1000 gallon / 3800 liter acrylic fish tank 7ftx6ftx3ft made from one old & one broken tank
- Thread starter thebiggerthebetter
- Start date
Interesting project and thread. I've never played with acrylic tanks, just seem "wrong" to me, but I found myself watching this and thinking how cool it is to be able to take your time making the seams just so, how easy to drain and repair a problem area, no worries about silicone-imposed time restraints. I felt the creative DIY juices churning...
Of course, the part where you commented on how much you dislike working with that glue sort of reined me in a little bit.
Is the glue used here a solvent, or a 2-part epoxy-type stuff?
The number of concrete blocks you have used far exceeds the requirement for the weight in question. Did you cover the entire bottom because of the need to fully support the base of the tank?
I couldn't see and don't think you mentioned anything about drilling the end of those incomplete cracks to relieve stress and prevent further "travelling". Did you do that, or does this type of repair eliminate that worry?
I got a bit of a chuckle out of the shot that showed the hose running full-tilt into the tank at the back...and water gushing out the seam at the front. I guess that's what @wednesday13 calls a constant-drip system?
You, sir, are a bad influence on my sensitive and impressionable psyche; that's the polite way of re-wording what my wife said when I stupidly commented to her about this thread and how it has me thinking about a new project for next spring...
Of course, the part where you commented on how much you dislike working with that glue sort of reined me in a little bit.
Is the glue used here a solvent, or a 2-part epoxy-type stuff?The number of concrete blocks you have used far exceeds the requirement for the weight in question. Did you cover the entire bottom because of the need to fully support the base of the tank?
I couldn't see and don't think you mentioned anything about drilling the end of those incomplete cracks to relieve stress and prevent further "travelling". Did you do that, or does this type of repair eliminate that worry?
I got a bit of a chuckle out of the shot that showed the hose running full-tilt into the tank at the back...and water gushing out the seam at the front. I guess that's what @wednesday13 calls a constant-drip system?
You, sir, are a bad influence on my sensitive and impressionable psyche; that's the polite way of re-wording what my wife said when I stupidly commented to her about this thread and how it has me thinking about a new project for next spring...
Because silicone doesn't run, I think it is far, far, far easier to work with from this perspective.
It takes a bit of practice to get a hang of working with the glue. It's a two part - resin and catalyst. The resin is the same chemical from which the acrylic sheets etc. are cast. IDK if they use the same peroxide based catalyst that's included in the home glue kits. More precisely this is not gluing but welding because the bond is not only physical and adhesive in nature but largely chemical, similar to metal welding. Russ would correct me
Yes, I was going for the almost full support as far as the cinder blocks.
JJ: I couldn't see and don't think you mentioned anything about drilling the end of those incomplete cracks to relieve stress and prevent further "travelling". Did you do that, or does this type of repair eliminate that worry?
TBTB: I never thought of that, or if I had thought about it I forgot. I learned a lot of this from Russ and his threads. I don't think he ever told me/us that. I've never drilled out of the ends of cracks. I presume and see from experience that the plates of sufficient thickness laminated over the cracks prevent any travelling, I think, and moreover, some glue makes it into the crack too and bonds it so I'd not expect the crack to be able to conveniently propagate. If I use thinner plates, I try then to glue a plate from both sides of a crack or a joint.
JJ: I got a bit of a chuckle out of the shot that showed the hose running full-tilt into the tank at the back...and water gushing out the seam at the front. I guess that's what @wednesday13 calls a constant-drip system?
TBTB: IDK what Russ'd call it but this flow is less than our 24/7/365 water change. ... When I was ambushed by the surprise waterfall, I ran for the camera first because the hose bib was 50 feet away to the back and then 20 feet up on a ladder to shut off the water
JJ: You, sir, are a bad influence on my sensitive and impressionable psyche; that's the polite way of re-wording what my wife said when I stupidly commented to her about this thread and how it has me thinking about a new project for next spring...
TBTB: hahaha... IDK, if I took your stories to heart, I'd never get closer than a cannon's shot to a la'femme canuck, especially someone from Alberta
It takes a bit of practice to get a hang of working with the glue. It's a two part - resin and catalyst. The resin is the same chemical from which the acrylic sheets etc. are cast. IDK if they use the same peroxide based catalyst that's included in the home glue kits. More precisely this is not gluing but welding because the bond is not only physical and adhesive in nature but largely chemical, similar to metal welding. Russ would correct me
Yes, I was going for the almost full support as far as the cinder blocks.
