Help with new tank bottom

[assiegordon]

Morning all you smart people :)

I have the opportunity to buy a new tank. It's 72"Lx30"Wx36"H, 3/4" thick glass. Very cheap. Reason, tank has no bottom (broke)

So, what would be a good substitute for the bottom pane? I'm looking for something I can readily drill (looking at 7 to 8 holes in the bottom pane), glass gets expensive once you put so many holes through it.

I was thinking of a 2" steel angle frame around the tank to support the glass. Originally thinking of a 1" PVC sheet inlay for the bottom, rest the glass sides on top of that and secure/seal with silicon. Angle will take most of the side load on the glass.

http://i145.photobucket.com/albums/r227/assiegordon/SETUP.jpg

Could I use thinner material as the glass is supported (from bowing) by the steel frame? I know plywood would work too, but what should I seal it with? West systems is cheap, but I can't seem to find two part epoxy paint suitable for potable use in sizes less than a gallon (bottom pane is 6'x2.5').

Any and all suggestions will be welcomed. :)

Thanks,


Jim.

[assiegordon]

Anyone???

[nekbyter]

Stick with a glass bottom since silicon wont adhear well to any plexiglass/lexan surface. If your trying to reduce weight , what about using a glass laminate?

[assiegordon]

Actually weight is not the concern, more easy of drilling (holes up here cost $25 each, cheapest, and I need around 9) The silicon does not have to adhere to the PVC, just seal. The weight of the glass should keep it nice and secure in the PVC channel and steel frame.

This tank was built similar to this idea (without the steel frame, that's my paranoia).
http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=1148228

[NanoReefWanabe]

i think it should be done more like this...
http://i93.photobucket.com/albums/l46/crazyoldcougar/PVCtoGlass.jpg

at least that is how i think those PVC bottomed tanks are built...

if your gonna go with PLYWOOD...theni would build the tank right into the top of the stand....

Kinda like this
http://i93.photobucket.com/albums/l46/crazyoldcougar/PLYBottom.jpg

[Kmiec123]

DIY form...drill your own hole. :)

[assiegordon]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=11372254#post11372254 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by NanoReefWanabe
i think it should be done more like this...
http://i93.photobucket.com/albums/l46/crazyoldcougar/PVCtoGlass.jpg

at least that is how i think those PVC bottomed tanks are built...

if your gonna go with PLYWOOD...theni would build the tank right into the top of the stand....

Kinda like this
http://i93.photobucket.com/albums/l46/crazyoldcougar/PLYBottom.jpg

Now this I like. Only question would be what to seal the plywood with. I know epoxy (West System) might leach some amines, but is this a concern below 4" of sand? Anything else you can paint the plywood with? All the epoxy based tank paints I've found can only be purchased in one gallon containers. I do not need a gallon for a 72"x30" base.

Jim.

[hllywd]

Use glass and drill the holes yourself. This is for 1" bulkheads http://richontools.com/catalog/i174.html . Each hole should take about 5 minutes once you're setup and depending on how thick the glass is. I've drilled several holes in 1/2" glass (as well as many others in thinner glass) and really the 5 minutes estimate is conservative. I've never drilled 3/4" but would assume it to be as easy but take slightly longer.

Tim