POSSIBLE TO BUILD MY OWN GLASS TANK?

[martyinalaska]

I WANT TO BUILD A 100+ GALLON TANK, I DON'T KNOW IF I AM SETTING MY SIGHTS TOO HIGH? BUT EVERYTHING I READ SAYS.. "THE BIGGER THE BETTER" DUE TO CHANGES IN THE WATER QUALITY.
SO I WANT A BIG TANK, MAYBE I SHOULD SHOOT FOR A 80 GAL? MAYBE THAT'S STILL TOO BIG?
I WANT A REEF SETUP WITH CORALS, ANEMONES AND OF COURSE FISH, ETC. PRETTY MUCH EVERYTHING.
OK SO HERES' THE QUESTION...
IS IT POSSIBLE TO BUY GLASS AT A GLASS STORE THAT CAN BE USED TO BUILD AN AQUARIUM??? DOES IT HAVE TO BE SPECIAL GLASS? I KNOW IT NEEDS TO BE TEMPERED?
SECOND, TO "GLUE" THE TANK TOGETHER CAN I USE AN AQUARIUM SEALANT? OR DO I NEED SOME SORT OF EPOXY?
THIRD.. AS FAR AS A FRAME.. DOES THE TANK NEED THE FRAME FOR STRUCTRAL SUPPORT? OR IS IT JUST FOR LOOKS? JUST WONDERING, I PLAN ON MAKING ONE OUT OF MARINE-GRADE ALUMINUM, WELDED TOGETHER FOR STRENGTH AND LOOKS.
FOURTH.. IS THERE A FORMULA FOR FIGURING OUT HOW MANY GALLONS ARE IN A SQUARE FOOT/INCH ??
IN OTHER WORDS IF THE TANK IS 60" X 24" X 20"... HOW MANY GALLONS WOULD IT HOLD?? THAT IS JUST A HYPOTHETICAL QUESTION..
FIFTH... IS THERE ANYBODY HERE THAT DOES CONSULTING?? I FEEL GUILTY ASKING SO MANY QUESTIONS, I WOULD LOVE TO "HIRE" SOMEONE TO GUIDE ME THROUGH THE PROCESS...
THIS SITE IS AWESOME, I HAVE LEARNED A LOT BY READING THE FORUMS, IT'S JUST SOMETIMES I WOULD LIKE TO BE ABLE TO ASK QUESTIONS ON A ONE-ON-ONE BASIS.
THANK YOU TO EVERYONE WHO HAS MADE ME FEEL WELCOME AND GONE ABOVE AND BEYOND TO ANSWER QUESTIONS...
A SALTWATER TANK HAS BEEN A DREAM OF MINE FOR SEVERAL YEARS, AND IT IS EXCITING TO FINALLY BE ABLE TO START WORKING ON IT... SLOWLY OF COURSE..
I WANT TO TAKE THE TIME TO SET IT UP RIGHT!!

[dx7fd2]

Yes you can build a glass tank. In my experience, the only reason to go with building a glass tank is if you have a extreme design that has to be customized. Handling glass pieces the size you are talking about can be a somewhat daunting experience unless you have all the suction devices and the manpower to do such a project.

As far as the frame, I don't think I would want to try and build a tank without one. The pressure across the top of the tank from the front to back is a lot and needs to be reinforced as glass does actually bend. Most manufacturers do use aquarium silicone. It is suprising how strong that sealant is when properly applied.

The size tanks you are refering to are pretty much standard sizes and are readily available in both acrylic and glass (I prefer glass) and are reasonably priced, although I know nothing of the Alaskan market for such things.

A good starting tank size is 55gal, which you can pick-up new, bare-bones, for around $100.

Tank size always depends on how much room you have. The expense increases exponentially to the size of the tank. And yet it seems to me that everyone, one once they get a tank up and running, are already planning for the "Next...Bigger...Tank"

I opted for a DIY 80gal plywood and glass tank (I am still working on collecting a few odds and ends for the grand start-up, hopefully the first week of September!!) We have quite a few DIY people here that can help with that aspect of tank design.

There are a lot of options out there!!

BTW glad to have you aboard Marty!!! [smiley=2thumbsup.gif]
You will find a lot of very well informed Reefers at this forum that can help you...I'm looking forward to seeing your contributions in design and ideas.

