Plywood tanks

[HorrorShowrot]

I am looking to see if anyone has good experience with making designs I know nothing of the designing aspect/weight load.

I was looking at a few of the tanks on here. But I would be making it in my basement, how do you make it so it wont leak at all. Like it will last for a long time? Anyone have a good site step by step instructions for a 500 gallon tank?

Looking for it to have glass in the front it will be about 92 inches by 32 by 32. What sort of reinforcing should I do? I saw people using 2x4s around the tank about 2 inch gaps in between each beam. Is that enough?

 

[BadOleRoss]

I think the first thing you need to do is read through the DIY tank build sticky and find a tank that was successful and find a tank that is built with materials you are confortable working with. A 500G tank is a pretty big first attempt but not unheard of. If it were me and I was building a 500G tank I would start with figuring out just how big this tank is going to be and how are you planning on filtering the tank. EVERYTHING needs to be taken in account when building a tank. I would build a frame much like the framing on a house using 2x4s or 2x6s 12" OC, line the inside of the tank with plywood 1/2" thick with the plywood being sanded on 1 side. The sanded side faces the inside of the tank. I would seal the tank with liquid rubber (Zavlar) and use 3/4" plate glass for the viewing window. This is very basic, you will need to figure out dozens of details but planning is key. Read some of the DIY builds and learn from the mistakes others have already made and shared.