Plywood tank..

[ozzy reefer]

Hy Gang.
I want to make a plywood tank that is 6ft tall,4ft wide, and 6ft long..If not longer and wider. Plans and tips would be great. How many gallons is a tank 6X4X6?
Thanks

 

[wamp]

Man, I am not trying to rain on your idae but what for???? You'll never be able to touch the bottom to change anything, get out dead fish, Move a rock.. Thats too tall for most practical purpose...
But it is about: 1077 gallons.. A big ol' tank!

 

[krusk]

not to mention the thickness of the glass and the plywood

 

[melbournefl]

I agree wholeheartedly with the wamp shark, when you get to that size tank you almost need something big enough for you to comfortably get into to organize etc. I'm in the finishing stages of a 220 that's 6'x2'x32" (LxWxD) and I wish I had gone with 6'x3'x2'. Getting your arm down to the bottom is a pain in the yoohoo and my daughter still refuses to get in the tank to help out :-(
One other item of note: a 6 fioot high tank would take a minimum glass thickness of 2+ inches I think (calculations vary) even acrylic would be at least that thick, you'd still get some bowing on the front and you'd have to go with double plywood on sides and bottom. All in all, just not a very practical size for a tank. Of course, this is just my opinion and my new friend Joe just finished his 1,650 gallon shark tank, the difference is that it's designed to allow him to get in the tank to do maintenance. Good luck with whatever you decide and keep us all up to date!
Later
Paul

 

[ozzy reefer]

So..What would you reccommend for depth? I have a 7ft long wall to work with so I was hoping that I could get something tall. I dont mind going in the tank (as long as I have no lionfish in there with me), but I do worry about the tank overflowing, or me having something on my body that isnt good for tank. What do you guys do before going in the tank? Rinse off in the shower?
Another problem with height is that....Our entry way is on the other side of that wall. I was thinking of knocking that wall down and putting the tank there so you could see it as you enter. How much does fiberglassing go for and where do you get it at? We have fiberglass decking and we have to strip it and put down new every few years. Are we going to have to do that with the tank? Does anyone have any plans on how to make the plywood tank?
Thanks!

 

[ozzy reefer]

Actually..Forget the thing about the entry way. If its plywood Im not gona want 2 sides of glass.

 

[melbournefl]

Ozzy, I started with the basic plan offered on www.garf.org for their 140 gallon tank. Basic and too the point. Then I played around with the plans for months and read as much as I could on the web about tank construction. A search on google.com for DIY aquarium will yield enough to keep you busy for a few days LOL
Since I can't visualize your house I can't really give too much input regarding layout *but* I think a 6'x3'x2' tank would be beautiful. If I had any kind of decent drafting software I'd send you my ideas for my next tank but they're all in my head and I really can't discribe it in words LOL this is why I'm a programmer not a writer I reckon'
Keeping the tank at 24" high or less allows you to use much thinner glass, provide good lighting for a reasonable price, get in and manage the son-of-a-gun and numerous other side-benefits. Again, the ideas expressed here are only mine and do not necessarily reflect any degree of expertise. On the other hand, the MASSIVE show tank at the front desk of the Mirage Hotel in Vegas is indeed a wonder to behold and I have yet to find out how they manage to keep it looking so damn beautiful.
Good luck!
Paul

 

[melbournefl]

you can have glass on both sides of a wood tank
Later,
Paul

 

[wamp]

So you wnat to swim in the tank? Am I reading you correctly?
If you were going to get in the tank (don't know why you would want to) The water level is a big concern consediring the amount you will displace.
I would do this idea in a basement. And use Block instead of wood.

 

[ozzy reefer]

Im not gona swimin in it to cool off...I mean, I'd swim in it if I had to aquascape...I might just put a diving board on the top end of the tank and put a drain in the center of my living room. I can do a cannon-ball and do a 50% water change

 

[javatech]

take a look at this
http://www.mr4000.com/

 

[slothy]

Originally posted by Ozzy Reefer
Im not gona swimin in it to cool off...I mean, I'd swim in it if I had to aquascape...I might just put a diving board on the top end of the tank and put a drain in the center of my living room. I can do a cannon-ball and do a 50% water change

hahahah

 

[novice150]

The water level should not be a problem if you design the tank/filtration right. What I mean by this is #1 you shouldn't have your overflows installed so high in the tank, that the operational water level is near the full capacity of the tank. #2 If you have a large enough sump, and your system is designed properly, it should easily handle the water displaced by your body.
I would say that your biggest concern with going up to 6' deep is the water pressure. As you increase the depth of the tank, the pressure on the walls increases by huge amounts. The result of this pressure and stress is the tendency to bow, or even worse, split the seams. I don't know if you've seen the pics of my tank and how I built it, but I can honestly say there is no way I would trust my design at 6 foot.
Once you settle on some dimensions, post them here and I'm sure you'll get plenty of good advice from everyone who has done this.