The plywood sheets Of particular importance is temperature of the paint itself, ambient air and the object to be coated all must exceed the minimum required temperature. seam must not be viewed as a support of the structure. There are some arguments against building large tanks. This can be a nice solution to the problem of are relatively thin, but the strong beams prevent them from bending as a result of the water pressure. The fourth coat of epoxy paint has dried and the first pane of glass has been installed (the aquarium is on its side).

As the scale slides to D grade, more imperfections are allowed. A plywood aquarium is essentially a box, made from plywood which usually has a glass or acrylic viewing panel at the front. epoxy effectively creates a new tank inside the tank. a competitive market and you can also buy them used. Be aware that these dimensions are not absolute a plywood sheet can stray up to about 1/32 (0.03125 or 0.794mm) from the advertised thickness. the silicone doesn't glue the plate in place, the water pressure holds it. Required fields are marked *. the seam. Do not try to coat the surface in one pass two (or more) thin coats are better than one thick coat. pressure will work on the different parts. Do not mix paint that has exceeded its pot life with freshly mixed paint. Since I put the Norwegian version on the net several people here have been stimulated to go through I am still attempting to get this issue resolved at the time of this writing. Questions? Carefully research the requirements of your aquarium plywood and glass thickness are critical but smaller details such as fastener selection can make a major difference in the longevity of the finished product. Quickly press the glass into the glue, making sure to form a contiguous seam without bubbles. The following will describe the materials used in this product and various considerations: I used pre-sanded, non-treated, furniture grade oak plywood. The steel (Finally Answered!).

To line up the glass on your wood aquarium and keep sand (if you have already added it) flat, follow these steps, make sure to smooth out any bumps with a sponge as it puts into place. The inexpensive stand. This aquarium gets heavy when fully assembled and the plastic sawhorses are pushed to their flimsy limits. Materials are gathered and the first cut is about to be made. Apply silicone glue to the epoxy surface where glass will make contact. Some suggest that brushes can be kept in a refrigerator to prevent the epoxy from hardening during periods between coats. Plywood aquariums are very safe due to the nature of their construction. It is essential that an epoxy coating meets these criteria: These products were evaluated according to information gathered from sales representatives or the internet. Ive read they do a much better job at insulating and therefore require less wattage. Allow the aquarium paint to fully cure for 1 week before filling. by Dana Riddle | Dec 7, 2011 | 2 comments. Softwood (ex. Unfortunately it's expensive, but Notice that it is very important that the seam is made extremely strong. ), causing their integrity to degrade over a period of time. happy with his tank now. ), Can Congo Tetras Live With Angelfish? result. Although thinner (and therefore cheaper) sheets of plywood are available, dont be tempted to scrimp at this stage. Monsterfishkeepers.com, a division of Monster Aquaria Network, LLC. If you must reuse the brushes/covers, use xylene for cleanup. It worked really great. My question is about the heating of plywood aquariums. Extra insurance if you will the cost not too prohibitive considering the intended occupants or the damage flooding may cause. This will serve as underneath of tank, which youll assemble later while building up with layers on top. touch water. 2005-2019 Monsterfishkeepers.com.

expensive labour and you can use better and much cheaper materials. Epoxy is very popular This was because wood was cheap and plywood expensive. I used standard Not likely to make it into Architectural Digest any time soon, but it is fully functional. Pattern for cutting plywood for a 2x 2 x 8 aquarium. At the front in this picture are the two large beams for the stand and some parts for the Use a frame. Here are the expenses involved: Glass was the second most expensive item for this project, and I could have reduced my cash outlay by about $200 if I had decided to use only one sheet instead of two. strong glue that can fill gaps. Repeat this step on the opposite end of your wood aquarium by first laying down a few pieces lengthwise before screwing in at each corner post, then holding it steady from above with masking tape where you already placed two locking baffles earlier to lay foundation layer for your sand bed. Birch is good but is probally the worst when it comes in to contact with water so make sure you seal good with birch. Since my lab does not have unlimited funds, I began researching the pros and cons of building a large plywood aquarium with the dimensions of ~96 x 24 x 24 inches ~239 gallons (244 x 61 x 61 cm; 906 liters). A large sheet of plywood is needed because it is easier to cut the aquarium.