JJ: I couldn't see and don't think you mentioned anything about drilling the end of those incomplete cracks to relieve stress and prevent further "travelling". Did you do that, or does this type of repair eliminate that worry?
TBTB: I never thought of that, or if I had thought about it I forgot. I learned a lot of this from Russ and his threads. I don't think he ever told me/us that. I've never drilled out of the ends of cracks. I presume and see from experience that the plates of sufficient thickness laminated over the cracks prevent any travelling, I think, and moreover, some glue makes it into the crack too and bonds it so I'd not expect the crack to be able to conveniently propagate. If I use thinner plates, I try then to glue a plate from both sides of a crack or a joint.
JJ: I got a bit of a chuckle out of the shot that showed the hose running full-tilt into the tank at the back...and water gushing out the seam at the front. I guess that's what @wednesday13 calls a constant-drip system?
TBTB:
IDK what Russ'd call it but this flow is less than our 24/7/365 water change. ... When I was ambushed by the surprise waterfall, I ran for the camera first because the hose bib was 50 feet away to the back and then 20 feet up on a ladder to shut off the water JJ: You, sir, are a bad influence on my sensitive and impressionable psyche; that's the polite way of re-wording what my wife said when I stupidly commented to her about this thread and how it has me thinking about a new project for next spring...
TBTB: hahaha... IDK, if I took your stories to heart, I'd never get closer than a cannon's shot to a la'femme canuck, especially someone from Alberta
Alberta? Alberta???
I'll have you know that my wife and I are proud inhabitants of Manitoba. We are two province to the east of Alberta; I only go way out there when I want to go hunting and want the trip to cost three times as much as it should.
Alberta is The West. Ontario, where I grew up, is The East (although they think they are the Center). And Manitoba is firmly in The Middle; Ontario thinks we're west, Alberta thinks we're east, and we ourselves know we're in No Man's Land.
Thanks for the clarification on the adhesive joints. I knew that solvent created a "weld" and always wondered why a two-part glue would be chosen instead. Didn't realize that it's essentially "liquid acrylic" and is creating its own weld. Useful information.
I won't comment on my own plans now. Don't want to pollute this very interestng thread; I'll start my own after I have thoroughly screwed my project up this coming spring.
I'll have you know that my wife and I are proud inhabitants of Manitoba. We are two province to the east of Alberta; I only go way out there when I want to go hunting and want the trip to cost three times as much as it should.
Alberta is The West. Ontario, where I grew up, is The East (although they think they are the Center). And Manitoba is firmly in The Middle; Ontario thinks we're west, Alberta thinks we're east, and we ourselves know we're in No Man's Land.
Thanks for the clarification on the adhesive joints. I knew that solvent created a "weld" and always wondered why a two-part glue would be chosen instead. Didn't realize that it's essentially "liquid acrylic" and is creating its own weld. Useful information.
I won't comment on my own plans now. Don't want to pollute this very interestng thread; I'll start my own after I have thoroughly screwed my project up this coming spring.
Vik, ur a legend in my eyes 
… You’ve surpassed anything i could have ever imagined with ur 25k build, let alone these new projects u got going. I love how you show the true possibilities of acrylic and i enjoy seeing these builds very much.
I puckered a bit with those cracks aswell. One of them already ran out to the ends of material so no worry there. The other was a bit questionable turning back in. Easy fix tho if it ever is an issue. Cracks can still run under patch work sometimes. Being on the bottom and fully supported i dont think it will go anywhere. More of a problem up on a top brace under more pressure or a side panel that will bow. To stop a crack you just drill it on end with as small as a 1/4” bit. The round hole from the traps the crack from moving.
One tip i can give for vertical seams is using packing tape to hold the glue in place anywhere you need to. After the glue is cured it actually peels off pretty easily with minimal residue. Ive used it in this fashion and to damn/build up areas i need to when working horizontally. They use tape like this when butt joining sheets or seaming panels together on sight. Duct tape works also but leaves behind a gluey mess from the tape.
Keep up the good work my friend. Excited to see the other 2 tanks come to life as well
… You’ve surpassed anything i could have ever imagined with ur 25k build, let alone these new projects u got going. I love how you show the true possibilities of acrylic and i enjoy seeing these builds very much. I puckered a bit with those cracks aswell. One of them already ran out to the ends of material so no worry there. The other was a bit questionable turning back in. Easy fix tho if it ever is an issue. Cracks can still run under patch work sometimes. Being on the bottom and fully supported i dont think it will go anywhere. More of a problem up on a top brace under more pressure or a side panel that will bow. To stop a crack you just drill it on end with as small as a 1/4” bit. The round hole from the traps the crack from moving.
