That new king of diy video

[Hybridfish7]

I'm surprised, the cost of that tank came out to be pretty much a dollar per gallon. Other than pricing in relation to size at those sizes, how worth it are plywood tanks? I've heard mixed things about them, obviously like I said them being worth it for the sake of price and customization, but I've also heard things about them bowing or corroding. Is that just a matter of the builder not building/sealing it correctly?

 

[tlindsey]

I'm surprised, the cost of that tank came out to be pretty much a dollar per gallon. Other than pricing in relation to size at those sizes, how worth it are plywood tanks? I've heard mixed things about them, obviously like I said them being worth it for the sake of price and customization, but I've also heard things about them bowing or corroding. Is that just a matter of the builder not building/sealing it correctly?

I personally thought about building a plywood aquarium many times but after joining MFK I've read plenty of either my plywood tank is leaking or a side blew apart. I'm still wondering about a member a few yrs back who built a massive plywood aquarium and put caster's on it so he could roll it when needed . I believe it takes exceptional skills and the correct materials along with thourough research. Although I built a stand for my 180 gallon I don't think I have the skills to build a plywood aquarium. A person should know their limit imo.

 

[Gpdriftwood]

Plywood tanks are awesome. I currently have a 300gal based on an old Joey build that has been up and running for years. I also have a 1000gal built out of wood. If built correctly, they are bulletproof. I recommend fully fiberglassing the inside before epoxy. I am almost ready to fill a new 4000gal this week, also lumber build. I would not be able to afford the size tanks that I have, or be able to keep my monsters without utilizing plywood builds. That said, I have been a carpenter for most of my life, and do not recommend building yourself if u are unsure of your skills lol. Many ways for a ply tank to fail if not done correctly.

 

[esoxlucius]

For some time before I settled for a fibreglass tank i toyed with the idea of building a plywood tank. I'm pretty good with wood so I was very confident in my ability. However, building it, as I saw it, was the easy bit. The area that scared me to death was the sealing part. Probably easy once you've done it a few times but I have no experience with fibreglassing or pond armor etc, so that crucial element of the build determined which way my decision went.

And Gpdriftwood , what do you think you're doing mentioning a 4000g tank, and not posting any pictures!!! Come on, get with the programme, lol. We expect a nice juicy thread from you pretty soon.

 

[Gpdriftwood]

For some time before I settled for a fibreglass tank i toyed with the idea of building a plywood tank. I'm pretty good with wood so I was very confident in my ability. However, building it, as I saw it, was the easy bit. The area that scared me to death was the sealing part. Probably easy once you've done it a few times but I have no experience with fibreglassing or pond armor etc, so that crucial element of the build determined which way my decision went.

And Gpdriftwood , what do you think you're doing mentioning a 4000g tank, and not posting any pictures!!! Come on, get with the programme, lol. We expect a nice juicy thread from you pretty soon.

Right on man. I have documented well, I am almost ready to fill it in the next couple days. There will be a thread. I posted this sneak peek in my "my otorongos" thread last week. also, fibreglassing is a big pain. But you can easily learn from YouTube. And if u choose pond armor, i found out its smart to plan on using double the recommended amount. Lol ?

 

[mnloki]

I considered it...and I am sure I could build one. But, it would take me longer than some, and I worry about longevity. Considering I am looking at options and some build threads showed 20+ hours into the build and costs topping $1000. I'm looking at 300-400 gallons or so, so a $3000 tank. Doesn't seem worth it to me. I would rather use my DIY energy on the filtration system.