Custom Tank

[wiildmanzeke]

Hey, does anyone know where to get a custom tank done here in San Antonio?


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[Big_Pun]

most LFS stores can order them from the manufactures in any size you want. just call around and ask, i know from experience Elegant reef uses DSA and planet aquarium(or something like that)

[wiildmanzeke]

Yeah I just didn't know if there were any glass companies in the area that could get it done faster and cheaper than ordering through an aquarium manufacturer.


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[Big_Pun]

Yeah I just didn't know if there were any glass companies in the area that could get it done faster and cheaper than ordering through an aquarium manufacturer.


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glass company do windows and table tops i wouldnt trust them to build something that holds water lol. only aquarium company's will build them also if you get the stand with it you will get a warranty

[Tempset]

Agreed. I wouldn't trust a glass dealer to assemble my tank.

Now if you want to buy the glass FROM a glass dealer & assemble it yourself - that might be an option.

But then again, no warranty other than what your own 2 hands can handle.

Throwing down a good chunk of change to people who make it their LIFE to build tanks often carries with it that golden warranty.

Other than your lights & skimmer, giving a sizable amount of $ too a REPUTABLE aquarium maker is probably the best move you will make in this hobby. (other than putting a reef mafia sticker on your car window)

[koa25]

Other than your lights & skimmer, giving a sizable amount of $ too a REPUTABLE aquarium maker is probably the best move you will make in this hobby. (other than putting a reef mafia sticker on your car window)

:lauging:

[350gt]

. (other than putting a reef mafia sticker on your car window)



Never a bad idea to know what side your on....

no one says anything unless its in a private message or a text.....no huevos...

[Big_Pun]

im very happy with all the money i spent on quality equipment, it all has warranties but you shouldnt have to use them if its good equipment. stickers coming soon!

[350gt]

Key word is QUALITY!


all members have quality setups with top $$ equipment...

All but me have nice displays lol, I'm honest.......

that is why king dropped out, he couldn't keep up with the pressure.... Lol


all kidding aside, we love what we do.... And hate seeing ppl cut corners, end of story.

[Tempset]

no one says anything unless its in a private message or a text.....no huevos...

Definitely not a problem here.

PM is reserved for business deals in my world.

[350gt]

Definitely not a problem here.

PM is reserved for business deals in my world.



No not you, but they know who they are..... So do we

[Fracture]

Tempset needs a reef mafia in training sticker for his truck lol

[allan]

I think those are called probies or thugs.


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[Fracture]

Lol

[The_wolfeman]

Buy equipment that is worth your hard earned money, don't cheap out and cut corners because it WILL affect you in the long run. This hobby is in no way cheap.

[350gt]

Tempset needs a reef mafia in training sticker for his truck lol


Allan or some call em prospects ;)

[txav8r]

stickers coming soon!

...

[alton]

On an aquarium a good one will last you 20 years. If you are talking about a 75 or smaller I would not worry about buying premium. But 100 and over you could destroy your home very quickly if something went wrong and it leaked. Imagine dumping a 5 gallon bucket of water on your living room floor? Or with a 300 gallon aquarium 60 buckets of saltwater. If you are going custom order a brick (No Bracing) and if you can afford it Starphire Glass

[FireWater]

I agree 100% Alton. A tank is something I just can't skimp on.

[Scutterborn]

A good strong tank is well worth it's weight in gold. Trust me...


-Ben-

[350gt]

What's the word on yours Ben?

[Scutterborn]

What's the word on yours Ben?

I'm gonna try to start swapping stuff out this weekend. Still trying to figure out the new tank. Looks like it won't be until the fall...

:(


-Ben-

[350gt]

****.... That bites.

[Sherita]

Buy equipment that is worth your hard earned money, don't cheap out and cut corners because it WILL affect you in the long run. This hobby is in no way cheap.

No, it's not a *cheap* hobby, but it doesn't have to be stupidly expensive either. It all just depends on what a person wants to do, or what they like to do. I have found that there is always more than one way to do something. And I've raised some pretty nice zoas in an inexpensive used acrylic tank, with a very inexpensive light. You've seen my little saltwater flowers, so you know what I have.

The hobby can be done for reasonable expense. People who want to join our fun shouldn't be scared away because they think you need to be moneybags.

[The_wolfeman]

No, it's not a *cheap* hobby, but it doesn't have to be stupidly expensive either. It all just depends on what a person wants to do, or what they like to do. I have found that there is always more than one way to do something. And I've raised some pretty nice zoas in an inexpensive used acrylic tank, with a very inexpensive light. You've seen my little saltwater flowers, so you know what I have.

The hobby can be done for reasonable expense. People who want to join our fun shouldn't be scared away because they think you need to be moneybags.

Youre correct but we're talking a display here. No idea what size he intends to make. So advising him to go ahead and build on his own is kind of redundant. Like others have said the tank should be the one thing you don't cut corners unless you confident in your craftsmanship and are ok with the thought of it potentially breaking then by all means do it.

