Arcylic Tank

[Zack33]

Hey guys and girls,

Can someone please decribie to me (in detail) how to build an arcylic tank, i was pondering the idea tonight and would like for someone to tell me how it could be done,

I would like to know, what kind to buy (is arcylic all the same?)
What to bond it with?
How is it bonded together?
Things like this

Also the big question, do you think building an arcylic tank would be cheaper than build a Plywood tank?

Thanks alot in advance
Zack

 

[Samcorp]

http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&q=how+to+build+an+acrylic+tank&aq=f&oq=&aqi=g4

To the comment about the plywood tank: Depends how big your tank is. In general, yes.

 

[troylee]

I have a thread in this forum somewhere showing how to build acrylic tanks....it was called "custom tank building 101" you can do a search for it.....what size tank. Are we talking here?????? Just a heads up acrylic tanks are the most expensive over glass and plywood....

 

[diveman05]

any decently thick acrylic will work and theres a glue called weld on that you will want to use and its syringe dispenser and basically put the tank together and hold it together with clamps if you can or tape really tight and put the weld on in the seams and it will suck in and melt the acrylic together, my best advice would be to get some extra pieces and practice a lot until you make seams with no air bubbles

 

[Samcorp]

Edit* Sorry I meant, an acrylic tank will probably cost more to build than a plywood in general.

 

[troylee]

What size tank are you thinking about.....I can help you build this if ya want give me a size and I can tell you the materials and what its gonna cost...

 

[rezaktp]

Here is a good place to start:

http://www.melevsreef.com/tools.html

everything you want to know about sump building and working with acrylic. As you build a tank be sure that the material thickness is correct for the tank size, otherwise the front / rear panels will bow out from the pressure of the water.

 

[uncleof6]

Re: Arcylic Tank

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=15171043#post15171043 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Zack33
Hey guys and girls,

Can someone please decribie to me (in detail) how to build an arcylic tank, i was pondering the idea tonight and would like for someone to tell me how it could be done,

I would like to know, what kind to buy (is arcylic all the same?)
What to bond it with?
How is it bonded together?
Things like this

Also the big question, do you think building an arcylic tank would be cheaper than build a Plywood tank?

Thanks alot in advance
Zack

All acrylic is not the same. And not all brands are equal. For tank building you best use cast acrylic, rather than extruded. Brands to use/type: Acrylite GP, Plexiglas G, or Polycast. (Troylee or James smack me if I got that wrong-- the memory thing)

Acrylic is bonded with a solvent. Usually Weld-on 3 or Weld-on 4.

The pin method is a good way to accomplish the deed. Too involved for a short answer, but search pin method should pop up the information for you.

Building acrylic tanks is way expensive, unless you can get the materials (acrylic) for free. With a plywood tank you gotta work with fiberglass etc, but the cost is lower than acrylic. For really big tanks, (the usual discussion of plywood tanks) I would not think of using acrylic, however, I am exploring other materials--rather than plywood.

Troylee just finished a good size (~300 gal) with acrylic.

HTH,

Jim

 

[Zack33]

troylee: i was thinking of going with a 60" by 28" by 21" tank....what do you think of that size?
what kind of tank is cheaper to make? glass or plywood?
Thanks for the info guys

 

[troylee]

plywood is always cheaper if you count labor as free lol.......you could build a glass one in 2 days or spend 2 weeks on a plywood one with all the fiberglassing and epoxy involved.....thats really up to you........that size acrylic i would go with 3/4" to be safe and it would take sheets for a tottal of 1000$ to 1200$ for the acrylic give or take a little depending what the going rate is in your state it changes almost every week up and down.........glass dunno plywood i would guess around 500$ but tons of labor.......

 

[Zack33]

okay thanks troylee

Do you happen to have the product list for the skimmer done yet? so i know what to look for this weekend

Thanks
Zack

 

[troylee]

Lol.....I didn't even realize this is the same zack........um not yet I will have to check the thread and see where we left off.....your gonna need a sheet of 1/4 or 3/8th to start and some tubing. 5 or 6" o.d. for the neck.....and some bigger tubing like 8" for the bubble diffuser....let me check the thread and see.....

 

[Zack33]

okay i can search for that stuff

Talk to you again
Zack

 

[sweetdreamfiji]

If you want a cheap tank go for used. there are a lot of used tanks, especially big ones, for sale now because of the economy. If you get a used acrylic tank you can polish out any scratches faster than you could build the tank.