Building my new 400 litre + - tank and stand

I usually use gripseal to seal and stain the wood. For the lights, use reflectors.

Edit: this stuff: Interior Exterior | Gripseal

 

That tank looks great. Well done man!

When I was 16 I built a tank of 800mm x 500mm x 500mm out of 5mm glass with no bracing. It had a bow out of about 12 mm in the center but it held water for 5 years before I shut it down. So this tank of yours seems seriously over engineered to me :embarrest:

 

@wrenchy, You can Use White Enamel Paint. Or just Varnish it with marine varnish. I used Woodoc Marine for my hood over white "wood prime" paint. I did this because I am not installing reflectors. Just make sure you seal the corners very well. I used white Silicon. Overkill, but I don't want comebacks. Any wooden joints can be susceptible to water damage if not sealed correctly. Tank Looks great btw!

 

Hey Guys!

@Rory that stuff looks very interesting! i think i might give that a go! ill just get a white one gonna use reflectors as well might as well just go white haha, gonna phone now to see where i can get some and cost!

@L~C~G thanks man! ya i really did not want it to break! i have already had one exploding tnak this week haha


@SloMo.00. That silicone idea seems like a good idea, especially because i have some lying around!

 

Jip. The silicon will definitely help. But like I said, not 100% necessary. But I think it is worth it. I used the old credit card trick in the corners to round it off. The white silicon takes a few days to dry though. Good luck.

 

K so got the gripseal! hehe and got the lid but the wood is so warped im going to have to make a new one i have also decided im only going to seal once i get my light fittings so i can seee what is happening haha @Altum i spoke to you about lights for this tank! what do you recomend??

 

And don't forget ventilation. You're going to have quite a bit of condensation under there

 

check when I'm near landline...like I said
it's not hard at all
Just need to chat to you before you finish off the lid and stuff
:noworry:

 

@Whipme

if the condensation occurs wont it fall back into the tank??

@Altum pm me a land line number and a time haha ill call you!!

 

The condensation might still run down the sides of the tank, and it'll mean the wood is always wet. That's why you need a really good coat of sealant, or glass sliders to keep the water in the tank

 

I have found PC fans do wonders in extracting the water vapour. No condensation on the tank but the water level does drop fairly rapidly.

 

Yes, PC fans are wonderful (noisy... but wonderful)... and the water loss on my tank is 10litres per week!

 

So what volts do the PC fans use then? @Zoom 10Ltr a week. Not bad considering you need to do a water change anyway. LoL. That is actually alot of water. The glass sliders just doesn't do it for me. So I don't think I'll mind much.

 

I also lose about 10L a week. I top up on Wednesdays with 5L.
I have my fans connected to the mains using a transformer (I think thats what its called). And they are not that noisy.

 

@SloMo.00. - Go to ZakSpeed - I think I paid R49.00 for 240v fan

 

@MarcHawke, Cool thanks man. Hoped for a 220v. Don't like transformers etc. Unnescessary nonsence.

 

Just curious. How did you mount it? Extracting or Pushing air in?

 

@SloMo.00. - I "rested" it on the hole/opening of the canopy on my 12l tank as it was overheating (turns out the 50w heater was too much) and used it to extract. I suppose it depends on wether you are trying to cool the tank or remove moisture.

 

Yea i designed my canopy so it does not run out onto the glass (will post pictures later), As @TheGrissom showed me on his smaller tank. However i spoke to altum last night and he was more worried about the water picking bad stuff from the lighting components and things, so i will probably go with fans anyway!!

 

12V, 80mm. If you consider that I only do a WC every second week, I can already say I've done a 10% WC by day 14! heehee.

R38.95 for my 12V at AC DC 80mm. The smaller ones were even cheaper.

One pushing air in, one sucking air out = airflow.

I only have mine on for about 8 hours a day... not permanently. Although I should because at night the hood is sopping.

I don't like glass sliders because you loose an enormous amount of usable/effective plant light.