My 185gal build in progress (lots of pics)

[Que]

The epitome of DIY and a desire to build. I can't wait to see your new jewel complete and filled.

Q

 

[tanyaj77]

It looks great! Can't wait to see it when it's finished!

 

[WeeNe858]

i just saw the bow BACK at sea world and it looks really cooll.... cant wait for updates

 

[J double R]

excellent job! definitely keep us posted.

 

[cvermeulen]

Wow, thanks for all the responses! here's some pics from this evening. Mostly just cleaning up the fillets on all the seams today and filling some of the 500ish screw holes. I'm going to seal the inside with black epoxy so I'll have a nice dark background. The outside will get filled and sanded then finished with a light grey or white gelcoat.

It will have a 50gal sump and bio tower underneath with a couple of pond pumps running it. Haven't made a lighting or substrate choice yet. I'd like to go cost effective on the substrate - so I was thinking like 3/8" gravel from a concrete yard or something, but I'd also like to go dark. black slag looks very nice, but I've read it has a lot of health consequences for the fish. Anyone have any dark, cheap substrate suggestions?

 

[dantra]

I don't have a suggestion about the substrate but I love the project.

 

[ITHURTZ]

I personally would do black sand, or coarse sand blasting media.

http://cgi.ebay.com/50-LBS-BLACK-BE...ryZ43570QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

 

[chaibill]

have you checked the price difference of building a plywood tank versus buying a glass tank the same size?

really want to see how this works out

 

[ITHURTZ]

All Glass
180 gal 72 x 24 x 25 $530
180gal 96 x 18 x 25 tall $575

Acrylic
180 wide 72 x 24 x 24tall$600
180-8 96 x 18 x 24 tall$700
theres your price comparison on already made tanks

 

[chaibill]

wow the acrylic is not that much more than the glass smaller tanks its like double or more