polycarbonate

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soupa2

soupa2

Plecostomus
MFK Member
Jul 18, 2007
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I own an acrylic tank for about a year and half now. I noticed that the lid warped really bad that it no longer covering the tank which results in temperature lost. I emailed my manufacturer and he said polycarbonate lid will last longer than acrylic. Have anyone use this for their lids? Attach are pics of my lid which are 5/8" thick acrylic. I know glass would solve this problem but last resort.


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You can flip them around so they start to flex the opposite way. In all actuality, acrylic and poly will always flex when you have high humidity on one side, and open air on the other. Get yourself some 1/4" glass lids and be done with it.
 
From what I've read arylic is not a good choice for a top under heat and moisture. Glass is far better, but apparently polycarb works well.
 
Just go to the hardware and get double wall poylycabonate shetting. it is a good insulator and it is cheep, you can use solid polycarbonate but that is more expensive and harder to get.
 
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I had the same question when I was looking for a cover for my internal overflow. TAPS Plastics advised polycarbonate would be better but eventually warp too. I guess they were wrong?

I ended up buying black colored marine board, added a handle and it works perfectly. Resist warping from any heat or moisture. A benefit was no light through to overflow.
I realize a diffferent application than for tank lids where you want it to be clear, but just sharing. I have acrylic lids on the sump so just flip over as someone mentioned lol.
 
Like suggested above, get some double wall polycarbonate. I'm spanning our 600 gallon (4' x 8') fiberglass tank, supported by some pvc, with no problems at all.

This is the frame that holds up the entire sheet of polycarbonate. Sand Installed.jpg
 
I can't flip the lids unfortunately. the builder made it so custom where I can lock the tank to prevent my arowana jumping out of the tank. The lid was made by the cut out of the tank top (5/8" thick) and he added 3/8" acrylic edges to prevent it fall back into tank.
T Thomas18 so it works for ur situation for ur lid. My builder said he can charge me $18 per poly lid not include shipping.
@def-leppard-hysteria when u span that big space the lid doesn't warp? Or u just turn it over even with poly??


IMG_0584.JPG
 
soupa2 said:
@def-leppard-hysteria when u span that big space the lid doesn't warp? Or u just turn it over even with poly??
Click to expand...

Not much at all. Maybe 1/4" over the entire span, in some places. I guarantee with a smaller space to cover, you'll have no flex at all of you go with the twin wall polycarbonate panel. The single wall stuff has much more flexing to it. The twin wall stuff is nearly indestructible, too. I carried the 4' × 8' sheet out of Menard's in 30+ mph winds and it took a beating and suffered no damage at all. In fact, I've stepped on it accidentally while cleaning the tank and it didn't crack, thankfully.
 
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