Is it Possible??? PVC Tank...

  • We are currently upgrading MFK. thanks! -neo
I was introduced to it on this old house...

They were using it to make sills for windows and doors. It doesn't rot out or creak and is less susceptible to expansion. (I imagine expansion is a problem in plywood tanks due to humidity)

So I went to the Lowes and found some small pieces. Then A few days ago my mom (who works in HR at an Aircraft machine shop) brought me a usplastics catalog.

They have hundreds of different kinds of plastics. Everything from containers, to sheets.

I think that you all on this site might like it. They have all kinds of regulators, splitters, tubing, and things that we use in our tanks and if you buy large quantities (like I know you do) they offer discounts.

Anyway I was looking through it and found some tubing, and then I saw the pvc sheet page and a dream was born.

I think you aught to check out their sight for some tubing and stuff ( I don't know if i'm allowed to say that due to sponsor issues or anything) Its http://www.usplastic.com/catalog/default.asp

This Is what they say about pvc sheet.... This PVC sheet has excellent corrosion resistance and weather resistance. The working temp is 33° F to 160°F. and the forming temperatures of 245° F. It is good electrical and thermal insulator and has a self-extinguishing per UL Test 94. PVC applications are almost unlimited. It's the most widely used member of the vinyl family. It is excellent when used for corrosion-resistant tanks, ducts, fume hoods, and pipe. Ideal for self-supporting tanks, fabricated parts, tank linings, and spacers. It is not UV stabilized and has a tolerance of +or 10%. Not FDA approved materials.

Not FDA Approved but it is the same chemical used in household water pipes....

I think that the 1/2" or maybe even the 3/8 would be good enough to make a terrarium out of.. If it had braces which in a terrarium with a backround would be easy to hide. It doesn't have to contain all that water pressure like a fish tank, 12" of water at the most.
 
just quick ?, maybe not important but only way to learn right:D
you said it doesn't harbor mold, but won't that affect the beneficial bacteria? i don't know if that is an issue in terrariums or not
 
Well, i meant its not porus so it wont harbour mold, not that it has any kind of chemical in it that inhibits mold growth. Your pipes dont mold. And the rock in the bottom of the water should be enough for it.

And as we all know the beneficial bacteria live mostly in the water column. And I sure don't want a bunch of bacteria and mold living in my substrate.
 
thanks, i was just wondering b/c if i ever wanted to use it, it couldn't have any chemical resistance. good luck with your build, i may not have one but i love terrariums and dart frogs.
 
Thats cool. With amphibians its just as big of a deal about chemicals as it is with fish. Anything with chemical resistence to bacterium or mold will hurt them. Interestingly though, i belive that pvc is resistent to most chemicals so other chemicals should not interact with it to ba.

Really, reptiles and amphibians are more my intrest. But I do love fish.

Don't beat on me too bad when I say it though but I have never seen a fish over 5" long that I liked.

I like the little guys flying around in the water. That doesn't mean that I don't like monster tanks though! Planning on a large (atleast 15' both ways and 5' deep) pond in my backyard someday... full of guppies and some other small fish. Maybe a few medium 8" at the maximum fish for population control. And a breeding pair of RES turtles.
 
Darkness9876;3035772; said:
Would it be possible to build a roughly 4x4x8' tank out of dimensional PVC?
Anyone seen this stuff? Its expensive ($300+ dollars for a 1/2" 4x8 sheet) I think it has some great qualaties though... First off it is water proof, its not going to harbour mold, its non toxic, The glued joints are waterproof. Its strong for its thickness, and numerous others.

So Do you think it is plausible to build a pvc tank?
Click to expand...

1/2" expanded PVC is probably one of the most common building materials for reptile/amphibian vivaria all around the world. Nowadays 4x8 sheets of the 1/2" stuff go for about $75 to $90. $300 per sheet seems to be overkill unless you plan on keeping this terrarium outside most of the year.

The Denver Zoo has built some of their recent walk-in sized exhibits out of 1/2" expanded PVC so it should work fine for you.

With all this said, my personal recommendation would be to build a slightly smaller cage that can fit in and out of the typical home. I like the idea of supersized cages but you could tweak your dimensions just a bit and fit it into most apartments or homes.

So instead of 48x48x96, instead consider 48x30x78. That will fit under most doorways and the 48x30 footprint can turn corners in most places. I build a 49.5" x 30" x 48" cage for a friend in his apartment and he was only barely able to get it out and moved into a different apartment later on.
 
CJH;3040730; said:
1/2" expanded PVC is probably one of the most common building materials for reptile/amphibian vivaria all around the world. Nowadays 4x8 sheets of the 1/2" stuff go for about $75 to $90. $300 per sheet seems to be overkill unless you plan on keeping this terrarium outside most of the year.

The Denver Zoo has built some of their recent walk-in sized exhibits out of 1/2" expanded PVC so it should work fine for you.

With all this said, my personal recommendation would be to build a slightly smaller cage that can fit in and out of the typical home. I like the idea of supersized cages but you could tweak your dimensions just a bit and fit it into most apartments or homes.

So instead of 48x48x96, instead consider 48x30x78. That will fit under most doorways and the 48x30 footprint can turn corners in most places. I build a 49.5" x 30" x 48" cage for a friend in his apartment and he was only barely able to get it out and moved into a different apartment later on.
Click to expand...

Thanks for the good info man.

As for the tank itself I won't be making a large scale on like that for many years... And then it will be built and then have a wall built around it. In other words it will be in my permenant residence. Can anyone say tank room?

Until then though I would like to build a 3x3x3 cube. That can fit through most spaces with ease and gives me plenty of room for 2 tincs to live.

Plus it will give me some experience with the sump and misters and all that as well.

Really I like the idea of being able to set up my stuff just the way I like it. Don't get my wrong I love my 90g terrarium, but glass isn't easy to tweak to the way you like it.

NOw that I consider it the expanded is probably a good way to go instead of solid. The airspace inside of it would be insulating, and it can always be jointed with the pvc glue and have a bead of silicone. After all the moto we use when we build anything esle is "if it can be done, it can be overdone" WE build everything bigger and stronger than it needs to be around here and it works because it doesn't have to be redone.
 
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