Aquarium Building Question

[Starfishpower]

my question is sweet and simple, when building the actual aquarium itself can you use the aquarium grade silicon used to attach the glass panels to each other for securing a piece of acrylic as well? will aquarium grade silicon be adhesive to both acrylic and glass?

i went on garf's DIY tank builder site ( http/www.garf.org/tank/buildtank.asp ) and put in the desminsions of 60"l x 14"w x 15"h (55 gallon long) with glass as the medium of choice. it came back with nice little instructions which i undertand, but raises one important question for me if i were to attempt this while i have time off this summer (and hopefully money ). in the instructions, which i will copy and paste below this so you can read what im talking about, it says to set the glass braces on top using aquarium grade silicon. easy enough. but i really dont trust the simple design that they give of just 4 separate 2" peices of glass stuck on top. what id like to do is build the tank to the specification given excpet for the top braces and instead replace them with a custom cut piece of acrylic which is one solid piece; it would look like 2 rectangles joined by a common side in the middle - the center brace which would run front to back and be 2" wide - this 2" width would continue for the perimiter of the rest of the brace which would travel on top of the sides. does that paint a clear picture? should i elaborate, cause i can if you dont get it. basically its gona cover the same area as the original 4 glass pieces as well as a 2" wide bridge in the middle (front to back down the center)... and would be all one piece. i feel that the solid single piece of acrylic would be more secure, and while im sure i can trust the ppl at garf to do the math right i still think id sleep better not wondering if they did

here are the garf instructions as i mentioned with the instrutctions in question highlighted in bold face:



Tank Information:


Material = Glass
Tank Height = 15"
Tank Width = 14"
Tank Length = 60 "
Glass Thickness = 1/4"
Approximate Gallons = 55

Cut List:


Bottom = 59 1/2 " x 13 1/2"
Front = 60 " x 15"
Back = 60 " x 15"
2 Sides = 15 " x 13 1/2"
Top Front/Back brace = 59 1/2 " x 2"
Top Sides brace = 13 1/2 " x 2"

Additional Materials

1. Tube of aquarium grade silicone
2. Tape or clamps for holding the peices in place
3. Solvent for clean up.
4. Rags/Paper towels for clean up.
5. 1/4 inch wooden dowels.

Getting Started

Lay bottom, front, back and side pieces out on a large flat surface.

Cut the 1/4 inch dowels slightly shorter than the length of the bottom. Place the dowels under the bottom piece of glass. It is important that the weight of the aquarium is supported by the front, back and sides. There should never be any support under the bottom glass as this could fracture it.

Run a bead of silicone along all edges of the bottom glass. (these are the edges that will seal with the front, back, and side glass)

Carefully place all pieces in place surrounding the bottom piece. All contacting surfaces should have a bead of silicone.

Use tape or clamps to hold the pieces in the correct position. When using silicone you will have plenty of time to make adjustments. Silicone can become a gooy sticky mess so you should keep the material and work area as clean as possible.

Once all pieces are correctly positioned, let the aquarium set for 24 hours.

After the silicone has cured, it is time to add the glass to the top. This piece of glass makes the sides stronger so the glass does not bow when the tank is filled.

are they saying it should be one solid piece of glass? because this seems to differ from the cut list above.

Let the tank cure in a warm room for 72 hours before you fill it with fresh water. If there are any leaks you can apply an additional bead of silicone to the inside seam.

 

[Starfishpower]

bumb.

 

[Helen G]

I'm not 100% sure, but am am pretty certain you can't use aquarium sealent for acrylic as it won't seal properly.

I would much prefer to have glass braces on my tank rather that acrylic, as acrylic is too bendy.

My tank was a custom one (not as large as yours will be - it's a measly 39cm cube) so if you want, I will photograph it tomorrow in the light to show you the braces.

(p.s PM if I forget, as I am about to partake in a few drinkkies! )

 

[Colin_T]

The stocking list has 2 inch wide strips of glass for the cross members at the top of the tank. Normally the centre cross members are about 4 inches wide not 2 inches.
I use 1 inch strips to run along the front and back of the tank and 4 inch strips to go across the tank from front to back.
You don't need to go any wider than about 4 inches because you will reduce the space on the top that allows you into the tank.
Also the tank won't bow out that much because it is only 15 inches high. Two 4 inch wide cross members would be ample to stop any distortion in the glass.

