KrazyKuch's & Michika's 180Gal Tank Build

[ElGuappo]

i saw it looks like you are putting this on a second level by the point of strenthing the floor..

If your floor joice is exposed all you have to do is put pieces of 2x4 in the joice on both sides every 12 inches or so. this will strenthen the floor without having an ugly post underneath.

[michika]

Actually this is the main floor, and reinforcement will come from changes made in the crawl space. I'll post photos when we are ready to do the reinforcements.

[adidas]

Originally Posted by Matt

Building the tank won't be hard, but doing clean, neat silicone work is quite hard. I applaud anyone who can do it by hand and get it looking good. A long time ago, I built about 100 tanks one summer, mostly small and custom shapes for Acadia University Biology dept. By the time I'd done the first 15 or 20, I got pretty good at it. By the end, it looked like factory-built. Now, out of practice, I hardly trust myself to caulk my shower!

using tape is the key to straight silicone lines

good luck on the build!

[Matt]

Originally Posted by adidas

using tape is the key to straight silicone lines

good luck on the build!

tape makes thick transitions... but it is how I'd do it if I was building one with my current skillset.

[BC Mosaic]

In my late teens (1960's) I ended up working for a new tropical fish importer in Montreal. One of my jobs was to build aquariums. The jig was soooo simple that I had to shake my head. It consisted of 2 pieces of 2x4 screwed down to a piece of plywood and 8 long grey shelf brackets that were secured to the plywood and 32 bolts plus silicone. That was it. Talk about using the "Kiss Principle"! Built 2 tanks everyday for about a month!

I'm interested in seeing how you are going to go about doing yours.
Have fun and good luck!

[ElGuappo]

Originally Posted by michika

Actually this is the main floor, and reinforcement will come from changes made in the crawl space. I'll post photos when we are ready to do the reinforcements.

Please do post pics as it could be very easy to reenforce the floor joice. Rather then trying to build up to the floor and take up the entire crawl space.

Met a guy on a job site we got to talking and he told me how a buddy of his did it.

[KrazyKuch]

well I went with another way of bracing the glass instead of 2X4's, I bought some corner clamps and put some stick on felt on them as to not damage the glass!!!

Here is the corner clamps I bought.


Here is the clamps with felt on them.


Bottom after it has been cleaned with vinegar.


After the edges have been taped.


Bottom with the back side by side.


Starting to apply silicone.


Another shot of me applying silicone.


Back pain in place.


One side in place and clamped with the corner clamp.


Both sides in place and clamped, and me removing excess silicone on the inside.


Shot of all 3 sides in place.


Shot of one of the seams.


And here is a pic of the silicone we used.


Basically once I had an end piece in place I clamped it to the back pain,and then made sure that the bottom of the side piece was flush to the bottom pain, and that the side pain was full pressed up against the back pain...Make sense or did I loose anyone!

[Delphinus]

Nice work so far! Where'd ya get the clamps?

[justinl]

makes sense to me. Thanks for the pics.

btw, nice legs. i like the stockings

[KrazyKuch]

Originally Posted by Delphinus

Nice work so far! Where'd ya get the clamps?

I got them from Rona!