Calling all big tank builders, acrylic thickness question

[msjinkzd]

thanks pharaoh, you are a peach!

Thanks for that personal input rally- did you have a rigid frame around the tank on all four sides?


I like the idea of adding the center vertical brace as needed.

Just to clarify, the 2" angle iron will be flat side against the acrylic, which will be riveted and bonded with sealant. Then we are going to use barstock to make a secondary frame (more for my industrial aesthetic) that will sit inside the 2" lip.

 

[rallysman]

Thanks for that personal input rally- did you have a rigid frame around the tank on all four sides?

Nope, but that wouldn't matter much if I did. It's welded at the seams, so it starts bowing in the middle and reduces towards the edges.

Be careful if you use 1/2" and attach it to a frame. As it bows it will stress the area where it's riveted because it'll flex enough to act like a pry bar on the rivets.

 

[msjinkzd]

yea i am pretty sold on the 3/4", just want to make sure its sufficient. Neo is trying to convince me to go 8x4x4...i don't want 500-1000g of water in my basement...despite teh floor drain.

 

[rallysman]

Who needs 4' of height? What good is it other than watching Li drown while standing up?

 

[Pharaoh]

If you went 8x4x4, you better start looking at more than 3/4". LOL

 

[jack frost]

3/4" for 30" or taller. I have a 300 that's 8x2.5 on the face and it bows like mad. Makes me nervous.

+1 the 300 gl I just bought is made from 1/2" and the people I bought it from said about the bowing. When I got home and filled it I was like wow this thing does bow it was some thing like 1/2'-5/8" of bow from center to top or bottom.


Edit: also do you have all the stainless steel? I ask this because you are worried about the cost of the acrylic but I haven't heard you mention the proce of stainless wich will no doubt be way more than the acrylic you are using here esp with all the peices of support youre talking about adding. Stainless steel isnt cheap.

 

[msjinkzd]

i am not going to go 8x4x4, lol... I originally wanted 6x4x3, then my husband said why do more cuts for the steel/plexi, do 8x4x3 or 8x3x3

 

[rallysman]

Just out of curiosity, is stainless cheaper than the acrylic? Or do you just have some laying around?

 

[neoprodigy]

Who needs 4' of height? What good is it other than watching Li drown while standing up?

 

[msjinkzd]

I have two 8x4 sheets of medical grade stainless and a ton of angle iron as well as any normal steel and hardware (husband works for a power plant and is a welder, it has its perks). The only cost for this build for me is time and acrylic, filtration, and whatever I decide to do about the color on the inside.