I definitely agree but for the size I needed acrylic was alot cheaper. I would have rather used glass but acrylic worked fine for me. Just make sure the thickness is correct to prevent bowing. And secure with screws use silicone as a gasket.
How do you know if your sheet of acrylic is thick enough and wont bow? I found a guy selling a 4x6 sheet that's 5/8 thick. I want to use the whole sheet for the viewing pane. I'd like the tank to be 72 long 48 high 24 deep. If I have 6" borders I'll still have 3ft of viewing space. What are your thoughts?
From what I've read the taller you go the more pressure is on the acrylic. I plan on building a 1000g tank when I buy a house it will be 48" tall and I'll probably use 1' acrylic.
Nice work David! Just found this channel and your plywood tanks look great. I'm in the beginning stages of planning a plywood aquarium and like you, want to use acrylic. I've emailed a few acrylic companies and Pond Shield about bonding acrylic to the epoxy and Butch from Pond Shield said my plan could work well... I asked if the epoxy itself would bond to the Acrylic if I sanded a perimeter and applied epoxy right to the Acrylic like a frame that covers front, back, and sides. That way I could just use silicone because its bonding epoxy to epoxy. Of course I'll use screws like you did for extra strength. Did you use the resin in the corners before you applied the fiberglass matt/tape/fabric? Or just put the epoxy over the fiberglass?
Hello Patrick and thanks for watching. I actually bought a test piece of acrylic 8x24. I sanded half and ran a bead of every silicone I had and the pond shield. I really should have made a video of it. The pond shield didn't stick to the acrylic very well once cured. The silicone actually stuck better. But your plan would work mainly because of the screws. Make sure you go every 2 inches or so and use stainless steel. GE silicone scs 1200 and momentive black silicone stuck the best. Both are fda compliant so food safe. I put the epoxy on the edges before adding the fiberglass to the corners one corner at a time.
@@dtizzle30 I'm surprised the epoxy didn't stick to the Acrylic, thought that stuff would grab hold of anything. How disappointing lol. I assume if that didn't stick to Acrylic then trying the fiberglass and resin around the perimeter of the Acrylic wouldn't work well either? Either way I'll still follow your example and then run silicone around the outer edge of the panel too as a first line of defense, after its screwed in to place. So far so good with the tanks? Do you still think it's definitely cost effective and worth it to build? I plan on building two, 8'x2'x2' of those things! Lol.
Absolutely cost effective I built the 350g for 800-1000 bucks. I would never be able to find a regular tank that size for that price. Plus not as heavy if you half to move. I definitely recommend it. When I buy a house soon. I'm going to build a 1200g tank.
@@dtizzle30 thank you also I went home depot today trying to find those stainless steel screws couldn't find any do you have link for those as well and size you used
real good tip on the access holes in the top supports
Nice David.
How do you determine the thickness of acrylic needed
Everyone uses glass because 1) it doesn't bow and 2) silicone adheres to glass much much better than acrylic.
I definitely agree but for the size I needed acrylic was alot cheaper. I would have rather used glass but acrylic worked fine for me. Just make sure the thickness is correct to prevent bowing. And secure with screws use silicone as a gasket.
@@dtizzle30 what was the length of steel screws?
Nice
Thanks man.
How do you know if your sheet of acrylic is thick enough and wont bow? I found a guy selling a 4x6 sheet that's 5/8 thick. I want to use the whole sheet for the viewing pane. I'd like the tank to be 72 long 48 high 24 deep. If I have 6" borders I'll still have 3ft of viewing space. What are your thoughts?
From what I've read the taller you go the more pressure is on the acrylic. I plan on building a 1000g tank when I buy a house it will be 48" tall and I'll probably use 1' acrylic.
Nice work David! Just found this channel and your plywood tanks look great. I'm in the beginning stages of planning a plywood aquarium and like you, want to use acrylic. I've emailed a few acrylic companies and Pond Shield about bonding acrylic to the epoxy and Butch from Pond Shield said my plan could work well... I asked if the epoxy itself would bond to the Acrylic if I sanded a perimeter and applied epoxy right to the Acrylic like a frame that covers front, back, and sides. That way I could just use silicone because its bonding epoxy to epoxy. Of course I'll use screws like you did for extra strength.
Did you use the resin in the corners before you applied the fiberglass matt/tape/fabric? Or just put the epoxy over the fiberglass?
Hello Patrick and thanks for watching. I actually bought a test piece of acrylic 8x24. I sanded half and ran a bead of every silicone I had and the pond shield. I really should have made a video of it. The pond shield didn't stick to the acrylic very well once cured. The silicone actually stuck better. But your plan would work mainly because of the screws. Make sure you go every 2 inches or so and use stainless steel. GE silicone scs 1200 and momentive black silicone stuck the best. Both are fda compliant so food safe. I put the epoxy on the edges before adding the fiberglass to the corners one corner at a time.
@@dtizzle30 I'm surprised the epoxy didn't stick to the Acrylic, thought that stuff would grab hold of anything. How disappointing lol. I assume if that didn't stick to Acrylic then trying the fiberglass and resin around the perimeter of the Acrylic wouldn't work well either? Either way I'll still follow your example and then run silicone around the outer edge of the panel too as a first line of defense, after its screwed in to place.
So far so good with the tanks? Do you still think it's definitely cost effective and worth it to build? I plan on building two, 8'x2'x2' of those things! Lol.
Absolutely cost effective I built the 350g for 800-1000 bucks. I would never be able to find a regular tank that size for that price. Plus not as heavy if you half to move. I definitely recommend it. When I buy a house soon. I'm going to build a 1200g tank.
1200?!! You better do plenty of videos documenting it! Wouldn't mind seeing how you move the other tanks too!
Yeah, I will do a better job of filming it this time. Moving will not be fun lol
Any issues with this tank so far
None at all. Just put out an 8 month update on it yesterday. It's on my channel.
How thick was the acrylic?
This acrylic was 3/8 thick.
You think I should try epoxy or just go with this idea? Ordered acrylic without doing research on it.
I have a tank with pond liner and epoxy. Both have acrylic windows. Both use this method.
Hey are we friends on Facebook? I wanna talk. I got questions for you
I sent you an IM on messenger
Do you have to use black paint
Cuz I was gonna use white
Not at all. It's only preference.
Ok what paint do you use and what silicon
@@mason36s you are talking about the outside paint right? Just wanna confirm.
Mandatory Monsters! Cuz in king of diy vid I thought me mixed paint with the silicone
What brand/kind of silicone did you use to seal the acrylic
I used motive 103. Black.
@@dtizzle30 do you have link
@@jamesb7689 MOMENTIVE RTV103-300ML RTV 103 Silicone, One-Part, Black, Paste www.amazon.com/dp/B077GWBMFF/ref=cm_sw_r_fm_apa_i_wgHREbWYAVTFB
@@dtizzle30 thank you also I went home depot today trying to find those stainless steel screws couldn't find any do you have link for those as well and size you used
Hmm, they always have them. They're in different area I believe. Ask someone that works there. I don't remember what kind of screws they were.