Tank Man Posted June 21, 2006 Report Share Posted June 21, 2006 Hi All, My name is Shane and I work for Classique Plastics in Napier. My job for the last 4 years has been managing the heavy acrylic department, but with that being said I also build smaller tanks (mainly cylinders) too. It was brought to my attention that we had been mentioned a few times on this forum so I've joined up to help out on questions that may arise on the topic of acrylic tanks. Tank Man. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mustcooktea Posted June 21, 2006 Report Share Posted June 21, 2006 Welcome along! I'm sure that your knowledge and experience will be appreciated. MCT Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Caryl Posted June 21, 2006 Report Share Posted June 21, 2006 Ah I had someone contact me recently about building cylindrical tanks. I will tell her to contact you. Welcome to the fishroom. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Caper Posted June 21, 2006 Report Share Posted June 21, 2006 Hi Do you have tanks of your own? If so, how many? What kind of fishies? cylindrical tanks Fish tanks? Tank Man can you post some pics? Take care, Caper Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tank Man Posted June 21, 2006 Author Report Share Posted June 21, 2006 Hi Do you have tanks of your own? If so, how many? What kind of fishies? Fish tanks? Tank Man can you post some pics? Take care, Caper Hard to believe but NO I don't own even one single tank, I like fish but don't have the time to care for them so I have never built myself a tank. I don't have a place to host any photos at the moment but if someone wants to host a few I can send some. Most of my pictures are of empty tanks in the factory with the exception of some taken at places like Underwater World in Pattaya (Thailand) which we built for them. Tank Man. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Caryl Posted June 21, 2006 Report Share Posted June 21, 2006 email them to me if you like tankman and I will put them up for you. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tank Man Posted June 21, 2006 Author Report Share Posted June 21, 2006 email them to me if you like tankman and I will put them up for you. Hi Caryl, I'm just starting a Photobucket account - will have them up soon Thanks any way ! Tank Man. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tank Man Posted June 21, 2006 Author Report Share Posted June 21, 2006 OK here goes.... This one is 1830 OD x 2400 high and 40mm thick. This one is 2280 OD x 1800 and 50mm thick. This one we call the "D" tank due to the window shape, it Radius is 1870mm with a viewing size of 3000 1305mm H. The main tank was made from Fiberglass board with a steel skeleton, all others made after this one were constructed from closed cell PVC sheet with fiberglass over top. EDIT: Sorry this one is the close cell pvc one not the fiberglass board one stated above ! Tank Man. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Caryl Posted June 21, 2006 Report Share Posted June 21, 2006 May we ask what sort of price a tank this size goes for? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tank Man Posted June 22, 2006 Author Report Share Posted June 22, 2006 May we ask what sort of price a tank this size goes for? Hi Caryl, The "D" tank built from close cell PVC with a stand and using ROHM aquarium grade acrylic is $36,000.00 + GST with out stand $32,000.00. You could use a non aquarium grade acrylic for this tank and drop a few thousand $$ of it too. I'll throw the freight in for free if you want one . Tank Man. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Caryl Posted June 22, 2006 Report Share Posted June 22, 2006 At that price, I'd take two!! :lol: Trouble is I can't afford to buy a bigger house to put it in so will have to decline your generous offer :roll: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tank Man Posted June 22, 2006 Author Report Share Posted June 22, 2006 At that price, I'd take two!! :lol: Trouble is I can't afford to buy a bigger house to put it in so will have to decline your generous offer :roll: How about sell your house and I'll build you a big tank, put a divider in the middle and you can live in half and stock the other side, problem solved Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tank Man Posted June 22, 2006 Author Report Share Posted June 22, 2006 This is probably more suited to the seroius enthusist..... It was a prototype that we used to develop the ones that are installed at Pattaya under water world. 650mm OD x 1200 tube and it stands at 2900 over all with the stainless. Tank Man. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jude Posted June 22, 2006 Report Share Posted June 22, 2006 2900 tall. Hmmmmm - now hows that gonna work with an 8' stud :lol: :lol: :lol: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tank Man Posted June 22, 2006 Author Report Share Posted June 22, 2006 2900 tall. Hmmmmm - now hows that gonna work with an 8' stud :lol: :lol: :lol: It's not But it can cut it down so it will Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tank Man Posted June 22, 2006 Author Report Share Posted June 22, 2006 OH! One day - when I build my own house - I want a tank that goes throu 2 floors: Now I know who to ask to build that for me! lol! :lol: Bottom of tank on bottom floor, top of tank to the ceiling of the 2nd floor! That's no problem to make it, I'd suggest a concrete floor under it ! Tank Man. