Acrylic fabrication questions? I can help!

[kimjessen]

hi .. Acrylicman..

I am going to build a' tank 135CM*60CM*60CM... i lige to know the thiknes of the Acrylic, hvat doo you meane...

greatings from littel Denmark(europ)

[SptfireXIV]

Here's the schematic for the tank I'm planning on getting built, I'd like some feedback as to what all I need to add to it. It's a 75 gallon tank with 3 viewable sides.



I'm not sure what thickness of acrylic to use, 1/2" or 3/4," and I don't know whether or not it would need to be eurobraced.

For my closed loop, the intakes are the holes beside the overflow, and I'm not sure where to put the returns (coming from an OM 4-way). One idea of mine is to have 2 of them go over the back of the tank where the overflow is, and have the other 2 on the opposite end so all 4 are facing each other. With this setup I'm afraid that I won't get much water movement from the far end because the water would have to travel so far.

The other option would be to have 2 of the returns over the top where the overflow is, and have the other 2 drilled at the bottom in the far side of the tank. Suggestions on which setup would be better?

I've emailed this schematic to both James (envision acrylics) and Acrylicman, but I haven't heard back from either of them, and I sent the email well over a week ago, are they on vacation or something? THanks guys.

[Acrylics]

Originally posted by kimjessen
hi .. Acrylicman..

I am going to build a' tank 135CM*60CM*60CM... i lige to know the thiknes of the Acrylic, hvat doo you meane...

greatings from littel Denmark(europ)

I would recommend 12mm minimum, 15-18mm is better.

James

[kimjessen]

doo uoy have eny experience by reinforce the edged, with som ekstra acrylic...

[GreshamH]

Kimjessen, I'd put a 1 piece top on that tank and cut out the middle leaving like 2- 4 inches all the way around. IIRC the top piece of the tank carries most the weight. I'm sure some one will correct me if I'm wrong though

[kimjessen]

i was planning some thing like that.. but in a' glas tank you normally put it inside the tank... like 1-1.5 inches frome the top...????

see you tomorrow, going to bed, my time is 23.00.- cant figur youer taime.... i think its a bout 8 houers wrong

[clintrandall]

Acrylicman, I have a couple of questions for you. I don't want to ask what already has been, but I get lost reading all those responses to major projects and I have only some simple questions.

1) I bought a 120 gallon Tenecor pentagon corner acrylic tank, stand and canopy setup from someone. The overflow tower is 4" shorter than the height of the tank. Clearly, I want the tower to extend to the top so I can avoid an unattractive water line 4" below the canopy. What do I need to do to extend the tower to the top? I assume I will somehow bond acrylic over the current slits and make new slits at the top of the extended tower.

2) The canopy has 4 small acrylic pieces bonded to the underside for lighting, but the lighting I need to do doesn't fit the slit shape and they are 1/2" thick (two 1/4" pieces, I think). I can't fit my lighting in there without the surface being flush. Is there any easy or possible way to remove these pieces?

Any help would be GREATLY appreciated. My setup is on hold until I figure this out.

Peace,
Clint

[MasiisaM22]

With this setup I'm afraid that I won't get much water movement from the far end because the water would have to travel so far.


My 150 is pretty much the same set up 3 sided using an OM 4 way..Plumming it was fun...But to answer your question about flow from the far side..I use an amp master 3600 and it pulls pretty hard from the right/ far side..Just get a nice pump and you will be just fine IMO..

[Italian Stallion]

when you are gluing on the sides is it better to glue the side on the inside of the front and back or is it better to glue the side to the ends of the front and back

how do you glue the sides on the the front and back piece i know how to glue them to the bottom but how do you glue them vertically to the front or back and do you glue to the bottom or to the front and back first

[gbtower]

attach:
1. the sides to the front
2. the back on to the sides
3. top on the box
4. bottom on the box

Whether you glue the sides to the end or inside is up to you (or dimensions of panels that can be cut out a sheet), but I'd attach them to the inside of the front/back so the exposed end wouldn't be facing the front. You can polish it, but it's usually not as smooth.

[Italian Stallion]

after you glue the sides onto the front, when you glue the back onto the sides and then the top and bottom on do you glue the back onto the sides all at once or do one side let it dry and then the other and then the same questional concept for the bottom and top

thanks

[gbtower]

both sides at once to the back
all sides at once to the top (and bottom)

[SptfireXIV]

Originally posted by MasiisaM22
But to answer your question about flow from the far side..I use an amp master 3600 and it pulls pretty hard from the right/ far side..Just get a nice pump and you will be just fine IMO..

I'm using a Sequence Reeflo Dart (3600 gph), I guess it is worth a try. I just don't want to try it out and then wish I had drilled the tank 6 months down the road

[Acrylics]

Originally posted by clintrandall
1) I assume I will somehow bond acrylic over the current slits and make new slits at the top of the extended tower.

Yep, they should overlap and cover the old slots

2) The canopy has 4 small acrylic pieces bonded to the underside for lighting, but the lighting I need to do doesn't fit the slit shape and they are 1/2" thick (two 1/4" pieces, I think). I can't fit my lighting in there without the surface being flush. Is there any easy or possible way to remove these pieces?

There is always a way to remove them but doing it cleanly may not be the easiest thing to do. I can't say what the easiest way is though as I have never seen the canopy you are referring to, hopefully someone else who has can chime in on this.
Will removing them affect the structural inegrity?

James

[gregt]

This thread was split due to performance issues. You can find the subsequent portion of the thread here:
http://archive.reefcentral.com/forum...hreadid=562051