As a carpenter with 30 years experience I would have done a couple things differently but thanks for posting! I love seeing DIY fish tanks being built. Also there's no reason that tank couldn't have been on a 2x4 framed stand. Plenty of older two story houses are framed with 2x4 walls on both stories. (A doubled 2x4 carries a download of over 3000 lbs.) Also the top 2x is typically doubled up to tie the corners together. Also the bottom piece of ply wood typically goes in first so it doesn't have to be so tight because the others rest on top of it removing any gaps
I’m a carpenter of 30 years also. Always entertaining watching amateurs. Not sure why the walls were not framed typically instead of toe screwing every stud.
Investigate Interseal 670HS if you ever build another tank. Much cheaper, much easier to apply and better overall tried and true product. No fiberglass necessary in the corners. One coat and your finished.
Yes I agree poor design, toe nail is not strong, typical wood frame floor / wall design with full length headers would be way stronger , if the plywood went under the walls it would provide much more shear strength and some stainless straping on the corners would be great,,, treated wood would be next level,,, and forget the 4x4 just strap front wall to the back… here in Florida everything has to be strapped together and if he used the right mastic sealant there would have been zero leaks,,,
So helpful, thank you so much! Definitely subscribed. The way you've narrated is so straightforward and fantastic - I really appreciate this how-to style of video! :D
That's my experience as well! Usually you second coat while it's tack dry, but with having to get in and walk on the floor, in this scenario, it's better to let it dry and sand so that you can get a single even coat every time you apply.
Michael, we used Pond Shield’s pond armor liner product for this build. It is a fish safe epoxy that can be applied to wood. Yes Kern that is correct. I do epoxy garage floors as well and having spikes to walk across the first coat while applying the second coat is nice on concrete. I didn’t want to risk poking any holes in the plywood with spike shoes so I chose not to do that in this scenario. -Philip, Aquarium Outfitters
Why so much worry about the weight? Your building on a slab. It's the outward and lateral pressure that is the most concerning. Your weak point is the million between the 2 viewing windows.
Thanks for your question JBF. I built the tank so I figured I would answer your question most accurately. The weight of the tank is a concern a few different ways, but most importantly safety. I don’t know if you have been inside our store but our wonderful building definitely has some age! It is not new construction. Because of its age the slab has settled over the past 30+ years and allowed for a very slight tilt causing the tank to not be perfectly level. Yes there are ways to create a new level surface but due to costs and humidity inside the building using our existing surface was the best option. Constructing tanks the same weight as 2 standard size pick ups in a small area of square footage we have to expect more shifting and settling of the slab as it adjusts to the weight of the tank. Lastly, we never ever want the tank to bust open risking the health of our customers, staff, or fish. Safety is the most important aspect of building a tank like this. I hope that answered your question! Thank you! - Philip, Aquarium Outfitters.
You worry when it's your store and when you're the one potentially getting sued! You overkill the build at the beginning so you don't have to pay the cost at the end if something fails.
Great question! The cost difference is the main reason. A glass aquarium of this size could cost anywhere from $20,000 or more! Plus shipping costs would be enormous. A tank like this can be constructed for less than $10,000 in materials. - Philip, Aquarium Outfitters
One thing I don’t understand when building these big aquariums is why it isn’t raised from the floor? Raise it about 50 cm (20”) and you’ll be able to enjoy the view without kneeling down or laying flat on the stomach. Otherwise a great build. 😊👌
Hey Rembrandt! I’m assuming you mean fiberglass the entire tank? The epoxy actually does a better job of sealing the wood surface than the fiberglass would believe it or not! Also the glass is half an inch thick.
I built my 1000g tank on 16-4x4 legs with 3 sheets of 1' plywood on top of that. The top 1' was the tank bottom. There is a 210g plywood sump below it in stand. I had a 21' high viewing panel. It is 13mm thick float glass. The glass is 24' high with 1 1/2' silicon around. The tank has been running for about 7 years now, trouble free. Interesting video.. I agree, overkill is good 👍 I recently built a 300g plywood tank for my dining room and its my predator tank and doing well.
I built a 2500 gallon aquarium in college to prove how territory can limit reproduction! I had 20 pairs of damsels in the tank. Instead of using the plywood for the strength I used 5/16 plywood and 2× 6 but then I used 2 layers of 6 oz cloth and because of the cloth it was incredibly strong! We used 5/8 plexiglass which was a mistake because it scratches very easily! Don't know the costs but was under 1000 dollar's in the 90's😂😂😂
Why does everyone always use screws? Nails are basically better in every way when thinking long term, especially when there's water involved. Cheaper, stronger, faster, more corrosion resistant. Yes, screws are superior for pull (vs push) stress, but small adjustments in the framing will easily compensate (and make it far safer)
As a carpenter with 30 years experience I can say screws definitely have their place in construction. Especially when you don't want your fasteners to back out over time like the fasteners connecting the plywood to the framing because they'd end up compromising the epoxy. Also, if you've ever tried to separate 2x stock that's been screwed together vs nailed together with a hammer and flat bar you know how much better screws hold than nails. As far as corrosion goes stainless steel screws are commonly available where I live on the coast and required by code in some applications especially right by the ocean.
