# DIY Tank



## Crumbs

Hi all, Im new to the site and thought Id share some pics of my new tank that I built. I used a plywood frame fiberglassed it, installed a viewing window and rubber paint finish.

Im trying a bit of an experiment using natural filtration instead of skimmers etc. So hundreds of mangroves, macro algae, and a pressurized Ultima II sand filter. It as bin cycling for about 6 weeks so far just some inverts inside. Here it is


----------



## KnaveTO

Now that looks cool!


----------



## Tabatha

That is very cool! I've seen wood tanks for freshwater but never for sw.

Thanks for sharing!

Tabatha


----------



## kweenshaker

WOW!! Want to build one in my house? hehe


----------



## Zebrapl3co

Wow. I am sold on this. How did you "fiberglassed" the wood? Was it a difficult job? I've never play around with fiberglass before, but have heard a few people doing great things with them.
What was the cost to build a setup like that?

*Never pay again for live sex! | Hot girls doing naughty stuff for free! | Chat for free!*


----------



## Tabatha

Found this: http://www.jonolavsakvarium.com/eng_diy/epoxy_test/article.html


----------



## Sameer

wow, we'd like to know more. It looks like a jacozee


----------



## wtac

Excellent work!!!


----------



## Crumbs

Thanks for the comments and interest everyone!

Well, I estimate the tank to be about 350 gallons. Otherwise I have two Dart pumps hooked up. One for the closed loop and the second drives the Ultima filter. The 1.5" filtration return is not located in the rockwork on the deep left side of the tank. I placed it there to help oxidize the substrate and keep it from slipping to the deep end. No corals going in this tank so I used quad 48" T5 lights. Eventually this tank is going to hook up to a 12' pond that should be built by the end of the summer. The final life support system will consist of an RK2 PE25 fluidized sand filter and foam fractionator with ozone etc. 

Zebrapl3co, the fiberglassing was costly and no fun. It was my first time fiberglassing but I picked it up quick. I had multiple splinters, skin irritation not to mention the fiasco keeping all the dust down in my house. The weave is really tough to work with because it constantly shifts and hours of work can easily be lost. First I used the epoxy with the thickener to round off all the edges and fill in any little holes in the wood, followed by the first layer of fiberglass around all the corners. In all there are probably 10 layers of fiberglass over the corners and two layers over the walls floor and multiple layers of epoxy. I would have used Sweet Water Epoxy Paint for the final coat but it is not available in Canada and the toxic shipping cost totaled over $600. Unfortunately I used rubber paint instead which was a lousy alternative. I could go on for hours but feel free to ask any questions. 

kweenshaker, Id love to build you one- if I only had the time. haha

Sameer, my girlfriend had the same idea. I was trying to create something unique with the design while maximizing the space at my disposal.


----------



## Brian

Holy sh*t.


----------



## wtac

In Europe, one of the top aquarium design and builders are using what looks like MDF sheets lined with PVC laminate. I'm still researching the type of material they are using to reinforce the MDF and the cost of the "gun" used to fuse the corners and joints of the PVC sheets.


----------



## Crumbs

wtac, please let me know any more info that you find. I would not suggest using MDF because when it gets wet it comes apart real easily. From a professional standpoint it is not recommended to use wooden frames at for that reason at all. Poly sheets can also be used also for waterproofing and welded together. Here is a local supplier link http://www.frasers.com/infosheets/b...hBy=A&Keyword=Plastic&ProductID=18349&WFrom=B

I have not decided the method that I am going to use to construct my next project I need to work out some more numbers still. I am considering using concrete with a pond liner with out the viewing window to keep costs down.


----------



## wtac

I am quite familliar w/water and MDF...not pretty when they mix...LOL! 

I've worked w/MDF on skinning stands and after water proofing w/Thompsons and a paint finish on a restaurant installation 3 years ago, the MDF is still blemish/blister free. Then again, I'm pretty tidy when doing water changes .


----------



## hojimoe

I use fiberglass in prosthetic sockets quite often at school, and would consider myself a pro at using it.... however, I'm curious what you used to seal it??

we use a sealing resin, can't remember how to spell it...something along the lines of seigalhartz


----------



## Crumbs

To seal the tank I used the resin thickener for all the corners and gaps. I then applied the first layer of fiberglass, then an extra coat for resin etc. etc. Following all the fiberglass I did several more coats of resin. After all fiberglass and resin was applied I installed the viewing window. Following the window I applied multiple coats of rubber paint. I would however not use the rubber paint again but use Sweet Water Epoxy Paint.