sort of thickness to avoid the bending. The first place. Simply painting over them is not going to give a high quality http://www.monsterfishkeepers.com/forums/threads/6-x-3-x-2-plywood-aquarium-build-w-pictures.645622/. the plywood then the show is over. As illustrated by the figures there are three ways Closeup of the L-frame for the glass. It is more expensive than float glass and will not be discussed further. in place I tested the solidity, and it gave a very good impression. I chose polyurethane glue made by Loctite (Premium PL polyurethane construction adhesive). The brushes I found at Lowes were about $4 each and I used them only once and did not try to save them. A sheet of 1 Styrofoam material has been placed between the wood supports and the aquariums bottom for cushioning purposes. Get written quotes! Affordable: plywood is relatively inexpensive, so your project will not take a lot of money upfront, User-friendly: easy-to-update/modify over time because most materials (plywood , acrylic sheet, etc.) That's because these are mass produced, sold in Not counting the glass

be very heavy and expensive. The larger the aquarium, the more advisable it is to include fiberglass. Then I painted the outside w The counter-sunk screw holes have not yet been filled with wood putty. It is true that epoxy alone, and wood, are not nearly as strong as reinforced The ply is there for structure. creating a tank, stiffness, is not solved with the fibreglass. So that is the situation for the foreseeable future. filled with light demanding corals. As we know, glass is a brittle substance and has a very limited ability to bend before breaking. Figure 3. out of wood. The aquarium described here has ~26 square feet of surface area and a working volume of ~203 gallons, which equals 7.8 gallons per square foot of coated internal surface area (recall this tanks has 2 viewing panes). The idea is that epoxy is not so strong alone, but The tank held water on first It is available in pet shops and larger home improvement centers but usually in small containers. Adaptable: if the species of plants and animals are not compatible with each other, you can simply remove one wrong ingredient without ruining the whole structure.

destroys wood. Allow epoxy to fully dry before continuing with the steps. Wood glue is recommended by other builders, just be aware that its use will make assembly more difficult. Check with local glazier supply outlets for this. A plywood box filled with water will leak instantly, and over time the water will destroy the plywood. Craftsmen (two or three will be required for lifting depending upon the size) with average construction experience can do the job. a coating between the wood and the water and we have that in the epoxy.

Installation of braces should occur as one of the final steps since premature installation would prevent glass placement. It's a strong surface coating. As with other components, there are a couple of choices to be made when selecting glass. Had I obtained a written quote, I would have a much stronger position. wood screws and plenty of steel fittings with the frames. silicone cement the label must state it is. Important! Leave messages below or email me at RiddleLabs@aol.com. The blue tape indicates factory edges and one that needs sanding. Unlike a glass aquarium, which has a shelf life of around 10 years due to silicone sealant degradation, plywood aquariums are a real long-term prospect. It wouldn't be possible to take a glued tank apart

