DIY Tank (Dialup beware), Step by Step
- Thread starter Acrylics
- Start date
Topfeeder,
I personally keep the shop at 70F+ 24/7, so try to get it around this temp. Material should be at room temp for gluing so you may need to keep it in the room for a day or so to get the material to warm up. Cold acrylic can equal brittle joints so...
I use denatured alcohol (shellac thinner) to clean parts prior to gluing. You don't need to soak the material at all in the stuff, just a quick wipe to remove dirt, oils, etc. I keep it in a spray bottle so just a coupla squeezes on a soft rag then a quick wipe. There are other things you can use, this is just what I use so am comfortable with it.
HTH,
James
I personally keep the shop at 70F+ 24/7, so try to get it around this temp. Material should be at room temp for gluing so you may need to keep it in the room for a day or so to get the material to warm up. Cold acrylic can equal brittle joints so...
I use denatured alcohol (shellac thinner) to clean parts prior to gluing. You don't need to soak the material at all in the stuff, just a quick wipe to remove dirt, oils, etc. I keep it in a spray bottle so just a coupla squeezes on a soft rag then a quick wipe. There are other things you can use, this is just what I use so am comfortable with it.
HTH,
James
Chatouille
New member
For cleaning the edges after machining... use denatured alcohol. I *believe* that shellac thinner is the same thing, but not 100% on it. Just damp a cloth, and give the surfaces that you are about to apply solvent to a quick wipe. Do not soak the rag or acrylic with it, as alcohol is also a solvent. I would also avoid using it on anything that has been joined together, as it could cause it to craze.
Chatouille
New member
Nevermind... look like James beat me to it...lol
miwoodar
Likey the bikey
OK - I'm in. I pitched the idea to my wife last night. She definitely gave me a good glare. I had to give a promise that I wouldn't request a larger tank for at least 5 years.
Since abandoning the idea of using black for the background, what other options do I have to end up with it being fully black?
I thought about making the external overflow out of black acrylic then gluing it to the tank with something other than #4 since I wouldn't be able to see the capillary action as a rookie. I would then paint the back of the tank (including the interior section of the overflow that faces the tank) with black fusion paint. Any better ideas?
I made this last night -
This has the outer dimensions of 39x39x29 (internal 38x38x28). The overflow box is 15x10x6 with a 14x1.5 overflow. The eurobrace is 5" total. This thing keeps growing in size. All of this started out as an idea to make a 130 cube but with the dimensions above I would have ~180 gallons of water. I understand that I will get maybe 1/4" of deflection with a design like this. I'm fine with 1/4" as long as it is indeed structurally sound. Please shoot holes in this plan now before I go out and buy the stock. I could cut it down to 27 (26 internal) inches tall if I need to.
---edit---
I'm making the guts of the stand on the 2nd so I would like to have it done before then. I like the advice on making it two pieces. I might end up doing it that way in the end.
Since abandoning the idea of using black for the background, what other options do I have to end up with it being fully black?
I thought about making the external overflow out of black acrylic then gluing it to the tank with something other than #4 since I wouldn't be able to see the capillary action as a rookie. I would then paint the back of the tank (including the interior section of the overflow that faces the tank) with black fusion paint. Any better ideas?
I made this last night -
This has the outer dimensions of 39x39x29 (internal 38x38x28). The overflow box is 15x10x6 with a 14x1.5 overflow. The eurobrace is 5" total. This thing keeps growing in size. All of this started out as an idea to make a 130 cube but with the dimensions above I would have ~180 gallons of water. I understand that I will get maybe 1/4" of deflection with a design like this. I'm fine with 1/4" as long as it is indeed structurally sound. Please shoot holes in this plan now before I go out and buy the stock. I could cut it down to 27 (26 internal) inches tall if I need to.
---edit---
I'm making the guts of the stand on the 2nd so I would like to have it done before then. I like the advice on making it two pieces. I might end up doing it that way in the end.
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Chatouille
New member
If your back wall is clear, and your overflow is attached to the rear. There's no reason you can't use black for the overflow, as you can see how well the weldon was applied threw the clear back.