----------



## Ciddian

Crumbs, i thought i posted already but i must have daydreamed it.

Fabulous tank!!!!  Thats defiantly something i want one day... *joy*


----------



## Shattered

Wow, that is simply amazing, can't wait to see more.


----------



## Crumbs

Thanks for the comments guys. Im thinking of hooking the RK2 filter system up. Ill post some more pics as it comes.


----------



## KnaveTO

I would love something like that... or Crystal Falls


----------



## Crumbs

Ya, the crystal falls would make a cool sump.


----------



## moon

I made a plywood tank some years back and used two part epoxy paint to cover it. About 5 coats of paint. It's been in use for about 5 years and holding up well except for a few minor leaks at he glass wood interphase joints.


----------



## Kevdawg

WOW! I want to go snorkeling in it, lol.


----------



## Crumbs

moon, Id love to see some pics of your tank. 
kevdog, Id have to do a credit check first

Here is a sneak peek of part of the filtration system


----------



## Crumbs

After a really long cycle and alot of problems with inspectors (had to move my furnace) I finally have my lagoon stocked. Here are some pics of my PNG Epaulette pair.


----------



## Zebrapl3co

OMG, that is soo cool. How big are they? It doesn't look like they are very big. I am hook. That's definately something I'll be aimming for if I become a saltie.

*Never pay again for live sex! | Hot girls doing naughty stuff for free! | Chat for free!*


----------



## Ciddian

Thats just fantastic!!!!! 

I would love a full shot of the set up when you have time.  Your filtration looks top notch.


----------



## Shattered

Amazing, simply amazing. The filtration system looks hi-tek.


----------



## twoheadedfish

wowzers. this thread has reached incredible status.


----------



## Will

Crums Last Activity: 01-28-2009
But since someone just linked to this thread, not only should it be bumped, but maybe someone can resolve our curiosity weather the tank is still running?!


----------



## sig

Wow. I am speechless

*100% free webcam site! | Awesome chicks and it is absolutely free! | Watch free live sex cam - easy as 1-2-3*


----------



## Crumbs

Hey guys, thanks for the comments and the bump. I guess it's about time I an update.
The tank has held up beautifully over the years with out any leak issues. The sloped with bottom drain on the deep end worked amazingly drawing the waist off the substrate to the filters.

I have learned a lot from this project. For one natural filtration is not practical for high bioload systems. Period. I ended up ripping all of the mangroves out of the tank. The roots were constantly being broken by the sharks and too much deterus was collecting around them making cleaning impractical. I pulled out all of the cheato out as it works like a filter sock practically. SO no natural filtration period. I eliminated all pockets that could collect waist.

The Ultima 2000 filters are great. I would suggest a pressurised bead filter 100%. If I were to upgrade now, I would use bubble bead filter for reduced waist water from back flushes.

Other upgrades include
autotrophic denit system- 100 lb sulfur reactors
108 gal fluidised kaldness reactor. Strictly for nitrification, that alone gave my system the capacity to nitrigy 1.5 kg of feed per day! hehe
My rk2 fractionator kicks serious ass! 
I also added a 100 gal degassing tower. It is fed water ozonated water from the fractionator and from a second line that runs the ultima filter to the kaldness filter in series. The water is degassed and mixed before returning to the exhibit.
The first stage of filtration is a 15 gal sump for this system that is over a thousnand gallons. 300 micron filter bags before going threw filterfloss- the idea is to catch the waist before it get ripped into fine particles by pumps etc.
I have a 24/7 kalk reactor running.  Kalk precipates phosphate and help keep my ph up. It also does a good job as an odour neutraliser if you feed a large bowl of seafood a day.
My reeflo pumps still work quietly and efficiently. I won't uses any other pumps. Especially not magdrive.
Oh, my surging biotower I made that is hooked up to the system should be mentioned cause its so damn cool.


enough about the filtration. check out the Speckled Epaulette pups I produced in this system









[/IMG]









Here is an old vid of the tank 




checkout my site benthicsharks.ca I'll try to post some new pics of the filtration but there is too much to upload


----------



## Will

When I bumped your thread I thought there was about a 5% chance you would return to update us! I'm very glad you did though! Now if I may, "we demand some photos" to go along with your written update?

Are the original habitants still there? any new ones?


----------



## Chromey

We need more, please.


