Best acrylic thickness for refugium (1 Viewer)

[Llama]

I'm planning to build a refugium this weekend out of a 20g long that I have. What thickness would ya'll recommend for the baffles? Lowes has 24"x48" sheet of 1/8" for $25!

Also it seems most people use Weld-on 4 or 16. I plan to use 16 since it is the gel and doesn't need perfectly straight edges. Am I heading in the right direction here?

 

[crvz]

so weldon only works when bonding acrylic to acrylic. Is the 20 long acrylic? If not, youll have to use silicone. If so, weldon 16 is the way to go.

1/8" is pretty thin, I'd probably aim for 1/4" (especially if it's glass to acrylic).

 

[Llama]

Ah so!!!! Silicone it is then.

Hopefully I can find some 1/4" at lowes or HD. I'd like to build it this weekend and there is no way I can make it up to that place near long point. They work my hours.

 

[chriskb3]

I'd definetly use 1/4" minimum. Also to note, the acrylic sold at HD/Lowes is pretty crappy stuff (extruded, instead of cast) and is a PITA to cut without it melting, not to mention, quite expesive.

If you can't make it to any of the plastics stores (I prefer Regal Plastics off of I-10) I have plenty of acrylic that you can use. I usually stop by there every so often and raid their scrap pile to stock up. I can cut it to the right size also, if you dont have access to a jigsaw or table saw.

For the silicone, you have to be sure to use the right kind. I recommend using the small tube of aquarium specific silicone that they have in the glue/epoxy section of home depot since you will not need that much. Second alternative would be a tube of GE Silicone I without mold inhibitors (this is pretty much accepted as safe to use, but not guaranteed).

 

[Llama]

Chris,
Thanks for the info! I will add that to my design plan. I called Regal and they have what I need. However I work the exact same hours they do so that makes it difficult to get over there. :x

If you have the extra acrylic I would be glad to take it off your hands. However I need a total of 5 12x12 sheets so I'm not sure you'd have all of that.

I have the means to cut the acrylic and I consider myself pretty handy. So I should be able to handle the rest.

 

[crvz]

have you tried professional plastics in stafford? They might be more convenient for you.