Hi all! I’m planning on buying a 10’ acrylic tank. It is drilled and while I have sealed glass with silicone I am not too familiar with how to seal acrylic. I plan on using 3 fx6 instead of sumps. Any advice would be welcome. Thanks!
Sealing Drilled Acrylic
- Thread starter SublimizeD
- Start date
Where are the holes at? You can use bulkheads and run ur canisters through the bulkhead holes rather than up and over the acrylic top/braces.
Bulkheads and pvc caps will be the easiest and non permanent. Uniseals and capped pvc pipe work well also.
Sure u can patch with #40 and 3/8” material. Id leave them able to be used tho. You may change ur mind down the road and go to a sump or need one of those holes for something.
Do you know how one would seal using a bulkhead on the bottom of the tank? I don’t have the measurements but I will try to get them today
Are there overflows above those holes? I would put a bulkhead + valve so it's ready to connect from there whenever you decide to use it. That is assuming the space will be open underneath the holes instead of on plywood.
Ive sealed bottom holes on tanks with bulkheads and capped pvc glued on normal. U can cap inside and outside the tank for extra assurance. U can just use a ball valve underneath the tank and use that to drain ur tank when needed for water changes as well. Many options for bottom holes. If u hook up ur canisters id do bulkhead, check valve then ball valve before the canister to ensure no back flow and allow you to shut off the water to work on things/clean the filter.
If you just dont want to use them at all… bulkhead and cap or uniseal and cap both work well. I have a 500 with 2 bottom holes. I ran bulkheads with ball valves for 6-10yrs… i recently just switched them out to uniseals and capped pvc only on the inside for more room under the stand for me to work on things. I did a test run with a uniseal on one side for 5-6yrs with no issues so changed out both.
I will say there is always worry with any hole in the bottom of a tank. Bulkhead, uniseal or patch work… its always in the back of the mind
… buuut… a bulkhead or uniseal is just as permanent as a patch in my opinion. I am very farmiliar with acrylic. Ive done tons of repairs, patch work and full tank builds. I highly trust uniseals with pvc and cap. Sand ur pvc a bit, primer and glue. Uniseals are a compression fitting so u basically just put it in ur hole then shove ur pvc through and it makes a seal. The glued pvc cap will make it water tight. If u can find no reason to use the holes… a pint of weld on #40 and some 3/8”-1/2” material can permanently seal them off for ya. Id patch on the inside, flip the tank and fill in the holes with more #40 after the patch dries for a day. Thered b no water gettin through that in ur lifetime lol
