Need some advice pls.

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Michael1977

Feeder Fish
MFK Member
Jun 15, 2009
19
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The Netherlands
www.vissercichlids.nl
Hello,

i will introduce my self first, I'm Michael from the netherlands.

i need some advice about large tanks, i've build a stainless steel tank size: 3,00 x 1,50 x 1,30 mtr

i was planning to place a optiwhite glass in it, but considering the weight and clearance i'm gathering info to build it with acrylic.
So far i know in europe acrylic is a unknown product for aquarium in private tanks, so i need the advice from experts

how thick do you think my acrylic has to be and is lexan a good product for the job?
how to bond the plate with the stainless steel, do i have to primer the steel first?

lot of questions, i hope someone got some experiance and helps me

regards, michael2012-06-24 14.24.59.jpg2012-06-24 15.08.59.jpg2012-06-24 14.04.29.jpg2012-06-24 14.04.46.jpg

2012-06-24 14.24.59.jpg

2012-06-24 15.08.59.jpg

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2012-06-24 14.04.46.jpg
 
Sand the edges of the acrylic for a better hold, and use kitchen and bath silicone, that should make for a tight hold also sand the edges of the steal where the acrylic will be touching. As far as the bare metel touching the water at all times probably will cause some sort of chemical change in the water so I would paint the inside with a blue marine paint epoxy. Hope that helped.
 
thank you for your reply......

the stainless steel is grade 316 also called marine grade stainless, used primarily for its increased resistance to corrosion, painting isn't necessary.

so i can bond the acrylic with silicone when i sand those 2 surfaces, what acrylic is the best (UV resistance)
And what thickness acrylic i can use to play it safe.
 
I have a tank that is similar size to yours at 10'x3'x4' (3.048M Long x 0.9144M Wide x 1.2192M High), but it is made entirely out of acrylic (no steel frame). Mine is made out of 1.25 inches (31.750mm) thick Cell Cast acrylic and it bowes quite a bit. I believe it should have been made out of at least 1.5" thick cell cast acrylic. If I put a straight edge to it, there is a .5" gap at the top and bottom. It holds water fine, but bowes more than I would like.

You will want to avoid extruded acrylic; it is less expensive, but is not as strong as cell cast. Based on information I got from an acrylic aquarium builder, his preferences were as follows:

1. Spartech Polycast Acrylic
2. Acrylite GP
3. Plexiglas G

Any of these three are commonly used to build aquariums and are good options for you.

Lexan is a brand name of a polycarbonate manufacturer (Lexan is polycarbonate, not acrylic). It not recommended for use in aquariums (or any application that would be under pressure). As explained by James from Envision Acrylics:

The primary reasons polycarbonate is not used in aquaria are several; the glue joints are not *nearly* as strong as acrylic joints, it's not as clear as acrylic, it's softer than acrylic so scratches easier, it's more expensive than acrylic (far more so in thicknesses above 1/2"), it's far more dangerous to work with as compared to acrylic, and it will bow more than acrylic. Can it be used? yep. Should it be used? nope, unless you simply want the experience or the material is free and then it's iffy for most.
If your tank is 1.3M tall (~51inches) I would suggest going no thinner than 31.750mm (1.5 inches) acrylic.

I will send you a PM with a link to a thread on another site where you may be able to find some good information on sealing the acrylic panel to the steel. I have no experience with that, but the folks on that site may have some knowledge to share.

Looks like an awesome tank. Hope to see updates as you make progress!
Click to expand...
Click to expand...
 
Brace yourself for some sticker shock.

The price increase is pretty steep when you get beyond 1" (25.4MM) thick panels. There is also a steep price jump when you go past standard 8'x4' sheets, as that is a more common size of acrylic panels.

A 10'x5' sheet of 2" (50.8MM) thick Cell Cast will likely cost well over $4,000 US per panel. It looks like you would need two panels for your project since the back and bottom of your frame is steel.

This place has a 8'x4' sheet of 2" @ $3,000 US: http://www.eplastics.com/Plastic/Plexiglass_Acrylic_Sheet_Clear/PLEXIGLASS-ACRYCLR2-000CCM48X96
(I wasn't able to find the size panel that you need on their site, but a 10'x4' @ only 1.5" thick costs $5,000).

A sheet 10'x5' @ 2" thick is going to weigh around 600lbs, so being able to pickup from a local distributor (if one exists) is going to save you a lot on shipping costs.

There's a member on here (Wednesday13) that is in the process of building a steel framed tank...I'll see if I can get him to chime in.

You may be able to shop around and find better prices, but I would be surprised if you could find the size sheets that you need for under $3,000 each.
 
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