----------



## Crumbs

Ok, I'm working on it 

The top pic of the biotower is actually a video if you click on it. If you want to see the shark breeding pics, go to my site. It takes too long to upload everything.l

Here is my youtube page, any of the Hemiscyllium videos are of this tank. 
http://www.youtube.com/user/Crumbeyeolo

This video you can get a glimpse of the bottom tank of this system also


----------



## Crumbs

Here are new filtration pics I just took for you guys.

Full filtation shot









ultima filter, kaldness media tower on left discharging into the degass tower









from left to right autotrophic denit system, degas tower A, innitaial prefilter, rk2 fractionator









top of fractionator









top of kaldness reactor 









Top of degas tower A









top of first stage pre-filter. Micron filter bags followed by filter floss elevated on 8' grid









this is hooked up also, Secondary DIY titanium heat exchanger


----------



## Will

Have you built something to pickup people jaws off the floor when they see your setup yet?


----------



## Crumbs

sulphur!

























the second reactor is for crushed coral.


----------



## Crumbs

This gal is in the system. She is pretty cool. hehe









Questions, feel free to ask.

I also have Hemiscyllium trispeculare and Scyliorhinus torazame pups available if anyone is interested.


----------



## Crumbs

Will said:


> Have you built something to pickup people jaws off the floor when they see your setup yet?


haha, thanks


----------



## 50seven

I had no idea this thread was on this site- I thought I had perused all the deep nether regions of this site, but I guess not.  That is a cool setup, Crumbs, still trying to wrap my head around it all.


----------



## Chromey

good lord.
Nurse sharks eh. My mouth dropped when i saw it swim up to your hand.

I wanna try this with my Foxface


----------



## Crumbs

Yup, I have been praying to the shark gods for fertile eggs from my mature group. I have witnessed reproductive behaviour but have not found eggs in at least a couple of years. The eggs I did find were too dense to candle and never hatched.
As well fed as I keep them, I have a strong feeling they are eating the eggs that they produce. They had to build a grid over the substrate to catch the stn eggs at the Artis Zoo, I may have to do the same.


----------



## Crumbs

Back to the last video, that was years of conditioning you are seeing there. These guys are like puppies now and will swim into my hand with out any food as a reward. The purpose of this conditioning is to be able to handle and more closely observe the sharks for medial screening and checkups. Before the conditioning, to remove one of the nuses from the tank I would be soaked from head to toe as were my walls, ceiling. It would be a major fiasco and stressfull for me not to mention the sharks. Now it is a breeze!

I should also note that the exposure on the camera does not pick up blue night lights that are on at all, making the room look pitch black, which is not the case.


----------



## Scotmando

I'm not a salty, but this is awesome! 

Love the pics. Keep up the great work. 

Whats the sulphur for?


----------



## Crumbs

The sulfur is for denitrification. This is the denirification method used in modern public aquaria. This system promotes autotrophic bacteria and reduces NO2 to N2 gas. 

I started with two 40 gal, fibreglass reinforced tanks, added distributor screen and drilled a 4" hole and fibreglassed an access port. The second tower is filled with crushed coral. Sulfur is acidic but the crushed coral will raise the ph. I added additional 1/4" taps to the inputs so that I can flush the filters out with help from an O2 cylinder when needed.

The water from the denit filter is discharged into my fractionator-skimmer where it makes ozone contact. The ozone will ozidise any hydrogen sulfide that is produced. It will then go threw the degassing tower where it will be mixed with water from the bead filter side of my LSS before going back to back the display.


----------



## Scotmando

A little more involved than Fresh Water. Maybe one day I'll start a SW setup

Quite involved. Looks & sounds like you're having great success with your setup.

Kudos on the pics too.

Thanks for sharing.



Crumbs said:


> The sulfur is for denitrification. This is the denirification method used in modern public aquaria. This system promotes autotrophic bacteria and reduces NO2 to N2 gas.
> 
> I started with two 40 gal, fibreglass reinforced tanks, added distributor screen and drilled a 4" hole and fibreglassed an access port. The second tower is filled with crushed coral. Sulfur is acidic but the crushed coral will raise the ph. I added additional 1/4" taps to the inputs so that I can flush the filters out with help from an O2 cylinder when needed.
> 
> The water from the denit filter is discharged into my fractionator-skimmer where it makes ozone contact. The ozone will ozidise any hydrogen sulfide that is produced. It will then go threw the degassing tower where it will be mixed with water from the bead filter side of my LSS before going back to back the display.


----------



## Crumbs

I would say it has been going very well, infact I couln't have imagined that I would have come this far...


----------

