Kool Reef DIY 687 picture heavy

[joekool]

You can see my garage door opener in the refletion.

 

[Mrx7899]

Will the epoxy break down after a while or will it be good for the life of the tank

 

[najer]

Do you not worry about it getting damaged by rock work?
Great progress by the way.

 

[joekool]

Sorry all. On my way to North West PA to do some deer hunting. I'll be back to it by the end of next week.

 

[ca1ore]

Have you done plywood/epoxy builds before?

I've done a couple and the epoxy always splits on 90 degree corners. Maybe you use better epoxy than I did. Not a problem if glass sides sit inside the ply bottom, but that sump may be problematic. Just my 2 cents.

 

[joekool]

Have you done plywood/epoxy builds before?

I've done a couple and the epoxy always splits on 90 degree corners. Maybe you use better epoxy than I did. Not a problem if glass sides sit inside the ply bottom, but that sump may be problematic. Just my 2 cents.

This epoxy is somewhat rubber like. It doesn't cure hard as a rock like some epoxy does. It stays somewhat flexible.

I did some of the sump and it filled in great along the edges.

I have learned some things during application that i would do differently.
We will see how it is once I get back. It says 24hours before water but we will test it out.

 

[joekool]

Do you not worry about it getting damaged by rock work?
Great progress by the way.

Not so much. It is supo9 to be pretty tough and It will get more cure time while I'm away.
I will be supporting the rocks with small pieces of pvc sheet or pvc pipe.

 

[joekool]

Will the epoxy break down after a while or will it be good for the life of the tank

I haven't find any numbers on years of longevity or warranty years. It seems that every attempt to find that info is mixed with a bunch of other info. So I hav9 an answer but what I got out of what I read was that it lasts a very long time as long as you don't damage it.

If you find anything let me know.

 

[ca1ore]

In my case it was back around 1995, and I used Pratt and lambert epoxy paint. Over time, it split on any exposed external 90 degree corners. I had to drain the tank and silicone plastic L molding over the corners. Was good for a while after that.

 

[joekool]

Ok everybody I'm back from my trip and back on the tank work. The wife and I have a Christmas party at the house next weekend so not sure how much I'll get done this week but the next week it will be on like donkey kong lol.

Still unpacking from the trip and processing deer meat. Got a new masterbuilt Bluetooth smoker from the wife while I was gone and will be putting it to work.

I filled the table with water to test it out and it' been great for a few days so I'm not worried about the epoxy. I'l explain later but I would have done it a tad differently but still am happy.

 

[joekool]

Ok so back to it again so stay tuned....

I was going to make my own bulkheads but with a tank this big I think I may just order ones that I know for sure works.

Also thinking I’ll just run the return up the side of the tank and over the top. Not liking the cost of 3’’ bulkheads.

 

[joekool]

Well second thought I may try my own bulkheads with the sch 80 conduit fittings. I feel pretty confident about it. I will silicone it and then primer and epoxy it. They won’t leak. I’m going to make a test setup first for trial run.

 

[joekool]

 

[joekool]

Not sure why it wouldn’t let me post the whole thing so just move through it to get to where I left off on the first video thanks

 

[joekool]

OK so I’m completing the sump today I just have to put the two coats of epoxy on the bottom piece of plywood I’ve already covered the bottom portion of the sump with epoxy first coat so what I’ll do is once the plywood bottom is done I will screw the two together and then flip it over and put the second coat of epoxy on the bottom portion and then first first coat around the top part where I didn’t get it yesterday and get the sump complete.
also be cutting the hole for the pump and also doing the holes for the drains in the display tank I have a couple of photos here for you for you to see how I’ll be drilling the holes and beveling them and if you listen to the video I watched it you would say I know what I was going to do so stay with my guys and we’re going to get her done get a lot accomplished today.

 

[joekool]

Six p’s

Got to get this right. Trying to get these drains done one time and then done.

 

[joekool]

Ok this is it. E drains have not been sized yet

 

[joekool]

Drains are full siphon and emergency back ups.

 

[joekool]

Locat 1st Coats done will have to wait a little while and then I can put on another coat

 

[joekool]

Oops forgot to add these pictures in before the last post. So as I explained in the video the bevel is for the pvc fitting to fit into. I have epoxied the surfaces and the fittings so that I can make a silicon seal and a firm seat for the fit bulkhead.