The completed aquarium on its stand. A major advantage of building a plywood aquarium is that you can often get some of the supplies for free. To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a Water This reinforces the joint and provides a seat on which the glass can rest during installation. Glue the plates together with very Remove the glass and clean it again. Be sure to place the wood aquarium near a light source so you can check for oxygen bubbles in your new aquascaping masterpiece! If you have been in the hobby for more than 5 minutes you will no doubt have heard stories of peoples glass fish tanks leaking. However, there is a trade-off: When dry it is bumpy (even if it has been tooled smooth just after application). The normal types of marine tank out of pure fibreglass and epoxy composite in the first place. Some people also consider the fact you can usually only view fish in a plywood aquarium through a single viewing window as a downside. With two people, perform a dry run inserting the glass. cheap in great thickness. Interestingly, some manufacturers (such as DAP) recommend a maximum aquarium size (30 gallons and water depth not to exceed 18) while others (Loctite) do not. I The picture shows the construction principle. effort I think you can actually make the tank bullet proof! Proper curing depends upon temperature, humidity, air flow over the painted surface, coat thickness, proper mixing, and so on. When tempered glass fails, it does so in a catastrophic manner, breaking into many small pieces. Plug the gap. this acticle. The plug is applied after the plates are completely surface treated. Silicone cement is used to adhere glass panes to the epoxy-coated plywood frame. Most of all, when epoxy is used with wood it is sucked into the wood and bonds White makes a bad background in an aquarium. Therefore epoxy is one of the best wood glues out there and has partly replaced metal in wooden boats. In the design stage I decided that my tank would use relatively thin plywood plates (12mm in) This project used about ~2.5 gallons of paint. It is only there to seal, not to hold. Use good quality epoxy. As one can imagine, a project of this scope is not really inexpensive, and the cost-savings are achieved through sweat-equity. Plywood is available in sheets up to 4 feet wide by 8 feet long. The beauty of a plywood aquarium is that it becomes very economical to build once you start to get to larger sizes. Besides, glass is a risky and hopeless material in the try! The epoxy coating is set well into the Paint containing high solids will likely need stirring with a stout, clean stick, such as a 1x2. (A dream set up? was a long time ago. I will not have a problem with sealing like this in The thin walls bend. This is because big tanks are often custom designs where you hire handcrafters to place for the tank. Don't be cheap on the silicone. The answer was that it didn't push it at all. Things will start swelling and As I mentioned in the fibreglass section. use of wood is well documented in the school of construction engineering. The epoxy is a very strong sealant and cover for the wood, and you will be able to secure the sheets of glass or acrylic to the wood with a high resistance. The front plate is on. This was straight forward work. lightweight, elastic, more so than glass, and strong enough. follows it, and the glass will face through a wall. Cut two 94.5x3 braces, and 4-23.5 inch cross braces. Plywood aquariums have been built to fit in corners, around structural columns, or even in L shapes. To make sure you get the right ratio, use an old pair of pantyhose or tights and roll them up into a tube about 3 inches in diameter . Differences a concrete slab had to be poured to achieve a rock solid base, and the lumber is coated with epoxy paint. of course. A major downside to a plywood aquarium is that your carpentry skill level determines how good they look. Some people find it important to use expensive rust free screws and bolts in projects like this. and filtration become so great that they overshadow the tank cost and make the whole project Application can proceed using a roller (with a solvent resistant core), a paint brush with natural fibers, or a spray gun. Any information provided on this website is for entertainment purposes only and is just based on my own experiences and should not be considered advice. If you feel the tickling urge to do stuff like this I I made the stand first. This time, place the glass on the wooden seat created by the previously installed inch square wood stock, position the glass, and slide it off the seat into the silicone glue. If you are considering building your own plywood aquarium, the number one golden rule isto take your time! Starphire glass is a trade name for high clarity glass made of silica with low iron content.

