Does anyone have any information or first-hand experience with repairing acrylic aquariums? Such as, cracks or busted seams?
Repairing Acrylic
- Thread starter Miles
- Start date
i have a 125g acrylic tank that fed- ex busted in 4 places - after trying to glue pieces to mend (still leaked ) I ended up bondo-ing , fiberglassing and 2 part epoxing the whole back of the tank - heres some pics .Its not the nicest looking ,but it holds water no problem.heres some pics i took before and during repair
Miles,
Can you post a picture of what your needing to repair? I have successfully repaired acrylic tanks and sumps but would like to see what you up against before suggesting anything.
Joel
Can you post a picture of what your needing to repair? I have successfully repaired acrylic tanks and sumps but would like to see what you up against before suggesting anything.
Joel
The tank is 96"x48"x18".. so its not very tall, and there isn't alot of pressure on it. It has never had water in it.. It looks like someone put their foot through it when they weren't paying attention. The bottom seam is split on the long side, and where that split seam ends, right in the middle, there is a 6" crack that leads upward on the pannel..
I have an acrylic specialist who is coming down to look at it today. He has the proper glues and acrylic cements to bond these things togethor, and he said it can be done with some extra pieces of acrylic.
I will try to snap some pics today.. I was just curious if anyone has fixed/patched/re-paired cracked acrylic.. I know it's near impossible with glass, but was curious of acrylic.
Thanks!
Miles
I have an acrylic specialist who is coming down to look at it today. He has the proper glues and acrylic cements to bond these things togethor, and he said it can be done with some extra pieces of acrylic.
I will try to snap some pics today.. I was just curious if anyone has fixed/patched/re-paired cracked acrylic.. I know it's near impossible with glass, but was curious of acrylic.
Thanks!
Miles
I have built a few things out of acrylic...depending on how close the pieces are matched there are different techniques for bonding. Chemically welding is more like what the process is about.
I have made my own bonding agent from acetone and shavings from the same stock the tank was cut from as well as MEK and shavings...
I have made my own bonding agent from acetone and shavings from the same stock the tank was cut from as well as MEK and shavings...
If I'm understanding your description correctly, I would make (cut) an acrylic strip the lenght of the "Long" side, about 1" x 1/2" thickness to make a cleat for a wider bonding surface. I would solvent glue (weld) this strip to the bottom giving your self a wider surface to solvent glue the side to. Afterwards, solvent glue the side to the bottom, Use wood clamps to hold the side to the bottom while it cures. As per the crack, I'd drill a small hole at the end of it so it terminates (doesn't run any further) fill the crack with (I can't remember the part #) weld-it solvent that is water like consistancy and take some solvent and acrylic shavings, "dust" and fill the small hole you drilled. If you ant to be extra safy, you could also solvent glue a small piece of acrylic over the crack (still drill a hole though)
Hope this made sence. I fixed an aquarium with damage much like you discribed this way. Another concern though, that seam should have not let go. I have found many tanks are actually stronger at the seams where they were glued together than the acrylic is. In other words, the panel often time will brake before the seamed, solvent glued joint will.
Joel
Hope this made sence. I fixed an aquarium with damage much like you discribed this way. Another concern though, that seam should have not let go. I have found many tanks are actually stronger at the seams where they were glued together than the acrylic is. In other words, the panel often time will brake before the seamed, solvent glued joint will.
Joel