# 205 g DIY plywood "L" tank w. IOS



## Pali (Dec 22, 2009)

Im planing a new tropheus tank for the liveing room, let me know what you think of the design.

Good and bad it's all very welcome, trying to eliminate disadvantages acording to the IOS. I have never used a internal overflow sump, but I like the idea about it as I build the tank. I just add the extra deepth, so the display tank have the 21 " deepth I want.

Im planing to building the tank with a huge IOS (Internal overflow sump), the extra size is mainly for makeing it easyer to clean when needed. But it's also good size for equiptment and the filter matte (sponge) I plan on useing is 4 " thick.



Don't mind the small details that might be missing on the drawing, it's a rough plan and my first attempt with 3D drawing ever.

There will be baffels inside the IOS and the overflow wall might not be lowerd all the way, there will also be placed support beams and stuff like thats supporting the tank structure.

The powerhead output's are mainly for water movement, there will also be a few powerful pumps with or without spray bars for a lot surface movement and circulateing the water thru the IOS.

Also been lookign into what glass to buy, found something called Diamond glass. It's supposed to be more clear with no green tones in the glass, anyone know this glass. Is it worth paying the extra money, do it matter once the tank is filled with water or is this the glass all everyone use for tanks????

The Ã‚Â½ inch Diamond glass is not cheap, so if I don't gain anything why spend extra money on it? On the other hand if it shows I don't mind paying up!


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## Mcdaphnia (Dec 16, 2003)

Starphire, Eurowhite, Opti White or Diamante are brand names of low iron glass, which do let truer colors through. In big thick tanks, it is more important, but you can compensate for the wavelength filtering favoring green of regular glass by using more lighting in the wavelengths being filtered out (red and blue for example) and so you can still see the reds and blues as they would be if you had your head in the water.

I have seen L shaped tanks. One thing you may not realize is that the whole area in the corner will be out of sight. There will be about four square feet of tank bottom and all the water above totally impossible to see from either glass panel. It won't happen until the tank is filled with water. The least uneveness between the two legs of the "L" can split the seams or crack the glass. It is very difficult to move an "L" tank through hallways and stairs. It may have to be built in place and never leave the room it was constructed in. Building two tanks for the spot is better. What I think is best, is three tanks, the center one a pentagon with ends matching the tanks alongside it.


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## Pali (Dec 22, 2009)

Mcdaphnia said:


> Starphire, Eurowhite, Opti White or Diamante are brand names of low iron glass, which do let truer colors through. In big thick tanks, it is more important, but you can compensate for the wavelength filtering favoring green of regular glass by using more lighting in the wavelengths being filtered out (red and blue for example) and so you can still see the reds and blues as they would be if you had your head in the water.
> 
> I have seen L shaped tanks. One thing you may not realize is that the whole area in the corner will be out of sight. There will be about four square feet of tank bottom and all the water above totally impossible to see from either glass panel. It won't happen until the tank is filled with water. The least uneveness between the two legs of the "L" can split the seams or crack the glass. It is very difficult to move an "L" tank through hallways and stairs. It may have to be built in place and never leave the room it was constructed in. Building two tanks for the spot is better. What I think is best, is three tanks, the center one a pentagon with ends matching the tanks alongside it.


Thanx for the input on the glass mate, thats really helpful.

Im aware of the blind spot from the front glass, but as the tank will be placed. There will be a sweet spot where you can enjoy the deepth, from the side glass when you sit in the sofa.

I thourt of two tanks to start with and my GF was like, "hmm too bad you can't get a L shaped cornor tank" and shure I can "get" that hehehehe. 3 tanks would be useless to me, the 2 small tanks would not be able to house tropheuse.

It's at ground level, I plan on building the tank in the garage and move it to the spot it need to be, then place the glass panels as the last thing in the liveing room.

The tank will be 65cm high or 26" and my doors are wider then that, there are a doorway from the liveing room into the garden. So all that I need to do is move it from the garage thru one door, then it's in the room where it's gonna be displayed. Tilted on the side, it's 65 cm wide, 110 cm high and 150 cm long, should be a easy fit thru my door.

The stand I have been toying with different solutiongs to get it perfect, I think I have ended up with a good idea. After I have build the stand as level as I can, im adding some small side panels and add a self-leveling epoxy. That way it don't matter if the stand is 100% level to begin with, the top surface will be 100% level and thats whats important.

Once again thanx for your input

- let it flow people ! :thumb:


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## paradigmsk8er (Apr 13, 2009)

FWIW-I would build the plywood and pre-epoxy make a test run to ensure you can get it through the doors first.....

If not I would build it in halves, epoxy the halves separately, then attach them and silicone/epoxy the seam.


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## Tiberian (Jun 14, 2009)

:thumb: Keep us posted on the progress and build please. I'm considering a similar layout but for 400 to 350 Gallons


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## Mcdaphnia (Dec 16, 2003)

While the two end tanks might not be good for adult Tropheus, that pentagon tank in the center can easily be 300 plus gallons, and the end tanks would be good fry holding tanks. You would only have to build the center tank, since the dimensions of tanks to use as "wings" could be chosen from standard sizes. Chances are what you can glimpse from the end of the tank will only be enough to frustrate.


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