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Unread 04/22/2016, 04:04 PM   #1
guserto4
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Gus's 123 shallow build

Today I purchased 2 pieces of 4'x8' acrylic and have thus started my jump back into the hobby "in earnest." I'll use this thread to track my progress, ask questions and share ideas so if you've got some patience, follow along with me!

I'm getting a 3/4" clear and a 1/2" white cut to size and with them will make the following:

80x24x16"T - 123 gallon display tank (white bottom, white back)
24x24x16"T - 35 gallon frag tank (white bottom, white back)
12x12x12"T - 7 gallon quarantine tank (white bottom, white on two sides)

I already know I will be getting one more sheet, 1/2" clear, at some point before the display actually gets wet, but for now this is what I felt comfortable proceeding with. I'll use that last 1/2" sheet to rim the display, make a sump tank and probably a few more quarantines. For now I'll start building, practicing my welding skills and gathering supplies and getting fish and coral through quarantine / initial grow out.



Not much more to report but excited to have made the first step after a few years out and many many years dreaming of a larger shallow build!


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Current Tank Info: Under construction: 123g 80x24x16 display & 35g 24x24x16 frag
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Unread 04/29/2016, 06:36 AM   #2
guserto4
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I picked up the acrylic yesterday and did dry fittings and started to assemble the smaller tanks and practiced my welding. I think all in all it turned out well once I got the pin method down, but I had to pull welds several times and refinish the edges before I got it right.
This is the 80x24x16" 123 gallon display dry fitted:


[IMG]http://i1303.photobucket.com/albums/ag153/guserto4/123g%20shallow%20display%20tank/6971CA03-32C2 4[IMG]

AA4-80E1-82D2CE312B14_zpsl7tvxujo.jpg[/IMG]






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Current Tank Info: Under construction: 123g 80x24x16 display & 35g 24x24x16 frag

Last edited by guserto4; 04/29/2016 at 06:44 AM.
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Unread 04/29/2016, 07:24 AM   #3
guserto4
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(switched to the computer from the ipad to load more)

Yes, the stand is too short, I will be rebuilding it because I used older warped lumber AND last minute I decided on a different tank size, so it's nearly a foot too short now.

I started welding with the 12x12x12 QT, and here's how that's looking:







And the 35 gallon frag tank. I plan on attaching more acrylic to the back for an overflow box and using bean for the return. One thing worth noting, make sure your acrylic is square and DON'T use a plastic square because it'll melt a little and bleed. Mine bled just a bit of green... I'll have to either sand that out or more likely weld in strips along the bottom edge to hid that blunder and strengthen any imperfections in the original weld up. I got a few bubbles because the front panel wasn't perfectly square and when I pulled it to meet the side panels I got a few on the outside edge. I had the same thing happen on the 12x12x12 QT (you can see the gap in these pics above) but let that site overnight before welding up the sides with the assistance of a clamp this morning.









I'm thinking of making the sump in the base using pond liner, hence the odd framing. Still working through how that'll work, but I intend on wrapping the whole stand when it's done and making a lid on a hinge for the sump/filtration.





Depending on how it works out I may do the same thing with the 123g stand as well. The frag tank and stand is my test piece.


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Current Tank Info: Under construction: 123g 80x24x16 display & 35g 24x24x16 frag

Last edited by guserto4; 04/29/2016 at 07:38 AM.
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Unread 04/29/2016, 11:00 PM   #4
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What type-brand of acrylic did you get for the white acrylic?
How are you prepping your edges?


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Unread 04/30/2016, 04:35 AM   #5
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Acrylic is P-macs or PM2 by Arkema. I checked over in the "acrylic fabrications questions, I can help" thread before I made the order. I know it's not Plex-G but it is cell cast and I see no flaws or discoloration. So far, I'm happy.

I started trying to scrape like in The King of DiY's videos but I couldn't get the edge to scrape right (probably would have helped if I had a special scraper). So I moved into what I thought would work: sanding. I hit the edges with a palm sander using 220 grit for very short bursts; just enough to get the saw marks down some. Then I used the sponge sanding blocks used for drywall. I'd sand until I couldn't see any trace of saw marks.

I built a 24x12x12 tank like a year ago and did not prep the edges hardly at all, taking the "eh, I'm sure that's fine" approach. That tank had a minor weep but eventually went away with Weldon 16, but there were noticeable saw mark related bubbles from the beginning. That tank just recently blew out. Needless to say, I was much more anal retentive with edges this time...

The edges looked real clean and I can say for sure my problem with glue ups was because of the diameter of pins I used. Initially I grabbed some picture frame wire (0.03") I had and that created problems because it took soo much Weldon to get that capillary action going and there were always bubbles. In frustration I drove to Walmart, picked up #17 sewing pins (~0.014") and first try good welds.

Just to be safe I'm using some of the falloff to beef up all edges with 1/2"x1/2" white square strips on the bottom and rear and on the front panel clear 3/4"x3/4" triangles.

I still have not touched the display tank.


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Current Tank Info: Under construction: 123g 80x24x16 display & 35g 24x24x16 frag

Last edited by guserto4; 04/30/2016 at 04:49 AM.
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Unread 04/30/2016, 08:22 PM   #6
peppie
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Scraping or sanding is not recommended for prepping an edge . You should use a router to clean up the sawmarks.
I use 28ga. wire for my pin stock with weldon 3 or 4.
Not sure I would use the white acrylic on the DT.... But if James Acrylic gave you his blessing????


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Unread 05/01/2016, 06:36 AM   #7
guserto4
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Thanks for the advice, peppie. I had minor crazing on the 35 gallon once it set and that must be attributed to my imperfect sanding job (not perfectly on edge but rounding the corners of the edges a little). I went back yesterday and added the 1/2x1/2" bracing with Weldon 4 followed up by a run of Weldon 16 for good measure along the seams and together it looks better (albeit not professional grade) so I'm hoping the added acrylic will make up for my less than 100% glue up job the first time around. Like I said, the frag tank is my practice tank. If it looks a little sloppy bc I used too much Weldon in some spots I'm okay with it so long as the bonds are, in total, solid and the thing holds water long term. I will pull out the router when I get around to the 123g. Any advice on cleaning up the big tank's edges with the router?

I dumped my pond liner sump idea and instead picked up a sheet of 1/4" acrylic from a big box store. Im going to assume it's extruded and back the sump box with 1/2" cabinet grade plywood to brace and hide it inside the stand (that's the problem with extruded, right? It isn't as good at taking the bowing stresses because of how its manufactured). The sump will be something like 20x20x12" and if it's incased in a wood box I believe it should work well. I can always add strips to the seams for that too. The enclosed sump box will also help with the aesthetic I'm going for.

As for the white- I didn't mention to James or Floyd that some of the acrylic was white, but it is the same pm2 material as the clear and I've seen plenty of tanks (and especially sumps) built with a variety of colors. I never even considered that a problem. I hope it's not now!


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Unread 05/01/2016, 09:06 AM   #8
guserto4
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Quote:
White is fine, I use it too :-)

James
Phew!


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Unread 05/01/2016, 07:38 PM   #9
peppie
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When I prep my edges I cut a piece of MDF to the finish size of the said acrylic panel .. Clamp the oversized acrylic to it and rout the edges with a pattern making bit. ( the one with a bearing on the bottom)


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