anyone local do acrylic work

[jlfnjlf]

I picked up a 2nd hand 80g glass tank cheep but it has a 3 inch hole drilled about 1/2 way up the back on one side of the tank. The overflow that came with the tank is a bit of a space hog and could drain 1/2 of the tank in the event of a power failure. I want to build a simple black acrylic overflow, but I do not have the equipment to cut the slots in the acrylic. I can have TAP cut the pieces, but I need help with the slots. Furthermore I am not sure about the slot width, depth and spacing. Does anyone know if Tap would do the slotting once I have the configuration worked out?

I would be willing to pay in corals or cash.

Thanks,

John

 

[Nu2SW]

Im sure they would cut slots for you if you gave them the measurements.

Or

you could create a template and use it with a dremel tool and cut the slots your self.

I need to make teeth in the one I made, Which I need to find a dremel for.

 

[WarrenG]

A popular overflow is the "Calfo Overflow" advocated by Anthony Calfo on Reef Central. The idea is that the top surface (no notches) is 1/8-1/16" below the water surface so only the surface of the tank water is skimmed (best results for protein skimmers) and there isn't much chance of a fish going over the thin layer of water. You could put a strainer or mesh in the overflow to reduce the possibility of a fish getting a waterslide ride to your sump.

Personally, I don't think you need to have an overflow as large as the Calfo style (all the way across the back of the tank), just one that is big enough to supply the correct flow for your skimmer. IME, about 12 linear inches of thin skimming, connected to a bulkhead with one inch pipe will supply more than 200gph.

FWIW, with only a thin layer of water, when the pump is shut off the tank only drains that much.

Interstate Plastics often has better pricing than TAP, but it may take longer to get simple fabrication work done. WRT more complex fabrications, they put my new acrylic tank together in about 9 days-did a good job too.

 

[CaliforniaDreamer]

An acrylic overflow works great but won’t glue to glass very well, at least not with silicone. If you are having it made anyway and are going to use the Calfo design I would have a glass company cut the glass for a 4 sided box (top and back open). Ask them also to polish the cuts slightly so there won’t be any sharp edges. You could then easily glue it together and to your tank using silicone without the potential for leaks. Also I would get it in fairly thick glass (1/8 to 3/16) to make it more durable and for a better glue bond.

 

[jlfnjlf]

Glass... :rollface:

I never thought of that

Any recommendations on a glass shop?

I am thinking 2 inches deep and 8 inches wide should do the trick. I am going to be running 2 SCWD wave-makers on Mag 7 pumps as a double closed loop configuration, so I am going to be dumping the overflow directly into the protein skimmer I am building. I am going to split the output of the PS 20% through the refugium and 80% bypassing the refugium. I will be using gate valves so I can tweak with the ratio. Once I get a few more parts I will start posting the progress with photos.

Thanks again,

John

 

[Nu2SW]

Actually, Silicone works fine with the glass and acrylic

I put acrylic baffles on my glass tank and they are holding just fine.

 

[CaliforniaDreamer]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=8200983#post8200983 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Nu2SW
Actually, Silicone works fine with the glass and acrylic

I put acrylic baffles on my glass tank and they are holding just fine.

In my limited experience silicone does not stick well to acrylic and I would not trust it. It sticks great to glass though so if you put your baffles across the tank with silicone fillets up the sides and across the bottom of the acrylic it should hold fine. The only problem is if there is a large differential of water pressure on a baffle it may bow inward pull away from the fillets and fail (has happened to me). I thought that by sanding the acrylic to roughen it up it would hold better but it still failed. If there is a way to make silicone and acrylic stick I would love to hear it.

 

[Nu2SW]

I will let you know how it goes....

 

[WarrenG]

I made the acrylic box 4-sided, bonded with Weldon #16, and bonded a PVC fitting into its back that goes into a bulkhead on the back of the tank.


For acrylic with glass, stiffer (thicker) acrylic won't bow much at all, then the silicone filets act as a mechanical brace and there's nothing (no force away from the bond) trying to pull the bond apart.

 

[Elite]

If this is an internal OF box then it maybe OK.. If it's external, you are taking a big risk.

I would use glass. 1/4" glass is pretty cheap (about $5 a piece 12x12).

Here is the one I made for my 50G tank.

Drilling holes for the OF.

Finish.

 

[jlfnjlf]

I want the overflow inside the tank to cover the 3 inch hold in the back of the tank, but still have a usable tank. I will put a bulkhead in the hold and plumb it down to the sump/refugium.

I will post a few photos of the tank,

John

 

[rafael13]

nice work

 

[CaliforniaDreamer]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=8200403#post8200403 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by jlfnjlf
Glass... :rollface:

I never thought of that

Any recommendations on a glass shop?

I am thinking 2 inches deep and 8 inches wide should do the trick. I am going to be running 2 SCWD wave-makers on Mag 7 pumps as a double closed loop configuration, so I am going to be dumping the overflow directly into the protein skimmer I am building. I am going to split the output of the PS 20% through the refugium and 80% bypassing the refugium. I will be using gate valves so I can tweak with the ratio. Once I get a few more parts I will start posting the progress with photos.

Thanks again,

John

If you are planning on using a SQWD make sure you have valves and unions on all three lines. I have to soak my SQSD in vinegar about every 3 months to keep it working. I do keep my Ca and Alk higher than NSW so that may be part of the problem but from what I have heard having to clean a SQWD this often is normal.

As far as a glass company, I have had Elk Grove Glass make some glass peaces for me and they did a great job and I thought the prices were very reasonable. But I think any glass show could do the same. Some just might not want to deal with such small orders.

 

[rafael13]

there is a glass shop on arden way close to el paso, across the stret from the light rail station
the guy is an old timer and kind of grumpy but his prices make up for it

 

[CaliforniaDreamer]

:thumbsup: Elite, very nice work. :thumbsup:

What did you use to make the internal comb over the holes? I really like the idea of an external overflow but until I saw your work didn't know how it could be done on a glass tank easily.

 

[jlfnjlf]

tank

tank

OK so here is the tank.

Hole in glass

Old overflow system.

None of the fittings on the overflow were glued, so in the event of a power failure a lot of water is going into the sump.

But hey what can I say to $25 for an 80g tank.

Thanks all for the information,

John

 

[rafael13]

how are you going to use it

 

[CaliforniaDreamer]

I would silicone a flat glass plate over the hole and put a new hole higher up so that your overflow doesn’t take up so much room. Also I would go with a down turned "L" inside the overflow box with a durso behind so the overflow would be fairly quiet. Just my $.02 worth.

In any case, good buy on the tank!

 

[Elite]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=8201539#post8201539 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by CaliforniaDreamer
:thumbsup: Elite, very nice work. :thumbsup:

What did you use to make the internal comb over the holes? I really like the idea of an external overflow but until I saw your work didn't know how it could be done on a glass tank easily.

Thanks ... It's black acrylic and gutter guard ..


Here is my suggestion for your overflow. Get 3 pieces of glass and make the following. Replace that pipe with a durso stand pipe.. Should work good

 

[jlfnjlf]

it is going to be a reef tank.

As for the box that is exactly what I had planed, but the durso stand pipe sounds like a great addition. This thread started because I was going to use slotted acrylic, but now I am sold on the straight edge overflow. With that it does not matter if I use glass or acrylic. There seems to be a bit of a concern over the bonding of glass to acrylic, so seeing how I have talked myself out of slots glass is a perfectly acceptable solution.

Problem solved thank you all.

Now I have a new problem stepping down that 3 inch bulkhead to a reasonable size (like 1 inch). However I have a plan and a friend with a lathe.

John