Quik homemade tank question?

[MatthewM1]

Would a tank constructed with plexiglass be safe for a big homemade tree frog enclosure?

[deranged chipmunk]

the short answer would be yes. if constructed properly, a plexi tank would be safe. the long of it is that while it is a perfectly safe and inert material to make a tank out of, the thickness you would need, if would be comparable, if not cheaper to go with glass. for one, the thicker you go with plexi, the more hazy things appear, as well as distorted. you could go with lexan, but that costs more than glass. unless of course, you are looking at low iron glass, which is actually more costly than lexan.

i guess my first question to you would be how big is big? that would really determine what materials you would build it with. second question would be how much is cost a factor? i'm sure you realize that a large enclosure is not going to be cheap to construct, but there are ways to do it on a budget.

[MatthewM1]

I'm thinking 24x24x36, maybe a little bigger or smaller. its going to be a long term project, and just coming up with some ideas at this point. I figured plexiglass would be easier to cut and drill. Budget is not a huge concern but I don't have loads of money to drop on it, but I was going to investigate the cost of some materials and go from there. I want to make a really nice detailed display tank I'm thinking for a group of Grey tree frogs

[deranged chipmunk]

you can do plywood covered in marine epoxy with glass front doors. it's just as easy to work with as plexi is in the respect of drilling and so forth. and unless you wanted a multiple view enclosure (which can still be done), you'll already have 3 sides enclosed to make the frogs feel more secure. it's also easier to modify to ventilation, lighting, heat. and you can hide everything from view. not to mention you can finish the outside to match any decor......lol

[MatthewM1]

Awesome idea! I think that is probably how I'll do it. can anyone recommend a brand or brands of silicone/sealant safe to use in the tank? I plan on trying to build a water feature and some other thank decorations with polystyrene and great stuff so I need something that can be used to water proof those as well.

[deranged chipmunk]

You have many options there. Marine epoxy, two part epoxies, ge silicone i or ii, drylok paint.