After spending a few months reading everyone's posts about their projects I have finally decided to build a practice plywood tank. This tank is only for me to get a general idea of what I am doing, so when I build the monster tank(hopefully later this summer), I will have more confidence in what I am doing.
For my materials, I have:
One sheet of 4x8 plywood at 3/4in thick $21
2 tubes of silicone (GEI window and door) $7 (ish, don't have the receipt)
Caulk Gun $2
Miniroll kit $5
3/4 in Screws $7 (although I didn't even use 10% of the box)
36 in x 18 in 3/8 thick glass $48
1.5 Quart kit of Pond Shield $80 (+ $10 shipping)
Fiberglass cloth $6
That puts my current total at about $186.
The dimensions of the inside of the tank are 45 1/2in x 16 1/2 in x 24in (overflow holes were drilled at 20 in)
I placed the tank right side up, so the floor (which is/should be flat) would ensure the bottom ends would be at the same level for the base to be drilled on to.
I convinced my wife to help me out. We flipped the tank over, and placed the base on top. Then Brittany proceeded to drill the holes while I followed behind and screwed in the screws.
IMG]http://i102.photobucket.com/albums/m104/boyscout9178/Fish%20Tank/100_0719.jpg[/IMG]
I was unaware that it would take a grand total of two weeks for the Pond Shield to arrive, but it did three days ago. I waited until my wife and I both had a free day, then began painting. She mixed it(drill died half way through mixing, so we (she) finished by hand.
Picture of me struggling with the fiberglass that I had to soak in Pond Shield, then place at all the corners of the tank. Unfortunately (or fortunately depending) there was only the two of us, so once both of our gloved hands had Pond Shield on them, the camera was off limits.
Me carefully placing the fiberglass in the corner of the tank.
Done painting, and two more pictures of the same topic. If you look in the back you can see the three holes I drilled for the overflow.
Currently we are waiting for the pond shield to completely dry(giving it another good day or so), then we are going to go over a few spots with a small amount of silicone and put the window in.
I think the total is at alittle under 90 gallons full, but the water level will be about four inches lower.
Because it was so messy and frustrating to deal with the pond shield-soaked fiberglass, I had another thought. Suggestions and comments welcome. Why not paint all the wood with pond shield before assembling it. Then after it's screwed/bolted into place, seal the corners with silicone like you would a glass tank? The only downside I can think of is that the silicone may not adhere to the pondshield that well.
For my materials, I have:
One sheet of 4x8 plywood at 3/4in thick $21
2 tubes of silicone (GEI window and door) $7 (ish, don't have the receipt)
Caulk Gun $2
Miniroll kit $5
3/4 in Screws $7 (although I didn't even use 10% of the box)
36 in x 18 in 3/8 thick glass $48
1.5 Quart kit of Pond Shield $80 (+ $10 shipping)
Fiberglass cloth $6
That puts my current total at about $186.
The dimensions of the inside of the tank are 45 1/2in x 16 1/2 in x 24in (overflow holes were drilled at 20 in)
I placed the tank right side up, so the floor (which is/should be flat) would ensure the bottom ends would be at the same level for the base to be drilled on to.
I convinced my wife to help me out. We flipped the tank over, and placed the base on top. Then Brittany proceeded to drill the holes while I followed behind and screwed in the screws.
IMG]http://i102.photobucket.com/albums/m104/boyscout9178/Fish%20Tank/100_0719.jpg[/IMG]
I was unaware that it would take a grand total of two weeks for the Pond Shield to arrive, but it did three days ago. I waited until my wife and I both had a free day, then began painting. She mixed it(drill died half way through mixing, so we (she) finished by hand.
Picture of me struggling with the fiberglass that I had to soak in Pond Shield, then place at all the corners of the tank. Unfortunately (or fortunately depending) there was only the two of us, so once both of our gloved hands had Pond Shield on them, the camera was off limits.
Me carefully placing the fiberglass in the corner of the tank.
Done painting, and two more pictures of the same topic. If you look in the back you can see the three holes I drilled for the overflow.
Currently we are waiting for the pond shield to completely dry(giving it another good day or so), then we are going to go over a few spots with a small amount of silicone and put the window in.
I think the total is at alittle under 90 gallons full, but the water level will be about four inches lower.
Because it was so messy and frustrating to deal with the pond shield-soaked fiberglass, I had another thought. Suggestions and comments welcome. Why not paint all the wood with pond shield before assembling it. Then after it's screwed/bolted into place, seal the corners with silicone like you would a glass tank? The only downside I can think of is that the silicone may not adhere to the pondshield that well.
