Building acrylic tank..need some info please.
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@Floyd R Turbo might be able to help if he's around.
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12 mm acrylic would be fine for your approximately 1 meter cube tank....assuming it is built with framing on the top.....and the bottom is entirely supported.
The one major difference between glass and acylic tanks is that you do have to support the bottom of the acrylic tank.
The one major difference between glass and acylic tanks is that you do have to support the bottom of the acrylic tank.
40" x 42" x 10", with a eurobrace or without? For acrylic I mean.
This is not necessarily true. You need to have full support under a rimless glass tank.
For a rimless glass tank, you need a very flat surface and then a thin layer or foam, preferrably white styrofoam as this will compress a bit and take out any imperfections in the flat surface. Glass generally doesn't warp so you can set it on foam.
For an acrylic tank, you just want a flat surface and no foam. But it needs to be a sturdy flat surface, like 2 layers of 3/4" plywood and free of any debris. Foam compresses and you do not want that with acrylic because that allows the material (bottom) to flex, usually in the middle, and this bends the joints and can lead to early failure, so you just want it to stay flat.
For a rimless glass tank (stock tank, like Aqueon or Marineland etc) these have a rim and you only need to support the rim, an never use foam as this will/can push up on the bottom in the middle and cause it to crack.
yes, just make sure you have good support under it, like 2x4s etc so that the flat surface stays flat under load. 10" tall tank is not a lot of load though.
12mm acrylic is 1/2" and that is plenty thick. I personally would make this size tank out of 3/8" walls minimum (that's my general minimum) and you could probably get away with 1/4" on the bottom and the euro. For the euro, ideally you want a crossbrace every 24" for a 48" span, in this case that would mean 4 cutouts making a "+" sign in the middle, but for a 10" tall tank again, that's a bit of overkill. Could probably get away with a 6" perimeter euro and call it good. 1.5" radius on the inside corners of the euro (3" diameter) minimum, and make sure you knock the edges down on the euro cut, top and bottom, just with a razor blade at a 45 degree angle to the edge - this relieves the stress focus point of the sharp corner, and also saves your hands and arms from getting a layer or two of skin shaved off should you happen to rake your arm across it.
12mm acrylic is 1/2" and that is plenty thick. I personally would make this size tank out of 3/8" walls minimum (that's my general minimum) and you could probably get away with 1/4" on the bottom and the euro. For the euro, ideally you want a crossbrace every 24" for a 48" span, in this case that would mean 4 cutouts making a "+" sign in the middle, but for a 10" tall tank again, that's a bit of overkill. Could probably get away with a 6" perimeter euro and call it good. 1.5" radius on the inside corners of the euro (3" diameter) minimum, and make sure you knock the edges down on the euro cut, top and bottom, just with a razor blade at a 45 degree angle to the edge - this relieves the stress focus point of the sharp corner, and also saves your hands and arms from getting a layer or two of skin shaved off should you happen to rake your arm across it.
Oh whoops I saw LWH not LHW!!!
That changes things quite a bit. 48" tall acrylic tank: 1/2" will not do, no way. I will have to check but you are at 3/4" if not 1" thick at that height
That changes things quite a bit. 48" tall acrylic tank: 1/2" will not do, no way. I will have to check but you are at 3/4" if not 1" thick at that height
Its a 43" tall not 48"...how tall could I go with 12mm acrylic...I can still change my design I can keep the 1030 length and the 260 width and height??? I'm pretty flexible really..if you could find out for me that would be awesome! Thanks
I personally wouldn't go much over 24" tall
