purchasing acrylic

[jason gilman]

were can i get acrylic to build a over flow for my ref.does HD
sell it.

[tangwang]

HD does indeed sell it! Reasonably low prices at that.

[jason gilman]

acrilic and plexiglass arent the same correct.acrlic is a harder material.
how much is cheap.

[tangwang]

There are many different types of acrylic sheets. HD sells a few different kinds, manufactured by GE. Lexan is probably the strongest you can get, and I pay $50.00 for a sheet of Lexan that measures 36"x 24", 1/4" thick, I believe, at HD. Usually, cell cast acrylic sheets are preffered for building aquariums, but some people even preffer the Lexan over that. But if your just using it to build an overflow, you would be probably safe using just the plain acrylic sheets that HD carries for like $20 bucks for a 48" x 24" sheet. I mean, the thick stuff is generally used for support purposes. I built my 50 gal propegation tanks out of 1/4" Lexan, and I don't think I paid more than $150. I just use the cheap stuff on the overflows, or baffles for the sump. HD will also cut the acrylic for you, to whatever sizes you need, free of charge.

Matt

[jason gilman]

awsome time to take a trip to HD.now i just got to figure out the REF problem and get some blue prints on a overflow.what do you use to glue it together.

[tangwang]

Weld-On adhesives, makes an acrylic solvent that seems to be the industry standard. HD doesn't sell acrylic solvent, though. You'd have to get it from the local glass shop, and sometimes they're a bit pricey. What I used instead of WeldOn, was a homemade acrylic solvent, that the local acrylic shop gave me the recipe for. It is very simple to make, and definitely cheaper than WeldOn. Take standard clear pvc Cleaner, and mix shavings of the acrylic you are using , until you get the desired consistency or thickness. This homemade solvent essentially bonds the acrylic together the same way Weldon solvent does. And it cures just as strong. I used Weldon when constructing my 55 gal sump, and used the homemade concoction when I constructed my two 50 gal propegation tanks, and they all hold equally well.

Matt

[jason gilman]

thanks tang.now i just need a blueprint.

[tangwang]

Yeah, that's the fun part. Just remember, when you build your own, there are unlimited possibilities, so have fun :D

Matt

[jason gilman]

hehe