First Wood Build

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dougmich

Feeder Fish
MFK Member
Aug 11, 2005
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ONtario, Canada
Need help in deciding what to use for waterproofing the plywood sides of the tank. I am planning a 8' X 4' Deep by 3' High Tank SW Reef Tank. Question is can I use pool liner glued with contact cement individually to each piece of plywood than screw everything together and seal the seams, or I have a source for laminated countertop that is very cheap rightnow and do the same thing with it. My concern and nobody around here can answer is would the rubber pull away from the wood over time with the heating requirement of a reef tank. All input would be appreciated.
Thanks
 
water pressure will keep the liner against the wood but the hard part is getting the glass/acrylic front to stick to the Liner. I used 2 part epoxy on my tank that's about the same size as yours. http://www.aquaticeco.com/subcategories/3048/Epoxy-Paint-1-Gallon If you use glass that silicone will stick to the epoxy very nicely. If you use acrylic for the front you can first paint the acrylic around the edge that will go between the epoxy coated wood and the strip of painted acrylic then use silicone in between. Made this up real quick as an example :
AcrylicEpoxy.jpg
 
So than, water pressure will keep the pond liner pressed up against the plywood, this makes sense for sure, the glass front will attach to the wood with silicon on the front
 
Use 3M automotive contact cement (outdoors with good ventilation or half way thru you won't care if it sticks :D). Test the silicone your going to be using on the liner before you get to far into this project to make sure it will adhere to the material well.

Did you mean to say glue the liner to the laminated counter top material?

Or

Use the laminated counter top material for the inside of the tank? (laminate is not waterproof only water resistant).

Dr Joe

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Thanks for all your input Dr.
The plan is to glue the liner to the walls of the plywood tank than assemble so the liner goes right into the corner of the tank. From earlier posts discovered water pressure will hold the liner against the walls of the tank. Option 2 was to use the laminate instead of the pool liner. I was told that the laminate will not leak, so i guess now i have a different opinion, what is the difference I am not sure between waterproof and water resistant as the water will lay on a laminate countertop until it evaporates or is wiped off. Do you think that aquarium sealant won't adhere to the rubber liner?
 
dougmich;2064286; said:
Thanks for all your input Dr.
The plan is to glue the liner to the walls of the plywood tank than assemble so the liner goes right into the corner of the tank. From earlier posts discovered water pressure will hold the liner against the walls of the tank. Option 2 was to use the laminate instead of the pool liner. I was told that the laminate will not leak, so i guess now i have a different opinion, what is the difference I am not sure between waterproof and water resistant as the water will lay on a laminate countertop until it evaporates or is wiped off. Do you think that aquarium sealant won't adhere to the rubber liner?
Click to expand...


If your using rubber (EPDM) liner, you can use their adhesive/sealers. If a different material (pool liner (vinyl?))is used you'll have to test it.

Contact a laminate manufacturer to get their final say, but I've had laminate fail because of water intrusion on several occasions using laminates in a 24/7 submersed environment. Seems the laminate was slightly porous. This was a few years ago tho.

You can purchase a pre-formed EDPM liner to fit inside the box too.

Dr Joe

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