You should watch some videos on how to work with fiberglass. You need to use epoxy or resin with the fiberglass mat.
My idea for a DIY plywood aquarium
- Thread starter Big Fish Freak
- Start date
Just had a quick thought...how much of the MAX ACR do you think I will need to cover this build? I've read it covers quite a bit of area and I saw a thread where someone covered a 7'x3'x30" tank and had extra to spare..covering this tank for $90 seems like an amazing deal..anyone else have experience on how far this stuff goes?
How much you'll need depends on methods used and tank design. If you fiberglass the entire tank and/or pour fillets in all the corner seams or exposed plywood edges, you'll need more epoxy. If the tank is going to be portable, where it'll need more strength, so it can safely be moved from location to location, you'd use more epoxy. You probably won't need as much, if the tank is never going to be moved, where you just fiberglass the corners, put several thin layers of epoxy on interior, and don't waterproof the exterior.
I'll probably use 2+ gallons of Max ACR on my current 10x2x2 portable tank build. Already used most of 1.5 gallons from my initial purchase, so I ordered more a few months ago. If I have any extra, it certainly won't go to waste. Have plans to build a Radial Flow Separator and a sump with Moving Bed Bio-Filter. I already used some epoxy for a plywood cat litter box also.
Expect to pay about $25+ for shipping.
good to know..I may just order 2 gallons to make sure I have enough..I do plan on moving this tank at some point, as I am currently renting, and will have to move at some point..what do u mean by fillets?
How do I color it? I want a black background..would I do this:
epoxy
color paint
epoxy
or can I just add something to the epoxy to color it?
They sell black colorant that you can add to it for about $25.
Fillets are filler beads in corner joints. They look like this:
Fillets are filler beads in corner joints. They look like this:
Awesome Keith, lots of good knowledge..looks similar to a nice thick bead of silicone..looks like that particular fillet is like 1/8" that is quite a bit of epoxy.
thanks to all of you for your input btw!!
thanks to all of you for your input btw!!
The fillet on that side was only about 15 grams of epoxy, plus 3.5 grams of Calcium Carbonate Powder. The Calcium Carbonate Powder adds volume, thickens the epoxy, makes the color more opaque, adds strength/hardness, and reduces the amount of shrinkage when it's curing. I like to use some kind of filler/aggregate in my epoxy for critical joints like that one, especially if I'm not fiberglassing the seam, but for general waterproofing, I won't use it.
Did you have to lay the tank on that side to make the fillet? or was the calcium carbonate powder hold it together enough to keep it from dripping?
And seeing that I can just apply the MAX ACR to fiberglass sheets and will cover more ground for its volume than the Ames Blue Max I think I am just gonna go with the MAX ACR..
The silicone still wont stick to the MAX though will it? And what about the glass? Not that I would just use the epoxy to seal the glass, but I figure for neatness sake I could use the epoxy to seal the glass from the inside and then put a bead of silicone on the outside edge of the glass to keep water out that way. Or is that not right?
The silicone still wont stick to the MAX though will it? And what about the glass? Not that I would just use the epoxy to seal the glass, but I figure for neatness sake I could use the epoxy to seal the glass from the inside and then put a bead of silicone on the outside edge of the glass to keep water out that way. Or is that not right?
