Nice build, l hope the siliconed glass and over laped zavlar works, have you ever seen this done before?
My 300gal Plywood Tank/Stand/Bio Tower build
- Thread starter hereticlosmorte
- Start date
I'm holding off for a 300 gallon this year, if that does not flourish I will think of building a plywood tank. I'm fortunate that I have brothers in the wood cabinetry work. So getting one build would not be hard. Great start and work. I love the fact that others have the patients to build a perfectly square frame. maybe I've buying the wrong wood or I'm cutting it wrong, everything I've built has not come out square or in perfect shape.
Dom Shabil;4820120; said:
another member who i got the idea of zavlar from, did it this way as well.
Conner;4821027; said:
i was wondering that too. i can tell you, it does. the panel of glass is siliconed onto the zavlar as we speak, and neither myself nor my dad can move it at all. it is stuck well and good. i used marineland clear aquarium sealant, and it was dry within 12 hrs. i haven't done anything on it yet as the tube said to give it 48 hrs to dry before adding water, so i wanted to be sure and wait that long before adding the overlaid zavlar on top of the glass edges.
Sonny503;4821049; said:
I'm holding off for a 300 gallon this year, if that does not flourish I will think of building a plywood tank. I'm fortunate that I have brothers in the wood cabinetry work. So getting one build would not be hard. Great start and work. I love the fact that others have the patients to build a perfectly square frame. maybe I've buying the wrong wood or I'm cutting it wrong, everything I've built has not come out square or in perfect shape.
my dad has built a bunch of houses and is a very handy guy, so he came with and helped me with lumber choices. he eyed every piece on the skid thoroughly before making choices, based on straight. if it bowed or twisted in the slightest, had cracks or anything otherwise hindering, it went into the declined pile, which was HUGE. i can tell ya if i'd just gone and gotten the pieces myself, i wouldn't have thought about that, and the stand woulda been all rickety and twisted. it was a huge help starting out with good lumber.
i will post pics in a few on what i have done. the tank is on its front, with the glass inserted and siliconed. while waiting for that to dry, i've been working on the top. got all of the access points cut out and beveled, but i forgot to drill holes to put in my filter components, so i might not zavlar it just yet. been fiberglass epoxying the chips/outside eyesores as it will be visible to the eye.
ok, here's the updated pics.
this is the top piece of the tank, cut and beveled and being fiberglass epoxy filled in rough spots.
here is the panel of glass installed into the tank right onto the zavlar, using marineland aquarium silicone. the window also has painters tape on it for straight endlines on the zavlar once it is added to the edges.
this is a full shot of the tank on its front while glass set in. 6ft long, 4 ft wide.
here is the silicone stuck to the zavlar, yes a little did ooze out from under the glass. no prob though, the zavlar will be over that anyways.
this is the top piece of the tank, cut and beveled and being fiberglass epoxy filled in rough spots.
here is the panel of glass installed into the tank right onto the zavlar, using marineland aquarium silicone. the window also has painters tape on it for straight endlines on the zavlar once it is added to the edges.
this is a full shot of the tank on its front while glass set in. 6ft long, 4 ft wide.
here is the silicone stuck to the zavlar, yes a little did ooze out from under the glass. no prob though, the zavlar will be over that anyways.
on my build i did a epoxy bridge between the silicone and the zavlar. so i siliconed to the epoxy then painted zavlar up to the silicone, i thought the spots where i got zavlar on the silicon looked like it stuck till i filled the tank the zavlar wiped off the silicone and didn't really cure. i was surprised at how easy it came off, it stuck and cured find on the epoxy but anything on the silicone came off.
another build stuck the glass to zavlar with 3M 5200 at it held as far as i know but from what i seen personally zavlar and silicon don't mix.
good luck hope it works for you
another build stuck the glass to zavlar with 3M 5200 at it held as far as i know but from what i seen personally zavlar and silicon don't mix.
good luck hope it works for you
ah, interesting pengu. what i think i will do then, is cut the excess silicone coming out from underneath the glass so that i can straight zavlar - glass and not have it touch the silicone. that way, when it is filled, the water will never end up touching the silicone as it will not get past the zavlar/glass combo. the overlying zavlar will never make it into contact with the silicone.
hi guys, been a bit since i posted last.
i have made some progress on my tank, as well as my diy biotower/sump.
This is with the top attached.
The feeding openings and intake/outtake holes.
Today, i added water. it is now full and holding the water with zero leaks.
here is my diy tower sump. it does not have water in it yet.
first lvl is filter sock and drip tray drawer.
levels 2-4 are filled with pot scrubbies.
this tower then drips into a large rubbermaid container which will house the pump.
here's a quick pic of the return line, which has a spraybar attached. (no pic of spraybar)
here is the draw line.
will get more pics once i add sand in and get it ready for the rays.
i have made some progress on my tank, as well as my diy biotower/sump.
This is with the top attached.
The feeding openings and intake/outtake holes.
Today, i added water. it is now full and holding the water with zero leaks.
here is my diy tower sump. it does not have water in it yet.
first lvl is filter sock and drip tray drawer.
levels 2-4 are filled with pot scrubbies.
this tower then drips into a large rubbermaid container which will house the pump.
here's a quick pic of the return line, which has a spraybar attached. (no pic of spraybar)
here is the draw line.
will get more pics once i add sand in and get it ready for the rays.
