Building Small Tank

[nyfisherman]

I WAS LOOKING AT THESE GARDEN AQUARIUMS I SAW IN A CATALOG AND WAS THINKING OF BUILDING IT OUT OF ACRYLIC. DOES ANY ONE WHO'S BUILT A TANK BEFORE KNOW IF SOMETHING THAT MIGHT ONLY HOLD 15 GALLONS DO YOU NEED TO REINFORCE THE TOP AND BOTTOM EDGES (WITH WOOD OR PLASTIC) OR CAN YOU JUST USE SILICONE?
50 REEF
30 FRESH
10 SALT

 

[ricksreef]

you shouldn't need a center brace on a 15g,
& you definetly don't need the trim.however
i wouldn't use silicone on an acrylic tank,use
acrylic glue,weld on #3 or #4 if you can get it,
or hit a plastics/craft store for their version.
HTH

 

[nyfisherman]

THANKS I FORGOT THEY MAKE ACRYLIC GLUE FOR THAT

 

[melbournefl]

This is just my opinion (as usual) but *usually* anything under about 100 gallons is cheaper to buy online than attempt to make yourself.
Good luck whatever you decide though
Later,
Paul

 

[joez]

yeah...right now to build this 30 gal it has cost me over $50 in supplies. The acrylic its self, a different jigsaw blade, and I'm using an epoxy to put it together. Not to mention the 1/2" sheets of plywood I already had. Heh..the ONLY reason I'm doing this is for a test run of the design because I want to do it 2x as big if it works out.
Also, I've found it to be kinda hard to cut acrylic with a jigsaw. First, it heats up quickly if you aren't at a perfect angle with the blade. Second, it has to be a perfectly straight cut or alot of sanding will need to be done.
I can tell you this much though: It's a fun project!

 

[nyfisherman]

you know it's almost impossible to cut acrylic with a jig saw. ineed to know what kind of glue to use to bond acrylic?

 

[joez]

it's not impossible by any means. I just cut a 4ft long peice that's 1/4" thick with out many problems at all. Occasionally I'd have to cool down the blade, but that's all. I don't have easy access to a circular saw, plus the blade I'd need is far more costly. I just have to sand it flat now.
I purchased a two-part, plastic specific epoxy. Goto homedepot and ask them.

 

[nyfisherman]

thanks

 

[nyfisherman]

i was also at lowes and the home depot today if you have the measure ments they cut it rate there for you. they also sell these knives for cutting it, you just score the acrylic 1/3 of the way through then put pressure on it and it will snap

 

[joez]

HD told me it was "against the rules" to cut the acrylic that was 1/4". The guy could have just been lazy and didn't want to do it, but I went home and cut it myself anyway.
He suggested scoring it and snaping, but I didn't trust that method with the 4ft peice...if it cracked at all or snapped wrong, that's $30 down the hole.