building an aquarium 2

8/11/2019 Building an Aquarium 2

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Building an Acrylic Aquariumby Brad Newton

Building your own Acrylic tank is a rewarding, cost saving, andenjoyable project. If you have basic carpentry & power tool skillsyou should have no trouble building your own beautiful Acrylictank.

The tools required are as follows:

A fixed base router preferably one with at least !."# $%& ' collet(

A )*flute, straight cut router bit ' or larger dia+eter,

and !.)#' cutting length or +ore is preferred( ' shankis also a plus, since these bits get very hot when cuttingacrylic.

A fixed straight edge at least )' longer than your longestAcrylic piece(

)* la+ps

) %- holding jigs these will be detailed in the article( oor panel or si+ilar flat work surface /yringe or solvent bottle get a couple, they can fail at a

bad ti+e(

0eld1n 2 /olvent ce+ent get a pint, better to have too

+uch than not enough(

Optional as per application:

A )*flute straight cut router bit with flush cut bearing fortri++ing down tank edges for a +ore finished look(

$olesaws if drilling for plu+bing is re3uired( 4igsaw & plastic jigsaw blades for larger cutouts( ircular saw with la+inate blade for cutting down stock(


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rill with bits for s+aller holes, or starting a path for ajigsaw run(

Before we begin...

5his is a rather ti+e consu+ing project as far as locating a

plastic source, getting the sea+ing process down andasse+bling the tank. %lan on at least a weekend to practicewith Acrylic edge routing and sea+ing, and +ore ti+e if you6renot satisfied with the results.

5he first thing to do when deciding to atte+pt this project isco+ing up with the desired tank si7e. 5his will deter+ine thea+ount & thickness of +aterial re3uired.

8eep in +ind, a taller tank will re3uire thicker and +uch +ore

expensive( +aterial, and keeping waste to a +ini+u+ is a+ajor concern. 5ry and design your tank to acco+odate full29x:9 sheets. ;ou should get a graph tablet and try and seehow +uch tank you can get into two or three sheets. I can geta !inding a plastic supplier can be a rather challenging event.?nfortunately, pricing can fluctuate dra+atically fro+ one

source to another. ;ou really need to call around, and a largecity with several suppliers usually yields the best results. Besure to have the+ include the cutting in their prices. Again, awell thought out plan will also keep the cuts to a +ini+u+.

All Acrylic used for A3uariu+s should be ell*ast. o not use@xtruded for anything taller than !)' tanks

Basic thickness guidelines are as follows and only applies totanks : feet or less in length

Aquarium Height Sheet Thickness

1 to 12 inches 1/4 inch

12 - 18 inches 3/8 inch



5hese are just guidelines and have been used by +ost of theco++ercial tank builders, the Acrylic +anufacturers


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reco++end thicker sheet, but the above reco++endationshave been 'field*tested' over ti+e and have proved reliable.1bviously, if +oney isn6t an issue get the next thickest si7e, itsurely won6t hurt.

5his article will only apply to s3uare or rectangle tanks to keep

things as si+ple as possible. 5he basic tank layout is asfollows

5he side panels are sandwiched between the front and backpanels and the four panels rest on the botto+ piece. 5he topsection is typically one piece resting on the four panels withcutouts for the lids. It can also consist of a center brace andperi+eter bracing although this is best left to +oreexperienced builders(.

0hen getting your cut sheet together to sub+it to your plasticshop, keep these things in +ind

All cuts +ade at the acrylic shop will re+ove aprox. !:'fro+ the piece the width of their saw blade(, take thisinto account when getting your cutsheet together.

5he front,back, and side panels will all be the sa+eheight. 8eep in +ind, the final height will include the top& botto+ sheet thickness added to the height of thevertical panels.

5he botto+ and top panels should be !2' longer than

the length of the front & back panels to allow forsea+ing(

5he botto+ & top piece should be also be a !2' longerthan the width.

5he desired tank width +inus ) x the sheet thickness willgive you the length for the side panels.

;ou C?/5 allow !!D' extra on each side that will beedge routered. 5his will give you the desired final

di+ension after your edge prep.

