First ply tank- from 130 to 200 gals

  • We are currently upgrading MFK. thanks! -neo
Bassinkorea;3483048; said:
I don't think wood glue and fiberglass would be a good idea to hold those braces under the water pressure.
Personally, I would fully cut out the 2 center braces and drop the glass through the top on an angle and fix the glass in place.
While I was waiting for the silicone to cure, I would build a new brace frame out of 3/4" ply, coat it in the required fiberglass and attach it to the top of the tank. Then silicone seal the gap between the 2.

Here some photos of mine....
Click to expand...

Yes. Do NOT compromise the side braces. It's much better to remove the center braces an angle in the glass. You could set up some sort of wood helper blocks to set the glass on after you silcone the frame. After you set the glass into the silicone, roll the tank forward onto the floor and let the weight of the glass seat itself. This way you can crawl inside and do additional siliconing on the back side if necessary and it's easier.
ALWAYS wear a respirator when fiberglassing and siliconing. If you cant wear a respirator then cross ventilate your workspace. If you feel weird like you said then you are getting fumed and thats not good.
 
Will your glass fit in if you go diagonally like in this pic? If so, I would slot out the center braces for the glass to drop through. Install the glass and then screw off another full piece of ply over the braces and fiberglass it all together.

When making a tank this way, make sure the top opening is wider than the glass is high. ;)

imprevu.jpg
 
greenterra;3483589; said:
Will your glass fit in if you go diagonally like in this pic?
Click to expand...

no...:irked:

greenterra;3483589; said:
When making a tank this way, make sure the top opening is wider than the glass is high. ;)
Click to expand...

you bet i know now!

After you set the glass into the silicone, roll the tank forward onto the floor and let the weight of the glass seat itself.
Click to expand...

that's what i planned to do, thanks


so the problem with passing the lid through the top is that it doesn't pass like i answered to green terra..

and it's kinda hard to cut the whole top brace! man i mean this thing is in some thick fiber and resin now:cry:

of course, if it's the only solution...
 
i thought about that and the option of cutting off the whole top brace is impossible. there are TONS of screws in there! my brace was placed onto the tank and then drilled into it, dunno if you got my point... so the screws go trough the window frame, and not the window frame being screwed into the top brace. it's not made like Joey's liquid rubbered tank if you saw his build.

so i guess i'll finish this project as a nice waterproof shelf for my books!

haha


no i won't give up on this thing for sure...

seriously, would the best solution be to take the round saw and re-cut the top brace to make a larger hole? i mean making the brace thinner (ok note that the sketch is not exact on the brace. it's actually 3" wide all around the tank) so let's say making it 2" all around the tank instead and passing it like GT proposed.
that seems the safest solution to me!
 
Your quickest and easiest bet would be to cut through the braces and drop the glass through like you originally said only I would do it in the middle of the braces. Silicone it in place. Then I would double up on the braces. Screw and glue the old brace and the new one together and then fiberglass it and seal it. Just make sure you tape up the glass with plastic sheeting beforehand.

imprevu 2.jpg
 
oh... i just had a concern about gluing the window in place right now.

i will make a DIY background with cement and chopped strands of fiber covered with resin. the thing is, i'll have to put the tank on its back to do so and i wonder if the weight of the window will be too much for the silicon to hold it...

the more i think about it, the more i think not!

here's my dilemma:
i wanted to make a leak test before doing the background cauz if it leaks behind the background, i'm roasted! i guess it's almost impossible that it leaks as it is now, but i also wanna drill the back of the tank to do my Overflow, so THAT could leak. and if it does, i won't be able to patch it from the inside, which could be dramatic cauz my bulkhead will be stuck there.

so, do i:
1- drill holes for the bulkhead and put resin to seal the edge of the holes like a big champ, and do the background over my piping with cement and resin and finally install the window and cross my fingers that it doesn't leak

or

2- install the window, install the bulkheads/piping and do the water test, THEN flip the tank on its back to do the background and hope the glass will stay in place being held by the silicon.
 
ok and about the glass itself, what about this idea?



cutting a slice in the bottom of the tank itself, it won't affect the bracing at all and very simple to do

remember, i'll add 2x6s under the bottom to support the tank so the slice would be right over a 2x6 so i would only patch the hole and resin it real good. this part of the tank wont move anyways...the 2x6 will be screwed and glued



so what you think of this new idea, and what you think of the previous post?
 
Yeah, if it was a steel tank. Then you could weld it.

I would not compromise the bottom of a plywood tank. No way, no how. That is where all your water weight is. Even if you repair it and lay the whole thing on a cement surface I still would not do it. These type of tanks flex way too much due to age, temp, water changes, the type of coating on the inside/outside, etc, etc. I would recommend doing one of the above suggestions and go through the braces. Then just do a clean repair on the braces.

You may be able to go through the front by angling and jocking the glass around but the tank would have to be fairly deep. A chunk of cardboard cut to the glass dimensions will allow you to play around with various ways of getting the glass in without having to handle the glass itself.
 
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