I had someone follow me with a drop light when I applied the weldon... it helped me out quite a bit to see the solvent flow. (I didn't have great lighting where I built my tank)
As far as dimensions go.... I defer to James. I doubt you'll find anyone more knowledgeable to get advise from. (If I had the extra coin... he would be the one building my next tank)
-Chris
I had someone follow me with a drop light when I applied the weldon... it helped me out quite a bit to see the solvent flow. (I didn't have great lighting where I built my tank)
As far as dimensions go.... I defer to James. I doubt you'll find anyone more knowledgeable to get advise from. (If I had the extra coin... he would be the one building my next tank)
-Chris
miwoodar
Likey the bikey
Brilliant! You deserve a Guiness! Can I then paint the rest with fusion paint? What will happen to the paint if the tank deflects? I've never used fusion for anything and don't know if it remains pliant or if it hardens. For that matter, I don't know if it would ruin the acrylic.
Chatouille
New member
Wish I could help you with that... but I simply don't have any experience painting acrylic, and don't want to misinform you. I'm sure someone else could chime in on it. I would also be curious if the paint leaches anything into the water, since a portion of it would be exposed to the water column.
As far as deflection goes... the overflow will prevent some of it on the back panel.
-Chris
As far as deflection goes... the overflow will prevent some of it on the back panel.
-Chris
miwoodar,
Can't answer for the paint thing, but I don't see why you couldn't just silicone in a piece of say 1/4" black acrylic on the inside of the tank. From what I hear, it doesn't leach anything into the water but I've never used it so can't say with any degree of certainty. OTOH, I'd just use black acrylic for the back
A word of caution for ya though; the tank is starting to push the limits of 1/2" acrylic as a DIY project *IMO*. As a general rule, I always recommend DIYers overbuild their projects, not just because it's my way, but because DIYers *generally* don't get joints that are as good or strong as a professional would. Your tank is getting beyond the point that most professionals would do using 1/2" acrylic, so while 1/2" can support the load you are proposing, please make sure *you* are up to the task prior to getting too far into it. I personally would recommend you go in baby steps and do some practicing first. And I would knock the height down a bit, personally - I'd go down to 25-26" overall height. 36 x 36 x 25" comes easily out of two 4 x 8' sheets or one 6 x 8' sheet or a 5 x 8' sheet and a chunk of black for the back if so desired.
Please take this in the manner intended; purely constructive
James
Can't answer for the paint thing, but I don't see why you couldn't just silicone in a piece of say 1/4" black acrylic on the inside of the tank. From what I hear, it doesn't leach anything into the water but I've never used it so can't say with any degree of certainty. OTOH, I'd just use black acrylic for the back
A word of caution for ya though; the tank is starting to push the limits of 1/2" acrylic as a DIY project *IMO*. As a general rule, I always recommend DIYers overbuild their projects, not just because it's my way, but because DIYers *generally* don't get joints that are as good or strong as a professional would. Your tank is getting beyond the point that most professionals would do using 1/2" acrylic, so while 1/2" can support the load you are proposing, please make sure *you* are up to the task prior to getting too far into it. I personally would recommend you go in baby steps and do some practicing first. And I would knock the height down a bit, personally - I'd go down to 25-26" overall height. 36 x 36 x 25" comes easily out of two 4 x 8' sheets or one 6 x 8' sheet or a 5 x 8' sheet and a chunk of black for the back if so desired.
Please take this in the manner intended; purely constructive
James
miwoodar
Likey the bikey
I will take your advice and chop things down a few inches. The last thing I want is water on the floor. The black acrylic inside the tank is a good idea as well. I would definitely prefer to just use black for the back pane but the talk earlier in this thread about black being difficult for a rookie has scared me away. If this is not justified, please comment further.
If I don't call the shop tomorrow, it will be early next week. Woo-hoo!
If I don't call the shop tomorrow, it will be early next week. Woo-hoo!
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Black acrylic is harder in two ways; one is that IMO the material itself is harder so doesn't break down as easily, and secondly that you can't always see the joint when black is one of the vertical panels so you can't see if the joint needs help. I get over this simply because I've done this for so long it's second nature and I know what to look for, but wouldn't exactly recommend it without getting some practice time in first.
There are a number of things you can do to practice; get some scraps from Port and start gluing, build yourself some probe holders, maybe a small display case for something in the house, then maybe a sump, then the tank. Hopefully you'll have "gotten the hang of it" by then and your skills & comfort level will be up for it. The more you work with it, the better your skills will be, so the nicer your tank will turn out
James
There are a number of things you can do to practice; get some scraps from Port and start gluing, build yourself some probe holders, maybe a small display case for something in the house, then maybe a sump, then the tank. Hopefully you'll have "gotten the hang of it" by then and your skills & comfort level will be up for it. The more you work with it, the better your skills will be, so the nicer your tank will turn out
James
miwoodar
Likey the bikey
The order has been placed for two 4x8 sheets of 1/2" Plex G. All clear - decided against the black. It's going to be 36x36x25 with a 5 inch eurobrace around the outer edge. Warm up projects will include, at minimum, a top off container and the external overflow box.
