Acrylic fabrication questions? I can help!

Ok I'll start wil my plans for the tank. The tank will be freshwater shell deweller tank. The sump will be relatively small and placed at one end of the tank I'm thinking 6-10 inches long will be enough space for a pump, filter media, heater. Pump will be a syncra sicce 1.5 or 2.0 I'm leaning towards the 2.0(around 550gph adjustable). I plan to pump the return out the back of the tank to the opposite end of the tank for better water flow. Heater will be in the Same section at the pump. I'm going to have a plate for filter floss or to hold a mesh sock. Some media underneath the sock/floss plate. With the middle section houseing ceramic ring.
The main section of the tank will be 16"H x 12"W and about 86" long water height will be about 14.5-15 inches high. The only baffle I want to weld in is the one separating the tank and sump. That way I can move the baffles in the sump in need be.
So from what you 2 have told me I'm going to need a euro. Can I just euro the main section of the tank leaving the sump uncovered? Do I have to use 1/2thick acrylic like the rest of the tank or can get away with 1/4 or 3/8 think. What is the minimum/recommended parameter width of the euro needed and how wide should the center brace be? Lastly does more center braces or wider center braces mean a thinner parimater with euro?
 
Here is what I have so far. I still need to router the ends to make the corner flush.
 

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I got sidetracked, forgot to get back to this

So let me understand this - This is kind of like an AIO tank essentially, right? All-In-One. Just a really big one.

So 92" long tank with one section being 86" long - yeah you will definitely need a euro, that's a long span. You're going to want cross-braces as well, several of them, probably every 48". Granted that it's not a wide tank (front/back) so a 2" euro 1/4" thick and 2-3" crossbraces every 48" might be enough, that's just "from the hip"...James might have a better suggestion based on actual math.

The thicker you make it, the less crossbraces, and potentially, the thinner perimeter width. But I'm guessing there is a limit to that.

Sump can probably be without a euro since it's only 8" long, is that correct?
 
Floyd
Yea it will be an all in one tank on a large scale. 1/4 think you say. I don't even mind 3/8. I was just dreading buying more 1/2. As far as the euro should it be all one piece or would it be ok to piece it together? I only ask because I can prolly find drops that size around my area.

Thank for all your help
 
Finishing up my current build and need some advice. Current tank build is 44"L x 36"W x 21"H. All panels are 1" acrylic. I'm currently laying out the top euro bracing on going to use 3/4" acrylic for the euro bracing. My question is and I know there's no magical formula for thickness, but I'm planning on 6" wide euro bracing all around the tank with no cross bracing. Would this work? The overflow is on the end of the tank that will be tucked into the wall and that also will be euro braced as well.

Any thoughts or input would be greatly appreciated!!!!!
 
Doing some research on building an acrylic dropoff tank. I want to be sure my welding steps are in the correct order.
Left side welded to deepend bottom. Deepend bottom/side to dropoff panel. Rightside welded to shallow end bottom. Shallowend bottom/side to dropoff panel.
Back panel welded to Sides/bottoms, Flip it, weld front panel. ?????
The dimensions of the tank are 40'' long X 24'' front to back. The deep end will 18'' tall X 19'' long X 24'' front to back. The shallow end will be 12'' tall X 21'' long X 24'' front to back. The front and back panels will be 1'' material. The 2 side panels will be 3/4'' material, and the bottoms will be 1/2'' material.
Will I need to add a eurobrace to the top?
 
Actually there is a sort of magic formula...this is from James, I edited out a few extra commentary to get to just the meat & potatoes...

Start with 3" eurobrace on any tank..

24" high, use 1/2" minimum
30" high, use 3/4" minimum
36" high, use 1" minimum

...6" wide crossbrace every 24" of tank length. So a 48 x 24" will have 3" eurobrace and a 6" crossbrace.

If the same tank were 72" long - just one more crossbrace.

At 8' length, jump up one material thickness to keep deflection down.

There are times when someone's lighting scheme doesn't match the above formula. Ie., if someone wants an 8' tank but only 3 cutouts in the top. In such cases, I recommend increasing the eurobrace width to 4.5" and increasing the width of the crossbraces to 8".

