• Welcome back Guest!

    MARSH is a private reefing group. Comments and suggestions are encouraged, but please keep them positive and constructive. Negative threads, posts, or attacks will be removed from view and reviewed by the staff. Continually disruptive, argumentative, or flagrant rule breakers may be suspended or banned.

How much should I expect to pay for an acrylic sheet? (1 Viewer)

Users who are viewing this thread

Joined
Feb 4, 2014
Messages
10,899
Reaction score
2,066
Location
League City
Acrylic fabrication thread: Tanks, Overflows, Sumps

Not real sure where to get one. I thought about Regal Plastics here in Houston. Also ran into a place that seems very legit called Professional Plastics. They're also here in Houston. I like that Professional Plastic's has a great website and actually gives you prices. Looking to get a 1/4" sheet and 3/8" sheet. Also looking to get some Weld-on 3,4, & 16. If anybody has a good place to get these, please let me know. I'm assuming local since shipping would probably kill you.


EDITING THREAD AND TITLE FOR INFORMATIVE PURPOSES!

I want to stack information in this thread for various Acrylic fabrication projects! So follow along...
 
Last edited:
OP
OP
Reefahholic
Joined
Feb 4, 2014
Messages
10,899
Reaction score
2,066
Location
League City
I'm fixing to build a few things. I want to rebuild my overflow boxes. After running multiple boxes and gaining more experience with both internal and external boxes with both glass and acrylic, I've discovered exactly what I like and what works best for me and seems to function the best. I'd like to also make a sump and maybe a few small tanks. I've been reading up on the "Pin Method" and about various strengths of Weldon and dry times. Looking forward at finally trying my luck with a few projects. :)
 
OP
OP
Reefahholic
Joined
Feb 4, 2014
Messages
10,899
Reaction score
2,066
Location
League City
So nobody knows how much I should expect to pay for an acrylic sheet???Well stay posted guys...I'm gonna call around both locally and online and will list the prices on this thread. Stay tuned in!
 

Clownfish Chris

Moved On
Joined
Nov 15, 2014
Messages
1,915
Reaction score
4
Location
Spring 77373
Gosh man, give it a while for people to respond. Not many people are online overnight Friday night.

The cost depends on the size as you know. Acrylic can be ordered in just about any size you want. Then you have to account for quality and brand. For a sheet that is 8x4x3/4, I would expect to pay anywhere from $300-$600. The prices on the site you linked look reasonable to me.
 

below radar

Guest
Joined
Mar 31, 2012
Messages
1,554
Reaction score
0
Location
Huffman?
I heard you should get cast, not extruded. Plus 1 on the hold your horses. You posted at 2100 on a Friday, lol. You must have been at work, online and it felt lIke forever.
 
OP
OP
Reefahholic
Joined
Feb 4, 2014
Messages
10,899
Reaction score
2,066
Location
League City
Haha...yeah I was at work. Sorry. Lol$300-$600 my gosh...how do these people make any money building sumps or aquariums. I did talk with Ben with BAO this morning and he said that most places locally only sell to business's or in Ben's case he's got a business account with them. Sabic is the only one that will sell to us he said. "Cell-Cast" is the method that refers to how the acrylic is made. Just because it's cell cast doesn't necessarily mean it's quality. 90% of cell cast is garbage for sump building.Polyone Polycast GPOr Arkema plexiG Make sure the plexiG is domestically madeIt formula of long to short polymers is the correct ratio for sumps and aquariums. Most of the others skimp which make it crap. Esp all the Chinese crap likechemcast, trucast, acristar. They're all garbage.
 
OP
OP
Reefahholic
Joined
Feb 4, 2014
Messages
10,899
Reaction score
2,066
Location
League City
Haha...yeah I was at work. Sorry. Lol

$300-$600 my gosh...how do these people make any money building sumps or aquariums.

I did talk with Ben with BAO this morning and he said that most places locally only sell to business's or in Ben's case- he's got a business account with them. He said Sabic is the only one that will sell to us.

"Cell-Cast" is the method that refers to how the acrylic is made. Just because it's cell cast doesn't necessarily mean it's quality. 90% of cell cast is garbage for sump building.

Polyone Polycast GP Or Arkema plexiG

Make sure the plexiG is domestically made. Its formula of long to short polymers is the correct ratio for sumps and aquariums. Most of the others skimp which make it crap. Esp all the Chinese crap like chemcast, trucast, acristar. They're all garbage.
 

chris85

Guest
Joined
Oct 26, 2014
Messages
1,379
Reaction score
116
Location
galveston
If you havn't done acrylic I would go to a big box home improvement store and buy small pieces to practice with. Then decide where to go from there. If you are only doing overflow boxes 1/8 should be fine. Which is about $100.00. They should sell 1/4 also maybe bigger depending on how big the store is. I get my acrylic from binswinger glass.(Local Glass repair shop) I beleive there is one up there too. You can usually find a good deal on here with someone that broke an acrylic tank on here or on craigslist. Just cut it up. The best way I found to cut it is with a skil saw and the blade turned backwards.
 
OP
OP
Reefahholic
Joined
Feb 4, 2014
Messages
10,899
Reaction score
2,066
Location
League City
If you havn't done acrylic I would go to a big box home improvement store and buy small pieces to practice with. Then decide where to go from there. If you are only doing overflow boxes 1/8 should be fine. Which is about $100.00. They should sell 1/4 also maybe bigger depending on how big the store is. I get my acrylic from binswinger glass.(Local Glass repair shop) I beleive there is one up there too. You can usually find a good deal on here with someone that broke an acrylic tank on here or on craigslist. Just cut it up. The best way I found to cut it is with a skil saw and the blade turned backwards.
Chris, regarding working with acrylic, check this out. Acrylic work: Tools I use... | Melev's Reef, Inc I know Marc has been doing this since the early 2000's.
 

chris85

Guest
Joined
Oct 26, 2014
Messages
1,379
Reaction score
116
Location
galveston
Chris, regarding working with acrylic, check this out. Acrylic work: Tools I use... | Melev's Reef, Inc I know Marc has been doing this since the early 2000's.

Just trying to help out. I have cut alot of plexi with a table saw it chips the edge when you cut it unless you spend 80.00 on a fine tooth specialty blade. I was suggesting the skillsaw because I think more people have one rather than a router or table saw. If you turn the blade backwards on the saw (table or circular) it will cut it with out having to spend a ton of money on a blade you may only use a few times. Then you just come back with a razor blade and clean the edges up.
 
Top