One tip i can give for vertical seams is using packing tape to hold the glue in place anywhere you need to. After the glue is cured it actually peels off pretty easily with minimal residue. Ive used it in this fashion and to damn/build up areas i need to when working horizontally. They use tape like this when butt joining sheets or seaming panels together on sight. Duct tape works also but leaves behind a gluey mess from the tape.
Keep up the good work my friend. Excited to see the other 2 tanks come to life as well
@jjohnwm Thank you for this splendid lesson from the horse's mouth in Canadian geography, pride, and insecurities Maybe I forgot your province. Or maybe I was so secondhand scared that I didn't want your better half to know I am talking about her if she happened to see this post or if you told her, of which you have been developing a self-mutilating habit of doing...
I think you've got it but I would reiterate. Solvent doesn't result in a chemical bond, not much anyway. The strands of polymers intertwine as a result of dissolving a thin layer on the surface of the two plates being glued. This creates a physical bond. Chemical bonding is created when chemical bonds are formed between the methylmethacrylic (MMA) molecular units in the Weldon glue and the leftover, unreacted MMA units in the two plates being glued.
...
@wednesday13 You are too kind and graceful Russ as usual. I beg to differ but thank you.
Good thoughts on when to drill out the crack ends. I appreciate it. I've never done it before. I think I forgot or didn't know. I've not been punished for it yet but it doesn't make it a good practice. Better safe than sorry especially at such a small effort.
Gotcha on the tape. Thank you. On my end, I played with painter's tape, clear packing tape, and duct tape. The latter adheres the strongest by far to clean acrylic and is the least likely to bulge out or let the glue run out. But yes, on the viewing panels it may result in objectionably messed up areas. ... That 3 yo glue (shelf life 1 year) was VERY slow to harden, so it kept running and running for hours even days, which was a nightmare. ... One of my tricks with the fresh and proper glue is to mix it up and wait for minutes or up to 10+ minutes stirring it lightly until it begins to thicken up and warm up to touch, and only then applying it to the surfaces to be assembled vertically. It stops running very quickly but your time window is also very narrow between it being still too runny/thin and after it hardens up everywhere or in some places. As you undoubtedly know, it polymerizes not evenly everywhere but very quickly in hot spots when left sitting in a cup, syringe, etc.
I am glad to learn that professionals use the packing tape to make joints.
Maybe I forgot your province. Or maybe I was so secondhand scared that I didn't want your better half to know I am talking about her if she happened to see this post or if you told her, of which you have been developing a self-mutilating habit of doing... I think you've got it but I would reiterate. Solvent doesn't result in a chemical bond, not much anyway. The strands of polymers intertwine as a result of dissolving a thin layer on the surface of the two plates being glued. This creates a physical bond. Chemical bonding is created when chemical bonds are formed between the methylmethacrylic (MMA) molecular units in the Weldon glue and the leftover, unreacted MMA units in the two plates being glued.
...
@wednesday13 You are too kind and graceful Russ as usual. I beg to differ but thank you.
Good thoughts on when to drill out the crack ends. I appreciate it. I've never done it before. I think I forgot or didn't know. I've not been punished for it yet but it doesn't make it a good practice. Better safe than sorry especially at such a small effort.
Gotcha on the tape. Thank you. On my end, I played with painter's tape, clear packing tape, and duct tape. The latter adheres the strongest by far to clean acrylic and is the least likely to bulge out or let the glue run out. But yes, on the viewing panels it may result in objectionably messed up areas. ... That 3 yo glue (shelf life 1 year) was VERY slow to harden, so it kept running and running for hours even days, which was a nightmare. ... One of my tricks with the fresh and proper glue is to mix it up and wait for minutes or up to 10+ minutes stirring it lightly until it begins to thicken up and warm up to touch, and only then applying it to the surfaces to be assembled vertically. It stops running very quickly but your time window is also very narrow between it being still too runny/thin and after it hardens up everywhere or in some places. As you undoubtedly know, it polymerizes not evenly everywhere but very quickly in hot spots when left sitting in a cup, syringe, etc.
I am glad to learn that professionals use the packing tape to make joints.