Tropical Fish Forums

[UCLAh2w]

I did a quick search but couldn't find anything on this topic.. but has anyone ever made their own tank?

I feel like the price tag on some of the pet store tanks are a bit much... and I feel making my own tank with glass + that rubber lining thing would work... but I wanted some feedback first from the experts!
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"When it is darkest, we see the stars."

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[Cliff Mayes]

The unproductive search should be an indication. People once made their own tanks but have not done so on a regular basis for a long time.

Tanks are usually the least expensive part of this Hobby. Fish, plants, lights and energy costs are just a part of the expense. After being in the Hobby for a while tank cost becomes insignificant and losing a tank can be brutally expensive not to mention the agony of killing live creatures.
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wirehair

[Caton]

My friend made his daughters 60 gallon, it is still up and running after 20 years but be sure you have the right siclico, I infact got some to repair my 55 gallon, make sure it won't reduce mildew and "stuff", I would make it, fill it up with just water and have a "break-in period" for about 3 weeks just to make sure it is stable.
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[diademhill]

By the time you have purchased good quality glass and silicon you may as well buy a tank.

A secondhand tank should be much sheaper and more aesthetically pleasing than a home made one.

It is only once you get above the store size tanks, which all have to fit through a normal doorway, that building in situ becomes a viable option.

If you still want to build google plywood tanks.

[turk359]

I built my own 250 gallon acrylic tank. It was a fraction of the cost of purchasing one. Plus I was able to construct overflows and sumps from the left over acrylic I had.

I think there is a cost/benefit barrier though. If you want a huge aquarium, and you are good with crafts, then it might be cheaper to give off-the-shelf acrylic a look at. I ordered mine from delvies plastics in Utah.

http://www.delviesplastics.com/

Just do a little research on thickness and how big you want to go. If you are going small, it's probably cheaper just to purchase from the store.

[solox18]

me and a friend of mine made a 60 gallon octagonal tank out of plexi and a sheet of glass we did all but one side plexi for the fact plexi scratches, and used some epoxy to hold it together, we used clear bathtub silicone that you can buy at any hardware store to seal it and used treated plywood for the rims... all in all turned out pretty good I think we spent a little over 100$ on building it

[UncleWillie]

I remember somewhere someone posted a general sheet of expenses for building your own tank. I think that building your own tank was only cheaper for tanks 60 or 90 gallons and above. But really only started being better than manufactured tanks once at 120 gallons. And as already stated, a manufactured tank or secondhand tanks are so much nicer to look at. If you have a specific dimension you must have, then maybe a custom tank is needed.

[Caton]

I just got a 75g custom (really it was home-made but the guy who makes it sells them to friends and family), I think he did a great job, it was a good price (two goat skulls ) but there are some mistakes that I could see but all in all its a good tank...I have yet to fill it up because there was a accident loading it into the car and the glass cracked. I am going to fix it, shouldn't be too hard.
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[SoS]

I have built plywood tanks and its only cost effective Going very big! 150+ or going very small say under 10 gallon.

I've seen some sweet custom DIY acrylic reef tanks built under 10 gallons with all the bells and whistles you can't get from the commercial retailers.

The cost of a 300 gallon Plywood vs. a 300 gallon glass is about 1/3rd the price. Where as 75 gallon plywood would cost as much as a 75 gallon glass.

A diy 75 glass would probably cost twice as much as a 75 gallon all-glass tank.

And if by rubber lining thing you meant silicone. Please buy from a retailer.
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150 Gallon (567.811768 liters) community tank, 50 Gallon African Tank, 7 reef tanks, 6 FOLR, 28 freshwater tanks

[nes999]

My plywood 900gallon cost less then my 55 gallon.


many many many many people build their own tanks on monster fish keepers

heres the link to my build http://www.monsterfishkeepers.com/forums/showthread.php?t=346867
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