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Re: NFC: Re: Darter tanks and other stuff
Jim Colburn wrote:
> >I make tanks from plywood and epoxy, I have some more than 20 years old and
> >still going. Yes, it can be expensive, it only really saves money when you
> >make a really large tank 100gal.+. The up side is that you can make a tank
> >that conforms to your fish husbandry needs.
> Wow! That expense might be worth it. My methods, using sheet acrylic for
> a liner, were developed to reduce expense and increase speed. As a fringe
> benefit, they also allow a price break on smaller tanks. I personally
> wouldn't build a tank < 30 gallons, unless I needed to fit a particular
> place or purpose. But I wouldn't buy a 40 breeder-I know I can build one
> using materials on hand for around $10.
Can you point me to any resources for building very large aquaria? When
we build the house I would very much like to have a huge display tank,
on the order of 700 gallons or so. Most of the prices I've seen boggle
the mind and wallet and I'd have to think it would be cheaper if only
the front face was viewable (which is the only side I really care about
anyway).
> But there are a couple factors to consider. It really helps if you have
> tools, a workshop, and some experience building things. (Having said that,
> I should point out that a friend of mine built a 4' long tank in his dorm
> room, using only an electric drill. He had the plywood cut at a lumber
> yard to fit the glass he had.)
Last summer I went out to the NCSU "Fish Barn" where they experiment on
new methods of intensive aquaculture. The tank I saw was a yellow perch
tank, measuring I think about 20 feet diameter. The thing was
constructed entirely of dimensional lumber and plywood, with a PVC
liner. HUGE tank. No viewable sides (except from above), but if you
ever wanted to grow out a monster bowfin, this is the tank to do it in.
;-)
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