1. Welcome to Aquarium Space! We are a friendly online community for aquarium owners all over the world who love their tanks including their fish, reefs, corals, invertebrates and their aquatic livestock. If you haven't joined yet, we invite you to register and join our community!

glass prices?

Discussion in 'Aquarium Equipment & Decor' started by blowfishRus6, Dec 10, 2009.

Page 1 of 2
  1. blowfishRus6

    blowfishRus6 Thread Starter New Member

    Messages:
    237
    Likes Received:
    0
    Trophy Points:
    0
    anybody got an estimates on how much glass runs to build a tank with. (about 120ish gallons)

    ive been watching some videos and it does not look all that complicated to build. ive also been looking at some plywood set ups.

    anybody got any tips or advice with this route?
     
    blowfishRus6, Dec 10, 2009
    #1
  2. HBIC

    HBIC Need help??? That's what we're here for :)

    Messages:
    1,000
    Likes Received:
    24
    Trophy Points:
    48
    Shame I can't link you to another forum. There is a guy on another site that is building a plywood set up.
     
    HBIC, Dec 10, 2009
    #2
  3. blowfishRus6

    blowfishRus6 Thread Starter New Member

    Messages:
    237
    Likes Received:
    0
    Trophy Points:
    0
    ive seen some good videos on youtube. id rather it be all glass but plywood might be an easy option. dont know.
     
    blowfishRus6, Dec 10, 2009
    #3
  4. cooltow1

    cooltow1 Member

    Messages:
    594
    Likes Received:
    0
    Trophy Points:
    16
    Glass is expensive the one only glass tank we ever built the glass was savaged from a store front that was set for demolition. the down side was this glass was tempered so couldn't be drilled or cut so the was very deep.I have don't several ply wood tank that is fairly cheap. The biggest expense being the epoxy paint to seal the wood

    Rick
     
    cooltow1, Dec 10, 2009
    #4
  5. James0816

    James0816 New Member

    Messages:
    1,199
    Likes Received:
    0
    Trophy Points:
    0
    Plywood is good choice. It allows for some good options to as far as size is concerned. My 10' tank will be ply.
     
    James0816, Dec 10, 2009
    #5
  6. blowfishRus6

    blowfishRus6 Thread Starter New Member

    Messages:
    237
    Likes Received:
    0
    Trophy Points:
    0
    intresting. might just do it out of plywood with of course a glass front. it would be an indoor set up and i would like to be able to see as much as possible into the tank. but wood also has a nice look to it also.

    noob question. what is the point of drilling the tank. im guessing for a sump set up but im a little lost.
     
    blowfishRus6, Dec 10, 2009
    #6
  7. James0816

    James0816 New Member

    Messages:
    1,199
    Likes Received:
    0
    Trophy Points:
    0
    yes..the drilling would be for a sump setup.
     
    James0816, Dec 10, 2009
    #7
  8. blowfishRus6

    blowfishRus6 Thread Starter New Member

    Messages:
    237
    Likes Received:
    0
    Trophy Points:
    0
    is it a smoother alternitive to running hoses out over the top of the tank??
     
    blowfishRus6, Dec 10, 2009
    #8
  9. James0816

    James0816 New Member

    Messages:
    1,199
    Likes Received:
    0
    Trophy Points:
    0
    definately.
     
    James0816, Dec 10, 2009
    #9
  10. blowfishRus6

    blowfishRus6 Thread Starter New Member

    Messages:
    237
    Likes Received:
    0
    Trophy Points:
    0
    i see.
     
    blowfishRus6, Dec 10, 2009
    #10
  11. James0816

    James0816 New Member

    Messages:
    1,199
    Likes Received:
    0
    Trophy Points:
    0
    sumps make for better filtration. gives you a better biofilter. plumbing is concealed. water changes are easier.

    not that i like them or anything. ;o)
     
    James0816, Dec 10, 2009
    #11
  12. blowfishRus6

    blowfishRus6 Thread Starter New Member

    Messages:
    237
    Likes Received:
    0
    Trophy Points:
    0
    haha. i would like to set one up with this new tank that i either build or find a good deal on. maybe with a 10 gal tank (if thats big enough, i can get them pretty cheap) just dont quite know how it works.

    but i deff like the idea of it :D
     
    blowfishRus6, Dec 10, 2009
    #12
  13. cooltow1

    cooltow1 Member

    Messages:
    594
    Likes Received:
    0
    Trophy Points:
    16
    You set up a sump to suit your needs, there really no right or wroug way to do it, what ever works for you.
    Here one running on my 180










    And the algae scubber



    Maybe this will give you an idea

    Rick
    13.jpg 10.jpg 9.jpg 12.jpg 20.jpg
     
    cooltow1, Dec 10, 2009
    #13
  14. blowfishRus6

    blowfishRus6 Thread Starter New Member

    Messages:
    237
    Likes Received:
    0
    Trophy Points:
    0
    whats the idea in the last picture??? thanks for the picutres also.

    also i keep hearing things like, wet/dry sump and tank overflow. i kinda understand of the overflow, if your pump going into the overflow stops working but your pump going going back into your tank is still working, okay yes it will overflow the tank. also if i have a drilled hole i wont need a pump to pump the water down to the sump, just syphon. or will i?? im lost in how the whole system works.
     
    blowfishRus6, Dec 10, 2009
    #14
  15. cooltow1

    cooltow1 Member

    Messages:
    594
    Likes Received:
    0
    Trophy Points:
    16
    Water gravity flows to the sump, so no pump going into the sump. The water level in the main tank is controlled by stand pipes or over flow boxes. If the pump fails, there has to be volume in the sump to handle the overflow from the main tank.You have to balance the system

    The last photo is an algae scubber to help control nitrates, You bypass some of the return water and trickle it over a screen that you run high lighting on to grow algae that uses up nitrate, work really good in planted tanks to control algae

    Rick
     
    cooltow1, Dec 10, 2009
    #15
  16. blowfishRus6

    blowfishRus6 Thread Starter New Member

    Messages:
    237
    Likes Received:
    0
    Trophy Points:
    0
    balance seems to be the key in these systems to prevent overflow. ive been checking out some more videos. seems i can peice something together pretty cheap using buckets and tubaware big buckets.

    whats the point of the diffrent filtration processes? biological, live rock, others (i dont know them)
     
    blowfishRus6, Dec 10, 2009
    #16
  17. cooltow1

    cooltow1 Member

    Messages:
    594
    Likes Received:
    0
    Trophy Points:
    16
    here a link to the Filtration 101@TEF
    Filtration 101 (In General)

    It's all about balance
    And yes plastic tubs is the cheapest and EZes way to build a sump system

    Rick
     
    cooltow1, Dec 10, 2009
    #17
  18. blowfishRus6

    blowfishRus6 Thread Starter New Member

    Messages:
    237
    Likes Received:
    0
    Trophy Points:
    0
    awesome.

    cant wait to get it all together and get it going.
     
    blowfishRus6, Dec 10, 2009
    #18
  19. James0816

    James0816 New Member

    Messages:
    1,199
    Likes Received:
    0
    Trophy Points:
    0
    The plastic 3-drawer containers are nice too. You can load them up with bio material like floss, lava rock, scrubbies, bio balls, etc.
     
    James0816, Dec 10, 2009
    #19
  20. cooltow1

    cooltow1 Member

    Messages:
    594
    Likes Received:
    0
    Trophy Points:
    16
    I seen some clean set ups using these also, but you aren't going to fit it under the tamk

    Rick
     
    cooltow1, Dec 10, 2009
    #20
Page 1 of 2