Tank build question

[DraggingTail]

I am buying a new house with an unfinished basement. I plan to build a tank room for plumbing and have a custom tank touch the wall to the room from the end of the tank. The plumbing will go under the stand and through the wall for the drains and back through the wall on the top for the return. I will keep the sump and all the "ugly" stuff in the room. This way you can view the tank on the two long sides and the other end of the tank. I wanted to do an island tank but cannot make the plumbing and electrical work as easy.

I have a 110 mig welder to build a steel frame and plan to buy sheets of acrylic for the tank that I will have cut and routed to glue (weld) the seems.

The tank will be 96" L x 48" W x 24" H. I will put an acrylic cutout top on the tank for support. The tank should be at 450 GAL filled 1.5" from the top of the tank and weight 3755lbs.

Here are my questions...

What size steel tubing should I use?

What thickness of acrylic sheet should I order?

Thanks.

 

[virtual reality]

I would contact a professional tank builder and ask these questions. Maybe try posting in the Big Tank section.

 

[P-Dub]

I can't answer your particular questions but would like to interject.
I personally would leave the building of the tank to the professionals. Acrylic work, particularly for something of this size and considering the consequences of failure, is not easy at all. I have built a number of acrylic things for my tank including a 15 gal refugium and it takes practice and a very skilled hand to build properly, safely, and look good, exponentially so on a build that large.

 

[DraggingTail]

I can't answer your particular questions but would like to interject.
I personally would leave the building of the tank to the professionals. Acrylic work, particularly for something of this size and considering the consequences of failure, is not easy at all. I have built a number of acrylic things for my tank including a 15 gal refugium and it takes practice and a very skilled hand to build properly, safely, and look good, exponentially so on a build that large.

If I buy 1" acrylic, I can get the acrylic for 3k. If I have someone in MN build it they said 9k. And, I would not be able to get it into the basement.

Who would I get to build it in my basement?

 

[DraggingTail]

I would contact a professional tank builder and ask these questions. Maybe try posting in the Big Tank section.

Midwest custom tank recommended 1" acrylic if they built it.

 

[JOKER]

I would just get a glass planet aquarium tank.
As for steel tubing stand. That would depend on how many supports you plan on having. The more supports the smaller tubing. My stand is 2" X 2" X 1/4" tubing. I have no supports in the center. Tank is 7' X 2', but is a shallow reef only 140 gallons.

 

[virtual reality]

I admire you for wanting to do it yourself. 3 Grand it still a lot of cash. Is it worth the risk if a seam would fail? So many bad things could happen.
Please think of your safety, and your families safety if you go this direction. I wish you the best either way.

 

[JOKER]

I would also recommend foam of some kind under any tank that doesn't have a framed bottom. I used a yoga mat under my 7' tank. It will help to level tank, and distribute weight evenly.

 

[Gregg @ ADP]

Call me crazy, but I’m not going to talk you out of building the tank. It’s not that hard (we all learned to glue stuff together in kindergarten), but you definitely want to take your time and be precise.

As for the welding of the panels, IMO, acrylic is far easier than glass. Clamps, a level, some tape, and some Weld-on and syringe, and you’re good to go.

If you’ve never done it before, grab some small 1/4” sheets and practice by building some small boxes.

And yes, 1” should work fine, as long as there is ample bracing.

 

[DraggingTail]

Call me crazy, but I’m not going to talk you out of building the tank. It’s not that hard (we all learned to glue stuff together in kindergarten), but you definitely want to take your time and be precise.

As for the welding of the panels, IMO, acrylic is far easier than glass. Clamps, a level, some tape, and some Weld-on and syringe, and you’re good to go.

If you’ve never done it before, grab some small 1/4” sheets and practice by building some small boxes.

And yes, 1” should work fine, as long as there is ample bracing.

I built a 2 piece sump already. It was only 3/8.

Since this is 1" I would route the edges like I did with the sump and use acupuncture needles from the opposite side that I would apply the acrylic cement solvent. This way the solvent flows across the inch seam. Then pull out the needles.

I used masking tape on the sump to hold the sheets until they set. In this case I would use long clamps. I would still use aquarium caulk like I did in the sump even though it held water without it.

I'm not sure now. Everyone freaking me out. I never thought about a side popping off and killing someone. I assumed that could not happen since the acrylic would be one piece.

As far as water damage, it's a basement. The water would run into the sump room and drain. The carpet would be ruined but that should be about it.

...

 

[Gregg @ ADP]

I built a 2 piece sump already. It was only 3/8.

Since this is 1" I would route the edges like I did with the sump and use acupuncture needles from the opposite side that I would apply the acrylic cement solvent. This way the solvent flows across the inch seam. Then pull out the needles.

I used masking tape on the sump to hold the sheets until they set. In this case I would use long clamps. I would still use aquarium caulk like I did in the sump even though it held water without it.

I'm not sure now. Everyone freaking me out. I never thought about a side popping off and killing someone. I assumed that could not happen since the acrylic would be one piece.

As far as water damage, it's a basement. The water would run into the sump room and drain. The carpet would be ruined but that should be about it.

...

Looks good to me.

I’m no expert...I primarily build sumps with acrylic. But I’ve found you have to really, really screw up with your joint welds to even get a leak. Forget about a panel popping off. That’s not going to happen unless you accidentally use rubber cement instead of acrylic solvent.

I’m not going to talk you out of using silicone to reinforce, but I’ve never seen a case where it was needed. The biggest acrylic aquarium we manage is 7000 gallons, and the joints have held just fine w/o reinforcement.