Hello, I'm in the United Kingdom and planning my first ever plywood aquarium build. My basement has just been converted and I'm at the planning stage.
Plywood tank to sit on 2.2m x 2m x 6" thick concrete slab in my basement.
Tank dimensions 2.1m x 1.2m x 1m high filled to approximately 85cm high giving 2031 litres or 536 US gallons (446 UK gallons).
Sump will sit behind display tank (likely 3x water barrels - x1 with K1), hence only utilising 4' of 2m concrete slab available for tank width.
Plywood tank consisting:-
• 18mm marine plywood
• Pressure treated 2x4s bracing rear, sides & top
• 19mm glass for single front viewing window
• Interseal 670HS in black (2, 3 or 4 coats?)
• Fibreglass seams (450gm) no resin just 670HS
I will use Interseal 670HS. In the UK we cannot buy pond shield and it appears Interseal 670HS does have a track record, unlike other epoxies available in the UK.
My questions on my first plywood build :-
1) Recommended number of coats for 670HS ?
Coverage apparently = 6.56m2/litre at 0.125mm thickness my tank is 9.12m2 plus I'll paint bracing.
I'm wondering if 2 x 5 litre tins for a total of 10 litres will suffice? or if I require 15 litres
2) How thick should the polystyrene mat be underneath?
Tank has no stand and will sit directly on 6" concrete slab.
3) Should I use a vapour barrier below the mat underneath the tank?
4) Pro/cons of front of aquarium using plywood sheet braced with 2x4 top/bottom?
5) Pro/cons of front of aquarium not using a plywood sheet and instead using 2x4s top and bottom to set window size and brace the front of tank?
Re 4 & 5) I'm stuck on which way to proceed with front of aquarium should I use a plywood sheet then cut the window, then brace front with 2x4s top and bottom OR go without plywood sheet on the front and instead use 2x4s to set the window size and brace tank this way?
An example of what I mean is DWS Darius tank and Cichlid Bros recent build on YouTube (I am new, so I cannot post links here).
If I used top and bottom bracing like DWSDarius I would need to make tank 6" taller at 1m 15cm high to give me the same height viewing window when compared to the alternative 2x4 front construction.
Either way 2x4 bracing will be added on rear and the sides vertically and horizontally with 2x4 bracing on top on both ends with further bracing added after glass is installed centrally.
6) Will 2x4 suffice everywhere or should I consider upgrading some areas to 2x6s?
These are my initial questions.
I can't wait to get started but advice would be very much appreciated.
P.S Fish stock 4x Kelberi Peacock Bass new and only 3" and assorted 7" to 10" South American Cichlids currently in a couple of 5x2x2 glass tanks.
Plywood tank to sit on 2.2m x 2m x 6" thick concrete slab in my basement.
Tank dimensions 2.1m x 1.2m x 1m high filled to approximately 85cm high giving 2031 litres or 536 US gallons (446 UK gallons).
Sump will sit behind display tank (likely 3x water barrels - x1 with K1), hence only utilising 4' of 2m concrete slab available for tank width.
Plywood tank consisting:-
• 18mm marine plywood
• Pressure treated 2x4s bracing rear, sides & top
• 19mm glass for single front viewing window
• Interseal 670HS in black (2, 3 or 4 coats?)
• Fibreglass seams (450gm) no resin just 670HS
I will use Interseal 670HS. In the UK we cannot buy pond shield and it appears Interseal 670HS does have a track record, unlike other epoxies available in the UK.
My questions on my first plywood build :-
1) Recommended number of coats for 670HS ?
Coverage apparently = 6.56m2/litre at 0.125mm thickness my tank is 9.12m2 plus I'll paint bracing.
I'm wondering if 2 x 5 litre tins for a total of 10 litres will suffice? or if I require 15 litres
2) How thick should the polystyrene mat be underneath?
Tank has no stand and will sit directly on 6" concrete slab.
3) Should I use a vapour barrier below the mat underneath the tank?
4) Pro/cons of front of aquarium using plywood sheet braced with 2x4 top/bottom?
5) Pro/cons of front of aquarium not using a plywood sheet and instead using 2x4s top and bottom to set window size and brace the front of tank?
Re 4 & 5) I'm stuck on which way to proceed with front of aquarium should I use a plywood sheet then cut the window, then brace front with 2x4s top and bottom OR go without plywood sheet on the front and instead use 2x4s to set the window size and brace tank this way?
An example of what I mean is DWS Darius tank and Cichlid Bros recent build on YouTube (I am new, so I cannot post links here).
If I used top and bottom bracing like DWSDarius I would need to make tank 6" taller at 1m 15cm high to give me the same height viewing window when compared to the alternative 2x4 front construction.
Either way 2x4 bracing will be added on rear and the sides vertically and horizontally with 2x4 bracing on top on both ends with further bracing added after glass is installed centrally.
6) Will 2x4 suffice everywhere or should I consider upgrading some areas to 2x6s?
These are my initial questions.
I can't wait to get started but advice would be very much appreciated.
P.S Fish stock 4x Kelberi Peacock Bass new and only 3" and assorted 7" to 10" South American Cichlids currently in a couple of 5x2x2 glass tanks.
