Transforming a acrylic display into aaquarium...., need some suggestions...

[jdepasqu2]

-PICS BELOW-
I just recieved this acrylic container from a friend who used it to display substrate infiltration at a seminar...., but now he is done with it......
It is made from 3/8" cell cast acrylic..., the dimensions are roughly 33" long x 18" wide x 48" tall........, with a whole at the top. It also has a center divider that will need to be removed as well. All joints are professionaly bonded and water tight. The problem is that I want to lay it down on its side so that it measures 48" long x 33" wide x 18"tall, so that the aquarium will have a lot of surface area for my rays. This will require me to purchase a piece a 3/8" acrylic (approx. 33" x 18" and bond it with the correct solvent to the side of it. I will also need to cut out the appropriate openings on the new top for access to the aquarium. There is one other problem as well.........., there are about (8) 1/4" whole drilled in the soon to be side of the aquarium (dont ask me why), that will obviously need to be filled some how.

I have worked with bonding acrylic before but I do not have that much experience to feel confident with my plan of attack, so that i can have peace of mind that this aquarium will not leak when done because it will be used on a finished 2nd story.
This is where everybody here comes in......., I was hoping some of yas would be kind enough to give me some adviseon a few things. One being the method of filling these wholes so that they are water tight and not a complete eye-sore. Also I was wondering if anyone had advice on weather or not I could bond the acrylic to the outside edge of the container and router off the excess for a nice touch or should i try to bond a perfectly cut pice to the inside part of the aquarium (as I understand this is the prefered way) Anyway, here are some pics with some other questions / comments along the way.....

These first two pics show how it was intended to be used




These next two pics show how the aquarium will be oriented / situated (on its side) with the end bonded with a 3/8" acrylic piece. what type of solvent does everybody recommend. I've seen weldon4 and 3 used....




These next two pics show the holes that I will need to fill......, like I said these will be on the sides where you will view through, so they will need to be somewhat nice when finished....., although I realize I probably wont be able to get it close to perfect. I have melted down acrylic pieces / shaving with solvent/acetone before. I was wondering if this would be a good idea to get a thick mixture together and inject it into the hole (back it with something to keep it from coming out the other side.., and allow it to harden. (I need some help in this department.....




This picture shows the side that i will need to bond a 3/8" acrylic side to. This brings up another question......., since this container was origionally ment to be stood up the origional bottom/future side is bonded to the outside of the acrylic, not on the inside like what is normally done on acrylic aquarium construction......, Do you think this will be structurally sound. The height is only going to be 18" so I am thinking there will not be that much stress/pressure on these side joints. Whats everybody think...., like I said all the joints are professionally done and look real good (no air bubbles).
The pic also shows the center divider that I will need to remove. I am either going to cut the center piece out flush or leave about a approx. 1/2" left on the top and bottom (may provide some rigidness). The option may be to use some solvent to soften it up and force it loose from the top and bottom and the one side....., althought this is just a idea and i dont know if it will work....., what does everybody think????


This last picture shows the top where i will be cutting out 4 openings, leaving 4" on all side and 8" in the middle between of all the wholes. The two rings that you see are actually melt marks that were from a light for the exhibit.


First off...., thanks to anyone with some help. I really want to see this project work out. And sorry for so much writing, just need to explain the complexity off the project. Look forward to ur guys comments and advise.......... I love this forum

 

[repair]

I'm afraid that the maletrial is too thin.

I would go to some of the acrylic tank manufactures websites and see what thickness they are using for tanks of the same size as the one you have.

I hate to be a wet blanket but having a tank burst would suck.

 

[Gr8KarmaSF]

I'm afraid that the maletrial is too thin.

Since the weight might be to much for the tank to hold, another option would be to only fill the tank 1/3 full and using it for possibly other amphibians or reps like turtles, salamanders, snakes, frogs, etc.

If you do deciede to fill it up. I would fill it up outside first leaving it alone for a couple of weeks to see if it holds. Thou eventually I think the tank would bow out majorly.

Good Luck!

 

[rook45]

i was thinkin the same thing

 

[jdepasqu2]

I was always under the asumption that 3/8" was good up until 18" height??? Is everyone concerned that the width (33") is where the problem would be??? Because i have defiently seen 18" tall tanks that were constructed with 3/8" acrylic. If it was an issue I could defiently only fill it 2/3's of the way. It will actually only be filled 17"..... that really would suck if the acrylic was too thin......, but like said i am pretty much positive that 3/8" is good up to 18" in height..... whats everybody think...???

 

[Nic]

I don't think I would risk it. my rays are worth more than a gamble.

 

[Oddball]

Definitely too thin to hold water. And the divider is mounted with a chemical bond that, once removed, will be a weakened area at the center of the the widest walls. That's a soaked carpet in the making.

Be better to use it to hold/display dry collectables like autographed sports items or other knick knacks (like dinosaur bones .

 

[jdepasqu2]

Also what if I bonded acrylic strips to the inside joints to further reiforce them. Like 3/8" x 3/8" square pieces cut in half on a diagonal. Or is the blow out not going to happen at the joints but rather at the panels themselve....??? I really want to make this work....... even if i narrowed the the width a bit...., cus like I said I have definetly have seen 18" tall aquariums constructed of 3/8" acrylic. This container is like 6/7 hundred dollars worth of acrylic (professionally bonded at that)......., i need to make something usefull out of it......

 

[jdepasqu2]

what width would I need to get it too...., in order for it to not burst........???

 

[jdepasqu2]

Definitely too thin to hold water. And the divider is mounted with a chemical bond that, once removed, will be a weakened area at the center of the the widest walls. That's a soaked carpet in the making.

Be better to use it to hold/display dry collectables like autographed sports items or other knick knacks (like dinosaur bones .

I think you may be misunderstanding me...., probably my fault...., the widest wall would the other sides......, it will be the sides with the small wholes in it and they will only be 18" tall...... when i remove that middle piece...., it will only be diconnecting the bond between the top and bottom of the proposed aquarium......., is everybody worried about the joints failing or the panels themselves. isnt 3/8" good up to 18" aquarium heights...???