I have a 125 Gal Oceanic that blew a seam. I was thinking of tearing it apart and resealing it, but I really want a larger tank. I was looking at a 185 Gal used tank at a LFS, but for the price that they want for it and the stand, I think I can build a custom plywood one that may be even bigger. Anyway, I was wondering if I built a tank that was in the 2-300 gal range, could I use the glass out of the oceanic in it. It's one of the old ones that has really thick glass. I can measure the glass tommorow, but I was just wanting to get some input on it. Thanks in advance.
Using an old tank to build a new one
- Thread starter thumper_65590
- Start date
Ok, the measurements on the glass are 60" by 24" by 3/8". How large of a tank could I safely build using this glass?
Should be fine. That guy on YouTube, the DIY fish guy, built a tank using glass from other aquariums as well
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That's something I've been thinking about with my 180 in the future. Use the glasses for a 12' plywood tank.
I want a large tank, and was looking at how much glass would cost, then got to thinking why not repurpose the old tank to build a larger tank. M
....ok, continuation of my last post, lol..... My dream tank...at this point is a 5-700 gal. freshwater planted tank, but that is going to have to wait for a while. I was looking at the GARF website, and it looks like I can build my tank 36WX28HX65L. Not sure what volume that will be, but it should be between 250-300 gallon. What does everyone think of my plan so far?
I did this twice. First I enlarged an old 125 to 180 and now one of those pannels is the back of my 220. The front and back of my tank is 1/2 inch though. Make sure your bracing is good with 3/8 in glass. Also make sure you use good silicone for a tank that big. Momentive RTV100 is good stuff.
Thanks for the tip. I actually do Fiberglass and sheetmetal work in the military, so as far as the resin work goes, that shouldn't be a problem. I am actually thinking of doing an inner frame around the glass on the inside of the tank, just so I know that the glass isn't going to move or shift once it is sealed in place. What is a good liner/sealant to lay over the fiberglass?
Oops, I thought you were building an all glass tank.
If you're using epoxy resin, then nothing else is needed. If the resin is polyester-based then topcoat with epoxy paint safe for potable water. I think that the Momentive RTV silicone would still be a good choice for adhering the viewing pane, just rough up the contact area a little. Check out one of the tank calculators to make sure the glass dimensions are appropriate for the tank you're building.
If you're using epoxy resin, then nothing else is needed. If the resin is polyester-based then topcoat with epoxy paint safe for potable water. I think that the Momentive RTV silicone would still be a good choice for adhering the viewing pane, just rough up the contact area a little. Check out one of the tank calculators to make sure the glass dimensions are appropriate for the tank you're building.
Nope, I'm going with a plywood tank. Want to try my skills at that, and also I can customize it to my needs. Thanks for the tip on the silicone though.