Live fish box

[madaff]

Just thought I would pass on what I have been doing for the last 2 hours.

Today I went and purchased one of those 100L foam boxes $25.
Purchased a 1 L bottle of 2-pack epoxy $33.00
Purchased 2 x 45mm rolls of clear packing tape $6.00
Rule bilge pump and others bit's of hose's etc $32.00

This is what I did.

Have you ever tried to break polystyrene once it has been wrap with packing tape. Bloody hard job! I think they used this foam/tape for designing stunt planes in the wings(models I think). I wraped the entire outer of the box with tape which has made very rigid. By the looks of things it would require it to puntured with a bit of force to cause any damage. Then I mixed the epoxy and painted it inside the box. This is basicly odourless and if it is anything like rod building epoxy should form a tough lining. Once totaly dry you can put a second and third coat it you wish, it will only make it even tougher.

Take a piece of scrap polystyrene and tape it up, and see how much it takes to break if you can. Bloody amazing what effect the tape has on the styrene.

For $96.00 it's the cheapest tank I have built so far and it should last for a while too.

Just though you may be interested.

[jm0771]

Hey madaff,

What type of epoxy did you use as I know some types will eat polystyrene.I was thinking of doing something along those lines but giving the outside the epoxy treatment.

Thanks

[madaff]

I think it's called West systems it's a general purpose 2-pack epoxy resin. All most identical to that of what you use for building rods. It does heat up a little but cools down very quickly. The guy who sold me the box said thats what I should use, seamed ok when I left it and had been epoxied for about 1 hour. The guy at the hardware said that if you polystyrene you should use a epoxy with polyethyelene, and vise versa. But I think I have my wires crossed with that one. Check with the hardware.

[madaff]

ps I think you need to use something like the tape as the box can only expand. The feeling I get is that making the box stiff without using some form of fiberglass sheets could cause it to crack.

Mind you, try it the boxes are cheap as.

[jm0771]

Thanks mate,I'll give it a go

[Matt Ireland]

Hi

what are theses foam boxes? where do you get them ? Do you know if bunnings have them (I dont know if you have bunnings in WA)

thanks
Matt

[madaff]

We do have Bunnings, I think it sarterted in WA and now has spread it's wings.

But no I don't think they have them, you will need to go to a place that sell foam matteress etc.

[LakeConjolaFish]

Madaff,

Can you do me a favour mate and tell me what the dimensions of the box is .

Thanks

[pw-bream]

Originally posted by madaff
you will need to go to a place that sell foam matteress etc.

Maybe Clark Rubber would have them if you have Clark Rubber where you live.

[mike_mad_fisho]

gday in
queensland the have the clark rubber branches AND i am pretty sure that i have seen these boxes before.
thanks michael

[madaff]

Originally posted by LakeConjolaFish
Madaff,

Can you do me a favour mate and tell me what the dimensions of the box is .

Thanks

Jim from memory it's about 1.4m's long x 60cm's high x about the same wide. Looks similar to that of a thwart seat.

[LakeConjolaFish]

Thanks for that :)

[Dave W]

That's a ripper idea:D

My lady keeps complaining about the 'fish' smell in the big esky - I'll have a look around and see what I can come up with;)

[Matt Ireland]

thanks guys, ill have a look around, theres a clark rubber in coffs where my girlfriends parents live, I miight give them a call

[madaff]

I just finished fitting the rest of the plumbing and works fantastic.

The bilge pump feeds through a hose then into a elbow connected 5/8 sprinkler tube with an end cap. Then drilled out tiny holes, about 30 of them with the cordless and now have a brillant spray bar. The plumbing bits cost $14 at Bunnings.

Should the water get hot while you have fish in your tank. What I found works best is to throw frozen bottles of water into the tank. This will help keep the water cool and the fish happy.


Hope all this works out for you.

Oh forgot something. Because of your non boaters requirements. What I have done is glue in some ribs two thirds to one side of the tank. What you need is 4 bits of styrene about 20mm square x the height of you tank. Glue these in place with contact after it has all been epoxied. This will allow you to partition off your section from the non boaters. The partition should have holes cut at the bottom to allow flow. The good thing about the partition is that you can remove it and utilise the whole lot when you need to.

[Dillon]

Hi
do you find that the epoxy affects the water (chemicals harming the fish)?
and what size bilg pump are you using?

and finaly has anyone riged there bait tank/ livewell up so the pump is attached to the boat hull in the water, constantly feeding new water into the tank from the river and then having an over flow for the water to exit?

[madaff]

The beauty of epoxy is that once it has cured thats it, as for the chemicals highly unlikely. More chemicals would come from your outboard, and besides you will be changing the water as required anyway.

I was using a 360 gal Rule pump, but any should do.

If you wanted to mount something more perminaite you will need to mount a propper water pump. This involves a pick up point below the waterline, which conects to the pump. Flick the switch and the tank will fill, fit an overflow outlet and thats it.

Go to your local boat bits shop and check out what they have.

[corey]

Madaf actualy gave me his last effort (including bilge pump) just B4 the mandurah round (I still owe you that beer) and its killer ive used the box heaps and not just as a live tank but also as an esky.
Just tonight it got a fresh coat of Cabbots floor varnish in the water based system.
Tuff as!!!!

[fishnut]

This is a great idea. It is not only cheaper than buying a live fish esky but fun to make too!

Epoxy resins are safe for use on polystyrene. Polyester resins (the ones normally used for fibreglassing) are not! They will eat through the polystyrene esky in no time!

The down side to using an epoxy resins is the price - its much more expensive than the poyester resins. You can use a polyester resin on polystyrene however - all you have to do is first THOROUGHLY coat the polystyrene with a sealer of some sort. I have heard of people using a water based varnish, acrylic paint etc. It must be THOROUGH however as if it isn't - good bye esky!

I would recommend using atleast one or two layers of fibreglass matting - even if you use the epoxy resin. It will make the esky virtually unbreakable. Just be careful to sand off any rough of sharp bits of fibreglass before using.

[shipcat]

I know it is a old thread but be geezes this system of building live tanks needs some pics to do it justice. madaff if you can, please put me out of my misery and post a pic or ten..:) :)

[madaff]

Sorry no pics bud but I just spent the last 30 minutes doing a drawing in Excel.

hope this works.


Nope did not work you will need to email me your email address so that you can view the excel file.