The internet is generally a good resource of information but I did find some sites containing DIY tips for building plywood tanks that presented outdated or inaccurate information. it more difficult to handle. Bear in mind that this stand and aquarium (when full) will weight over 2,000 pounds. To put these numbers in perspective, consider a tank some 20 feet in diameter and 25 feet tall will hold about 60,000 gallons (58,718 to be exact). Before I started this project I really didn't know what a great material this is. Slowly fill the aquarium with water and watch for leaks. It is essentially just a frame Un-tempered glass is preferred since it will usually (hopefully) simply crack thus allowing a relatively slow release of water as opposed to the possibility of sudden release of hundreds of gallons of corrosive water when tempered glass fails. 22 DIY Aquarium Projects You Can Make at Home - Craftsy, 22 DIY Aquarium Projects Of Your Home - DIY & Crafts, Electric drill motor (variable speed) and drill bits, drivers, Builders square and/or large t-square made for sheetrock, Electric sander (vibrating/oscillating or belt), Paint stirrer (for use with a power drill motor), one for 1-gallon container and another for a 5-gallon pail, 2 lbs. I always look at my tanks to relax, and I just can't relax if the fish are stressed. A plywood aquarium is an excellent way to create a stunning display for your home. If you are looking to build a plywood aquarium that will live in your house, you will want to be fairly good at carpentry, otherwise, your plywood aquarium may look a bit rough-and-ready! The plywood also braces a substantial portion of the glass. Further, the surface area of the glass/plywood interface is quite large and offers a massive bonding area. example: What if a ship engineer decided to spend some extra money to make sure the chandelier in the I decided to use glass as the viewing panes in this project simply because of its availability. Also, the only glass panel will be on the front of the tank. The silicone Plywood is an engineered wood product consisting of multiple layers of wood peeled from a log and then glued together under heat and pressure to form a strong sheet.

Planning is important. In this case, natural bristle brushes and covers designed for use with epoxy were used. But when you think about it: By Some treated lumbers chemicals are aggressive (corrosive) to fasteners (such as screws, nails, etc. He had to shut down the whole thing because the moisture was destroying his Thoroughly mix the two combined parts with the paint agitator. In fact, plywood aquariums have been popular in the hobby for decades. was more than strong enough to withstand the pressure. Allow proper time for the solution to react, and mix again. After you have finished constructing your plywood aquarium base, line up four posts of pressure treated lumber at cross points so that they can be secured to each corner point for additional support. Glass is available in two forms tempered and un-tempered. A secondary but equally. If the epoxy layer is broken and water starts sifting into Epoxy paints consist of two parts a resin (paint) and an activator (hardener) that must be mixed in proper proportions and applied within a specified time under strict conditions. Does it pay off? Mark the factory cut edges before cutting. It's really just a matter of is not included here. Tempered glass does not crack easily when it is hit with an object or dropped on the floor. mean less work and added safety against point damage to the plates and small weaknesses in the plywood. Making a large aquarium is not the place to learn how to use various hand tools. acrylic are so insane that it is best to use as little of them as possible in any case. The animals always have a better chance to be happy in a big tank. In fact, Kevlar fibres are for sale in boat shops so with some extra Figure 5. Drill pilot holes for the screws every 2 inches. 2200 litres (581G) tank than I would have to pay for a 900 (238G) litres tank in the shop. If this is not possible, make sure the aquarium is perpendicular to floor joists in order to achieve maximum support. See Table 1. Only one person is needed to lift the This is the back wall and the two sidewalls. This product is thick, viscous and sticky enough to hold the side panels in place while making final adjustments and driving the first screws. This stuff is often used for making concrete forms. Getting started. He recommends using egg crate grating cut to fit the tanks inside dimensions. Mix each component with a low speed paint agitator, making sure no settled material remains on the bottom of the container. When fiberglassing, make sure you get every single bubble out of the fiberglass before it dries. There can be really big money to save here. surface of the plywood giving the epoxy a slight wood fibre reinforcement. Note the square stock running the length of the aquariums bottom.

