Guppy Guy Posted January 27, 2022 Share Posted January 27, 2022 I am trying to build an acrylic aquarium that has a 6x14 inch bottom, 14x10 inch front and back, and 6x10 inch sides. I plan to buy a sheet of acrylic that is 20x30x1/2 inches to accomplish this. Is 1/2. inch acrylic thick enough for this tank? I would rather have acrylic that is too think then too thin. Also, I was doing some research on acrylic, and it appears that there are different types. Cast acrylic is what is used in aquariums, right? I think I remember watching “Tanked” a few years back, and hearing them say that they used cast acrylic, but I could be mistaken. Thanks! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Administrators Zenzo Posted January 27, 2022 Administrators Share Posted January 27, 2022 On 1/26/2022 at 4:09 PM, Guppy Guy said: I am trying to build an acrylic aquarium that has a 6x14 inch bottom, 14x10 inch front and back, and 6x10 inch sides. I plan to buy a sheet of acrylic that is 20x30x1/2 inches to accomplish this. Is 1/2. inch acrylic thick enough for this tank? I would rather have acrylic that is too think then too thin. Also, I was doing some research on acrylic, and it appears that there are different types. Cast acrylic is what is used in aquariums, right? I think I remember watching “Tanked” a few years back, and hearing them say that they used cast acrylic, but I could be mistaken. Thanks! 1/2" acrylic is really thick. I am not understanding your tank measurements. From what you wrote, it looks like the tank would be 14"x10"x6". Is this correct? That's only 3.6 gallons, which 1/2" acrylic would be way too thick for (it could work if built properly, just way more material than needed). Maybe you wrote the measurements incorrectly? If the size is correct, you will probably want to use 1/4" acrylic for a tank of this size. If you go bigger/taller, you could use 3/8". 1/2" acrylic would be used for larger tanks. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guppy Guy Posted January 27, 2022 Author Share Posted January 27, 2022 Sorry @Zenzo. The above diminutions are the individual panel sizes. The entire tank diminutions are 14.75” x 6.25” x 11”. Also, do you know a reputable calculator for acrylic tank thickness? I was trying to search for one the other day, but couldn’t find any. Thanks! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Administrators Zenzo Posted January 27, 2022 Administrators Share Posted January 27, 2022 On 1/26/2022 at 5:39 PM, Guppy Guy said: Sorry @Zenzo. The above diminutions are the individual panel sizes. The entire tank diminutions are 14.75” x 6.25” x 11”. Also, do you know a reputable calculator for acrylic tank thickness? I was trying to search for one the other day, but couldn’t find any. Thanks! I would go with 1/4 for those dimensions (or 3/8" if you want it super robust). Here are some basic suggestions as it relates to acrylic thickness when building a tank. A quick search showed that most builders agree with this chart for normal-sized aquariums. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gardenman Posted January 27, 2022 Share Posted January 27, 2022 Yeah, half inch acrylic is serious overkill on that size tank. Be sure to buy cast acrylic and not extruded acrylic. Cast is more expensive, but far better for aquariums. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brian Marshall Posted January 27, 2022 Share Posted January 27, 2022 Hi Guppy Guy. I believe you want Cast acrylic as first choice. The extruded acrylic has some drawbacks and I think it can't handle the continuous pressure of water as well as the cast acrylic can. Good luck on the acrylic tank. I'm looking at getting a custom acrylic tank made for myself too. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guppy Guy Posted January 27, 2022 Author Share Posted January 27, 2022 Thanks for the help everyone. I just contacted a local plastic distributor, so I will see if he has a 1/4” or 3/8” sheet. Where I am, it has been pretty hard to find acrylic lately, so if he has either size, I will get it. Will keep you posted. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Administrators Zenzo Posted January 27, 2022 Administrators Share Posted January 27, 2022 On 1/26/2022 at 6:19 PM, Guppy Guy said: Thanks for the help everyone. I just contacted a local plastic distributor, so I will see if he has a 1/4” or 3/8” sheet. Where I am, it has been pretty hard to find acrylic lately, so if he has either size, I will get it. Will keep you posted. Sounds fun. Post pics when you receive the sheet and build the tank. That's on my bucket list of to-do items one day. