Looks like nice work. What's the black Banding on the tops and bottoms?
Acrylic Fabrication Q & A
- Thread starter Turbo's Aquatics
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I also notice you don't use one piece solid tops. Maybe you do and it's the angle of the photo. Every time I have seen black bands like this is because of the seam quality. If you don't use solid tops I can see why you would try to compensate by going a gauge or two thicker on the side panels. But with solid tops it is not necessary. Here is what our build for that size looks like the seams are unpolished. Also notice everything is CNC to micro tolerances that is why when we attach the top and bottoms we don't need to black band them. On tanks this big it requires large CNC equipment to cut out the hatches. That is probably why you piece the eurobraces and use thicker walls. Also noticed your flat back hex is pieced together and not a single piece front panel. Still not bad for doing it as a sideline.
This is the level of flatness we have before attaching the top or bottom
This is the level of flatness we have before attaching the top or bottom
Cabinetman
Well-Known Member
gallon
It’s just 1/8” thick black acrylic I weld on. I like a more conventional looking tank tbh
Cabinetman
Well-Known Member
I don’t black band them to cover up a crappy weld trust me. There’s rarely even a micro bubble in any of my seams. It’s all about looksI also notice you don't use one piece solid tops. Maybe you do and it's the angle of the photo. Every time I have seen black bands like this is because of the seam quality. If you don't use solid tops I can see why you would try to compensate by going a gauge or two thicker on the side panels. But with solid tops it is not necessary. Here is what our build for that size looks like the seams are unpolished. Also notice everything is CNC to micro tolerances that is why when we attach the top and bottoms we don't need to black band them. On tanks this big it requires large CNC equipment to cut out the hatches. That is probably why you piece the eurobraces and use thicker walls. Also noticed your flat back hex is pieced together and not a single piece front panel. Still not bad for doing it as a sideline.
This is the level of flatness we have before attaching the top or bottom
OP
OP
This is a good story - and good to hear the original owners are back. Also explains the reason for the ban stick on the other reef forum maybe!!
Cabinetman
Well-Known Member
You didn’t answer my question. Do you still use 1/2” material on 30” tall tanks?I also notice you don't use one piece solid tops. Maybe you do and it's the angle of the photo. Every time I have seen black bands like this is because of the seam quality. If you don't use solid tops I can see why you would try to compensate by going a gauge or two thicker on the side panels. But with solid tops it is not necessary. Here is what our build for that size looks like the seams are unpolished. Also notice everything is CNC to micro tolerances that is why when we attach the top and bottoms we don't need to black band them. On tanks this big it requires large CNC equipment to cut out the hatches. That is probably why you piece the eurobraces and use thicker walls. Also noticed your flat back hex is pieced together and not a single piece front panel. Still not bad for doing it as a sideline.
This is the level of flatness we have before attaching the top or bottom
Depends. Not just on the height but also what else the client is looking for. For standafd tanks 1/2 inch is the what we use. All of our aquariums are custom products and there are situations where we would use thicker walls. But what also keeps the fronts from bowing is a one piece top. Oh, and we NEVER use the Indonesian acrylic marga cipta
OP
OP
I have a tank that I used to service that was 72" long and 30" tall with 1/2" material. I about download in my pants every time I see it. I put a level across the front of it and it stood off 4" on either end of the level.
1/2" material should never be used on a tank over 24" tall, period. For a 96" long tank, it's right out.
1/2" material should never be used on a tank over 24" tall, period. For a 96" long tank, it's right out.
Thank you both for your comments. We have been building aquariums for a long time and certainly appreciate your observations. On a typical day we build more than 40 before noon and are quite confident in our capabilities
We also offer several hundred sizes and even more varieties. Pat answers to like how thick is a 30 inch tank is don't apply to every situation
Cabinetman
Well-Known Member
I’m quite confident in my abilities as well. I may not build hundreds but I’ve built probably close to 60 big tanks and I keep in touch with nearly all of the people I build for on a personal level because I enjoy the hobby so much and I will tell you this that none of my tanks bow or have crazing in the seams after a few years because I use more than the minimum thickness. Under no circumstances would I use half inch material on a tank even 24 inches tall let alone 30
suresh2989
Community Member
I have seen his builds in his youtube channel, they have no bubbles in them before the banding, you can check out the videos at Wayne's reef in YT.
Cabinetman
Well-Known Member
Not sure why you wouldn’t use Margo cipta. I found it to be a very good acrylic it’s hard and doesn’t scratch easily. I did find that I had to allow the solvent to work a little longer on it but that was it.And I can’t see how a one piece top would stop it from bowing any more than the pieced in top if it’s done correctly. I never see any Bowing on any of my tanks. Can you say the same?
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Cabinetman
Well-Known Member
A quick Google search tenacor tank Bowing Tells me you have a problem
Ok, once again, there are many reasons a tank would bow. And Google search of course is the most highly rated and accurate source for unbiased truthful information. I also posted a link to our company history and, no, we don't have a "problem" finally, I already know the answer to this, (0) what is the policy limits on your products liability insurance coverage? Ours is $5 million. Never a claim made. I don't really need to get into these types of back and forths because they are pointless. I wish you the best in your tank building hobby.