For those of you who have built plywood tanks, what type of plywood have you used? Most importantly, the glass must be able to withstand the force exerted by the water, which means proper selection of its thickness. Braces along the top of an aquarium this size requires bracing in order to prevent bowing and glass and/or bond failure. Now that your wood aquarium is ready, you can add fish! ), They can look less attractive than a glass aquarium, Viewing of the fish is often just on one side, If they do leak, it can be hard to locate where they are leaking from. with it in a fantastic way so that the wood fibres function as a reinforcement of the plastic. The silicone allows for relatively large Generally we can say that it doesn't pay off for small Because the glue Fasteners, for our purposes, refer to wood screws. plan to deal with them. Deck Screws, 2 Grip Rite Primeguard Plus (1 pound = ~100 two inch screws). After some research, I decided to go with non-pressure treated oak plywood (pre-sanded furniture grade) coated with Sherwin-Williams Tank Clad HS epoxy paint, and fasteners designed for pressure-treated deck lumber. needs reinforcement. Squeezing the small tubes to apply a glue bead with a length of about 20 feet (for one glass pane) is tiring, the glue began to skin over in the heat of a Hawaii afternoon, and hurries the critical positioning of the glass. anyway. Later, however, people this page there is a formula that I used to check that my design was strong enough. This is where wood shines because it is available Clean the contact glass surfaces with a solvent (acetone, naphtha, etc.). I would think that an outdoor installation would not be the norm, and would highly recommend that an aquarium of this size should be placed on a slab. Forces that cause aquarium glass to bend can be internal or external, such as an accidental bump or pressure exerted by the water contained within. This is the most critical and demanding part of this project in that a fragile material (glass) must be positioned in an exact position while working against a time line (the curing time of the silicone cement). recommend doing the work outside like I did. and much reinforcement by beams. sealing off the seams between the plywood sheets. What Type Of Plywood Should You Use For A Plywood Aquarium? Then I started constructing the wall and bottom plates. Apply a thick long "sausage" of silicone around the frame. In some regions, like in my country, the prices of glass and If you are looking for an aquarium that is anything other than rectangular, plywood may be the answer again. This aquarium is 24 inches deep (with the glass surface exposed to a total depth of 23 even at overflow, but normally only about 21 ). A thin sheet of clear acrylic is said to also work well. Check with a professional to get an opinion on aquarium placement. I got a price on the glass over the phone and did not request a written quote. The first thing I thought when I heard about plywood aquariums was: "Wood aquarium no way!" This guide will help you in designing and building the perfect plywood aquarium for your terrarium or fish tank. instead. Lumber, 3-1 x 1; 2 quarter rounds: $15, Polyurethane adhesive, 1-10 ounce tube: $8 (see comments below in Lessons Learned), Paint supplies, brushes, covers, tack cloth, etc. That's where wood comes in. Few projects are completed without reconsideration of some construction details, and that was certainly the case with this one.

I was puzzled by one manufacturers recommendation for use of its product on tanks exceeding a capacity of 60,000 gallons. It's now safely tucked away under a plastic foil and I can only litres (guess!) and acrylic increases rapidly with tank size until it explodes at a certain level where you But the silicone How to calculate the thickness of the beams, and the number of beams, to achieve the optimal Plywood aquariums usually cost somewhere between $1.50 and $2.00 per gallon to build, although this cost generally comes down to the larger the aquarium gets. We need You must log in or register to reply here. A steel fitting functioned as Plywood of this thickness is incredibly strong. a knife and cut the screws off. lots of extra work. Awesome jobIm planning one myself, although a bit smaller because my current living space is limited. 1 (25mm) plywood is even better and should certainly be considered for a very large plywood aquarium. It had a long pot life and was easily applied with paint rollers and brushes. So after a few weeks of testing, it was disassembled. There are advantages to an aquarium of reduced depth besides construction costs shallow aquaria are less expensive to illuminate, easier to maintain, and offer a greater surface area to volume ratio. It doesn't matter if marine grade has been treated as you will be coat the wood. Inside the plates I put glass wool Building of this 240-gallon plywood tank will be described here. Fibreglass in the Here is an illustration of a nice way to put a glass plate in and aquarium.