5he following edges need to be router prepped for sea+ing

Sheet Action

Top &

BottomNo router prep

Front & BackRouter prep top & bottom edges

only

Sides Router prep all 4 edges


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5o keep it si+ple, a tank "=' long, !:' high, and !#' widewould re3uire the following

E:' Acrylic ell*ast sheet 5he front, back and side panels will all be !".)#' high F

!:' for router prep on both edges(. 5his +akes the finalheight !:', since you add ) x the sheet thickness ) xE:'G."#'( for the top & botto+ panels.

5he botto+ and top panels will be "=.)#' long and !#.)#'wide

5he side panels will be ) x E:' ."#'( +inus !#' G!2.)#' F !:' for router prep on re+aining two edges(

$opefully this +akes sense. 1nce you lay it on paper and seethe following pictures it should beco+e clear.

0hen you order your plastic, let the+ know you6re building afish tank and need the cuts to be very accurate. Hike piecesshould be within !!D' of each other. Bring a tape +easurewith you to the shop and verify the cuts. on6t accept shortcuts. If the piece is a bit long that6s 18 you can router it downlater. All shops have a scrap bin. you C?/5 get scrap topractice with. 5hey +ay charge for scrap but it6s still +oneywell spent. If it6s free, get as +uch as they6ll let you take.

5he key to successful tank building is sea+ preparation &solvent application. If you have wavy, uneven edges you won6tget a 3uality build. 5he best way for an occasional tank builderto achieve 3uality edges is with a reliable straight edge and a3uality router. If you have access to a router table or +oreprofessional e3uip+ent, even better.

Het9s get started.

Preparing your individual sheets:

$ere6s the router with the straight*cut flush bit installed. I usedthis for all +y edge prep and to 'flush*cut' the finished product.


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I use a straight edge and +easure fro+ +y router cut point toshave off between !E) * !!D'. If you have a co+bo s3uare youcan save this +easure+ent for 3uick reference. I cla+p thestraight edge down and +ake an initial pass with the router, youwant to run the router in the direction that the blade will goagainst the direction of travel, otherwise the router will take offand run. 5ry and use a 3uicker router speed !:,=== J%C F( and

a steady pass speed. %ractice a bit with this. ;ou should get aclean edge. If you run your nail across the edge and it has a bitof s+all ridges like a nail file( then you need to increase your bitspeed and possibly +ake a 3uicker pass. $ere6s the differencebetween a shop cut edge right( and a routered edge

1nce you feel confident with your routing skills then you can+ove on to your J@AH pieces. 0hen +aking the initial pass be

sure to only take off a +ini+al a+ount !E)' is good(. If yourpieces aren6t 3uite true you +ay have to +ake several passes toget a solid straight edge. 5his is where +ost of your ti+e isspent.

If you have two like pieces, stack the+ and route the+ togetheras in the photo below, you6ll get a +uch closer fit that way. ;oushould keep the protective paper on the sheets until the sea+ingprocess.


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0hen routing a long piece it6s a good idea to brace your straightedge in the +iddle as shown to prevent any bowing along theway.

1nce you get all your pieces edge routed you can perfor+ anyadditional cutsholes that +ay be re3uired. 0hen cutting holes orother cutouts, you need to keep the cutting blades, holesaws orbits water*cooled as you go. $ere6s a typical bulkhead cutting

procedure

>irst, +ark your cutout with the bulkhead washer as a guide.

>or larger holes you can use a jigsaw with blades +ade forcutting plastic(. ;ou can start the jigsaw run with a few s+allholes then wiggle the drill back and forth to cut a path betweenthe holes to +ake a slot for the jigsaw blade to fit into.


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1nce you start your jigsaw cut, be sure to have a spray bottlehandy and keep the blade wet as you go.

0hen using a holesaw, drill into the plastic about !!D' and thenflip the sheet over and drill out the hole fro+ this side. If you drillfro+ one side only you +ay get so+e chipping when the holesawbreaks through, giving you a tough surface for a water tightbulkhead. ;ou should +ake the cuts in several tries letting the

bit cool down & spray away the plastic shaving then start again.5he holesaw gets extre+ely hot and trying to cut too +uch willcause the holesaw to +elt into the plastic creating big proble+s,trust +e on this one. Be sure to spray plenty of water as you drillto keep the holesaw as cool as possible.