Man I need to come by and see this in person, looks awesome!
As a carpenter with 30 years experience I would have done a couple things differently but thanks for posting! I love seeing DIY fish tanks being built. Also there's no reason that tank couldn't have been on a 2x4 framed stand. Plenty of older two story houses are framed with 2x4 walls on both stories. (A doubled 2x4 carries a download of over 3000 lbs.) Also the top 2x is typically doubled up to tie the corners together. Also the bottom piece of ply wood typically goes in first so it doesn't have to be so tight because the others rest on top of it removing any gaps
I’m a carpenter of 30 years also. Always entertaining watching amateurs. Not sure why the walls were not framed typically instead of toe screwing every stud.
Investigate Interseal 670HS if you ever build another tank. Much cheaper, much easier to apply and better overall tried and true product. No fiberglass necessary in the corners. One coat and your finished.
@@TheeFishGuy you’re like “that guy” at parties but for boomers lmao
@@FemboiMars lol! Definitely different at parties vs job sites! Lol
Yes I agree poor design, toe nail is not strong, typical wood frame floor / wall design with full length headers would be way stronger , if the plywood went under the walls it would provide much more shear strength and some stainless straping on the corners would be great,,, treated wood would be next level,,, and forget the 4x4 just strap front wall to the back… here in Florida everything has to be strapped together and if he used the right mastic sealant there would have been zero leaks,,,
So helpful, thank you so much! Definitely subscribed. The way you've narrated is so straightforward and fantastic - I really appreciate this how-to style of video! :D
Cool to see how much the process for yours and the 1500 gallon I'm building are the same! Gratz on the build
excellent video, well structured and explained
this really inspired me not to do this.
It almost inspired us not to do it! 😂
😂😂😂
Lol! 😂😂
Very cool!
Good job
very interesting video. dont you need to add silicone "outside-front" the glass also ?
Awesome job. Thanks for sharing. ✌️👍💗💯
nice build, great to see how and what. thank you
Bravo from Romania
Buna
What type of filtration are you using for the pond tank pls cheers
Huge canister filters at the moment, possibly upgrade to a sump later.
Philip Morris, Aquarium Outfitters
It's amazing 👏
Awesome build. Only in my dreams lol
Outstanding project!
How do you heat it?
Wow now thats a great build!!😮i definitely appreciate the work that went into this..🎉huge thunb up and sub #999!!! Congrats on 1k early!!🙂👍🏻
Thanks for the sub!
So cool!
Nice!
How much thickness of glass panels have you used for the tank windows
I used over an inch thick plexi glass so I could use stainless hardware ontop of using silicone havnt had a leak yet and it's been 4 years
Looks really good. Why use wood instead of concrete blocks? I built my 3000 gallon pond with 7n concrete blocks laid flat.
Hi could you tell me what you mixed together please epoxy and epoxy paint ? Mix to getting?
Pond Armour epoxy
Very good what yipe o filtrts
As an ex boatyarder worker , We never sanded the epoxy because we never let it dry completly. I am not familiar with the kind youre using though
That's my experience as well! Usually you second coat while it's tack dry, but with having to get in and walk on the floor, in this scenario, it's better to let it dry and sand so that you can get a single even coat every time you apply.
Michael, we used Pond Shield’s pond armor liner product for this build. It is a fish safe epoxy that can be applied to wood.
Yes Kern that is correct. I do epoxy garage floors as well and having spikes to walk across the first coat while applying the second coat is nice on concrete. I didn’t want to risk poking any holes in the plywood with spike shoes so I chose not to do that in this scenario.
-Philip, Aquarium Outfitters
Best explanation ever! 💪💪
Glad you think so!
very nice
Beautiful pond. How is it heated?
It’s not, except for the fact that it is inside a building set to 80°
Why so much worry about the weight? Your building on a slab. It's the outward and lateral pressure that is the most concerning. Your weak point is the million between the 2 viewing windows.
Thanks for your question JBF. I built the tank so I figured I would answer your question most accurately. The weight of the tank is a concern a few different ways, but most importantly safety.
I don’t know if you have been inside our store but our wonderful building definitely has some age! It is not new construction. Because of its age the slab has settled over the past 30+ years and allowed for a very slight tilt causing the tank to not be perfectly level. Yes there are ways to create a new level surface but due to costs and humidity inside the building using our existing surface was the best option. Constructing tanks the same weight as 2 standard size pick ups in a small area of square footage we have to expect more shifting and settling of the slab as it adjusts to the weight of the tank. Lastly, we never ever want the tank to bust open risking the health of our customers, staff, or fish. Safety is the most important aspect of building a tank like this. I hope that answered your question!
