samo Posted May 17, 2012 Report Share Posted May 17, 2012 At the moment I'm having trouble finding a quality tank within the price I'm looking for, or I find a tank but it's all the way up on the sunny coast and the cost in fuel to pick it up would be astronomical so I' considering building my own. I'll be building a 4x2x2 and most likely the stank and or hood if I can't find one for sale. Anyone know what the rough costs are? Cheers, Sam Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brwndoggy25 Posted May 17, 2012 Report Share Posted May 17, 2012 hey mate ive toyed with this idea myself and i think the biggest problem will be finding the glass and getting it cut to size, for a 4x2x2 you need at least 10ml glass and i wouldnt be game cutting that, if you can find it though you just need the space, and tools (clamps and such). cheers Gavin Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CrayonBox Posted May 17, 2012 Report Share Posted May 17, 2012 10ml is a bit excessive you can do it with 8 and there is plenty of places that can cut glass. What i would do would be to PM Wolfgang and ask him how much to build a full 4ft package. his prices are pretty good and hes a top bloke Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
crossroadz Posted May 17, 2012 Report Share Posted May 17, 2012 Age of aquariums have got new range of tanks at good prices! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CrayonBox Posted May 17, 2012 Report Share Posted May 17, 2012 aquariums r us also make tanks, i've heard there pretty resonable on price Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
crossroadz Posted May 17, 2012 Report Share Posted May 17, 2012 aquariums r us also make tanks, i've heard there pretty resonable on price I got 4ft curved glass tank stand setup from there decent prices. Aoa new tanks are beveled edges same price as aquariumsrus but theirs arnt beveled. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest SFJ Posted May 17, 2012 Report Share Posted May 17, 2012 Your only going to find quality if you wanna fork out cash. Your only going to get what you pay for. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CrayonBox Posted May 17, 2012 Report Share Posted May 17, 2012 At the end of the day SFJ is right, but theres plenty of tanks out there that are quality but jst need a re-seal or even a clean, you just have to find them Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest SFJ Posted May 17, 2012 Report Share Posted May 17, 2012 At the end of the day SFJ is right, but theres plenty of tanks out there that are quality but jst need a re-seal or even a clean, you just have to find them thi is true! there some pre owned tanks out there right now on the forum that are sooo cheap! its basically once again you only get what you pay for. one thing i have learned in this hobby is, if you really want that tank, fish, filter etc, even its a high price youll get it if you really want it. like if you see a good deal, if its a 2 hour drive and you really want it you will get it. even making your own tanks runs the risk or leaks, cracking, brusting, glass bowing. like most quality 6x2x2 you wont pay more then $360 for the tank. thats dirt cheap considering the labour that when into making that tank. the the countless years youll have that tank for and then the endless options of fish you can have. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CrayonBox Posted May 17, 2012 Report Share Posted May 17, 2012 even making your own tanks runs the risk or leaks, cracking, brusting, glass bowing. like most quality 6x2x2 you wont pay more then $360 for the tank. thats dirt cheap considering the labour that when into making that tank. the the countless years youll have that tank for and then the endless options of fish you can have. And then you can re-sell it on to make some money back and help fund the next tank Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest SFJ Posted May 17, 2012 Report Share Posted May 17, 2012 And then you can re-sell it on to make some money back and help fund the next tank true! but on the downside most people arnt going to buy a home made tank, youd probably lose money in resale. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CrayonBox Posted May 17, 2012 Report Share Posted May 17, 2012 do you ever make money in a resale? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest SFJ Posted May 17, 2012 Report Share Posted May 17, 2012 i have before. actually many times. but home made tanks will not lol Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
beencees Posted May 17, 2012 Report Share Posted May 17, 2012 like most quality 6x2x2 you wont pay more then $360 for the tank. thats dirt cheap considering the labour that when into making that tank. Agree with this. The price of a decent tank is pretty reasonable i think. Where i find there are big savings to be made are in making the cabinet (or stand) yourself. If you were contemplating making your own tank then you shouldn't have too much trouble with a cabinet, they're easy as. I always make my own for about a quarter of the price of buying and frankly way better quality. I believe there are even a few threads on here of what others have done to give you some ideas. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest SFJ Posted May 17, 2012 Report Share Posted May 17, 2012 Agree with this. The price of a decent tank is pretty reasonable i think. Where i find there are big savings to be made are in making the cabinet (or stand) yourself. If you were contemplating making your own tank then you shouldn't have too much trouble with a cabinet, they're easy as. I always make my own for about a quarter of the price of buying and frankly way better quality. I believe there are even a few threads on here of what others have done to give you some ideas. good point hey. i prefer steel frame myself, but if you have the knowledge and skills to build a stand thats where the savings are! i swear in some cases a stand is nearly double the price of a tank. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sparhawkleo Posted May 17, 2012 Report Share Posted May 17, 2012 i recently built a 4ft stand with my dad and it was cheaper that buying one and alot stronger than the one i was looking at a pet shop but always make sure u check the measurements like a billion times and not like me have to rout 10 mill out of the top to fit the tank but was pretty impressed first time building a stand Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sparhawkleo Posted May 17, 2012 Report Share Posted May 17, 2012 and i pick the tank up on here for like $40 had to re-seal it and only had to pay for silicone and stain for the timber so yeah the savings are in making stands Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
