Okay I had a crazy idea...& quick (1 Viewer)

[Carrie Jo]

I was going to make a little plant stand out of acrylic so that I could plant stuff on bottom under it and on top. I was going to make the top piece like a miniature long pot bury the base of it in the substrate.

Is any old acrylic glue safe?

If so how long to I allow it to "cure" out of the tank to be safe for every one?

I figure it is a great way to get these little tiny slow growing plants started without running out of room with the huge piece of driftwood in there!

 

[Clownfish Chris]

Not all silicone is safe. Though some will tell you otherwise, tell that to the dead inhabitants my first tank. I built the sump, let it cure two weeks. I then set it up and the next morning, all dead or dying. GE silicone is safe if it is silicone 1. I would not use it for structural builds that will hold water but it should be fine for your application. If it has mold inhibitors, it is not save. GE Silicone II is not safe.

 

[Carrie Jo]

Not all silicone is safe. Though some will tell you otherwise, tell that to the dead inhabitants my first tank. I built the sump, let it cure two weeks. I then set it up and the next morning, all dead or dying. GE silicone is safe if it is silicone 1. I would not use it for structural builds that will hold water but it should be fine for your application. If it has mold inhibitors, it is not save. GE Silicone II is not safe.

Can't use silicone on acrylic?

 

[Carrie Jo]

Would be great if I could but don't know if it would hold up? And yes I have ge silicone 1 clear. But it was my understanding you can't use it on acrylic?

 

[Clownfish Chris]

For what you are doing it will be fine. Don't put lots of pressure on it.

 

[Carrie Jo]

For what you are doing it will be fine. Don't put lots of pressure on it.

LOL! I am a klutz. That wouldn't be a good idea but I do like the idea of not going to the store... and the other issue is I think my son said the cuts where not perfect. I guess maybe I could glue it and then put silicone over it?

Surely there is safe acrylic glue with all these people making sump tanks with it.

Guess I should wait to see what the cuts look like LOL>

 

[Bigfishy]

I think all acrylic glue is aquarium safe. I have never heard of having to buy a specific glue such as you do with silicone. I think Chris missed understood and thought you were saying silicone


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[Carrie Jo]

Anyone know of a place in Houston selling Weld-on #4 that is open on a Sunday? Or any day? My son suggested allied plastics but their website only shows a 3 and I don't know how fast I would have to be and even though it is small I think it would be better to have the 4 on hand not to mention short shelf life.

 

[Carrie Jo]

Being that this is NOT a sump and just a planter so I can have plants 2 levels high in the aquairum for growing purposes I am foregoing the sanding of the edges.

IF ANYONE KNOWS that not sanding (when not worried about water-tight seal) is a really bad idea holler quickly! Also my planter will not be square on the top according to my son the equipment isn't made for such small cuts out of scraps. I wish my dremel battery didn't die but I did enjoy the 1st battery for at least 10 years!

I guess my grandfather's laziness is rubbing off on me. I have a theory based off my grandpa. Really smart people are lazy. (might be the old age) He would think of all the different ways of doing something before starting. Could have done it 2 or 3 times by he time he decided which way to go but I think he was really just taking a longer break! But that is why I am not sanding, I figure it is not necessary when I am counting on stability not water seal. I could be wrong and often am!

FYI for anyone else I found that Allied Plastic Supply does sell the #4 acrylic and application bottle as well! Of course not open on Sunday but hey here I go.

 

[Carrie Jo]

Being that this is NOT a sump and just a planter so I can have plants 2 levels high in the aquairum for growing purposes I am foregoing the sanding of the edges.

IF ANYONE KNOWS that not sanding (when not worried about water-tight seal) is a really bad idea holler quickly! Also my planter will not be square on the top according to my son the equipment isn't made for such small cuts out of scraps. I wish my dremel battery didn't die but I did enjoy the 1st battery for at least 10 years!

I guess my grandfather's laziness is rubbing off on me. I have a theory based off my grandpa. Really smart people are lazy. (might be the old age) He would think of all the different ways of doing something before starting. Could have done it 2 or 3 times by he time he decided which way to go but I think he was really just taking a longer break! But that is why I am not sanding, I figure it is not necessary when I am counting on stability not water seal. I could be wrong and often am![emoji2]

FYI for anyone else I found that Allied Plastic Supply does sell the #4 acrylic and application bottle as well! Of course not open on Sunday but hey here I go.

I hope you can see the pictures well enough.

Not sure if this will post the order I am trying but... Here is the part that is actually done the top of the planter. I still have to attach the legs and the bottom.

3rd picture is why I am not attaching the legs now...

4th picture is kinda what I am going for once the legs are hopefully shaved off a little straighter. This is the planter on the side. The idea is substrate on top of the bottom for plants down there and substrate in the top box to be able to double the growing area.

I will try to post a finished picture when done but due to safety reasons will be waiting a while before putting it in the tank to not contaminate the tank until I am over sure that it is fully cured and safe. So time for reasurching that and can't start the clock until it is all finished.

 

[Carrie Jo]

Okay 2 pictures one with something in where the substrate will go kind of hard to see without.

Not straight or perfect might have problems getting it in the tank with the wood will find out later.

Everything I read said 24 hour cure time so deciding weather to wait 48 hours or longer. Just to be safe for toxins.

 

[Carrie Jo]

Okay after the fact all the stuff I should have done differently.

1. Should have put the planter behind the driftwood. What was I thinking can't clean the glass. Oh well change later

2. Plant glue my fingers say it was superglue. Nicer than all the string or fishing line.

3. Redid the moss wall made small.

4. Some of those plants have long roots already. I see a tank with too many crypts in my near future.

5. My dog thinks she is suppose to help and investigate everything!

Anyone else see anything go ahead and mention maybe the next time I get enough energy I can fix all the mistakes at once.

On a good note the fish seem to like all the different sections.

 

[Carrie Jo]

Note to any future DIY with acrylic. You want to sand before hand. Or torch the edges that are exposed. (I think that is something I heard somewhere could be wrong) If not for any other reason than that stuff is sharp and I cut my finger more than once when cleaning algae off of it.

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