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How to Build a Fiberglass Tank

Fiberglass tanks are perfect for doing aquaculture. Aquaculture is when individuals raise fish or other sea animals like crab or lobsters in specific conditions. Individuals typically raise these animals with the intent to sell them to make a profit. Fiberglass tanks are perfect for growing and cultivating the eggs and larvae and allowing them to have room to grow. The fiberglass tanks used for this purpose typically hold no more than 10 gallons of water.

Things You'll Need

Face mask with carbon filter
Plywood tank frame
Scissors
4 yards of fiberglass mat
Gloves
1 gallon polyester resin and hardener
Plastic containers
Wooden stick
Two solvent-resistant paint brushes
Three sheets of sandpaper, 60 grit
1 gallon epoxy top coat
Clean cloth

Instructions

- 1
  Put on the face mask for safety purposes. Place the already assembled plywood tank frame on the work table or flat surface you have chosen to work on. Make sure that if the room has windows you open them to increase ventilation. Some of the material you will be working with gives off toxins.
- 2
  Use scissors to cut a fiberglass mat into several strips. Measure the length of all the sides of your tank frame to determine the length of the strips. You will need three strips to cover the whole back side of the tank. Cut three more strips for the floor of the tank, with three additional strips for the inside part of the tank.
- 3
  Repeat step 2 for strips to cover the entire inside of the tank. Put a pair of safety gloves on and pour 1 gallon of polyester into your plastic container.
- 4
  Add the hardener to the polyester. The proper ratio of hardener to polyester is one part hardener to 100 parts polyester. Use a mixing stick to mix the two together.
- 5
  Use the polyester to paint the inside of the tank over the strips. You will need to reposition the tank to be able to reach each side as you are working. Stick uncut sections of fiberglass mat, measured in length to match all the sides of the tank, on the polyester and then paint over them with another coat of polyester. Repeat this process for two more layers.
- 6
  Use a brush to remove air bubbles from the fiberglass mat. Push the brush across the fiberglass mat to push the air bubbles out from between the layers of mat and polyester. Give the polyester four hours to dry. Allow 48 hours to dry. Sand the tank with 60-grit sandpaper. Repeat the process for all the sides inside the tank and outside the tank.
- 7
  Paint the entire tank with epoxy top coat. The first coat will need to dry for four to five hours. Then paint a second coat, allow it to dry and finish with a third coat. Allow the tank 48 hours to dry.

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