wood with polyester.

Saturday Olivier visited me.
He told me that in France almost no aquarium builders are.
I regularly build a aqurium for myself.
Olivier asked me to explain this.
Therefore, I would like to share my experience with you how you can make a wooden box with polyester.
You have so many advantages to such a aquarium.
first it insulated better.
secondly it is very strong, you can just throw your stones in without damage.
it weighs a lot lower to move.
You can make a hole when and how you want.
And then the most important is the price.
For my 3m x 1m x 75 water level I spent a total of 1100 euros.

I will post some photos how such a aquarium is created.

maybe someone can translate my text into French .

cheers Bruce

you start with a base

the plate on it is a 22 mm plywood.this to to distribute the pressure.on this plate comes a isimoplaat of 5cm you see on the photo below.

This is the wood for the tank I have let cut it to the size i wanted. it is 22mm plywood.

Now we can start with building. The plates are screwed together with screws of 5cm this every 15cm. First, we set the side panels.

then the front panel. In the front panel you saw the hole where the window should have to come. keep each board of 5cm this to have the window enough support

and then the rear panel

Now we have the wooden box

the box inside. you can see the boarder for the front window

Now we screw the length strips in
Now we can start with polyestering of the tank.
with polyester you have to work fast.with 1l you can work 30 minutes.
You should start as followed. cutting all fiber mats to size of your panels.You always start with polyester the corners

that do you all over the tank. In total you bring two layers on of polyester. This allows to rest one day.

We can start with the final coat.This can you choose in different colors. I chose black because This is best for fish.

if This has dried out We can place window.

Now we wait until the silicone has dried out.
Now we are going to place the pull strips.
first you have to rub the places where they should come.

You put they also with screws.I have screwed three plywood together.
The corners make you equal.

We can now polyester the pull strips.


each corner !

if everything is done you put it back into finish coat.

the tank is finished and can be filled.

you have 3 days to filter it through carbon

all the water back out of the tank and you can start decorating !

the end !

You can finish the outside with what you want.
I hope you have something about this.
so if you want to make a tank. let me know I'll will come and help!

cheers Bruce

Thanks Bruce,

It's very interesting

a +

Phil

cap76 a écrit:Thanks Bruce,

It's very interesting

a +

Phil

My pleasure phil .

cheers

It seems so easy when you show it to us!!!
But some skill is required to achieve such a good job as yours.
Thanks for these dreamful pictures.
I have to wonder about it.

Flatfish a écrit:It seems so easy when you show it to us!!!
But some skill is required to achieve such a good job as yours.
Thanks for these dreamful pictures.
I have to wonder about it.

it is also very easy eric.
I made ​​my first tank at the age of 18.
Now on my 25 and I have 4 homemade tanks.
my other 11 tanks are from glass I've also made ​​5 of them.
the wooden boxes I make all alone. for placing the window there is only a 2 nd person need. I've done on this tank one month. but you can perfectly get him off in two weeks .

Real thanks for all this beautifull pictures of your job ... Very Good Job. Do you use resine polyester or resine epoxy ??? For epoxy, is your room enough open during the work ?

It's give me a very very need to visit all your tank ...

Meeki67 a écrit:...

It's give me a very very need to visit all your tank ...

I share what he wrote

Meeki67 a écrit:Real thanks for all this beautifull pictures of your job ... Very Good Job. Do you use resine polyester or resine epoxy ??? For epoxy, is your room enough open during the work ?

It's give me a very very need to visit all your tank ...

it is resine polyester. much stronger than epoxy.
The smell is strong but tolerable.with a mask and gloves, you have enough .
If you want to come visit me feel free to come !
The doors are always open.

cheers bruce

Hi Bruce,
I read again your topic.
I've got a question about the way you fixed the front glass to be held.
Did you only use silicon or did you also screw brackets?
I will soon start mine and I'm wondering if I won't use cracks on the front panel to slide the front glass. What do you think about it? I believe that I then have to use a thicker plywood for the front, isn't it?

Flatfish a écrit:Hi Bruce,
I read again your topic.
I've got a question about the way you fixed the front glass to be held.
Did you only use silicon or did you also screw brackets?
I will soon start mine and I'm wondering if I won't use cracks on the front panel to slide the front glass. What do you think about it? I believe that I then have to use a thicker plywood for the front, isn't it?

Hi Eric.

i just silicon the front glass.
you dont have to make a slide in system !
you have to silicone the glas on every side over the 5 cm and then lay nicely on the edges.

i will send you a photo ;-).

cheers bruce

Thanks for your answer. No slide, no crack, no bracket. As simple, that's the best way
Just regular plywood?