Build or Buy?

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J

jtmoney

Feeder Fish
MFK Member
Jan 8, 2008
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Indiana
I am looking to setup a saltwater shark / FOLR tank that is around 96x36X24 and was curious the cost difference between buying and building. I know to buy I am looking at 1400+ just for the tank alone through glasscages.com

I am decent with woodwork, I have a miter saw and hand saw and have made aquarium stands and large monitor enclosures. The thing that worries me is building a tank and it not holding water.

It is pretty difficult to find a 300+ gallon acrylic tank used, well at least I have had a hard time doing so on craigslist.

Any thoughts or suggestions?
 
I think at that size the cost dif are pretty close so it may not be worth it to build your own. On the plus side you are kinda close to a acrylic manufacturer that has the lowest prices I have found so you could prob make one pretty cheap if you wanted to take the time
 
At that size.. I would split the difference abit... and buy the tank.. and build the stand/sump ect... cut costs where you can get away with it.. or where your comfortable, but don't skimp on quality unless your confident in working with acylic/fiberglass, ect. Most tanks also have some gurantee against leaks ect. so if you do have issues you don't have to pull your hair out trying to fix it.
 
DIY plywood tanks can normally be done for about a $1.00 a gallon, sometimes including some of the lights and filtration.
 
How thick would you get the acrylic sheets?

Would you do plywood with acrylic on the inside or just plain acrylic?

GlassCages is only 3 hours away too, choices choices!
 
just save yourself the trouble and the worries and get it from glass cages, their prices are pretty much unbeatable and they make good quality tanks, although i do beleive i recently read an article about the glass braces on the top of the tank seperating. not sure if that was a glass cages tank or not, but they also sport the glass braces. i am torn on the same matter trying to decide if i want to build or buy a 400 gallon. only difference is G.C. is alot further away from me and i would have to have the tank shipped to another location. good luck
 
Chaz88;4854930; said:
DIY plywood tanks can normally be done for about a $1.00 a gallon, sometimes including some of the lights and filtration.
Click to expand...

Most of the cost in wood and a liner?
 
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