What thickness of acrylic do I need?

percula99 · #1 01/03/2008, 09:28 PM

My present sump is built out of plywood with a glass front. I came home and found the glass cracked so I have decided to replace the sump with one made of acrylic. My dimensions will be 48 inches long, 23.5 inches wide and 12.5 inches deep. This is a 60 gallon sump (unfilled). What thickness of acrylic do I need?

kgross · #2 01/04/2008, 04:24 AM

With out any baffles you will need 3/8 to 1/2 with a pretty good top brace. If you have lots of baffles you might be able to get away with less, but it really depends on what size the different sections of the sump are.

Kim

percula99 · #3 01/04/2008, 07:02 AM

I will have baffles. The first section will be 19 inches long and house the calcium and phosban reactors. Then there will be three baffles 1 inch apart to act as a bubble trap. Water will flow over the first, under the second, and over the third. The last compartment will be 27 inches and will house the heaters, skimmer and return pump. This is the set up I have now and it works perfecetly for my needs and the space I have to work with under my tank.

woz9683 · #4 01/04/2008, 08:42 AM

3/8" will be plenty, it's only 12" deep. And you can get away with pretty light bracing as well, maybe a 2" eurobrace with good radius corners.

Schplitter · #5 01/04/2008, 10:41 AM

Use 3/8 for the front, back and sides. Use 3/16 for the baffles, dividers and bottom. No need for a brace since you will only fill this thing to 7 to 9" with water...

zuzecawi · #6 01/05/2008, 01:03 AM

I tried 3/16 baffles and they blew out within two years. The sump I'm building now is going to have 3/8 baffles all the way. Worth it to not be picking cracked pieces of stupid acrylic out of everything.

I'll also be making sure it's cell cast, not extruded acrylic. That might have been a factor with the 3/16 blow out. The two 3/8 baffles in my sump are steady as ever.

Acrylics · #7 01/05/2008, 10:07 AM

IMO build the sump as if it will always be filled with water. We think we are only going to fill it to 7" or so but one of the primary purposes of a sump is to save the floors in case of power outage - *not* the time to be testing the strength of the sump. 3/8" all around with 2-3" eurobrace (splashguard as well) and you'd be good to go. 1/4" would hold but I'd recommend 3/8"

James