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OnlyGenusCaps Posted January 27, 2022 Share Posted January 27, 2022 I know @eatyourpeas built her Puget Sound Biotope tank; however the build occurred before her move here and so wasn't captured on this forum. But if you want to ask someone who has gone through the process of a custom acrylic tank build for tips, perhaps she can offer advice? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Biotope Biologist Posted January 27, 2022 Share Posted January 27, 2022 Also tap plastic im not sure if they are a local chain or not but they get alot of people coming in with aquarium and fish holding cells for boats and are really great. They cut my pieces and machined the edges for gluing in like 30 minutes is the longest wait time I have had. They also have the glue you’ll need. Patience is a must and alot of clamps, but once you start you won’t stop. Just look at serpadesign on youtube the last time he has bought a tank feels like years ago, also he has good tips and pointers too. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OnlyGenusCaps Posted January 28, 2022 Share Posted January 28, 2022 On 1/27/2022 at 10:24 AM, Biotope Biologist said: tap plastic I lived down the street from one when i was a kid. I miss them! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
eatyourpeas Posted January 28, 2022 Share Posted January 28, 2022 @Guppy Guy I agree with the above consensus that 1/4" should be enough for your size tank. A few things that others have mentioned but cannot be stressed enough: - Extensive use of clamps. You do not want the pieces moving one you. Also, right angles are a must. -Weld-On 4 should work fine and give you plenty of time to tweak position. Sand the edges! This is very important so you do not get bubbles and ridges in the seams. - Do not heat polish the edges, as this can lead to crazing. Just sand and polish, it takes longer but it is worth it. - I bought the cast acrylic for my tank here and they are really nice. They'll cut for you as well if you so choose. I needed 1" because I have a coldwater tank and maintaining temperature without sweating was an issue with thinner material. Feel free to ask me any questions. 🙂 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guppy Guy Posted January 28, 2022 Author Share Posted January 28, 2022 (edited) Thanks for the tips. I’ll keep those in mind. As far as the clamps go, is there a specific spot that I need to put them on? Edited January 28, 2022 by Guppy Guy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guppy Guy Posted January 28, 2022 Author Share Posted January 28, 2022 (edited) Ok, so scratch that. I just called a few local acrylic stores, and the cheapest I could find for 1/4” is a 4’x8’(they won’t cut to size), and that is a little(ok, a lot) over my budget at $180. Would glass be cheaper? I am now considering buying a few 10 gallon tanks, and cutting its panes to size. Is there a better way? If I buy a glass sheet, what kind of glass should it be? Silicone isn’t an issue as I have some aquarium silicone left over from a previous project. Thanks again. @eatyourpeas, I appreciate the link that you gave me, but I would prefer to not have to deal with shipping a large, flat item. Thank you though. Note: If I end up going with glass instead of acrylic, I will start a new thread, and put the link below. Edited January 28, 2022 by Guppy Guy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
eatyourpeas Posted January 28, 2022 Share Posted January 28, 2022 On 1/28/2022 at 10:51 AM, Guppy Guy said: @eatyourpeas, I appreciate the link that you gave me, but I would prefer to not have to deal with shipping a large, flat item. Thank you though. I got this quote for pre-cut: 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guppy Guy Posted January 28, 2022 Author Share Posted January 28, 2022 I know, I got the same. But I still don’t want to deal with shipping, and I would really like to keep the total cost of the tank under $40. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guppy Guy Posted January 30, 2022 Author Share Posted January 30, 2022 I moved this topic to a separate thread here, for glass specs instead. After seeing that the total price of the tank will be well above $70, I feel that glass is a more viable solution. Thank you all for the help, and follow the other thread to stay updated. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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