Building a tank, advice needed

[Moracai]

My husband has volunteered to build me a new bigger tank for my snails, and he was thinking perspex (or however you spell it) that clear plastic stuff. But we are unsure of how to go about it. Just buy a big sheet, cut it up and glue it together? Does it need a frame?
We were hoping someone who has built one themselves might give some thoughts and ideas of the best way to tackle this project. Oh, and the size needs to be for 4 fulica.
Thanks in advance!
;D

[ceiron]

hmm, perspex isnt that strong when big, it would ideally need a frame to stop it bowing, also need to use a pet friendly adhesive like aquarium sealent.

personally i would use glass, 6mm toguhened is more then adequate, local glaziers will be able to cut panels to size and smooth edges so they not sharp.

jsut use aqaurium selant and perhapsa a frame to attach it all together.

[Arno]

For 4 fulica's you'll need a tank from about 60 x 30 x 40,look here for the calculator :
www.petsnails.co.uk/snail_calc.php
Building that size from perspex wouldn't be a problem depending on how thick the sheets are,you'll need 5 or 6 mm with a good frame.Making it out of glass would work too although it will be very heavy with a risk of breaking.
If you can have somebody cut the sheets to size for you try asking them to cut it at an 45 degree angle.This gives more strength when you glue the sheets together.
When glued together properly you wouldn't need a frame for a tank the size of 60 x 30 x 40 cm(using 6 mm sheets).

[sezzy5889]

to be honest i think it would just be cheaper to buy a tank than make one

[anjieburdett]

Yeah but you don't get the satisfaction I'm making all my own wedding invites and christmas cards this year - costing me a fortune but i don't care...keeps me outta trouble lol. Quite what thats got to do with this thread i don't know - so i'm going now hehe.

Anjie,x.

[Val]

Yes it probably would be cheaper buying one, perspex is far from cheap if you were building it yourself for economy reasons.

Val

[sezzy5889]

I bought a 24 inch glass tank with plastic lid for £22 or you can get them from carboots for next to nothing

[section8angel]

Shhhhhh make the man work!! Lol

[Moracai]

Went out and priced the perspex, and it is a bit expensive isn't it.
There is definately the satisfaction element of building something yourself, but then buying a second hand tank is a good option too, not having built something like a tank before.
Hmm, needs more thought i guess. I have a bit more time, they haven't quite outgrown their propagator yet, but i worry about them being crowded.

[copigeon]

I built a perspex tank for stick insects (originally mice). Nightmare its reasonable, but perspex is difficult to cut, cracks easily, too flexible, difficult to drill and tighten fastenings to without alot of work, does need a frame, and will bow out of shape if that frame isnt strengthend with cross peices.

If youre going to try it use acrylic, have it cut, make sure its 3mm thick minimum.
Tbh its cheaper to have glass cut and build a glass tank and far less work if you wanted the custom effect.

[deadmansfinger]

building one yourself definately works out cheaper. Here are the 2 most recent tanks I have built.
this one measures 30"x28"x18" and houses my margies. I built a frame using 2"x"2 wood and then used plywood for roof, back and sides. I used perspex for the sides. The doors on the front are glass on plastic runners held in place by 1/2"x1/2" wooden beading. It only cost £25 to build:-
www.mypetpages.net/artists/3399/0/682e9e3660b820da52c5d8b5b17ff2f2.JPG
www.mypetpages.net/artists/3399/0/48d1e795030dd5e45660f9a6d28f7237.JPG
I drilled about 30 airholes in the roof rather than fitting vents or using mesh:-
www.mypetpages.net/artists/3399/0/add029b93ea38e5eb18dca58e1f4812c.JPG
***Ignore the fairy lights on the top! I only used them so I could take the picture as I hadn't installed the lighting at that point***

This tank houses my bearded dragon. It measures 5'x4'x3.5'. It was build similar to the margies one except I used plywood all round and mesh on the top. This one cost £50 to make:-
www.mypetpages.net/artists/3399/0/134ed35b3b2e161ce6af74e34c56b7a4.JPG
www.mypetpages.net/artists/3399/0/428e216f30d630444af50ef314392140.JPG

when I was building the margie tank the best quote I got for a tank that size was £120 so if you consider it cost me £25 to build it it definately works out cheaper building one yourself.
As long as you make sure your frame is strong and perfectly straight you cant go wrong with rest.

