for you acrylic hobbyist

[bracebldrs]

my brother picked up two of these for free
and thought i could make tanks with them
there 36in tall 48in w/about a 5ft radius
thats just blue tape on the top . think its
worth the effort?ive got 1/2in smoked acryl
for bot.just need to buy back piece.
give me some ide

as
acrylic 51 you out there?

 

[bracebldrs]

opps picture took out some of words .just looking for sugestions

 

[reckler]

ppl make there own glass tanks. I don't see why you couldn't try something with acrylic. I would use an epoxy tho. I don't know how caulk whould hold up.

 

[gsd]

Originally Posted by reckler
ppl make there own glass tanks. I don't see why you couldn't try something with acrylic. I would use an epoxy tho. I don't know how caulk whould hold up.

Well its pretty obvious the proper stuff would be the Weldon or IPS line of solvent adhesives.......not silicone or run of the mill epoxy, but I assume bracebldrs already knows this. Weldon does make a 2 part adhesive, but IMHO its probbaly overkill for this use and not to say $$.
Put it this way, if I had those pieces you have they would already be in the process of turing them into a tank......
I have two of those upright multiple sided columns that you see in *****, at the fish department entrance / exit, which had been damaged.....and removed and placed out back to get thrown away.....I got em both complete with LED and air pumps just for the asking. So far I have one of them setup with FW fish in them. You have the starts to a nice half circle tank if its a design you can live with....

 

[bracebldrs]

gsd! how bout a pic that sounds cool !!
im getting kinda handy with the acrylic
made my own sump/fuge/wd and hob overflow
well aware of weldon glue .id like to see some
other peoples diy acrylic tanks or ideas

 

[phixer]

Looks like good material for a nice bowfront tank, just make sure your edges are completey flat prior to bonding.

 

[bracebldrs]

hey phixer,may be a dumd question but when an acrylic tank gets so big
does it require any type of metal framing?

 

[acrylic51]

Worth the try, would be a really fun project either way.....

 

[acrylic51]

Originally Posted by bracebldrs
hey phixer,may be a dumd question but when an acrylic tank gets so big
does it require any type of metal framing?
You could use metal bracing, but would take away from the tank......The tank is going to have to be "eurobraced", because if you don't it will bow. Alot of people say it won't, but trust me once that gets full of water you'l see the deflection start alittle over 1/2 way full....

 

[acrylic51]

Sorry to post again, but when I say "eurobrace". What I'm referring to is using acrylic bracing long the top to tie the front, back and sides together.....It could easily be done with another piece of 1/2" acrylic and you would just take a sheet bigger than your tank top and glue the acrylic to the top of the tank......Then you would take your flush trim router bit and cut the excess material away from the outside of the tank, and then you would make yourself a pattern for the top, so you can have access to work inside the tank......HTH

 

[phixer]

Originally Posted by bracebldrs
hey phixer,may be a dumd question but when an acrylic tank gets so big
does it require any type of metal framing?
Not dumb at all, it really depends on how many sides of the tank are acrylic. Most acrylic tanks derive a great deal of strength from the top panel, the access holes are normally cut from a single sheet with gradually radiused corners, sharp edges tend to propagate cracks, a gradual radius will spread the force more evenly. The thickness of the top panel is instrumental in providing a great deal of support to the sides and actually helps to minimize bowing providing the sides are thick enough for the height.
The great thing about acrylic is that it is very structurally predictable and will almost always give signs of fatigue before failure. Glass will bow very little before it fails suddenly and catastrophically. Framing is very important for a glass tank.
The tanks at Seaworld and Scripps are often open at the top for access, more of a concrete pool with a viewing window. Scripps has one that is 12FT tall and at least that long, it has one viewing window with an open top. The viewing panel is 12" thick. This particular tank is concrete and the viewing window is placed against a steel reinforced concrete frame.
Sorry for the long reply, hope this helps.

 

[bojik]

If you have only that bit to glue a good glass and plexi shop might glue them for you for a small price. Might be cheaper than the expensive glue.
EDIT: also some LFS's might have the glue too. As well as the obvious tank making companies.

 

[bracebldrs]

ive got the glue ,weld on.
just need to aquire back and top .
ill post pics as i do this .
still could use some sugestions and tips

 

[xdave]

Since it's already a perfect arch I don't think it will need a brace. Assuming that by radius you actually mean the diameter (judging from the pic) then at 60" across the back and 36" tall, that would be about 220 gallons. I bet the hardest part will be how the lighting will be set up. 2 36" lights in a v shape might work.

 

[gsd]

The back panel is still flat and is prone to bowing. Once a joint / seam starts to rip free its all over but the mopping up of the mess. It needs a brace. An arch is stronger with pressure being applied opposite direction than what will be applied to these pieces, once filled with water.

 

[bojik]

Originally Posted by GSD
The back panel is still flat and is prone to bowing. Once a joint / seam starts to rip free its all over but the mopping up of the mess. It needs a brace. An arch is stronger with pressure being applied opposite direction than what will be applied to these pieces, once filled with water.
A wide top welded rim? Like whats on a lot of tanks now adays?

 

[bracebldrs]

hey gsd yea gona show that colum tank or not?

 

[phixer]

Just out of curiosity, what was this structure originaly designed for?

 

[acrylic51]

Originally Posted by xDave
Since it's already a perfect arch I don't think it will need a brace. Assuming that by radius you actually mean the diameter (judging from the pic) then at 60" across the back and 36" tall, that would be about 220 gallons. I bet the hardest part will be how the lighting will be set up. 2 36" lights in a v shape might work.
It will need a top, for eurobracing because it will flex......You wouldn't get an acrylic builder to build a tank like that without it.....

 

[acrylic51]

Originally Posted by GSD
The back panel is still flat and is prone to bowing. Once a joint / seam starts to rip free its all over but the mopping up of the mess. It needs a brace. An arch is stronger with pressure being applied opposite direction than what will be applied to these pieces, once filled with water.
You won't break the seam where it's chemically welded if done correctly....