How to Make an Aquaculture Tank

How to set up an aquarium for aquaculture depends on the type of animal you wish to raise and why. Aquaculture fish, clams and crustaceans for food, or raise them to sell to the aquarium, such as clownfish and corals. Some animals can be kept together while others need to be separated into their own aquariums. Saltwater aquaculture (mariculture) requires different aquarium set-ups than freshwater and are likely more expensive.

Things You'll Need

  • Plywood
  • 2 X 4 inch boards
  • Aquarium-safe epoxy
  • Aquarium-safe silicone
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Instructions

    • 1

      Determine the size of your aquaculture system. If you want to take up an entire room, garage or shed, your system ranges between several hundred and 1000 gallons. In this instance, it is best to make your own aquarium as it may be cost-prohibitive to purchase an aquarium of this size.

    • 2

      Design and sketch your aquarium according to your space restraints. Draw it to scale and with as much detail as possible. Use your sketch and design dimensions as your blueprints.

    • 3

      Build the aquarium using plywood and boards. Wood is easy to work with, light and -- when sealed with epoxy -- it is safe for both saltwater and freshwater aquaculture systems. If you need a viewing window on one side of the aquarium, add an acrylic or glass sheet. For many aquaculture applications, however, you only need to look down and into the tank.

    • 4

      Construct the skeleton using 2 X 4-inch boards, spaced four to six inches apart. This gives the aquarium extra strength against the force of the water. Use bolts and screws to hold the wood together.

    • 5

      Screw the plywood inside the skeleton. Make everything as tight-fitting as possible, but do not worry if there are small gaps. Fill any gaps with silicone later.

    • 6

      Seal the inside of the plywood with epoxy. It takes several coats of epoxy to thoroughly seal the wood. Let the epoxy cure for the time indicated by the manufacturer.

    • 7

      Seal all seams with aquarium-safe silicone. Aquarium-safe silicone is available in large caulking tubes online and at some aquarium specialty stores. Let the silicone cure.

    • 8

      Fill the aquarium with water and check for leaks. Mark the spot on the aquarium where there are leaks, drain the water and let dry. Seal any remaining leaks with aquarium-safe silicone.

    • 9

      Fill the aquarium with water again, attach to the filtration system and filter with activated carbon. Use one tablespoon of granular activated carbon for every 10 gallons of water. Let this run for a few days to help remove any residual toxins in the water. It is now safe to add your animals.