Look forward to seeing what your hubby builds.

Brian ;D

[Paul]

I wanted a 48x24x18 inch tank and I also got quoted well over £100 but it was simply because it is 24 inch deep and so it isn't a standard size. I looked into perspex and polycarbonate but the cost was comparable to what I had been quoted. In the end I settled for 3 tanks. 2 x 36x12x18 and 1 x 24x12x18 tanks. They were standard sizes and cost me £20 for the 24 inch, and £30 each for the 36 inch ones. It'd have been nice to get a larger tank, but it didn't seem practical at the time. Glass tanks in standard sizes are actually very reasonable, near me they are £10 per foot.

[deadmansfinger]

I had a great place near me where I got a 4'x2'x2' viv for £80, a 3'x2'x2' for £60 and a 2'x2'x2' for £45.

The guy made amazing tanks but it seems he was just a bit too cheap as he has gone bust

As a result of this everyone else seems to be hiking up there prices. Paul is right though about standard sized tanks, £10 per foot is about the same here. The minute you go over 18" high the price seems to double or treble cause the glass needs to be alot thicker.

Like I said previously just build your own as it's much, much cheaper and you get a sense of accomplishment when it's all done.

Brian ;D

[ceiron]

i build glass tnaks, get local glaziers to cut the glass, sometimes i can get offcuts for nothing and even when buying it, tis really cheap.
easy to put together and yo uget what you want then.

[Moracai]

Thanks very much for everyones input. Hubby is getting a brainstorm I think, and is making plans for the building of it. I will share pictures when it's done.
*smiles*

[Val]

At least he will have fun building it

[apple]

I´m about to buy some big plastic tanks.
I already saw the calculator ( about the size, number of snails and space recquired for them); anyone here follow those rules? On which is based the rules of the calculator? On the natural needs of the snails? It´s possible to see them happy with tanks with less or bigger size than is shown there? Thanks.

[Paul]

WhenI wrote the calculator I based it on advice from the snail community generally and what they were keeping. It is a "rule of thumb" calculator so it shows what is probably the minimum size you need. There is obviously no maximum size. In any case, discretion is needed but it gives newbies a benchmark.

[section8angel]

I used it for the tanks (storage tubs) I bought, but had to take the height down a little because of where they had to be put.
They actually ended up with more tank area than what the calc said was "ideal", so I didn't think them being a bit shorter mattered too much.

I hope Lol. Is too late now anyway, they're bought and being used! (2 of them anyway )

[Paul]

section8angel said:

They actually ended up with more tank area than what the calc said was "ideal", so I didn't think them being a bit shorter mattered too much.

Like I said, its a rough guide. I think surface area is what counts most rather than individual side lengths. You have to be flexible because tanks aren't built around the calculator, lol.

[section8angel]

It's a good rough guide though! Lol. I think you've made a cool thing there. ;D
It's handy like the fish stocking calculators. I use them for my tanks and they seem to work. (I only have small fish though, I know they don't work on all sizes lol)

Good to know the area is more important though lol
I thought it should be but was a bit worried about them not being as heigh.
But then I thought do snails really care about height?
They just seem to go everywhere they can regardless of height, length etc Lol

Maybe some are scared of heights Rofl

[apple]

admin said:

section8angel said:

They actually ended up with more tank area than what the calc said was "ideal", so I didn't think them being a bit shorter mattered too much.

Like I said, its a rough guide. I think surface area is what counts most rather than individual side lengths. You have to be flexible because tanks aren't built around the calculator, lol.

I asked about prices of tanks made with the sizes near of those given by the calculator, because I gave the sizes to acrylic and plastic factories, and it´s posible to do it. They gave me unusual high prices which for me it´s reason to buy big tanks on the supermarket, and not there. I will search for tanks with similar sizes to those that I wanted. I always knew that area it´s the most important aspect.
Thanks to answer.