How fast are you shooting the WO4? I had always imagined it would be 1"/second or so. Last night I saw recommendations to shoot about a foot a second. If you're shooting that fast, how can you be sure you don't trap a bubble somewhere along the run? What if you do? Does it typically squeeze out when you pull the wires?
How fast are you shooting the WO4? I had always imagined it would be 1"/second or so. Last night I saw recommendations to shoot about a foot a second. If you're shooting that fast, how can you be sure you don't trap a bubble somewhere along the run? What if you do? Does it typically squeeze out when you pull the wires?
Chatouille
New member
That's why I had someone following with a drop light to see where/if I messed up. If you do get an air pocket, go back and re-hit that spot with solvent, and continue on. Remember... air pocket mean there's no chemical reaction going on there = bad.
Chris
miwoodar
Likey the bikey
Out of curiosity, what are the consequences of going a little slower?
BTW - I contacted Krylon. They said Fusion paint would not change the structural properties of the acrylic and it would be fine to paint the back of my tank. They also said, get this, that Krylon Fusion should NOT be used for anything that would be submerged under water.
BTW - I contacted Krylon. They said Fusion paint would not change the structural properties of the acrylic and it would be fine to paint the back of my tank. They also said, get this, that Krylon Fusion should NOT be used for anything that would be submerged under water.
melev
Well-known member
Wow, that's surprising.
You could use Limo tint for the back of your tank, which is removeable. He explains it in this thread, although I'm not sure which page it is on.
http://reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=1277994&perpage=25&pagenumber=1
You could use Limo tint for the back of your tank, which is removeable. He explains it in this thread, although I'm not sure which page it is on.
http://reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=1277994&perpage=25&pagenumber=1
miwoodar,
For reference, I just glued (and timed) gluing the bottom joint of a 90 x 30" tank w/ 3/4" material and it took a total of about 2 minutes to apply the solvent so about 2"/second. Not using WO4 but a solvent similar in principle, 20ga syringe needle, .014" wires (twist tie wires), total of 2oz of solvent.
Can do 12"/second pretty easily on 1/4"material using thin wires - close to same in 1/2". I don't think I could do it with the "standard" syringe needles, they're just too thin. It happens, but I rarely blow bubbles into a joint. Just keep a steady pressure on the solvent bottle and learn to control flow and vacuum within the bottle. It will come with practice.
We ran through the time frames this AM, I've now been doing this half my life...eek!!
James
For reference, I just glued (and timed) gluing the bottom joint of a 90 x 30" tank w/ 3/4" material and it took a total of about 2 minutes to apply the solvent so about 2"/second. Not using WO4 but a solvent similar in principle, 20ga syringe needle, .014" wires (twist tie wires), total of 2oz of solvent.
Can do 12"/second pretty easily on 1/4"material using thin wires - close to same in 1/2". I don't think I could do it with the "standard" syringe needles, they're just too thin. It happens, but I rarely blow bubbles into a joint. Just keep a steady pressure on the solvent bottle and learn to control flow and vacuum within the bottle. It will come with practice.
We ran through the time frames this AM, I've now been doing this half my life...eek!!
James
miwoodar
Likey the bikey
When you apply the solvent, how much are you shooting? Would you say that most of your solvent goes into the gap or does a significant portion go unused on the lip? I don't know what my needle is but I'll make sure to get a 20ga before starting.
I am stoked! It took me a year of begging the lil' lady before she caved. In the mean time I had to bonzai my corals regularly.
I am stoked! It took me a year of begging the lil' lady before she caved. In the mean time I had to bonzai my corals regularly.
Chatouille
New member
James... what about using Weldon 5 instead? Wouldn't that allow a little more work time?
I agree about the standard applicator bottle syringe... I had a **much** easier time after I used a big 2 oz syringe with an 18 gauge needle. Another nice thing about the syringe is that if I paused, or released pressure, it didn't suck air back into it like the applicator bottles did to me. I'm sure it's a lack of practice thing... but it was easier for me.
I agree about the standard applicator bottle syringe... I had a **much** easier time after I used a big 2 oz syringe with an 18 gauge needle. Another nice thing about the syringe is that if I paused, or released pressure, it didn't suck air back into it like the applicator bottles did to me. I'm sure it's a lack of practice thing... but it was easier for me.
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