Thank you! - Philip, Aquarium Outfitters.
You worry when it's your store and when you're the one potentially getting sued! You overkill the build at the beginning so you don't have to pay the cost at the end if something fails.
Good..hope it works out long term. Thanks for the content!
@@kernalbert4939that was rude
I need this
Love the huge Oscar’s….
How many layers of epoxy was used? Thanks
Can you show us your filtration system on that 1200??
in asian we just use a fully fiber tank alot more durable and easier maintain, plus light weight too..
Why are you not building this size of tanks using glass only?
Great question! The cost difference is the main reason. A glass aquarium of this size could cost anywhere from $20,000 or more! Plus shipping costs would be enormous. A tank like this can be constructed for less than $10,000 in materials.
- Philip, Aquarium Outfitters
@@philipmorris6782 $10,000 is still crazy price for tank of this size. Glad that we have relatively cheap glass in Europe.
@@HodujemyRyby our cost for the store did come in considerably less than that but yes, wood is very expensive!
@@HodujemyRyby that cheap glass will come in handy to defend yourself from muggings
How do you heat that much water
We keep our shop at 80° because of all the tanks. There are a couple large heaters in there as well!
Why toe screws only. Would that not be as strong as it could be?
Hi there I see you did not fiberglass the inside what was your list of products u used could you send me it please
We did for the corners!
One thing I don’t understand when building these big aquariums is why it isn’t raised from the floor? Raise it about 50 cm (20”) and you’ll be able to enjoy the view without kneeling down or laying flat on the stomach.
Otherwise a great build. 😊👌
Why don't you glass the entire inside of the tank, instead of just the seams? Second, how thick is the glass?
Hey Rembrandt! I’m assuming you mean fiberglass the entire tank? The epoxy actually does a better job of sealing the wood surface than the fiberglass would believe it or not! Also the glass is half an inch thick.
@@AquariumOutfittersCarolina thank you for the reply. I have a few more questions but I will send you an email.
Wouldn’t buying a liner be faster ??
It would but that would defeat the purpose of the glass viewing panels
Bagus sekali ka
Hello im a new sub 👏
Thanks for subbing
I did this back I’m 2019 right before Covid …it was way cheaper to do now everything is almost double the price
I built my 1000g tank on 16-4x4 legs with 3 sheets of 1' plywood on top of that. The top 1' was the tank bottom. There is a 210g plywood sump below it in stand. I had a 21' high viewing panel. It is 13mm thick float glass. The glass is 24' high with 1 1/2' silicon around. The tank has been running for about 7 years now, trouble free. Interesting video.. I agree, overkill is good 👍 I recently built a 300g plywood tank for my dining room and its my predator tank and doing well.
How much did all this cost if you don’t mind? How much was the glass?
We had a tank come in that we couldn’t sell so we took the glass from that to use for this. For everything, it was about $9k.
What part of North or South Carolina are you all in?
We are located in Wake forest, NC
What’s the total cost?
About 7k
I built a 2500 gallon aquarium in college to prove how territory can limit reproduction! I had 20 pairs of damsels in the tank. Instead of using the plywood for the strength I used 5/16 plywood and 2× 6 but then I used 2 layers of 6 oz cloth and because of the cloth it was incredibly strong! We used 5/8 plexiglass which was a mistake because it scratches very easily! Don't know the costs but was under 1000 dollar's in the 90's😂😂😂
Gr8 video
But nothing is a couple of bucks on amazon, sorry,
Why does everyone always use screws?
Nails are basically better in every way when thinking long term, especially when there's water involved.
Cheaper, stronger, faster, more corrosion resistant.
Yes, screws are superior for pull (vs push) stress, but small adjustments in the framing will easily compensate (and make it far safer)
As a carpenter with 30 years experience I can say screws definitely have their place in construction. Especially when you don't want your fasteners to back out over time like the fasteners connecting the plywood to the framing because they'd end up compromising the epoxy. Also, if you've ever tried to separate 2x stock that's been screwed together vs nailed together with a hammer and flat bar you know how much better screws hold than nails. As far as corrosion goes stainless steel screws are commonly available where I live on the coast and required by code in some applications especially right by the ocean.
@@meghancass3187 carpenter in the states?
@@benjif2424 Yep. California coast
Why would you have the Windows so low? I probably would of raised them as high as I could
That one guy wearing a hard hat is a nerd.
Welcher normale Mensch legt sich halb auf den Boden um in ein Aquarium zu schauen 🤣🤣oh man.....😆
I would love to have a pond 😭😭😭😭