Drew

[martyinalaska]

THANKS FOR THE ADVICE, THE MAIN REASON I WANT TO BUILD ONE, IS BECAUSE OF THE COST, THE PROBLEM WITH BEING IN ALASKA, IS THAT I AM VERY LIMITED AS FAR AS HAVING A GOOD STORE THAT CARRIES WHAT I WANT, THEY SEEM TO HAVE TANKS, BUT THEY ARE ALL STANDARD SIZES, UP TO 100G, BUT I GUESS I FIND THEM BORING?? PLUS THEY WANT A SMALL FORTUNE FOR ONE UP HERE, (CLAIM OUTRAGEOUS SHIPPING COSTS?) FOR A BAREBONES 55G TANK I AM LOOKING AT AROUND 175-250 AT LEAST. AND THEY JUST LOOK CHEAP, THEY ARE USUALLY "ALL GLASS AQUARIUMS" THEY LOOK GOOD FOR A GERBIL BUT NOT FOR WHAT I WANT.
A FRIEND OF MINE HAS A WINDOW SHOP, HE HAS A HUGE TABLE-CUTTER THAT WILL CUT 12' X 12' SHEETS OF GLASS, ALL COMPUTERIZED.. IT IS AWESOME! PLUS HE HAS ALL THE SUCTION CUP CARRIERS. SO THAT'S NOT A PROBLEM.
I AM REALLY EXCITED TO BUILD ONE, BUT NERVOUS. I JUST GOT BACK FROM THE FISH STORE, THEY ARE DOWNSIZING THEIR SALTWATER DEPT. AND HAVE 2 EELS, A YELLOW-HEAD AND SOMETHING THEY CALLED A "TSE" ? BOTH ARE OVER 3' AND NICE AND FAT! HUGE!
$99.00 EACH!! I THOUGHT THAT WAS A GREAT DEAL? NORMALLY 599.00, HE JUST WANTS TO GET RID OF TH EM. THEY ARE BEAUTIFUL!... I WANTED TO BRING THEM HOME TODAY!! IT IS HARD TO HAVE PATIENCE, CONSIDERING I AM STILL ON THE TANK ASPECT! I AM LOOKING AT SEVERAL MONTHS STILL. BUMMER

ANOTHER QUESTION..
WHAT EXPERIENCES HAS EVERYONE HAD WITH AQUARIUM SALT BRANDS... OCEANIC AND KENT MARINE? I READ IN THE FORUMS ABOUT OCEANIC, ONE GUY HAD SEVERE PROBLEMS WITH OCEANIC BRAND. SO I AM LEARY ABOUT THAT..
I NEED TO RESEARCH LIVE SAND ALSO, IS THE SAND THAT COMES IN A SEALED BAG WITH WATER IN IT ANY GOOD??? OR SHOULD I LOOK ELSEWHERE? ANY SUGGESTIONS?? I WILL KEEP READING FORUMS ALSO.. A WEALTH OF INFORMATION.
THANKS TO EVERYONE!

[ReefSparky]

As far as salt brands go, I've always used Oceanic. I think the clownfish on the label first attracted my attention about 20 years ago and I've just stuck with that brand. I've never had any issues. I do plan on starting to vary the brands, though. Water changes are important for many reasons; replenishment of trace elements being one. I've heard it said that levels and contents of trace elements vary among manufacturers. That makes a lot of sense to me. I plan on using at least 3 brands regularly starting with my next water change.


By the way, don't ever feel guilty about asking so many questions. That's precisely what an online forum is all about. If you can, you give back by answering questions put forth by others. Call it even, if you will.

Welcome aboard!! Nice to have ya!

[aquaboy]

The sand that comes in a bag with water is live Same kind i used for my 55 gal. I got two 20 pound bags od those and a 30 pound bag of crushed coral.

Welcome to 3reef!

P.S when i first got to 3reef, all my threads were questions, now they are almost all success stories

[Marlin65]

It's not that hard to put one together, and it does not have to be tempered.
Tempered is 7X stronger though. Just use thicker glass.
Start with a bottom frame welded aluminum would be great. Make sure to seal it though as the salt will corrode it, and make sure to use Aquarium silicon not just any silicone. Your friend at the glass shop should be able to get that from CR Lawrence. Grind your edges on the glass they need to be smooth or won't seal right. Other than that some help to hold things and move glass around you should be good to go. For a big one you might want to make some temporary jigs to hold it all together. If you have a friend in the glass business he should be able to help you. I think the closest glass temperers to you would be in the BC mainland. Bronco, Garibaldi, and Tempa just to name a few.
You could have the glass shipped up your friend should be able to deal with them.

[Marlin65]

Damm I just noticed this post is from 2004

[aquaboy]

Oh man! same here....i doubt he's ever gonna see this....

[cuttingras]

I wonder if he's ever built it.... : lol:

[gazog]

Man, I think I need to go to bed! if Marlin65 had not said this was from 2004 I was about to put my 2 cent's in too, LOL.

And by the way good advice Marlin65....