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tsarmina Posted June 22, 2006 Report Share Posted June 22, 2006 the next issue would be cleaning it!! how would you reach the bottom?? (does any one have a wet suit going cheap??) and i hope you don't plan to try and catch any fish that are in it. but otherwise, awsome tanks Tank Man and welcome to our happy little community Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shiuh Posted June 22, 2006 Report Share Posted June 22, 2006 have good swim and play around with your fishie while youre in there cleaning it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jude Posted June 22, 2006 Report Share Posted June 22, 2006 How you gonna plant it? Tie plants to rocks and drop them in from the top? :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: Oh, I know - a remote control submarine with controllable arms Jude Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
skippy Posted June 22, 2006 Report Share Posted June 22, 2006 Hi there Tank Man, welcome aboard. Some of those tanks are awesome, actually all of them are awesome! It would be nice to have the $$$ to set something like that up. My second tank is nearly as big as these though - it is called a pool! :lol: :lol: How does the acrylic go with scratches, inside and out. And does it start to craze a bit after a while? Again welcome aboard, you will get plenty of enquiries about tanks Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cesarz Posted June 22, 2006 Report Share Posted June 22, 2006 Welcome aboard Shane the Tankman! Do you make smaller ones? Rectangular ones?I prefer acrylic to glass as I had lots of mishaps with glass. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mustcooktea Posted June 22, 2006 Report Share Posted June 22, 2006 Tank Man, you forgot to warn me to have some tissues ready to catch my drool before posting those pictures! Somehow I don't think I'll ever get a $30,000+ tank though! Do you ever get sent pictures of the tanks once they are set up? MCT Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tank Man Posted June 22, 2006 Author Report Share Posted June 22, 2006 Skippy, Acrylic will scratch but it can be polished out with easy enough by your self. Quality acrylic that has been manufactured then fabricated to the required standards will not craze. This is where most people have trouble first off they use cheap Asian sheet and then don't have the knowledge or equipment to process it properly. As an example you must anneal it after every glue joint has set and with in a certain time frame that means you need an oven big enough to fit the tank in and that will ramp the temp and and down as required automatically. We spent well over $100K developing an oven that is 8 x 6 x 4m high and will hold the temperature within .2 deg C of the set point to do this correctly. Cesarz, Fabricating acrylic sheet is not a cost effect way to build small rectangular tanks compared to what you'd pay for glass how ever yes we can do it. The most cost effective way to have a acrylic tank is to go with a cylinder as this cuts down the material thickness required. I'm presently look at importing cast acrylic tube (No joins!) at 650 OD to make up to 1000mm high cylinders with which will be a cheaper option again than fabricating them from flat sheet. We may also look at smaller diameters too depending on interest. MCT, Sorry I will put some tissues out for you ! Most of our tanks and tunnels are fitted by another contractor so we don't get involved and don't have a chance to see them finished. We have been to Thailand and Malaysia last year to go through a couple that we supplied the acrylic for and take some pictures. Smaller tanks for individuals normally just get shipped out and we don't see the end product for those either. I'll try find some pictures to post of a few. Tank Man. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tank Man Posted June 22, 2006 Author Report Share Posted June 22, 2006 Here's a few more once again I mainly have pictures of the heavier stuff :-? This tank has a R300mm front then 200mm straight on the sides, front is 20 and rear is 25mm ROHM sheet. The acrylic is 1400 high pictured in the work shop. Same tank in customers house with his base and top. I built him two of these tanks as when he lowered his theme rock in by rope the first one he drop it and destroyed the whole tank ! This one is 1120mm OD and located in Under water world, Pattaya (Thailand). This is the D tank in Pattaya. This is a R4m x 6800 x 1800mm H Panel in KL city Malaysia This one is R4m cut back to 4800 x 1800mm H in KL also. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Luke* Posted June 23, 2006 Report Share Posted June 23, 2006 wow those are seriously cool. i think it is great to see bigger tanks coming in to production instead of those silly little nano type tanks. And especially if you are able to reduce costs I think there would be a big market for bigger rectangular tanks. The cost goes up so much for bigger tanks as the glass has to get thicker too. ps sharn how many pacu could you fit in the D tank? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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