3 8 x 4 sheets of acrylic..what would you do?

  • We are currently upgrading MFK. thanks! -neo
N

NiceGuyNick

Candiru
MFK Member
Nov 17, 2008
179
4
48
Clearwater Beach, Florida
www.liquidtherapyaquariums.com
I just paid for 3 8 x 4 sheets of acrylic. Hopefully picking them up Thursday. I got (2) sheets of .375" and (1) .500"
Obviously they will hopefully turn into a tank of some sort or I wouldn't be posting here, but what dimensions do you guys think? I am pretty set on doing a square 240 gallon 4 x 4 x 2 and think I will put the over flow in the very center of the tank so I could put it in the center of one of the rooms If I felt like it and look at at from every angle. I would also use some semi-flat pieces of driftwood secured to the overflow to hide it...I know I am going to get jumped all over because the .375 will be too thin for a 24" tall tank, but here goes my theory...
1) I am going to leave at least 4 inches of air at the top of the tank because I love flaoating plants like water lettuce and hyacinth

2) If it does bow too much I can just lower it a little more right? I mean it won't explode like glass just flex a little, no?

P.S. - I apologize but I will be "practicing on scrap for AWHILE before any pics will be available. ALL responses are appreciated wether nasty, nice, or distasteful:0
 
If you cut the .500 sheet the right way, you'll have enough for your 4 sides. I would make the dimensions 49" x 48" X 24.75" to maximize size and minimize cuts.
 
I dont know much a bout acryic at all. But, instead of lowering the water cant you just brace it at the top really good? Also I do know that alot of the recommedation charts online for wall thickness on tanks have safety factors of 3.5. In my engineering classes from what my teachers have told me, that would mean that it is 3.5 more than the bare min that works..... Now, this is coming from a college student, so I don't know half as much as a lot of people on here Its just my thoughts...
 
I am going to say no the the low water level of the tank. I hate tanks that are not filled to the top, though thats just me.

I like the square sounds cool. With the overflow in the middle though your going to lose 2ft of viewing space. This would be cool in a 2ft wide tank cause you wouldnt be missing much. With a 4ft wide you are losing 2ft.

I would take the 1/2 inch and cut it into two 8x2 sheets. Then i would lay a whole 8x4 sheet down and glue the two 8x2 sheets onto it sticking strait up. So you have the beginning of a 8x4x2. Then with the last sheet i would cut it for the two end cap pieces and glue them on. With the remaining plastic i would do some bracing, and go get some more scrap peices for bracing...... 500 gallon tank...
 
plywood tank with the 1/2" piece as the viewing window. sell the other 2 pieces to buy your plywood and other materials.
 
http://garf.org/tank/BuildTank.asp

Here you go. I dont think you have the right thickness though.

This one might better safer

http://garf.org/tank/BuildTank.asp

Thats almost a 400 gallon and you would have a lot left over to make a really good brace for your tank

((((((((Nvm those links didn't work like i thought they would

Hit the link and type in the measurments 96 long by 18 high by 4 feet wide. You could do this build with the acrylic you have.
 
Hmmmmm...

Just off the top of my head, id want length and width over heigth... sooooo, id probely take the .5" piece and cut it into 4 pieces, 2 pieces 96x16", and two pieces that were 48x16"... that would use up the entire piece of .5".
That will make all four walls...

Then you would be left with the two thinner pieces... one full sheet could be used as the bottom pane.. .its fine if this is thinner, as long as the surface it sits on is fully braced...

Then for the last piece, id use that as the top brace... id also use the entire piece and just cut out 2-3 access holes in the top.. like a tenecor tank... then you could use the cut out pieces as the lids for it...


Thias would leave you with a 96x16x48 tank.... 320 gallons being only 16" tall, and .5" thick,. it would basically be bullet proof... fill it right to the top... i doubt it would bow at all....

If you go with taller dimentions and use the thinner stuff as the walls, your going to bow like crazy... it doesnt look nice at all.. still pretty safe, but not as safe as if it were not bowing.

This would make a perfect ray tank.....

What were you planning on stocking it with? that would help with reccomendations.
 
so long as you are setting it on a level surface than the bottom wont matter to much. i built a 90g wide i think 25x45x22 (i cant remember i just gave it to my friend) that is only 3/16 thick glass (non tempered) but then it only acts as a sealint for the wood below (not load bearing what so ever)
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
MonsterFishKeepers.com
Top Bottom