DIY tank question

[ometh]

So I decided to venture into making my own acryclic tank now that I have some money saved up. Ok first I want to build a tank with the floor measurements being 32x18 and I plan on making 2 because I have 2 cabinets that are identical. I wants one for reef and the other planted. Now I wanted to know how tall I should make them. I was think going 18" but I'm afraid it might be to short or something. Input and how many gallons would it come out to be? Would I need to brace it? Also the reef one I wanted to drill and make it reef ready. How would I drill it?

Alright next thing, I wanted to build a 6ft tank after the 2 smaller ones for my tropheus and add some petros in there. I'll probably dabble in making my own wet dry and get a bigger canister. What would be a good size 6ft tank? Yes I do realize how much it will cost to make one and yes I do realize how thick it will have to be. I Just want more input on this.

[eklikewhoa]

When you're finished, set it up in the garage.

[ometh]

The 6ft is going in my room lol! The fiancé will just have to deal XD I couldn't bare not waking up to tropheus faces lol.

[Totenkampf]

to give you an idea of capacity, a 40 breeder is 36"L x 18"W x 17"H. Heres a tool you can use to play around with sizing:

http://reef.diesyst.com/volcalc/volcalc.html

Unless you have to go rimless or topless, a top perimeter brace would be something that i would consider. it would make the box much stronger. Are you planing on just using silicon or chemically fusing the joints? If you can get the fusing down, these smaller ones may not need bracing but i tend to over engineer because mopping up water is a bummer. If you get much over 18-20"H on your planted tank, you will start having issues with light penetration to the substrate. If you arenet doing high light ground coverings then this is less of an issue. you're doing a custom project here so i would get a good idea of what i want to put in the aquaria and then design around that.

[ometh]

to give you an idea of capacity, a 40 breeder is 36"L x 18"W x 17"H. Heres a tool you can use to play around with sizing:

http://reef.diesyst.com/volcalc/volcalc.html

Unless you have to go rimless or topless, a top perimeter brace would be something that i would consider. it would make the box much stronger. Are you planing on just using silicon or chemically fusing the joints? If you can get the fusing down, these smaller ones may not need bracing but i tend to over engineer because mopping up water is a bummer. If you get much over 18-20"H on your planted tank, you will start having issues with light penetration to the substrate. If you arenet doing high light ground coverings then this is less of an issue. you're doing a custom project here so i would get a good idea of what i want to put in the aquaria and then design around that.

I will be chemically bonding all the tanks. If I really don't feel safe about it I'll probably just bump up the acrylic size to 1/2 inch instead of 3/8s.

Good point on the last one. Specifically on the planted tank depth. I might go like 16" or a lil more lower for the sake of light. For the planted I didn't want to run any high tech plants because I want high grade shrimps and from what i've been told co2 and high grades don't mix to well so i'll probably end up doing a floor of water clovers and a few other not so needy plants.

On the salt I'll for sure do the same thing because it'll save the hassle of getting a metal halide and I can just go all t5ho on this thing.

[ometh]

did the calculator and with 16" high it'll be about 39.8 which is pretty much what I wanted.

[R_sustaita]

if you need help let me know. i want to make one too.

[ometh]

if you need help let me know. i want to make one too.

will do bro. I'm just looking for a good acrylic supplier around here.

[Chris.d514]

I found this article when I was browsing around the other day not sure if it'll help or not. http://www.cichlid-forum.com/article...c_aquarium.php

[ometh]

I found this article when I was browsing around the other day not sure if it'll help or not. http://www.cichlid-forum.com/article...c_aquarium.php

Lol pretty much where I got the idea from great minds think alike!

[R_sustaita]

will do bro. I'm just looking for a good acrylic supplier around here.

there are some with good prices online and they do the cutting for you. remember the panel is not that expensive, the expensive thing are the cuts.

[ometh]

there are some with good prices online and they do the cutting for you. remember the panel is not that expensive, the expensive thing are the cuts.

I was debating whether or not if I should just use my table saw to cut it but, being the cluts I am I'll probably mess up lol!

[Totenkampf]

i have cut thinner acrylic sheet with a table saw and it cuts okay with a fence, i used a fine toothed blade that i installed running backwards. a thicker sheet might have heat problems though. you may need a special blade and that would probably mcake it more worthwhile to have them cut it

[R_sustaita]

I was debating whether or not if I should just use my table saw to cut it but, being the cluts I am I'll probably mess up lol!

if you use a table saw you will need an extremly fine blade and make sure you do cut the right sides, other wise it will be a little offsides.

[ometh]

i have cut thinner acrylic sheet with a table saw and it cuts okay with a fence, i used a fine toothed blade that i installed running backwards. a thicker sheet might have heat problems though. you may need a special blade and that would probably mcake it more worthwhile to have them cut it

I was about to ask about that too. I'm not sure what size blade to exactly use. After I get done cutting them I saw a vid somewhere on how to clean up the sides of the acrylic with a acrylic detalier so I got that part down. I just need to learn how to cut the acrylic
properly. I'll probably end up buying a few small pieces and make like lil 20 gallons or 10 to practice with before I make my 3 major tanks .