55 gal acrylic

[RickM61]

i guess this could be considered diy..i was given a 55 gal acrylic tank that was drilled in the bottom..i would like to patch the holes in the bottom with 1/4 piece of acrylic..my question is i know silicon wont bond with acrylic..so what bonding agent would i use..

also i want to put a overflow box in which i plan to make..i know how to make it..my question is how far down do you drill the hole for the flow going back to the fuge..

thanks in advance for your comments..more to come as this project gets under way..

a couple of LFS have told me it's not worth it and cant be done..thats the mistake..the phrase "IT CANT BE DONE'- ISNT IN MY VOCABULARY..

Rick

 

[One Dumm Hikk]

Re: 55 gal acrylic

Weldon 4 or 16.
Why not use the current hole, with a bulkhead, to drain into the fuge?

Your LFS told you that you couldn't patch the hole, drill a new one, and install an overflow box?

 

[RickM61]

they dont think the patch will hold..where can i get some of this weldon 4 at..does Home Depot or Lowes carry it..if i can find somethiing that will bond the 2 pieces together i will get it to hold..

i dont want to use the one in the bottom because the stand up pipe is un sightly.. and where its drilled with a overflow box, it would take out the majority of the right side of the tank..

thanks

Rick

 

[jasonh]

It's no surprise they said it couldn't be done. An LFS is a business and they want to sell a tank. They also don't want to get sued if they say "go for it" and the tank floods your house.

Waaaaay back when I was first getting into aquaria, I wanted to get an old AGA 20g long drilled. I called around a few places, and they basically said it's not possible, period.

But I am wondering why you want to plug the holes in the bottom and drill the back? Or are the holes just out in the middle of the tank?

 

[jasonh]

The patch will hold. Just make sure it's a suitable thickness and extends past the holes at least an inch or so, preferably more.

 

[RickM61]

they are to far away from the sides and a un sightly..IMO...i dont want standoff pipes inside my main display area..this tank will be setup out in my shop area with concrete floors..so if it leaks no big deal..i dont think it will though

thanks

Rick

 

[RickM61]

thanks jasonh

any idea where i can get weldon 4 at


Rick

 

[jasonh]

I've only seen it available online. If you have plastic shops in your area, they may have it or be able to get it for you. HD/Lowes don't carry it.

 

[RickM61]

ok thanks for the help..i post post pics of this project and every junction of it..

Rick

 

[RickM61]

anyone know of a site online where i can get some welfon 40..i'm not very good at web searches..lol

thanks

Rick

 

[woodiecrafts]

http://www.ellsworth.com/display/productdetail.html?productid=805&Tab=V

they have it along with #4 and #3 if you ever need that as well

 

[Acrylics]

Personally, I'd just use silicone. Just make sure you cover the hole by a coupla inches and be generous with the silicone. Mash it down well and call it good. I know many will say silicone won't stick but it works for me, no problems for years. The silicone has no structural properties in this case, it just has to form a seal.

FWIW & HTH,
James

 

[RickM61]

Acrylics

wouldnt the weight of the live sand and the weight of the rocks have a structual effect of the patch..as these patches will be on the bottom of the tank..

Thanks

Rick

 

[Paul_PSU]

You could always put bulkheads in the holes and use a threaded plug to seal up the bulkheads.

 

[RickM61]

no i cant do that..then i have to drill holes in the stand for the bulkheads to go through..i want this to be a nice clean look..

thanks

Rick

 

[Acrylics]

Rick,

Sorry about that. When I did this, I put the patches on the inside of the tank. Weight of LR and sand and water only pushes down on the patch, thus there is no force trying to move it or separate it from the tank.

To patch from the outside would be bad...

James

 

[RickM61]

yeah patch on the outside would be bad..but i intend to patch from the inside as well..so i might try it this way..its going to be out in my shop so if it leaks it wont be a big deal..and i can go with the other method of the weldon.

thanks Acrylics for your advise

Rick