Any plywood aquarium failures?

[mscamp02]

I haven't completed mine yet and I am waiting on glass to come in but I would caution on a 300g plywood for cost reasons. Brand new they can be had for 1200 or so from glasscages and I'm sure other places.

I originally quoted myself prior to getting materials at nearly 1900 for my 12x4 garage build but I am currently 600 over budget due to purchasing things I didn't think of or miscalculations or going with a better version of something. Cost can snowball pretty quickly. Glass was 280 locally for a 2x8 piece, epoxy ran me 250 for how much I needed. If your staying a moderate size then go glass/acrylic.

 

[dallen2233]

I originally quoted myself prior to getting materials at nearly 1900 for my 12x4 garage build but I am currently 600 over budget due to purchasing things I didn't think of or miscalculations or going with a better version of something. Cost can snowball pretty quickly. Glass was 280 locally for a 2x8 piece, epoxy ran me 250 for how much I needed. If your staying a moderate size then go glass/acrylic.

What is costing you so much, if you don't mind me asking? I spent 470 on my 6'x3'x2' and that's with 180 for glass, 100 on pond shield, 150 on plywood, 20 on silicone, and 20 on glue and screws.

 

[mscamp02]

Its 12x4x30 plus an additional 14 inches for the rest of the hood, the lids have two sheets of 24 x 48 acrylic each which was an additional 120 or so. Everything is 2x4 framed and insulated with a 2x8 platform on bricks. I spent a bit more on the intererior 3/4 plywood to get a pre primed surface for something smoother for less sanding time, laid down fiberglass at all seams prior to epoxy. Heater was 150, 60 for heater controller, air heater another 20, centrifugal fan another 50, pump 200, k1 media is 100 for now but I know I'll have to get more, acrylic was 75 for sump chambers, plumbing was all 1.5 inch, two 48 inch lights, exterior paint, all 1/4 inch plywood skinned exterior. 70 for air pump, stones, lines. That also includes my miscellaneous costs for sandpaper, acetone, wax and grease remover etc. Plus my glue, screw and silicon cost is double to triple yours due to how much I needed.

I pretty much added in everything to make it run. The tank would have been significantly cheaper if I was building the same dimensions but a different style for inside the house instead of an unheated garage.

What is costing you so much, if you don't mind me asking? I spent 470 on my 6'x3'x2' and that's with 180 for glass, 100 on pond shield, 150 on plywood, 20 on silicone, and 20 on glue and screws.

 

[dallen2233]

Its 12x4x30 plus an additional 14 inches for the rest of the hood, the lids have two sheets of 24 x 48 acrylic each which was an additional 120 or so. Everything is 2x4 framed and insulated with a 2x8 platform on bricks. I spent a bit more on the intererior 3/4 plywood to get a pre primed surface for something smoother for less sanding time, laid down fiberglass at all seams prior to epoxy. Heater was 150, 60 for heater controller, air heater another 20, centrifugal fan another 50, pump 200, k1 media is 100 for now but I know I'll have to get more, acrylic was 75 for sump chambers, plumbing was all 1.5 inch, two 48 inch lights, exterior paint, all 1/4 inch plywood skinned exterior. 70 for air pump, stones, lines. That also includes my miscellaneous costs for sandpaper, acetone, wax and grease remover etc. Plus my glue, screw and silicon cost is double to triple yours due to how much I needed.

I pretty much added in everything to make it run. The tank would have been significantly cheaper if I was building the same dimensions but a different style for inside the house instead of an unheated garage.

That makes more sense. I was thing you were figuring 1900 for just the tank it self. Overall I think I'm up to 2500ish for mine, but about half of that is for filtration.