I'm moving into my own place, and I plan on building at least 1 large tank. For cost reasons, plywood and glass or acrylic would be the best way to go. I was thinking 4'x4'x4'. I can only find plans online for a plywood aquarium. My question: Is it necessary to use the expensive epoxies that would be used if I wanted this to be an aquarium? I mean, they're still a whole lot cheaper than buying a tank totally made from glass or acrylic, but still...not cheap. Or, would a non-toxic, waterproof paint work just as well? I do want to have a water feature, but was thinking maybe firm up that area with silicone. Opinions? Suggestions? Links to non-aquarium plywood tanks? haha
Look on Craigslist.org for a used aquarium you'll save a lot of money and time and I think you'll be happier with the results. I got an awesome 45 gal for only 50 bucks. Its huge, pretty and I know its water tight and mold proof.
Ply wood will either be chemically treated or highly susceptible to mold neither of which is good for frogs or plants.
Ahh forgive me I did not understand the correlation of coating the wood panels with epoxy. Lightbulb, now that I know that little trick,....
If you are still considering acrylics, I have read by some fish members that you can use colored/opec sheets for sides you will not be looking through. They are said to be cheaper than clear acrylic.
Also at Fishkeeper I think they have more DYI projects in aquarium construction. So you might want to browse through there :wink:
could also use a pond liner to line the wood with. just make sure that theres no gaps for water to soak threw.
polyurethane wouldn't be good in a viv. its not permanently waterproof. in less then a month (if not less then a week) you'd have leaks in spots that had constant water contact since the water would eventually soak threw it.
anybody that has left spilled water on a polyurethane coated table will tell you how it leaves a white spot after not even an hour due to the water soaking into it.
for the pond liner you could just do it in sections vertically and have the higher sections overlap the lower sections
assuming your going to have some type of drainage in it like a false bottom, you could use one large piece for the whole area that will be below the doors, and then the upper part of the tank could be another piece that overlaps the lower piece by enough so its at least a few inches below the top of the substrate (so the substrate keeps it held down and against the lower piece). since gravity pulls water down, it wont go up between the overlapping liner areas.
Could use small nails/tacks or wood staples to attach the liner, which is why theres a need for the overlap, it stops water from soaking threw the holes.
I use this method in the 6ft x 2ft x about 4ft plywood tank that i have and so far (almost 2 years now) i haven't found a leak yet.