[alton]

Sherita he did say "Custom"? And you don't walk into Wal Mart and order a custom wedding ring

[Sherita]

And I was responding to a post about "equipment", not a custom tank.

And, nowhere did I say to cut corners on a tank, but I also don't agree that this has to be an expensive hobby. Sorry if some folks don't like my opinion, but, like everyone else, I have one.

[wiildmanzeke]

Wow this topic seems to stir people up. My bad.

I'm looking for 100g's and under. I've built my own aquarium before but that was thirty gallons. Now that I've done my own I think these guys charge an arm and a leg for their work. But I guess that's what I'll have to pay. Just wanted to check my options out. Thanks guys.

[alton]

Hey it's all good we are just trying to help wildmanzeke to spend his money, that is what friends are for right?

[350gt]

Why not buy used?

[wiildmanzeke]

"Custom"

[wiildmanzeke]

48" x 24"wide x 18"

[FireWater]

Nice size. Mine 120 is same footprint but 24" tall.

I know this thread has ran all over. I would seriously suggest looking into all options on a tank that size.

[alton]

DSA Neo is 21" tall, with only 18" tall not a lot of pressure. That maybe a fun DIY project for you? 5/8" starphire, I wonder what just the glass would cost?

[wiildmanzeke]

Yeah I love the deep shallow(mmmrrrr does not compute) tanks. Love looking down into my tank rather than just the front. If I did my scape where it's in the middle of the tank. I have four sides to put coral on and fish have double the space open space. :)

I've seen this size tank once in a store I really don't like to go into cause their saltwater tanks always have bad cyano outbreaks. (They really don't care) Petco. I don't even want to talk about it anymore. But the tank was being used to house koi's. of course there was no one around to help me with my question on the whereabouts the tank was made. But I fell in love with the dimensions.

[reefreak]

I have seen a tank on Craigslist that was identical to elegant reefs anemone tank.

[wiildmanzeke]

Yeah I like that tank a lot. But I need it longer. I love tanks like that.

[wiildmanzeke]

Honestly I just looked up how much it would cost to build it out of Home Depot acrylic and it's like 480 bucks. That's not bad at all.

[rrasco]

Don't use home depot acrylic. Call Allied Plastics on Rittiman.

[allan]

Sounds interesting. I've always wanted to build my own tank, and the center overflow rocks. I'd want one like the nem tank at the studio, but I would need a large room to put that in where it's more in the center than against a wall. Or near one.

[hobogato]

if the acrylic you are looking at is 1/4", that is too thin for a display tank. to make it right, you will need to go with 1/2" cast acrylic. that tank would use just over a full sheet (4'x8') which costs about $250 at allied plastics.

you will pay at least twice as much for acrylic if you buy it at home depot or lowes.


Honestly I just looked up how much it would cost to build it out of Home Depot acrylic and it's like 480 bucks. That's not bad at all.

[wiildmanzeke]

I haven't researched it myself but I read on another forum that OPTIX is cast acrylic. And the 72 x 36 by 1/4" is 116 at Home Depot.

[Sherita]

1/4" is too thin for a tank of any size at all. 1/2" would be correct for this application. I just built a 5' shallow tank using 3/8", and I put double eurobracing on it to ensure there is no bowing (because it certainly would have bowed without it).

[hobogato]

if you use 1/4", you will get bowing in the middle of the sides, even if you eurobrace the top and put in a center brace. if you buy 72"x36" pieces, you will have more wasted acrylic since you are building a 48" long tank. with a single sheet top eurobrace, you will need a 48"x96" sheet plus a 48"x18" piece (allied and regal will sell less than full sheets), and your waste will be a 48"x12" strip from the full sheet. you might squeek by with 3/8" thick acrylic, but i still think you would see some distortion in the middle of the larger panels over time. if i were building this tank, i would use 1/2" acrylic.

source: i have built a few things out of acrylic ;)

[Scutterborn]

Both of these last two posters are the real deal. I strongly recommend listening to Ace and Sherita. Otherwise you will be cleaning up a big mess.


-Ben-

[Big_Pun]

I haven't researched it myself but I read on another forum that OPTIX is cast acrylic. And the 72 x 36 by 1/4" is 116 at Home Depot.
good deal cant wait to see this build!when you getting the material from home depot

[Scutterborn]

good deal cant wait to see this build!when you getting the material from home depot

Lol! Don't encourage a bad choice! :)


-Ben-

[Big_Pun]

Lol! Don't encourage a bad choice! :)


-Ben-

why is it bad he read up on another forum all ready ....,

[ReefOne]

Optix is not a good choice for display use. Fine for sumps, I'd rather use AcryliteFF. For display tanks ONLY use Spartech Polycast, Cyro AcryliteGP, or Plexiglas G, in that order.