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Custom corner drop off tank diy
- Thread starter Johnson
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On a smaller build.. Sump tank and 3/8 acrylic i have had this happen. I Taped off the inside of both planes with Duct tape from corner to corner. Using my Fein tool and a super fine metal blade i slide cut the seam open and into the Void that did not get bonded. Sanded and Cleaned the cut very well . While laying the tank on its edge (hard in your case because of size) I filled the crack with with Weld-on solvent carefully making sure of NO Air bubbles. Because of how acrylic bonds I cant tank of any other way to get those areas solid and properly bonded. Maybe Drilling some Micro holes into those areas and forcing the solvent into them. .
So sorry to hear about this Good Luck on what ever you choose to do.. I would not fill the tank without fixing..
So sorry to hear about this Good Luck on what ever you choose to do.. I would not fill the tank without fixing..
OP
OP
That's what I was thinking with the holes. I thought about the fien tool also but I think It might start melting it. I guess I won't know till I try something.
Spray water on it while cutting. I find cutting plastics or soft materials with low melting point best to run the tool wide open as well.. Of course i have never done this on a aquarium this thick. But have on some Super thick poly tanks . We rewelded them with Strips of Milk jugs actually . it was storage tanks at a farm.
Again this is just from my thinking . Try a piece of scrap first if you have some ..
I am sure others will say how bad of a idea it is.. But i have been successful with many out of the way bad ideas. 30+ YEAR Home remodeling you learn to learn how to learn to improvise on site ..
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Does anyone have the full cure time on weld-on 42. I can't find the 100% cure time. I just trying to figure when I can water test it after fixing those joints.
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OP
I read the 80% at 72 hrs on a few sites but couldn't find any full cure times. I did it Saturday so it's been 4 days. Im thinking I should give it maybe a full week before testing Or fill it half way or a third then the rest a few days later??
I believe a week is more then enough time. of course room temp and Humidity plays a role in curing time as well.
Cant wait to see this up and running in my Sun room..
OP
OP
Yeah like I said my shops been sitting around 55ish which 70 is ideal and I'm sure being winter humidity is lower. So cure time will be slowed alittle. It's killing me to not be filling it right now.
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Congrats!
ahh there is a hole in your Acrylic..... ooops
Good Job
After the water test you should wait 2 to 3 weeks before filling. Acrylic will absorb water for a long time.
And to Quote Mr Floyd R Turbo
You can leak-test fill in about 72 hours. As far as filling for use, this is when you would want to wait 2 weeks; that's for 1/4" material. For every 1/8" thickness you add, add a week. So 3/8" = 3 weeks, 1/2" = 4 weeks, etc. I might be a week off there though, will have to check my notes.
The reason is that softened acrylic adsorbs water faster than the acrylic panels, and this can cause additional expansion of the joints and possibly also discoloration (whitening) but most importantly, it takes strength away from the joints.
After the water test you should wait 2 to 3 weeks before filling. Acrylic will absorb water for a long time.
And to Quote Mr Floyd R Turbo
You can leak-test fill in about 72 hours. As far as filling for use, this is when you would want to wait 2 weeks; that's for 1/4" material. For every 1/8" thickness you add, add a week. So 3/8" = 3 weeks, 1/2" = 4 weeks, etc. I might be a week off there though, will have to check my notes.
The reason is that softened acrylic adsorbs water faster than the acrylic panels, and this can cause additional expansion of the joints and possibly also discoloration (whitening) but most importantly, it takes strength away from the joints.
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