And the answer to your question about glass silicon holding perspex, no it won't. You need a special solvent to hold perspex together. It actually melts the acrylic together and forms a solid bond.

 

[Starfishpower]

hahahaaaa thanks Helen, ill be sure to PM ya tomarrow and by the way, a 15" cube is a pretty nice size tank, its a matter of taste. some ppl want a huge tank for huge fish... im planning on putting 2 senegal bichirs in this one if i get it made.... but i do love smaller, well done, tanks. its kinda like a cottage. sure its small but its cozy and has charm.

ok, Colin, so do you think i should just go ahead and use the instructions garf gives? maybe modify them a little, make the side pieces 4 inches like you said. and if so, should i silicon the top pieces together first and let them turn into a single piece so to say and then put it on top? what method would you recomend? also, it has occured to me to make this type top piece and then add to it by putting a little "lip" of glass to the bottom of it, one that runs around the top of the tank. ummmm, you know how when you go to build a light hood it hangs down around the edges on the outside to keep it from sliding off, well it would be like that, sort of a "box top" idea. what do you think?

 

[Colin_T]

I would modify the glass a bit and get a couple of the cross members that are 4 nches wide instead of 2inches. The wider cross members go across the centre of the tank (say 14inches from each end) and you can use the thinner support strips for the edges if you like. Unfortunately this part of the forum does not allow for image, grrr, bad forum otherwise I would post a pic.

When you do the support strips wait until after the tank is built and dry. Then you put the tank on its side and stick one of the supports strips along the front or back adge. Leave it for a day, then turn the tank over and stick the other support strip to the other edge. Leave for another day and then glue the cross members on.
Don't glue the supports up and try to stick them on later because it never works. Something always ends up wrong and then you have to get more glass and start again. Just build the tank first and do the supports last.

http/death.picturepush.com/album/17480/5...ew-of-tank.html

 

[Helen G]

Piccies as promised, hope these are what you need, if not, let me know what you want.









As yours is a lot longer than mine you would have to have one in the middle and possibly one between that and the edge( both sides)

 

[Colin_T]

how did you get pics on here Helen?

 

[Helen G]

um, I just uploaded them to picture push, then copy and paste the link.
Am I doing it wrong?

 

[Colin_T]

nope not doing anything wrong. I was wondering how you did it because I can't

 

[Helen G]

I do it no probs, Go to www4.picturepush.com.
I use anonymous download. Browse photo. Then once downloaded, I use the link in the first set of boxes ( thumbnail I think) and I use forum link 1. Works a treat for me.

 

[Cory_Dad]

<a href="http/death.picturepush.com/album/17480/5...ew-of-tank.html" target="_blank">http/death.picturepush.com/album/17480/5...ew-of-tank.html</a>

Your problem with the pictures is that you are using a url link rather than html image insertion. Use the open square bracket img close square bracket <a href="http/blablabla/picture.jpeg" target="_blank">http/blablabla/picture.jpeg</a> open square bracket /img close square bracket.

Like this:

See?

 

[Starfishpower]

nice tank Helen. where the supports connect with each other, it looks like there is a circular area in between them. is that a large circular spot of silicon to secure them to each other?

your link ( Colin ) did work and i was able to see the diagram, cory dad reposted it later as well to help out , it looks good and might be the design i go with, my only concern is placement of the filter and heater- and anything else i might need - cause it just seem like the glass gets in the way, which is the problem with all the designs iv found so far for this sorta thing, so were all sorta in the same boat here. hmmmm this is the part where I need to be able to post pics. tell ya what, give me till the end of the day and ill draw a design i have in my head and email it to you, that or ill try and figure out one of these photo posting websites. man i hate those. the forum should have the attachment upload option in every subforum. ok iv got an idea for a design, gime a sec. to get it drawn and sent

 

[Colin_T]

LOL, fingerpainting 1.01
first lick your finger.
next put your finger in the paint. then wipe your finger on the wall and make pretty patterns

I still don't know how Cory Dad did that. I know he explained it but I just haven't got a clue. Sorry Cory Dad but me noey comprenday

 

[Helen G]

nice tank Helen. where the supports connect with each other, it looks like there is a circular area in between them. is that a large circular spot of silicon to secure them to each other?

Yes, they are just big blobs of silicone. Good luck with building your tank, I hope to see some piccies soon!!!