Cake sure the bulkhead fits without any binding.


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0hen cutting out lids and other openings for your top, it6s best touse a router and a straight edge. ;ou can also use a jigsaw asshown below. Acrylic isn6t a very good choice as a lid, they tendto warp and sag, especially with the added heat fro+ tanklighting. !2' glass is a good choice for a lid, if you want it tohinge, just run a bead of silicone between two panes of glass.

If you have any internal integrated overflows, here6s a good way

to +ake your overflow teeth. I use a !2' straight cut router bitand a couple straight edges. $ere6s the setup. It allows for exactdepth control and I like to keep ' of acrylic between each notchand go down !.)#' into the sheet.

Solvent seaming:

Now, let6s address the issue of solvent sea+ing. It6s a bit tricky, butonce you get the hang of it it6s a very efficient and strong way tobond all but the very largest of a3uaria. In fact, solvent sea+ing is


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used for acrylic as thick as !.#' in the industryK

5he basics of solvent sea+ing are this

5he solvent needs to be applied on a hori7ontal plane to insureproper flow of the thin solvent into the sea+.

5he solvent actually pulls into the sea+ through capillary action

and will +elt or weld the pieces of plastic together, the solventevaporates leaving a very strong and clear sea+, if perfor+edproperly.

5he edges and the space between the pieces to be bonded needto be very even. If the edges are poorly prepped or the gapbetween pieces isn6t consistant you6ll end up with a lot ofbubbles and gaps, not at all acceptable for a water tight fixture.

5he following tools are needed for solvent sea+ing

A can of 0eld1n 2 A solvent bottle with needle A tube of 0eld1n !D

I don6t reco++end using the 01!D it6s not very strong and is hardto apply without +aking a +ess. Also, I prefer using a plastic syringewith a )# gauge needle. 5hey6re very cheap at a vet supply and Iusually get about 2 syringes and : needles at a ti+e L M# ?/(.5hey6re easier for +e to control and also easier to extract the

0eld1n2 fro+ the can. ;ou6ll see +e using the syringes for thisarticle.

I use the 'pins +ethod' for sea+ing +y tanks, it6s a great way to getflawless sea+s, and with so+e practice you should get good results.5he 'pins' +ethod is as follows

!.;ou insert pins between the panels to be sea+ed at evenintervals, this keeps a fairly even gap between your two pieces,very i+portant for good joints.

).5he gap needs to be large enough to allow good solvent flow


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but not too large as to cause the solvent to flow out of the jointand create wasteful & har+ful puddling.

E.

I use ball head pins fro+ 0alCart si7e !" * ! !!D', they workwell for this application.

2.;ou +ay also need to add shi+s under the lower acrylic piece tokeep all the pins snugged up, this insures the gap is even. -@J;

IC%1J5AN5KKK#.5he pins keep a gap to allow a good a+ount of solvent into the

joint, this lets the solvent +elt the acrylic, you then re+ove thepins fro+ the gap and the 'softened'acrylic will +elt together. Iknow it probably sounds co+plex, but it really isn6t with a bit ofpractice.

D.;ou have a rather s+all ti+e table to re+ove the pins once thesolvent is applied, I like to keep it about E= seconds. If you gotoo long, the solvent will have already started welding theplastic, and the pins will be hard to re+ove and will leave airpockets where the pins used to be.

".5he best way to do this I6ve found, is have a helper on hand. Irun the solvent, +aking sure to get a gap free solvent run, andafter E= seconds have gone by, the helper starts re+oving thepins at the sa+e rate that I6+ applying the solvent. >or shortsea+s you can do it all yourself, but it6s far better in +yexperience to take your ti+e on long sea+s and use a helperrather than trying to apply the solvent and hurry back tore+ove the pins. It9s just too +uch for one person to do.

:.

I +entioned having the pieces overlap a bit. ;ou want at least a!!D' overhanging edge on your botto+ piece for the +eltedpuddle fillet( of acrylic to set on, this seals in the edge keepingair out of the sea+, very i+portant for 3uality sea+s.


