Calling all DIY Wizards!!!

[Tedzilla]

Sorry, I hope I am not being annoying... But I am on a roll with the DIY and acrylic. Today I made a QT, that's all acrylic. I reinforced (and waterproofed) the tank by adding strips at the seams. It's the not the thickest acrylic, and my cuts were "meh", so I figured it would be better to have it function right, rather than leak, crack, or break at some point. It holds water and is quite sturdy. It isn't the prettiest, but fully functional.

Excuse the mess; it's the laundry room...

 

[Scrubber_steve]

Sorry, I hope I am not being annoying... But I am on a roll with the DIY and acrylic. Today I made a QT, that's all acrylic. I reinforced (and waterproofed) the tank by adding strips at the seams. It's the not the thickest acrylic, and my cuts were "meh", so I figured it would be better to have it function right, rather than leak, crack, or break at some point. It holds water and is quite sturdy. It isn't the prettiest, but fully functional.

Excuse the mess; it's the laundry room...

Looks OK.

I'd put a brace across the top from front to back. That will stop flex, stress & possible leaks or total failure.

 

[Tedzilla]

Looks OK.

I'd put a brace across the top from front to back. That will stop flex, stress & possible leaks or total failure.

Thanks for the input... I had wood blades on my saws, and the acrylic was won at an auction, so it's seen better days. It's a functional item, going in the garage; it won't be entering any beauty pageants. There are braces going up the corners of the walls, just like at the bottom. And just like in a swimming pool, all the pressure is at the bottom of the tank. So if there is going to be a failure at this point, it'll definitely be at the bottom. That's why I didn't take the pillars all the way to the tippy top. There's no need, as the pressure will be minimal. The acrylic is 1/4" thick, so the seams are a 1/2". For a 12-13 gallon QT, with acrylic Weld-on double seams- I'd trust it over a glass tank counterpart bonded with silicon- any day.

 

[Bow4it]

With the use of the Weld-on cement the joints will be stronger that the acrylic. I always let mine dry for 3 days before water testing. Looks good

 

[Tedzilla]

Looks OK.

I'd put a brace across the top from front to back. That will stop flex, stress & possible leaks or total failure.

I was half asleep when I responded to you last time... I see what you are saying now. Make a center brace at the top, like on most aquariums.

With the use of the Weld-on cement the joints will be stronger that the acrylic. I always let mine dry for 3 days before water testing. Looks good

Thanks! I've seen people say they cure up to a week. I went 24 hours, but I'll probably do 3 days in the future. I'm still kind of in the amateur phase, even though, it's not rocket science. It's little things that I'm learning, like keep the lid on the Weld-on so it doesn't evaporate, etc.

 

[Bow4it]

Yep I wasted a lot of weld-on by leaving it open....We always learn the hard way.

 

[Scrubber_steve]

I was half asleep when I responded to you last time... I see what you are saying now. Make a center brace at the top, like on most aquariums.

 

[Bow4it]

so true...You cant really believe how much 1/4" acrylic will bow over time. The brace across the middle is the key for sure.

 

[webmanny]

Having had success yesterday with the ATS, I decided to make a holder for the float valve I received today. For any do DIY'ers out there interested in working with acrylic, there are some tips below...

1. Make sure you have a smooth, flat surface to work on that won't cling to the acrylic. An old solid board will work. Avoid particle board, as the smaller pieces will stick.

2. Keep some smaller pieces of wood (2x4/2x6/2x8's etc) close by, that you can use as a brace. Clamps are your friend.

3. Use Weld-on 3. It starts to set in a minute or less. So you need to be prepared to get it glued right, the first time. Dry fit everything first, to see and eliminate any gaps. Weld-on 4 takes longer to set, but I honestly would have liked a faster set than the #3 in most cases.

4. The Weld-on is a water thin liquid. So when using an applicator syringe (hobby stores have them), it will just pour right out when you turn the applicator upside down. SQUEEZE the bottle right side up, then- when applying- SLOWLY tilt the needle towards the seam. As the liquid comes out, it will bleed in between the seams on it's own. Squeezing the air out before hand, will allow you to now have suction so a ton doesn't come spilling out. But it will still try, so be wary. Hold it tight for two minutes, then look for air pockets and apply some more Weld-on in those spots.

5. You can cut the acrylic really easy with wood saws. A table saw, miter saw, and band saw- all work- really well. Use a fine tooth blade if possible on the table and miter saws. Drilling holes are easy, but be careful once you punch through. The drill bit can catch and turn the piece you're drilling (especially if it's small) into a airplane propeller that can smash a finger. So have it well braced when you start drilling.

6. Don't put any pressure on the seams for at least an hour after melting them together.

7. Don't bother looking for Weld-on in the store. Just save yourself the time and gas, and order it online.

8. When you open the Weld-on (with pliers most likely), it will have a piece of metal in the opening that says "Cut this out". Punch a hole in it with a screw driver, and pry the piece out. Be careful! Again, this is water thin liquid. If you jostle too much, trying to pry this piece out, you'll lose half the product on the floor.

Hope that helps. Message me if you have questions.

Awesome work on both the ATS and the holder. Thank you for sharing!

 

[wowkingjames]

Love all your DIY wizards.

 

[Ras Bubbles]

My ATO $12 @ Home depot. Hooked it up directly to the ro/di and it sits in my sump. Been running with no issues for the last 4 - 5yrs. Even put one in my mix tank.

Nice one!!! @SALT WIFE
Any links to your build or specific brand,model?

 

[webmanny]

I decided to start a small reef tank for my son, since he likes mine so much, but wanted to also make it a father/son bonding experience and also a learning experience for him. Therefore, we built his light from a HomeDepot 1-3/4 in. Aluminum Flat Top Threshold and some 12V ebay care dome LEDs. Surprisingly enough, it works great and even the corals are growing great.

These are photos from the light

These are some of the corals:

 

[xclusive252]

Love this topic

 

[Ras Bubbles]

Sweet idea, do you still have the link for the eBay led's?

 

[LostReefer]

My build thread is going to be filled with diy in the next year. I guess I’ll cross post them here.

 

[dantimdad]

I didn't know this existed until now.

I guess I know a thing or two about DIY stuff.

EDIT: added #DIYWizards to my signature.

 

[joekool]

My build thread is going to be filled with diy in the next year. I guess I’ll cross post them here.

Let me know if you need some help always willing to help..

 

[Amc8804]

Diy filter cups working great! Will be 3-d printing some very soon!

 

[dantimdad]

I downloaded the model from thingiverse for cups. Just haven't freed up the printer for the amount of time it will take.

Plus, my sump that's on the way has a floss box that's swappable for socks.

I have to tell you, that buying a 3d printer has opened up new worlds of DIY for me. And for under $300 including a bunch of different filaments, it's well worth it.

 

[Converted to Saltwater]

Ok. I want in on this. If I can build it or mod it most likely I have.
Circuit board repair my specialty. Next about anything I can hammer, screw, glue, or make my myself. How do I join?