Building my own fish tank (1 Viewer)

[Joe Matties]

I want to build my own fish tank. 36w 18thk 24deep. Is there anything I should look out for? Should I add anything to it if I'm already going through that much trouble?

 

[Joe Matties]

It will be lighted with leds btw

 

[Joe Matties]

It will be out of acrylic. Can I make the bottom out of something else that's maybe cheaper?

 

[steveb]

You can bond acrylic to other plastics with the right solvent. I'm not sure of the strength of say acrylic to pvc vs. acrylic to acrylic but you definitely need to research what you are doing. Most of the other plastics are not going to be any cheaper than acrylic.

 

[Ostentum]

Make sure you use the right acrylic also. You want to use cell cast acrylic something along the lines of Acrylite GP. Also do your research on thickness, bracing, etc. If you have never worked with acrylic before you might just want to have someone else help you.

 

[Tnconcept]

What material are you looking to use?

 

[TiAg]

Have a few engineers and tank builders on here so you'll probably get some good info. Good luck with it!

 

[Joe Matties]

Thanks for the input guys. I'm a structural designer so I have the the tank design covered. I already build it in a program at work. I guess I'll have to ask some of the guys that know their plastics, what I could use for the bottom. My main concern is if 24" is too deep for regular LED's? Or if I'm going to need a special lighting system or anything like that. I would actually like to maybe even go 3' deep if possible... I only have a 45" wide cut-out in the wall of my apt. Its 2' deep and 9' tall. Just trying to figure something custom that would fit well there and could be used later on when I move.

 

[steveb]

So you are aware of what thickness to make the tank based on depth? I believe you are looking at 1" material for 36". I know for sure 3/4" for 24". In either case you will most likely need some eurobracing.

Why to you want to increase the complexity by using a different material for the bottom?

24" and even 36" are not to deep for LED's if you use the right optic. At 36" you are going to need 40 degree optics which means you will either need to space your LED's fairly close together if you don't have enough vertical distance to get a good mix. If you don't get them mixed correctly your going to have spotlighting.

 

[Ostentum]

My 260 is 1/2" acrylic and 24" deep.

 

[steveb]

How much deflection do you have?

James over on RC and Troylee over on R2R, in addition to several companies that provided me quotes all said 3/4" for 24" water depth, and 1" up to 36" water depth. Of course that is a function of LxH and if it is eurobraced. According to the cryo calculator 36x24 closed(euro braced) can safely use .591" Cryo Acrylite GP. No bracing would require .883 which would be the 1" size. On my tank 96"x24"tall it calls for .787".

 

[flexrac]

for your led needs, check out this threadhttp://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2128756
or this one
http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2082235

you also have the option of having either gabej aka bamF or robert from modaquatics build you one. both are sponsors here, but you know that already.

 

[below radar]

Ostentum, is your aquarium 96"? Also, is it eurobraced and have you noticed any bowing in the center? Asking because I've found a few places that use 1/2" on that size or close to. I'm pretty sure that was about the largest I saw w/ 1/2.

 

[Joe Matties]

I actually found a glass tank the exact size I was trying to build. Turned out to be cheaper to buy it then to build one so I bought it. Now I'm on to the project of a BIY sump with probably a lttle ref. section in it.

My biggest concern is how I match the flow of the pump to the flow of the syphon??? I don't want to dain my sump and ruin my pump. I figured out what to do about any flooding issues. So far all I can figure is a gate valve and tinkering with it...?

 

[steveb]

Yep that is pretty much standard issue (gate or ball valve).

 

[Joe Matties]

I was thinking of putting in a valve like you have on the back of your toilet. That way the pump would shut off when it got to a certian level. Should be easy enough to design an electrical switch attached to a floating device. That with a check valve on the return line should solve and problems that might arise...

 

[steveb]

Just put a ball or gate valve on your return. Open it up all the way. If the level in the tank rises valve it down a little bit. You will hit a point where the drain(s) can keep up with the pump.

Kind of hard to see but there is a ball valve on the return. There is also one to left of the T controlling flow to the refugium.

 

[steveb]

Also don't trust check valves to prevent drain back. Your returns need to sit high enough in the tank so that when the pump stops the water that drains back down (until the water falls below them) does not overflow your sump. If the returns are low down in the tank you need to drill a couple of small holes fairly high up so that air entering them will cause a siphon break.

If you look at this pick the center is the overflow to the sump and on each side of the tank at the water line are the returns...

 

[steveb]

Decent pic of plumbing diagram...

http://reefbuilders.com/2007/07/11/diagram-of-a-modern-reef-aquarium-with-sump-and-refuge/

 

[Joe Matties]

This is my design so far minus the valves. I want the water to have to flow through the Live Rock I put in the refugium and thats why I have it the way I do. let me know what you think.