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0hen you have the pins under the sheet it has a tendancy to roll onthe pins, you +ay want a helper to hold the sheet as you apply thesolvent. 0ith practice, you6ll know what your li+its are. >or largersheets, I6ve designed so+e holding jigs as shown. 5hey6re +ade fro+!' %- and I don6t glue any pieces together, you just +ake thevertical piece as long as the sheet you6re trying to hold, andinterchange the vertical piece as needed per piece si7e. 5he double

elbows on top can turn to hold the piece tightly and it works well tokeep the pieces at


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%ractice again is key hereK

1nce you6ve sea+ed a section, let it be for E * 2 hours before+oving it. 5his is -@J; IC%1J5AN5K

lear, bubble*free joints are what you6re striving fo., 8eep

practicing until your results are bubble*free, solid and clear. It6s notalways possible to eli+inate all bubbling, but your joints need to besolid fro+ edge to edge. A couple pin hole bubbles here & therearen6t a proble+, but a cluster of bubbles or gaps could cause afailure down the road. ;ou6ll know when your sea+s are right afterworking with acrylic for awhile.

Assembling the pieces:

1nce you6re confident with your prep and sea+ing skills, it6s ti+e

to asse+ble your tank. $ere6s the order that I use

!./ea+ the sides to the back panel)./ea+ the sides to the front panelE./ea+ the sides, front, and back to the top panel2.

/ea+ the asse+bled pieces to the botto+ panel

5his pic shows the two sides up for sea+ing. 5he side closest hasalready been sea+ed with an extra top support for +y overflow.Notice the weight I put atop the %- jig ** you need it for taller

panels. 5his tank is !


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0ait 2 hours, put the asse+bed sides on the top panel andsea+. Note the use of shi+s in this pic.

0ait 2 hours, flip the tank over and sea+ the botto+

If you have an overflow to install, you can do so after the tank isasse+bled. Cost overflows +ount internally, but in +yapplication I needed one on the outside to integrate with anothertank, retaining tankspace. I didn6t take a pic of the asse+bly, but

to +ount this you have to put the tank on end and keep thesea+s hori7ontal.


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/ince you6ll have a bit of Acrylic overlap on the sections thatwere sea+ed, it6s a good finishing touch to use a flush*cut routerbit, like the one shown on +y router in the first pic. Be sure tokeep the protective paper on and run the router against all theprotruding edges to get a good, flush finish around all corners.Be sure to keep the router steady and flat against the plastic. Ifyou haven6t used a flush*cut bit it6s best to practice on so+escrap plastic or wood first. 1ne last note, all outside corners will

be very sharp and should be sanded down a bit toround the corners. 4ust use a power pal+ sanderand )== grit paper and just round the corner edgedown a bit ** just enough to take out the sharpnessof the edge. ;ou +ay also want to do the sa+e onthe lip edges around the lid openings, as it canreally get sharp when doing tank +aintanance anda3uascaping.

5he picture to the right is the other tankco+pleted. It6s !!= gallons with a center brace & peri+eterbracing rather than a one*piece top.


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$ere6s a couple pics of the co+pleted tanks. /ee, it can be done.

Getting the final inspection:

Be sure to let the tank cure at least a week prior to filling it withwater. 5he longer you can wait, the better. I wait a +onth. Besure your stand has a full support underneath such as a piece of

plywood.

I know it6s a rather involved project. >eel free to e+ail if youhave any 3uestions. $opefully +ost issues have been adressed inthis article. $ave fun building your new tank.

isclai+er By building this I; project you agree not to hold the author orthe owners of this 0eb site responsible for any injury or bodily har+ you

+ay cause to yourself or others. Always wear safety glasses when workingwith tools and keep che+icals and power tools away fro+ children. Jead and

understand all safety instructions pertaining to e3uip+ent prior to use.opyright O )==" ichlid*>oru+.co+. All Jights Jeserved.

Call Professional Plastics at (800) 966-7767 orE-Mail [email protected]

Order Online at www.professionalplastics.com

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