Most paints recommended for use with potable water will be applied to steel tanks and are not applicable to wood (since wood is much more porous than steel). One other note avoid structural plywood it is composed of wood chips bonded with resins, and usually has a low grade (C-D, for example). Next, add four locking baffles inside the box on all 8 ends to hold the ground layer of sand in place well and securely. Often, the grade of the plywood will contain two letters, such as A-C, meaning one side of the sheet is grade A and the other is C. There isnt a great deal of difference in prices of plywood according to grade. Although painting is a skill most can reasonably perform, application of epoxy paint requires an understanding of all phases in order to achieve success. Then I put the plates together with clamps and drilled holes for the bolts. On the Norwegian version of start saving somewhere. Oak, and its been holding strong since March. It was only a frame for the glass anyway so I made it completely Each plate consists of a sheet of plywood glued and screwed to a rigid wood frame. Once the paint has been applied, the chemical reaction of the mixed components continues until the paint is fully cured. tank, that looks fantastic, with very little light and filtration. "Big tank, small fish" has Where If you find yourself building a plywood aquarium with a join in the timber (for instance if the aquarium is longer or wider than a single sheet of plywood), fiberglassing the joints is a must. Plywood is cheap, Whilst most plywood aquarium builders choose for the inside of their aquarium to be the standard blue or black, a lot of the epoxy resins used to seal a plywood aquarium can be tinted, meaning you can paint them almost any color you want. Hobbyists should research this further and determine if their floor is capable of supporting this much weight. That just makes the price explode. My original measure of 2300 litres (608G) was a bit wrong. Thus the thin 12mm plywood plate was bent out and the tank leaked. The plywood provides strength to the plywood aquarium. Other products were investigated as well, and are listed later in this article. big tanks must be sealed off from the house and correct ventilation provided. the tank without making a dent. This aquarium has about 75 square feet lumber surface area (inside and outside. Plywood aquariums are great for many reasons. If you have always wanted a bright orange aquarium, plywood may be for you! Bubbles may pop under the pressure of the water, causing your corners or joints to leak. How to Choose The Best Position For an Internal Aquarium Filter? Here are the materials I used.

Multiple layers are generally required in order to ensure a durable waterproof coating. It is less expensive. fibres is used as floor coatings in warehouses etc. Paints rated for potable water may state a minimum tank size. The lining That is why it's so hard to create the After the plates are So it These people are rich anyway, so they don't care about DIYing. This is a different story. Ok, wood is not. If you make a mistake in Coverage: ~2.5 gallons were required for this project. It is stronger and more elastic, but not harder. So you can have a huge ball room of a cruise ship was saltwater safe. Safety gear including heavy duty leather work gloves, eye, proper respiratory and hearing protection is a must. Water pressure barely affects it, but to the You wouldnt usually bother to build a 50-gallon plywood aquarium as it would be cheaper to buy a glass or acrylic one. dripping long before the screws break from rust. a small part of the cost. (https://youtu.be/B-2esiP1uI8), reefs.com/magazine/building-a-plywood-aquarium/, liquidrubberusa.com/blogs/news/how-to-make-and-waterproof-a-plywood-aquarium-using-liquid-rubber-waterproof-sealant, Can Swordtails Change Gender? This is why you don't see many aquariums made fully out of steel. I paid less for my Whilst you can use a hand saw, spending a few dollars on a basic power saw will be well worth the investment. future projects. I live you don't get a quantity discount on litres of water. I regretted this later. I found a roller cover recommended for use with epoxy paint at Lowes. So, if you feel safer with fibreglass and You don't have to hire Sounds crazy right? by beams, horizontal or vertical. These items are a minor portion of the projects total cost. As mentioned previously, you can usually build plywood for somewhere between $1.50 and $2.00 per gallon. The house you see is my parent's. I recently heard about a man, Mr. 4000, with a 15140 For example, if you have a reef tank, there isn't a law that says the whole tank must be Do not hurry this critical step. The silicone is stiff enough to hold it up. The grains of the individual wood layers are alternated to achieve strength and stiffness. You can place those corals on a shallow shelf just under the Probably the biggest plus point for a plywood aquarium is the dollar-to-gallon ratio. I wondered how far the water pressure would push Comments? However, if you wanted a 550-gallon aquarium, plywood may be a more economical option. With a stiff-bristled paint brush, mix the crushed coral with river gravel and deposit into your aquarium.