Building custom tank?

[Elliriyanna]

I have been bouncing around tank ideas and I was just wondering how hard it really is to build a tank ... I was considering a custom 12x12x12 acrylic tank ... our local home depot sells acrylic sheets and will cut it to size if you know what you want. If they sell 3/8 " sheets wouldn't they just need cut to size and sealed? I don't need anything fancy as long as it holds water.

 

[FX1C]

If you want a great DIY to acrylic tanks
have a read of this

http://www.caudata.org/forum/showthread.php?t=84805



<3 >o_o< <3

 

[Minniechild]

And if you're custom building, don't be afraid to go as big as you can space-wise! Your critters will thank you for it

 

[asfouts]

Custom built tanks are awesome!

Cheaper, and fit what YOU want!

Im in the process of gathering materials for a 40 gallon cube brackish water system.

If you are more of a visual learner then go to youtube and type in "king of DIY"

In my experience it can be frustrating and utilizing extra hands will make the job run smoother.

Make sure the tank can sustain the water pressure!

Fancy brackets and thick glass are only needed with larger setups typically over 100 gallons.

 

[o2Surplus]

I just finished building my custom "Lava Tube" tank for my two European Fire Salamanders. It's 36"L x 16"W x 18" T and constructed entirely of 3/4" Birch faced plywood. I waterproofed the interior using fiberglass resin and woven fiberglass matting. I then used "waterfall" foam to further waterproof the interior and to act as insulation. I made the front viewing panel out of a piece of 3/8" acrylic and secured it with 3/8" aluminum U channel. The front viewing panel was designed to slide out to one side, so that it can be removed, and make for easy maintenance.
I designed the tank with a false floor and the area underneath it to act as a sump. The sump has a small water pump installed that feeds a waterfall and an exposed pond section at one end of the tank (It's there just in case they feel like breeding) . The whole system holds approximately 4 gallons In order to make water changes painless, I installed a 1" bulk head and ball valve on the bottom of the enclosure. With that set up, all I have to do is connect a hose and open the valve to completely drain the water from the enclosure.
Since I live in So. California and my salamanders prefer a cooler climate, keeping the temperature of their enclosure within tolerable limits was a priority. To accomplish this goal I also installed (2) 12 volt thermoelectric chillers (Peltier devices) into the top of the enclosure. The coolers themselves are rated at 60 watts each and provide enough cooling power to maintain the enclosure at 55 - 60 degrees even if the ambient temp rises above 90 degrees.
For lighting, I installed (1) 50 watt BridgeLux LED array that shines through a small opening cut into the top of the enclosure. The opening is sealed by another small piece of 3/8"acrylic to prevent cooled air loss and the occasional cricket that's looking for an escape route. I have the Led lighting subdued to a comfortable level for the animals and plants and it's all controlled 24/7 to provide daily "sunrise/sunsets" via an Arduino micro controller.
I'm going to be adding a few ferns and other forest type plants in the near future, but here's a photo of what it looks like so far.

 

[ZombieAxolotl]

I make my own displays, racks, and some tanks, etc.

We have Tap Plastic's locally here, and it's pretty amazing

They also sell on-line and have some great videos you can learn from so you can get a better idea about how to make tanks,etc. measurements and such.

TAP Plastics : TAP Plastics