Using Acrylic Sheet For Diy Tank...

[dgwebster]

Ok I was at my LFS and saw a 60cm[sup]3[/sup] tank for £300.

I know I can build a stand and hood for £40 that looks better than the one that came with the tank. I also have a lovely spot in my hall where I wuld like to put a tall tank, but it needs to be narrower than this tank.

So I started thinking sheet Acrylic. I can buy this for a #41#### sight cheaper and put together a tank that is customer fit complete with hood and stand for about £150 or less. But I'm torn on the concept of the thickness I should make it.

I think 5mm will do fine for the volume I want:

100cm wide x 75cm height x 40cm deep - approx 66 UK gallons

But a bit in my had says nooooooo, get thicker. I just dont really know however.

The tank would be H braced at the top using 1cm x 5cm thick rod cuts for top strengthening as well.

By my calculations, 5mm thick would cost approx £40 for the Acrylic, whilst 10mm thick wold be £60-£80.

 

[OldMan47]

I would favor the 10mm thickness myself. At 75 cm tall, there will be a lot of pressure near the bottom of that tank and you don't want the pressure to distort the material and cause it to give way.

 

[dgwebster]

one of my primary concerns is the pressure at the bottom of the tank so have been leaning towards 8mm or 10mm thick myself.

after some searching I also came across http/www.garf.org/tank/buildtank.asp from the building a tank post and have intrigued myself with a wood/acrylic window combo as the build will be for going into a corner.

 

[mike os]

Acrylic generally needs to be thicker than the glass equivalent fort he size as it lacks the rigidity of glass

for 75cm deep glass would need to be 10-12mm minimum, suggesting 15mm acrylic as a starting point, ( but please don't take my word for it)

top needs to be a sheet with cut outs rather than strips, minimum left needs to be 100mm

the correct adhesive is essential as is good cleanliness and workmanship

 

[dgwebster]

Thanks for the tips Mike OS, esp on the top sheet being a single sheet cut - had a bad experience with some 5mm perspex in a diff situation a long time ago and had forgotten until you mentioned this.

I have a friend of a friend that works for a compny that produces custom mould perspex items (e.g. for a while they supplied custom moulded cockpit sheilds for small to medium aircraft) will see what they would quote (the FOF gets what I need from the endy bits... well it makes it cheaper for me.)

Its either that or the plywood & glass way although according to a recent glazier glass & perspex cost roughly the same - don't really know where he is going for his glass though...