acetone to clean your tank?!

SOOOO - ahhhh, You looking for someone to Lick your glass hu?

 

[xdragonxb0i]

nola, acetone evaporates, but it leaves residue.

Im a nail techinician so i can easily get my hands on a few gallons of it ($18 a gallon for 100%)

From using it to take off nail polish, it can clean the polish off, but it does leave a white residue when it dry. but it isnt noticeble after you apply a top coat.

oh check your PM.

 

[greenterra]

My initial assessment of the liquid rubber on glass is that the people having problems with it either didn't clean or cleaned the glass improperly. BadOleRoss told me he found a spot where the liquid rubber had stuck quite well.

What I have found with JUST ONE COAT applied is that where it is thicker it sticks really well. My brush was fairly caked up and it was late when I was applying it to the glass, so the coat is uneven in thickness. Where it is thin you can rub it off with your finger. You can't do that where it is thicker. I think we're fine with it on glass.

Just wondering what your thoughts on the new results from BadOleRoss's thread are concerning Pond coat not sticking to glass at all. I would think his results speak pretty clearly on the lack of adhesion between Pond Coat and glass?

Quoted from his thread.

Testing, testing and more testing. After my first fail getting PC/silicone to seal my viewing window and breaking a $200 piece of glass I was determined to come up with a solution to sealing this tank. The test were pretty simple and were as follows:

1. Properly prepare a piece of glass and partially sand and area of the glass, apply pond coat to the glass over the sanded and unsanded area and allow it to throughly dry! Then soak it in the bathtub for several hours and see if the pond coat adheres to the glass.

2. Cover a piece of plywood in waterproof fiberglass resin. When the resin has dried, apply pond coat to the board over a large portion of the fiberglass resin. Using silicone, bond a piece of acrylic to the resin to see if silicone sticks! Allow to dry and then stick it in the tub!

The results: Pond coat did not stick to the glass at all. The glass was clean and part of it was lightly sanded and the pond coat did not stick to glass. As you can see in the pictures, it comes right off leaving no residue! Pond coat stuck like a champ to the fiberglass resin! Silicone bonded great to the fiberglass resin.

Tomorrow, I will be reworking my frame a little and then coating the inside of the frame with a couple coats of waterproof fiberglass resin. When the resin has throughly dried, I will silicone the viewing window into the frame bonding it to the resin. After the silicone has dried, I will apply pond coat over the frame up to the edge of the silicone. I am confident this will work and will leave very little, if any, resin exposed in the tank.