Cabinetman
Well-Known Member
How can there be many reasons a tank would bow. The only reason a tank would bow is going to tall using material that isn’t thick enough or inadequate bracing. Anyway. I’m just here to try to help diy guys have success Building their own tanks. I’ve been very successful myself and I’m just trying to pass on some of the tips and tricks that I’ve come up with in a home environment. Something I’m sure that you would have a hard time relating to having such a nice shop and such high end equipment. And you are right I have no liability insurance on the tanks that I build however I do explain that to anybody that I build a tank for before agreeing to build one and so far I’ve yet to have any tank failures. I have had more than a few customers try to get me to build using half inch material and I flat out refused. Not even for smaller tanks
OP
OP
You can build a 30" tall tank using 1/2" material, sure. But should you? No. Here's why
Deflection causes stress on seams - definitely the main problem because over time this can lead to premature failure. Will this "definitely" happen? Not saying that, but it does increase the chance. Manufacturers can get out of claims in many ways, specifically pointing to the stand the tank is on, or if someone places it on foam, etc etc...
The more common problem with deflection is that it makes it that much more difficult to remove algae growth. The result is more time spent scraping a curved surface, resulting in more propensity to scratch.
Top it off with the 1/2" standard that I go by is actually the imperial thickness, and pretty much everything except Polycast and maybe Reynolds is the metric equivalent, or 0.468".
I can't believe you're actually defending building 30" tall tanks out of 1/2", let alone 96" long ones. For anyone here reading this discussion: don't build your own tank like this.
Deflection causes stress on seams - definitely the main problem because over time this can lead to premature failure. Will this "definitely" happen? Not saying that, but it does increase the chance. Manufacturers can get out of claims in many ways, specifically pointing to the stand the tank is on, or if someone places it on foam, etc etc...
The more common problem with deflection is that it makes it that much more difficult to remove algae growth. The result is more time spent scraping a curved surface, resulting in more propensity to scratch.
Top it off with the 1/2" standard that I go by is actually the imperial thickness, and pretty much everything except Polycast and maybe Reynolds is the metric equivalent, or 0.468".
I can't believe you're actually defending building 30" tall tanks out of 1/2", let alone 96" long ones. For anyone here reading this discussion: don't build your own tank like this.
suresh2989
Community Member
I completely agree, its better to be safe rather going though all that claim stuff, I used to live in another apartment and one of my friends left the Sink tap on when the water was shut off for maintenance and the water was turned on during the night and we found out all of our apartment flooded to about 2 inch and not only that the floor below had huge damage despite the concrete floor beneath our flooring, repair costs for the floor alone went in thousands i believe the neighbor who lived below did not press anything but it could have turned ugly.
Insurance is safety but i would rather have the safety of structural integrity first because i am not sure if the insurance pay for the damage sustained by the neighbors and all.
Thanks just my 2 cents.
Insurance is safety but i would rather have the safety of structural integrity first because i am not sure if the insurance pay for the damage sustained by the neighbors and all.
Thanks just my 2 cents.
Lowell Lemon
2500 Club Member
I have personally built hundreds of acrylic aquariums in 25 plus years. When I started TruVue, Seaclear, and Tenecor all built 96 x 24 x 30 tall 300's out of 1/2". I had one fail at those dimensions while using Weldon 4. I consulted with a plastic engineer and several acrylic sheet suppliers and made a switch to our own mixed solvents and increased the Guage to 1" and never had a problem again. I have supplied aquariums at 16' long, 4 feet tall, 3' wide, 2" thick, with a center butt seam that still have water clear bonds today. It is about how risk averse you are. I never had a claim after the first one. On the only failure the customer wanted a 96" x 24 " x 24" out of 3/4" which we provided completely free of any charge and we paid for replacement livestock. You can never buy back a good reputation once you lose it! I love making tanks but it is more difficult since the major sheet distribution in our area no longer carries cell cast acrylic. So I am in a new industry by invitation from Dupont . All three companies made pretty aquariums during the time I was in the industry but the front panel bowing is not something I could live with. And it was only on certain sizes that it was noticeable. Ours bowed as well due to moisture absorption and making commodity aquariums that had to compete with glass in many markets. I would go with the engineering provided by Polycast (Polyone now days) if I wanted to stand out from the crowd these days.
Will they hold water....yes. The average aquarium user only has a tank set up less than two years according to research from the pet industry so limited liability is one of the results. The more you know the more you can adapt to the trends if you know what I am saying. Just cause you can does not mean you should.
Will they hold water....yes. The average aquarium user only has a tank set up less than two years according to research from the pet industry so limited liability is one of the results. The more you know the more you can adapt to the trends if you know what I am saying. Just cause you can does not mean you should.
So here we go again. Let me show you an example where simplistic rule of thumbs don't work. Here is a. 96 inch tall tank made from 3/4 inch. Zero bowing. No top. No eurobrace. I know, yeah but... Not really an aquarium etc. Just an extreme example of where simple if this then that rules don't apply. This was a research vessel for a medical device manufacturer Btw.
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