samo Posted May 18, 2012 Author Report Share Posted May 18, 2012 Yeah definitely seems a cheaper way to do things. I have some experience working with glass as I worked as a glazers laborer for a while and Mum works for an industrial window company so any special tools that I dont have I could snag from there. I sent wolfgang a pm but he's waiting on a shipment so yeah. We'll see how we go. I might just buy the tank and then make the stand and hood, Cheers for the knowledge guys Sam Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cichlidwife Posted May 20, 2012 Report Share Posted May 20, 2012 Your only going to find quality if you wanna fork out cash. Your only going to get what you pay for. this is so true.......................... mike Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Door Posted June 14, 2012 Report Share Posted June 14, 2012 Sorry to disagree with you all -.- but u can certanly get quality for a cheap price (if its d.i.y). I have never brought a tank in my life and have some nice big set ups. Its all about the knowlage. Im a glazier by trade so I had the glass cutting side covered but as for the actual building of tanks im self taught. I started out small (2ft) then went bigger and bigger so far 7x3(tall)x 2.5. All i did to learn was look at tanks and see how thier put togeter. Its all so much easier to do nowadays with youtube etc. Im pretty lucky with my job to get alot of offcuts to make little breeding tanks out of offcuts but for bigger tanks the glass can be a problem. Even at cost price I cant buy the glass for what some places sell brand new completed tanks for. Its because they use cheap chinese glass. Good places ive found to get glass are demo yards and tip shops. Tip shops are good cause alot of people bin leaking tanks when all they need is a dab of silocone. Point is if you do the research you can make yourself a good quality tank for very cheap eg my 7x3 cost around $250 brand new. Same thing with stands too i use 2nd hand timber then cover it with nice new pine all up tank, cabinet & hood cost around 500. Remember too Glass thickness is based on height not length. This is what i do 18-6mm, 2ft-8 2.5- 10, 3ft-12. Anything 2.5 or higher should/needs extra bracing around the bottom. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Door Posted June 14, 2012 Report Share Posted June 14, 2012 Also good place for timber is bunnings they let me take thier pallets away for free and used table tops are good from tip shops. Dont forget to look for stamps in the corners if your glass in 2nd hand. You will have a big mess if you try to cut the toughend lol Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nato83 Posted June 14, 2012 Report Share Posted June 14, 2012 Check gumtree- glass on there atm for a 6x2x2 for $150 with all pieces! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
liljohn_83 Posted June 14, 2012 Report Share Posted June 14, 2012 Sorry to disagree with you all -.- but u can certanly get quality for a cheap price (if its d.i.y). I have never brought a tank in my life and have some nice big set ups. Its all about the knowlage. Im a glazier by trade so I had the glass cutting side covered but as for the actual building of tanks im self taught. I started out small (2ft) then went bigger and bigger so far 7x3(tall)x 2.5. All i did to learn was look at tanks and see how thier put togeter. Its all so much easier to do nowadays with youtube etc. Im pretty lucky with my job to get alot of offcuts to make little breeding tanks out of offcuts but for bigger tanks the glass can be a problem. Even at cost price I cant buy the glass for what some places sell brand new completed tanks for. Its because they use cheap chinese glass. Good places ive found to get glass are demo yards and tip shops. Tip shops are good cause alot of people bin leaking tanks when all they need is a dab of silocone. Point is if you do the research you can make yourself a good quality tank for very cheap eg my 7x3 cost around $250 brand new. Same thing with stands too i use 2nd hand timber then cover it with nice new pine all up tank, cabinet & hood cost around 500. Remember too Glass thickness is based on height not length. This is what i do 18-6mm, 2ft-8 2.5- 10, 3ft-12. Anything 2.5 or higher should/needs extra bracing around the bottom. mate that is all well and good for you or similer peple with skillz ,,, on the down side to your info some peple should just got to work and pay for what they want ,,as the can be dangerouse to themselvs and others when they diy , Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CrayonBox Posted June 14, 2012 Report Share Posted June 14, 2012 I have to side with liljohn on this. At the end of the day i work in an office infront of a computer all day. I wouldnt be able to safely and cost effectivly build a tank unless i had every piece there and all i was doing was silconing it together. And at the point where i payed for every piece to be cut and everything else i might as well of just bought one Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
procull Posted June 14, 2012 Report Share Posted June 14, 2012 aquariums r us also make tanks, i've heard there pretty resonable on price thanks for that ! i just laughed in my coffee cup and blew hot coffee over the lap top lol Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
