New 130 Gallon Tank in need of a serious overhaul -- Suggestions anyone? XD

[Kisa]

So I just picked up an awesome 130 gallon tank from Goodwill for 1/10 of the price. It's in good condition, but with one major problem...

It's made of wood!

I plan on putting a whole sh*tload of darts into this tank (specifically Dendrobates auratus) and I know they require high humidity. I'm pretty sure this tank was used in the past for a desert reptile, there is no water damage and it is basically dry on the inside with little dirt particles everywhere. The front panel is plastic for viewing, which I will probably replace because of the scratches and dirt all over it. My dad works in the trade show business so he can get a lot of supplies for free, he says I'd be surprised at the amount of materials they just throw away, brand new and unused.

The main suggestions I'm looking for are how to make this tank water/rot proof. I don't want the high humidity to warp the wood or cause it to start rotting. One idea is to over the inside with plexi glass, siliconing it directly onto the wood, to protect it from water damage and rot. Another is to spread silicone directly over the wood, but I have a feeling that won't be as successful as the glass idea.

I've turned this into a sort of father/daughter project, my dad will be helping me with the tank remodel and the actual build. I won't be getting the frogs until August, but the sooner I set up this tank, the better. Who wants a big empty tank sitting in their living room? XD

Any suggestions you guys have would be greatly appreciated, I have never worked on a project like this, especially on this big of a scale.

Also, I'm thinking of dividing this tank right down the middle so I can keep both the "microspot" and "camo" morphs, as these are my two favorite styles of auratus. Any ti[s on how to do this successfully in a tank this size would be helpful as well. I was thinking of making two hinged lids of plexi, one for each side, to minimize escapes. The original lid is wood and has been warped, as if someone set something very heavy on it for a long period of time.

Anyway, here are some pictures. The tank dimensions are 60x23.5x21.5 (inches) and it sits on a large cabinet types thing that we are going to replace with folding legs.


Got my friend to stick her arm out to give the tank some proportion. We could fit a person inside this thing. XD


This is the right side of the tank, built in light fixtures and vents included. (We'll be covering most of the vents with plexi to hold in humidity.)


Here's the left side.

Thanks in advance for any suggestions you guys may have, I am REALLY excited about this!!!

[clownonfire]

Kisa, looks great!

Couldn't you just prime it and paint it with a waterproof exterior paint? If you do it well before getting your darts, it would have time to off-gaz...

But god damn, I want it!

Eric

[Kisa]

Kisa, looks great!

Couldn't you just prime it and paint it with a waterproof exterior paint? If you do it well before getting your darts, it would have time to off-gaz...

But god damn, I want it!

Eric

Thanks Eric! This really was a steal, and a lucky find! My friend sent me pictures of it yesterday when she found it and was like "look what I found...>>" XD

I would need to water proof the inside as well. I want to go the cheapest route possible, how much is waterproof paint? My dad would be able to get all the plexi, glass, and silicone I needed to line the tank, not sure about waterproof pain though. XD;

Thanks for the compliment, if I didn't have plans for this tank I might sell it to you, lord knows you could put it to good use with all the darts you plan to get. XD

[clownonfire]

Thanks Eric! This really was a steal, and a lucky find! My friend sent me pictures of it yesterday when she found it and was like "look what I found...>>" XD

I would need to water proof the inside as well. I want to go the cheapest route possible, how much is waterproof paint? My dad would be able to get all the plexi, glass, and silicone I needed to line the tank, not sure about waterproof pain though. XD;

Thanks for the compliment, if I didn't have plans for this tank I might sell it to you, lord knows you could put it to good use with all the darts you plan to get. XD

If anyone deserves to strike such a deal, it's you, Brit. Have fun with it!

[Kisa]

If anyone deserves to strike such a deal, it's you, Brit. Have fun with it!

Why thank you Eric! I hope to make my future frogs as happy as possible. ^ ^ It's great suggestions from the people here on the forum that will make it amazing, I'll just provide the elbow grease.

[daziladi]

Brit that tank is so killer!! Have fun with it

[Grrrit]

Silicon or titebondIII. I know theyre probably not the cheapest but its a start. Your going to want to keep that wood from warping and getting soggy. This is usually when ginger comes in with a good idea. Lol

Really cool though, I want one!

[DonLisk]

I'll have to think on this since I have a few ideas but don't want to suggest anything not healthy or may cause issues later on.

I'll look into one product I was thinking of and if its good then I'll give you a run down of what it is and how to apply.

That enclosure is huge.

[Kisa]

I know!!!! I never thought I would find one this big, I was hoping for a deal on a 40 or 50 gallon for five or six Auratus for the living room, this tank is over double the size and that means I'm going to try and keep double the frogs!

How could I pass up this tank for $70? That's how much it cost, and it's in great condition! If I were doing this enclosure for a desert reptile like a snake or tortoise, it would be PERFECT and ready to go, but for darts, it's gonna need some modification. I'm actually not the one who found it, it was my friend, but still, even if you didn't have the room, could you pass this up? It even came with a cabinet stand and a bunch of stuff inside that the owner just left, I need a chance to go through it all...but right now I am in viv heaven!

@Grrrit: Thanks, I'll look into that stuff and see what my dad wants to do. He's the technical lead on this project and I'm picking out all the materials for the actual build once this ting is water tight and rot resistant.

@Don: Thanks Don, anything you can offer would be a huge help! Just tell me what you would do with it, I trust your judgement.

My uncle suggested using penetrating apoxy directly on the wood, he says it does something like petrify it and make it hard and rot resistant. I mentioned this to Cheri and she was hesitant because she said that if this apoxy stuff has any anti-mildew properties it could poison the frogs. Has anyone ever used that stuff before or know what it is? All the information I could get on stuff that could hurt the frogs is first priority. Who would want to do a build on this huge scale and make it awesome, fill it with frogs, and then have them poisoned later? I hope not anyone.

[UncleChester]

Nice find. You might want to look into the marine epoxies people use for building big reef tanks out of plywood. It's not something I've ever done, but you should at least be able to find what types are at least fish safe (who also don't like mildew resistant additives I believe).