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02/05/2018, 02:54 PM | #5101 |
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I’m considering buying a used acrylic tank that has no overflow. I wanted to weld up a long external over flow supported with triangle braces and drill 3 holes in it for a bean animal drain. I was going to drill small holes in a row along the top of the tank as teeth to flow into a coast to coast style overflow. I don’t have any real prior acrylic experience and am worried about bonding an external overflow to the tank, having it break off and leaking everywhere. Any suggestions?
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02/05/2018, 04:06 PM | #5102 | |
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02/06/2018, 05:40 AM | #5103 |
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Sounds like I’m in over my head on this project. The tank isn’t definitely older and used, I’m sure it has bowed some especially given it’s tall dimensions.
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02/12/2018, 02:51 PM | #5104 | |
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Quote:
I got a spiral upcut bit with the bearing on the end of the bit. I am amazed at how simple it was to cut the teeth and how clean they came out. I made a cover for the overflow box to the exact size, which I was also amazed at how simple it was. One thing for sure though, the spiral bit spews shavings like crazy, and they go under the table away from the vacuum which is on top. I have to come up with a solution to this because it makes a huge mess. All in all though, I love this thing! |
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02/13/2018, 10:01 AM | #5105 | |
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~SFVR Member~ 125 Gal Long/50 Gal sump, 2xMP40QD,Aquamax CONES CO-03/Speed Wave dc return 4x AI Sol Blues/Director + 2 80w T5 retrofit/Apex Controller Current Tank Info: 125 gal 72X18X22 |
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02/13/2018, 11:23 AM | #5106 | |
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Quote:
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~SFVR Member~ 125 Gal Long/50 Gal sump, 2xMP40QD,Aquamax CONES CO-03/Speed Wave dc return 4x AI Sol Blues/Director + 2 80w T5 retrofit/Apex Controller Current Tank Info: 125 gal 72X18X22 |
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02/16/2018, 10:24 PM | #5107 |
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I know its a week or two to let the sump cure before using it. Does that mean no leak check until then?
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~SFVR Member~ 125 Gal Long/50 Gal sump, 2xMP40QD,Aquamax CONES CO-03/Speed Wave dc return 4x AI Sol Blues/Director + 2 80w T5 retrofit/Apex Controller Current Tank Info: 125 gal 72X18X22 |
02/17/2018, 12:13 PM | #5108 |
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Leak check is fine. It's slow adsorption of water while the solvent is fully curing that can cause problems.
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03/03/2018, 10:17 PM | #5109 |
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Just want say thanks to all of you.. after many months of planning designing and screwing things up I finished my sump...
Sent from my Pixel 2 XL using Tapatalk
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~SFVR Member~ 125 Gal Long/50 Gal sump, 2xMP40QD,Aquamax CONES CO-03/Speed Wave dc return 4x AI Sol Blues/Director + 2 80w T5 retrofit/Apex Controller Current Tank Info: 125 gal 72X18X22 |
03/04/2018, 08:28 AM | #5110 |
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your hired )))
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03/04/2018, 08:27 PM | #5111 |
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Nice!
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08/11/2018, 10:41 PM | #5112 |
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I am thinking about making my own skimmer. Do any of you have any experience with how they make the cone section. I am assuming it is just a mold where they pull a softened (heated) sheet of acrylic over it. Possible under a vacuum. My questions is how do they finish the mold so that it doesn't create a crummy finish on the inside of the cone.
I am assuming the heat of the panel has allot to do with it. Heat it too much and the surface will be too soft and will pick up imperfections in the mold. Too cold and it wont form to it properly. Either way, does anyone know where I could do more research on it? |
09/07/2018, 09:38 PM | #5113 |
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Top bracing for 75 gallon sump build
Building my first sump out of 1/2" cell cast acrylic. Dimensions are 48x18x20. There will be 3 - 1/8" baffles in the sump. What kind of top bracing is recommended (full, euro, none)?
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09/07/2018, 09:55 PM | #5114 |
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I would go with a 3" strip around the top. Does not have to be 1 solid piece. Since you have baffles you dont need cross bracing. Im assuming the baffles divide the sump into 3 sort of equal chambers?
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Tank sizes, 2-10's a 55 and one that's about 500gal Current Tank Info: Interior decorating happening |
09/08/2018, 11:09 AM | #5115 | |
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12/07/2018, 08:55 AM | #5116 |
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Thinking of building a RODI reservoir, space is limited so I can’t use a standard barrel or trash can. Was going to build a large rectangular acrylic box.
I would like to double the reservoir as a Stand for a 10 gallon QT tank. Think the below design could work? Any adjustments to help support the 10g tank? What thickness of Acrylic would you recommend if so? Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk |
12/07/2018, 09:10 AM | #5117 |
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Will the QT be a glass tank with frame on the bottom? Will it be 12" wide or 11.5?
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Tank sizes, 2-10's a 55 and one that's about 500gal Current Tank Info: Interior decorating happening |
12/07/2018, 09:15 AM | #5118 |
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It’s a glass tank with a frame around the bottom. 20.25”X10.5”
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12/07/2018, 12:29 PM | #5119 |
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Should I make it the same width as the 10gallon tank then, so the sides are supporting the tank?
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03/15/2019, 10:09 AM | #5120 |
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I am very much an amateur with acrylics but my first tank (96"x24"x24") is still leak free after two years. But when I built that tank I did it with freshwater in mind and I'd like some more depth so I'm planning a new build. It'll be a flat back hex and I'm toying with the idea making the viewing window a single acrylic piece. How feasible would it be to use weld on 40 to create those angles?
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03/15/2019, 10:21 AM | #5121 |
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You don't "need" weld on 40 for anything under about 2" thick.
The hard part on the FB Hex will be 1) bending or 2) cutting angles & bonding angles
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03/15/2019, 10:30 AM | #5122 |
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I was hoping to you use 40 because I figured it would be more forgiving on those angled edges. I'm not sure how I would finish them other than using a scraper.
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03/15/2019, 11:15 AM | #5123 |
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If you used 40, you have to form a gap between the panes as it is not supposed to be used for flush bonding joints (so you have to put a few degrees of excess angle on the cut edge of the joint) and then fill the gap, then wet sand out the excess, then polish. Then if you want to completely avoid bubbles in the joint, after you mix the 40 and before it starts to set, you have to centrifuge it or put it in a vacuum chamber to get all the bubbles to rise to the surface.
40 is not easy to use and make it look professional. Also if you doin't know what you're doing, it will look great when you get it all done but when you fill it with water, it can just fall apart (immediately or a few months down the road). Solvent welds, on the other hand, you can tell they are good right away.
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03/15/2019, 11:23 AM | #5124 |
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Yeah I know all about bubbles and 40. I was paranoid with my first tank so I poured small fillets of 40 and bubbles galore. How would you recommend to prep the edges?
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03/16/2019, 01:56 AM | #5125 |
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For solvent weld?
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