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Reefboy4life
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Topic: shallow tank build Posted: March 07 2015 at 7:08pm |
So i came across a bunch of polycarbinate (3/8 inch) that i am planing on making a shallow tank or frag tank with, i have never built my own tank before so any help would be awesome, like how to cut, type of glue etc. thanks
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90 gallon mixed reef
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Mark Peterson
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Posted: March 11 2015 at 7:34am |
No replies after 4 days? I'll give my 2 cents. I've never bothered to build an Acrylic tank, though there are several hobbyists here that have. Acrylic scratching is a mess, so I stay away from it. Glass tanks are superior, IME. I bought an old glass 30 gal breeder from Benepets for $20 in January. It's doing just fine for a coral farming tank.
Building an Acrylic tank has already been documented in so many other discussions here and internet sites out there. A search will turn up plenty of information. What size of tank? Here is an Acrylic tank thickness calculator to help you get started.
Aloha, Mark
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Bryce
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Posted: March 11 2015 at 2:18pm |
Is it even acrylic? polycarbinate (lexan) from what I understand should not be used for a tank ever.
Edited by Bryce - March 11 2015 at 2:19pm
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65g Reef
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Reefboy4life
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Posted: March 11 2015 at 3:25pm |
I have read that polycarbinate is fine to use
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90 gallon mixed reef
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Erikts
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Posted: March 11 2015 at 3:47pm |
I use a table saw to cut acrylic. I have to route or scrape the edges. Then glue with weld-on 3 or 4 with a needle applicator bottle.
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34G solana
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Reefboy4life
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Posted: March 11 2015 at 3:58pm |
This stuff is 3/8 inch thick, and harder than acrylic, not sure if my table saw could handle it, do you just use a regular blade for wood?
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Erikts
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Posted: March 11 2015 at 4:08pm |
They make a special saw blade but it is $$$$$. I cut it with this saw blade that handles the material well. The stuff i am cutting right now is 3/8 Polycarb.
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34G solana
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Mark Peterson
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Posted: March 11 2015 at 6:06pm |
Something I found said that Acrylic was developed by Lucite and Polycarbonate by Lexan. Here is a site discussing the differences. I seem to recall that one is better than the other and it's probably Acrylic since we use that specific term to describe Acrylic tanks. Evidently Polycarbonate is harder to work with (more brittle when cutting?) and much more expensive. The text below is copied from another forum. There seems to be a discrepancy of opinion (fact?) from some points in the link above. Polycarbonate is not softer as stated below. It is used for safety glasses because it is more impact resistant. I believe that may actually the characteristic which makes it more difficult to use for aquariums.
Cell Cast [Acrylic] all the way. While Lexan or any other polycarbonate has some good qualities - it's generally not suitable for aquaria for a variety of reasons. 1) Since it's a softer plastic, it will scratch much easier than acrylic 2) Since it's a softer plastic, it will bow much more than acrylic 3) While it can be glued together, the joints generally will not stand up over time and pressure. Ie., the solvent doesn't "bite" as well as it does with acrylic. 4) It's not nearly as clear as acrylic 5) It's more expensive than acrylic
That said, building tanks from polycarbonate can be done, but it's just not adviseable and given the choice between the two - a good quality cell cast is the way to go. (Plexiglas G, Polycast, Cyro Acrylite GP)
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Reefboy4life
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Posted: March 12 2015 at 2:20am |
Thanks for the info guys I'll let you know how the build goes got tons of this stuff
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90 gallon mixed reef
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