We are planning our first DIY plywood build and I am a little confused. We have a large piece of glass for a viewing window and the tank is going to be 6ftL x 5ftW x 3.5ftT We are trying to figure out the best way to line the inside and seal it. I think we have decided to use pond liner but I am confused about how to get the viewing window set. My question is will 100% pure silicone stick to pond liner without a leak? (This is how we are planning on setting the window) Any advice would be great. Pictures would be even better. Thank you!
New to DIY plywood build. A question.
- Thread starter bahamaqt00
- Start date
Blow a few exrea bucks and go with Sweetwater Epoxy Paint. You wont be sorry.
See the build in my sig line. Just finished and am getting ready to fill. Silicone sticks to the epoxy with little or no effort, and comes in many pretty colors.
See the build in my sig line. Just finished and am getting ready to fill. Silicone sticks to the epoxy with little or no effort, and comes in many pretty colors.
I think to secure glass to a pond liner you need to do something like in the picture blow so the glass is drawn up tp the liner creating a gasket. The problem with this is that you are using glass and not acrylic. Drilling this many holes in glass and tightening it down without breaking it along the drill line would be a challenge.
I would so with an epoxy or pond coat to seal the tank. Make sure you read through the DIY stickys above to see what others have done.
I would so with an epoxy or pond coat to seal the tank. Make sure you read through the DIY stickys above to see what others have done.
my freind tried this on his koi pond did not work at all use fiberglass and seal with a nice epoxy top coat and the window needs a frame my freind used a custom made stainless steel frame screwed in to his pond wall like a window frame in a house then sealed the frame to the epoxy walls then the glass sat inside the frame which was beaded in with silicone which is propper aquarum silicone sorry got no pics just remeber there is alot of weight on the window as it is prob the weekest point so it isnt just a seal you need to support the window or it will just blow out and that is not good. you can always fill it up outside then if it fails which it will then it dont matter apart from getting new glass which is expensive.
have a look at this http://www.monsterfishkeepers.com/forums/showthread.php?t=270388
I think this is a similar idea to what you have.
(and problems you may have)
I think this is a similar idea to what you have.
(and problems you may have)
That's almost the exact size I'm planning on building. I would go with fiberglass over plywood then top off with Blue Max or Sweetwater for water proofing. It's a lot easier to attach the glass to.
Do you have any sketchs of this tank?
Do you have any sketchs of this tank?