Diy filter floss/fuge divider >$10

[cracker]

Well Ya had to pay for the electricity to heat up the acrylic right? So Your title was correct ! I have a heat gun it's like a souped up hair blower. works great for heating & bending " not to big" pieces of acrylic .

 

[reeftigergal]

I’ll be sure to post my results here when I get around to trying this. Also need to find a way to make my own inTank media basket on the cheap...hmmm

I make easy media baskets out of the square grate sheets an plastic zip ties. Work great. Also can glue them instead.
Sometimes I use acrylic, but more expensive and time consuming.
Another way is to glue strips of acrylic to the edges in media basket location and just take the same square grate sheets and cut the sizes U need to sit on each ledge/ Easy, works well, and comes in and out for changing media.

Grate is the same stuff to make frag racks out of. I do those as well. I love DIY ;Blackeye LOL

 

[chaostactics]

E

I make easy media baskets out of the square grate sheets an plastic zip ties. Work great. Also can glue them instead.
Sometimes I use acrylic, but more expensive and time consuming.
Another way is to glue strips of acrylic to the edges in media basket location and just take the same square grate sheets and cut the sizes U need to sit on each ledge/ Easy, works well, and comes in and out for changing media.

Grate is the same stuff to make frag racks out of. I do those as well. I love DIY ;Blackeye LOL

Egg crate?

 

[reeftigergal]

E

Egg crate?

I guess that's what it's called

 

[reeftigergal]

 

[S.O.MLemos]

Tablesaw with finish blade and a heat gun will make your project a lot easier, faster and safer if you have means to them FYI. Also acrylic is about half the cost of Lowe’s/Home Depot on Amazon just in case your buying a bunch(I order 4’x4’ sheets of 1/4” black&clear for like 40$ and free shipping which would be 120$ at Home Depot)

 

[._Z_.]

A tablesaw would be really useful but I’m in an apartment lol. Amazon does seem to be cheaper than brick stores near me, does 1/8” feel flimsy or cheap? Would you recommend 1/4” for most things?

 

[S.O.MLemos]

Yeah I’d probably recommend 1/4” or even the 3/16”. I’ve used 1/8” for terrarium builds though and it’s plenty strong for that sort of stuff

 

[chaostactics]

A tablesaw would be really useful but I’m in an apartment lol. Amazon does seem to be cheaper than brick stores near me, does 1/8” feel flimsy or cheap? Would you recommend 1/4” for most things?

I would recommend against 1/4" unless you need acrylic that will put up with "high force" situations i.e. sump dividers, filter sock holders, diy dosing or ato containers.

1/4" is far harder to score snap and waaaay harder to bend.

 

[chaostactics]

Tablesaw with finish blade and a heat gun will make your project a lot easier, faster and safer if you have means to them FYI. Also acrylic is about half the cost of Lowe’s/Home Depot on Amazon just in case your buying a bunch(I order 4’x4’ sheets of 1/4” black&clear for like 40$ and free shipping which would be 120$ at Home Depot)

Safer?

I didn't know about Amazon acrylic, good info!

 

[S.O.MLemos]

I say safer because I’ve been cut multiple times with the score and snap method but I’ve only cut the tip of my finger off once with a tablesaw in high school lol

 

[SciGuy2]

With care, one can do a nice job cutting acrylic with a hack saw or a coping saw. For straight cuts consider using some sort of a guide like a mitre box, or two straight pieces of wood clamped to the plastic.

 

[S.O.MLemos]

A tablesaw would be really useful but I’m in an apartment lol. Amazon does seem to be cheaper than brick stores near me, does 1/8” feel flimsy or cheap? Would you recommend 1/4” for most things?

Also if you end up using 1/8” for anything and you have to drill holes, run your drill in reverse and basically melt through to avoid catching and cracking

 

[chaostactics]

Also if you end up using 1/8” for anything and you have to drill holes, run your drill in reverse and basically melt through to avoid catching and cracking

There's a thought. Sort of why I used a pilot point bit. But I went super light pressure and max rpm and had the bit half melt/half drill the acrylic.