DIY Acrylic Tank help

[saltyvixen]

Im lost when it comes to the thickness an acrylic tank would need to be. Im wanting to go with 1/4" thickness with the dimensions being 19x19x19 or 20x20x20 is the acryllic going to be thick enough?

 

[rodasphoto]

check out

 

[enderg60]

no, you will want at least 3/8" for that and make sure you have a brace around the top as well.

 

[saltyvixen]

EnderG60;869340 wrote: no, you will want at least 3/8" for that and make sure you have a brace around the top as well.

wat kind of brace?

 

[1mbrews8]

use some acrylic to make "ledges" around the top to secure everything..

 

[joseayes]

Contact MRC, or a person trained, in my opinion, I won't risk myself or family even the house for a flood, just a gallon of water in the house floor can be a disaster, I know it won't be big aquarium, but remember, electricity places a roll into this hobbie, good luck.

 

[bulldogg1000]

Where can you purchase acrylic? In or near Atl. Thanks

 

[saltyvixen]

Bulldogg1000;871185 wrote: Where can you purchase acrylic? In or near Atl. Thanks

there are a few places all over ga actually <u>curbell plastics</u> <u>piedmont plastics</u> & <u>Calsak Plastics</u> to name a few.

Edit: and they also deliver, cut to order, and if you want to pick it up you can

 

[sewer urchin]

Where can you purchase acrylic? In or near Atl. Thanks

Believe it or not, Home depot has a limited </em>supply, I think 1/4" and 1/16" only. They do not sell the bonding agent (Weldon). No one else around me has any and I have to get it mail ordered.

 

[rdnelson]

Several LFS carry weldon or you can order it from McMaster Carr.

 

[saltyvixen]

Sewer Urchin;871291 wrote: Believe it or not, Home depot has a limited </em>supply, I think 1/4" and 1/16" only. They do not sell the bonding agent (Weldon). No one else around me has any and I have to get it mail ordered.

they wont cut it for me though, i went to try to buy some the other day and they said they can only cut 1/16 and 1/8

 

[rdnelson]

SaltyVixen;871306 wrote: they wont cut it for me though, i went to try to buy some the other day and they said they can only cut 1/16 and 1/8

Got a table saw? Or, if you want to make the trip, bring it here and I will cut it for you.

 

[cj22009]

Lowes will cut it and I am pretty sure they carry 3/8 also

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[saltyvixen]

cj22009;871309 wrote: Lowes will cut it and I am pretty sure they carry 3/8 also

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yea my local ,lowes wont do it either. and when i went they told they dont carry 3/8 cause thats what i need

 

[cj22009]

It must be by store then. There is a guy on eBay I found that builds frag tanks for reasonable prices just do a search for frag tanks

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[saltyvixen]

This is the sketchup i made

 

[saltyvixen]

sketchup

 

[dball711]

Hi Salty, cool design and I really like google sketch, just wish I knew how to use it. I am not sure if the attachment will convey my thoughts, first time using that program. I have 2 thoughts on your design, first is the first chamber. I would loose the additional baffles and just use one for water to spill over. Going this route gives you a true surface skimmer, water spilling over causes surface tension and pulls the surface water in resulting in better circulation and water surface to air exchange.

Second on the last baffle I would trim a couple of inches off the top to allow water to flow unrestricted should the bottom become restricted or plugged. My concern is that if water can't flow over the top it may spill over the top of the tank and make a mess. Best of luck!
<fieldset class="gc-fieldset">
<legend> Attached files </legend>

>

class="gc-images" title="Tank build copy.jpg[/IMG] style="max-width:300px" /></a> </fieldset>

 

[saltyvixen]

I re-designed it the other day

 

[hnguyen]

You want at least 1/2" acrylic for your tank if you want minimal bowing. I built a 60 rimless cube a few years back with 3/8" acrylic and it bowed almost half an inch in the center. Even with half inch acrylic, which I have with my frag tank, it still bows about 1/8" of an inch in the center and it's only about 10" high. Keep in mind both of them are rimless though. If you plan to brace the top of it, it will no longer be a rimless tank but that will help reduce bowing greatly and will allow you to go with thinner acrylic thus keeping cost down. I wish I could give you a link to my build but I guess it's pretty old so the pictures aren't coming up. Won't do you any good without pictures. Good luck with your build though.