1.5" radius corners

If someone doesn't want the crossbrace - they simply have to make the material thicker, and/or increase the width of eurobrace to maintain rigidity.
Click to expand...

I think with your extra thickness on walls and 6" euro you might be fine, as long as your cutout radius was good or larger.

James would be the best to answer this though for confirmation
 
Floyd R Turbo said:
Actually there is a sort of magic formula...this is from James, I edited out a few extra commentary to get to just the meat & potatoes...



I think with your extra thickness on walls and 6" euro you might be fine, as long as your cutout radius was good or larger.

James would be the best to answer this though for confirmation
Click to expand...

TY Floyd. With the 1'' material front and bacl, and the 3/4'' material on the sides,and the deepest part of the tank only being 18'' . I think the 6' euro is way over-kill. I am not so much worried about the size of the euro, or even if it is needed as I am courious about the ordered in which the dropoff tank is welded together. Do you have any insight on that process?
 
The rimless equation is different. I don't know that one off the top of my head.

As for the dropoff tank assembly order, I think that was covered somewhere in this mega thread, again, I don't know it or where the pertinent posts are...
 
Floyd, I found some info on the dropoff Page 193, Post #4805.
Not sure I understand how the steps are executed. Could maybe you have a look and maybe able to elaborate??
 
Not to side track the drop off tank conversation but from the piece about euro thickness
Can you continue the euro thicknesses down
18 inches high would be 3/8
12 inches high would be 1/4

My all in one tank is 16 inches high with a water height of about 14.5 inches and the main section of the tank is 82 inches long would need Between 1/4 and 3/8 thick 3 inch around euro with 6 inch cross braces.
My q lies If I use 1/2 thick can I go down to a 2 inch wide brace with the 3 6 inch cross braces?
 
The 3" perimeter + 6" cross I believe assumes you are using 1 size thinner for the top/bottom, but I'm not 100% sure on that. When in doubt, make them the same thickness (matters more for a DT vs sump w/structurally constructed baffles)

IMO 3/8" thick is the thinnest I go for the walls, even on a sump > 12" tall, but for a sump, 1/4" top & bottom is ok.

For a 82" long tank, definitely 3/8" walls, maybe even 1/2" due to the span

But the euro, IMO, is somewhat dependent on the height as it is there in part to reduce bowing, so on a shorter height tank, this is less so you can get away with less - in your case, 1/4" is what I would personally use for the euro, at the standard 3/6. But you are correct, if you bump up to a 3/8" euro you can probably reduce the perimeter, if you beef it up to 1/2" and 1/2" walls, your euro can likely be even narrower, but I'm guessing that there is a point of diminishing returns. The 2" perimeter and 3x 6" crossbraces would probably be OK with a 1/2" euro but I would pay extra attention to the corners of the cutout - increase the radius to 2" (4" diameter) or more, make sure the transitions are extra smooth, and roundover the edge on both sides with a 1/8" roundover as well. Then sand out any bumps or anything to make sure that inner edge of the cutouts doesn't have any stress points.

The issue with most tank failures that I see is usually cracking out at the corners of the euro, because this is where all the stress is focused. #1 - Wide sweeps spread that stress out, #2 stress focuses on any sharp corner

^ #2 includes any sharp exterior corner anywhere on the tank, so you should, at a minimum, knock down any sharp exterior corner of the tank with a razor blade at a 45 degree angle (not just so you don't cut your hands on it)
 
Thank Floyd. The inter radiuses make a lot of sense but i never would have thought the exterior edges.
Now for the opposite could I stay with the 3 inch edge and do one center brace 10-12inches wide with wide brace at the ends? I can see my self trying to get a nice long piece of driftwood in this tank one day.

Also is there any books, website or equations you can point me to? Or do just have all the answers from life experience?
 
The acrylic I have recently purchased from Lowes is more brittle after heat bending it, as compared to previous experiences. Anybody know why this could be? or perhaps I should be asking what should I buy for small projects that require heating and bending acrylic?
 
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