Building a sump, need to glue together some plxiglass (1 Viewer)

[PalaciosAn]

So I am building a custom setup and I have a 30 gallon tank that I want to use the back half of the tank as a sump. I bought some 1/4 plexiglass and I have it all cut out the way I need it but I cannot find the glue that is needed to bond the plxi, it’s not really a glue. I looked at Home Depot and Lowes not only do they not have it but they don’t even know what I am talking about.

Does anyone know what I am talking about and know where I can pick some up around Houston? I rather not have to order it online and wait a few days to get it.

 

[DustinB]

I get mine at A&C Plastics: http://www.acplasticsinc.com/

There's another place on the northwest side of town, I believe it's Regal Plastic Supply: http://www.regal-plastics.com/

 

[RocketSurgeon]

I presume you are trying to "glue" plexiglass baffles to a 30 gallon glass tank?

Typically, one would want to keep like materials.

I used silicone for my sump.

http://www.grainger.com/Grainger/GENERAL-ELECTRIC-Clear-Silicone-4UH12?Pid=search

http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showpost.php?p=18730937&postcount=3308

edit:

http://www.marshreef.com/modules.php?name=Forums&file=viewtopic&t=50178

 

[RocketSurgeon]

I believe Weld-On is what is used to bond acrylic together. Perhaps this is what you are looking for...

http://www.tapplastics.com/shop/sea...archform.x=0&searchform.y=0&searchform=Submit

Global Leader Aquatics in Humble carries Weld-On.

You can also call one of our Sponsor stores, to see if they carry it...

http://www.marshreef.com/modules.php?name=Sponsors

 

[trb]

City Pets has carried Weld-On 16 in the tubes. I have a tube from them. They are probably the closest place to you with reasonable hours. Give them a call.

But the more pertinant question is, what are you attempting to do with the plexiglass as you call it? Are you creating baffles or are you trying to make some kind of box or something in the tank? You only need Weld-On for gluing acrylic to acrylic. Is your tank glass or acrylic? Weld-on is not used to bond acrylic to glass, but you can use silicone for a somewhat reasonable adhesion. Glass is best for a glass tank.

 

[DustinB]

Good catch RocketSurgeon. I too have used silicone for acrylic baffles in a glass sump. Make sure you have a good bead on each side. I used GE Silicon I from home depot, don't use the II. GE silicone I has been proven reef safe.

 

[trb]

Good catch RocketSurgeon. I too have used silicone for acrylic baffles in a glass sump. Make sure you have a good bead on each side. I used GE Silicon I from home depot, don't use the II. GE silicone I has been proven reef safe.

Just make sure it does not have any mold inhibitors. Some people on the national boards have found some GE I that does have the mold inhibitors in it. That is what you need to avoid when using the consumer grade silicones.

 

[PalaciosAn]

Sorry for the late reply I did not get a notification on my email so I just assumed no one had replied...

In my new house I do not have a good place for a large tank so I bought a Nano and out grew it about 6 months. So now I am setting up a 40 gal tank with an over flow that will flow into a 30 gal tank below it. I am trying to make the back 5" of the 30 gal tank a sump similar to what my Nano tank has only with 4 chambers instead of 3. This way I can display the 30 gal tank using a custom stand and have an additional 20 gal at the bottom to play with.

I bought some plexiglass from Home Depot and made the necessary cut and then searched on YouTube to see how I should secure the plexiglass to another piece of pexiglass. It looked like what they used was the Literature Glue (could not find the name of this stuff until I clicked on the link, thx RocketSurgeon) but it sounds like you guys recommend weld-on and if I can get it at city pets then that simple enough.

As far as securing the plexi to the glass I had planned to use GE I silicone.

 

[PalaciosAn]

BTW... thanks for everyone feedback & suggestions, I appreciate it.

 

[trb]

That sounds a lot like the way I set up my tank at first. I put an acrylic divider in my 29gal sump that hid my return pump and filter sock and pump for my external skimmer. It gives me two display areas and still hides a lot of the equipment.

First attempt:
http://i635.photobucket.com/albums/uu77/trbstang/IMG_4658.jpg

Then I added a second 29gal for my real sump, behind the front one, so I could use the full 29 for display:

http://i635.photobucket.com/albums/uu77/trbstang/Saltwater aquarium/Saltwatertank1052-1.jpg

BTW, that Home Depot stuff is garbage compared to real acrylic. If you plan to do some more projects, there are a couple of places off Bingle/290 and Wirt rd/I-10 that sell scraps for a great price, like $5 for a 1'x4' piece of 1/4" thick acrylic in various colors.

www.aeroshieldplastics.com
www.regal-plastics.com

 

[PalaciosAn]

trb, tanks for the pics and the info on scrap pieces. At those prices I may redo the cuts I have, I was happy (so far) with what I had but, I much rather do it in a darker color (maybe a solid black if available) so that you do not see the sump area in the back of the 30 gal tank.

 

[trb]

Yes, they may have solid black at Aeroshield, that is where I got mine. Plus several dark tinted colors too. They also have the Weld-on for sale. Just ask to look at their scrap bin at the back of the store. They usually have about 100+ pieces to sort through. But don't get the stuff with a plastic protective coating, only get the paper ones. The plastic one melts when it is cut, and is not very good to glue up either.