Hmmm building a new sump and refugium and I am wondering If I can use HDPE sheet instead of Acrylic. The HDPE is the stuff cutting boards are made from. Seems easier to cut and I don't care if anything is see through for partitions. Any problems I am missing?
HDPE sheet instead of acrylic?
- Thread starter pochaxoo
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What are you going to use to hold the pieces together though? I doubt weldon will work and Silicone doesnt hold well to acrylic so who knows with HDPE. You could use silicone but who knows if it will stay water tight and that may be a messy shortcut down the road.
I have 1/4 or 1/2 inch acrylic baffles in my glass 55g sump. They are in there just fine....sure it's not going to be the bond like you would have with glass on glass, but it works. Just make sure you use enough silicone to hold it in and let it cure for a bit longer. I know some people who have roughed up the sides of the acrylic where the silicone will be put on....does this help...????...but it seems to work.
OH....... Just the baffles with be made of HDPE? I thought from the way the question read that the whole sump was going to be constructed of HDPE.
Sure, silicone will work great on the baffles, Theres no real wieght it will be supporting.
Sorry for being dense
Sure, silicone will work great on the baffles, Theres no real wieght it will be supporting.
Sorry for being dense
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I've used marine epoxy putty before and had no ill effects in my tank. Here's some links:
http://www.marinedepot.com/ps_AquariumPage%7EPageAlias%7Emiscellaneous_epoxy.html">http://www.marinedepot.com/ps_AquariumPage~PageAlias~miscellaneous_epoxy.html</a>
[IMG]http://cgi.ebay.com/AquaMend-Saltwater-Reef-Tank-Aquarium-Safe-Epoxy-Putty_W0QQitemZ370158325507QQcmdZViewItem">http://cgi.ebay.com/AquaMend-Saltwater-Reef-Tank-Aquarium-Safe-Epoxy-Putty_W0QQitemZ370158325507QQcmdZViewItem</a>
Hope this helps. I have used the marine putty epoxy from wal mart and it gave me no trouble, it didn't say reef safe thogh.
http://www.marinedepot.com/ps_AquariumPage%7EPageAlias%7Emiscellaneous_epoxy.html">http://www.marinedepot.com/ps_AquariumPage~PageAlias~miscellaneous_epoxy.html</a>
[IMG]http://cgi.ebay.com/AquaMend-Saltwater-Reef-Tank-Aquarium-Safe-Epoxy-Putty_W0QQitemZ370158325507QQcmdZViewItem">http://cgi.ebay.com/AquaMend-Saltwater-Reef-Tank-Aquarium-Safe-Epoxy-Putty_W0QQitemZ370158325507QQcmdZViewItem</a>
Hope this helps. I have used the marine putty epoxy from wal mart and it gave me no trouble, it didn't say reef safe thogh.
skriz
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If you're only using them for baffles, they're fine. If you're going to build the whole sump, you'll need an air welder.
The only drawback I see is the rough surface. It will be very difficult to keep cleared of algae (if you even care). Other than that, it should be fda approved as food grade, so you're clear.
The only drawback I see is the rough surface. It will be very difficult to keep cleared of algae (if you even care). Other than that, it should be fda approved as food grade, so you're clear.
HDPE is fine, as far as algae not growing on it in a BB tank, well...... The whole allure (other than asthetics for some) is BB's facilitate a zero nutrient enviroment (ideally)......
Probably your reason for not having algae growth in that situation.
Never heard of plastics treated with such compounds as then it would defeat the purpose and no longer be food grade.
Probably your reason for not having algae growth in that situation.
Never heard of plastics treated with such compounds as then it would defeat the purpose and no longer be food grade.
Yes my first BB tank had zero algae growth in it....except for coraline. The cutting board was completely covered in it. Yes you'll get algae raj, but to what level of it you'll get and what types, that's all up to the persons husbandry.
I work in plastics........
The only treatment I've ever heard of is Fluornation where the container is bombarded with fluorine gas.
On a molecular level, HDPE looks vaguely like spider webbing, by bombarding the HDPE with fluorine particles, the webbing is gummed up. This process is permanant, lasting the life of the container. Even this process would be reef safe as flourine does not leach from the plastic. This process, being quite costly, is used for solvent based materials and range from levels 1 through 5, depending on the application.
Thus, ALL virgin HDPE is food grade!
The only treatment I've ever heard of is Fluornation where the container is bombarded with fluorine gas.
On a molecular level, HDPE looks vaguely like spider webbing, by bombarding the HDPE with fluorine particles, the webbing is gummed up. This process is permanant, lasting the life of the container. Even this process would be reef safe as flourine does not leach from the plastic. This process, being quite costly, is used for solvent based materials and range from levels 1 through 5, depending on the application.
Thus, ALL virgin HDPE is food grade!
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Seems like you're a good source to have on the boards.
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Is Flourine the same as Flouride? Been a few years since Chemistry...
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before i found this site, i spent alot of time on saltwaterfish.com(i dont go back very often, bc i strongly prefer this site) but one of the "guru's" over there recommended using cutting boards for baffles. they have quite a few threads about it, and they all had great success.
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I wonder if you ever had a fish get in the overflow and get sucked down, and they saw that, would they know its intended purpose was to hack their cousins to bits? :lol2:
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