putting a window in a plastic pond

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Paul_MTS

Feeder Fish
MFK Member
Dec 30, 2005
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Essex- UK
I bought a rigid plastic preformed pond to keep rays in and am planning to put an acrylic window in it.

The pond holds 75 UK gallons, I have 6mm acryliic to use.

The window would be on the end side and would be 16x11". I'ved cut the acrylic so there will be 1.5" overlap all the way around.

I'll use black silicon to seal it which adheres very well to anything! and I was thinking of putting several botls aorund the perimeter aswell.

Will this work?
 
with mine I just put a thick bead of silicone all the way around the edge and squished it on there with it full of water the pressure helps hold it on there. If it is heavy I would not just squish it up there though, but mine has only silicone and it works fine.
 
probably not. first off acrylic hates silicone. second, your window is only 6mm thick... third, your "pond" for fw stingrays is only 75gals... i dont even wanna kno what the dimensions are, let alone imagine this pond even being used. ponds with windows work but must be done in a different way. better glass then acrylic unless u use a different adhesive. that windows not thick enough to hold the pressure.
 
ethnics;648599; said:
probably not. first off acrylic hates silicone. second, your window is only 6mm thick... third, your "pond" for fw stingrays is only 75gals... i dont even wanna kno what the dimensions are, let alone imagine this pond even being used. ponds with windows work but must be done in a different way. better glass then acrylic unless u use a different adhesive. that windows not thick enough to hold the pressure.
Click to expand...
i agree
 
When I say ray pond, I should of said ray grow out pond. It's a 4x3x1.5

The 'silicon' I'm using is Adheseal, I haven't got a tube to hand but here's some blurb I found off a site...

"Adheseal is a strong adhesive hybrid sealant especially suited for sealing or bonding seams and joints, even on wet surfaces or underwater. Free from solvents and isocyanates. Will not shrink, crack or tear. Applications:
Metal, glass, marble, wood, natural stone, plastics, rubber,
and many more. "

I know from past projects it sticks well to acrylic.

I would of thought glass would just crack as there is some play in the plastic of the pond, atleast acrylic can give and take a bit.

What thickness acrylic would you suggest??
 
I don't have pics but glass works really well and is cheaper. My pond is 650 gallons and is fiberglass. I used acrylic because it is lighter and I did not want to frame it out at the moment. I used 1" acrylic. I used the silicone simply as a water barrier and the water pressure mostly holds the window in place. When I have time I will redo it proper by framing the hole and probably change to glass. I would frame the inside and there are many possibilities. just use wood and it is endless. Remember you have marine paint, epoxies and liquid pond coatings that you can use along with silicone to protect the wooden frame.
 
Also, I would not put a window in any container that has play to it. It could go real bad only thickwalled ridgid material.
 
6mm acrylic is almost 1/4" thick, i'm pretty sure it won't break. i don't think using bolts to hold it in place would be a good idea, irrc, acrylics will expand and contract depending on temp so bolts might cause it to break, i think you could probably use a couple at the base of the window to support it(don't drill the acrylic, put the acrylic on top of the bolts) but the combination of water pressure and silicon would probably work since it's not a very big piece of acrylic.
 
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