acrylic to glass sump baffles

jerseyguy1996 · 02-11-2007, 05:53 PM

I while back I asked the question "how do you bond acrylic to glass" and the answer was that you really can't. One of you gave me the link for a pressure locking baffle design but you said you hadn't tried it. Well I went ahead and tried it out and it actually works pretty darned well. The link is http://www.wetwebmedia.com/ca/volume...es/baffles.htm. I created two baffles and I will create about 2 more to complete the bubble trap and refugium. I have included photos below. The system worked great except for the last baffle that actually had water pressure behind it. This was due to the fact that this was where the return pump was and I was trying to set it up such that water going into the tank would be minimized if my overflow ever lost its syphon. I used some small acrylic waste pieces to reinforce the baffle and it is now sealed nice and tight. Here is a pic.

know-it-all · 02-11-2007, 06:59 PM

nice work, hope it holds up

DevilBoy · 02-11-2007, 07:07 PM

looks great, im the one that sent the link... Like i said i have not tried the baffles this way as stated with the weather stripping in the link

jerseyguy1996 · 02-11-2007, 07:45 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DevilBoy

looks great, im the one that sent the link... Like i said i have not tried the baffles this way as stated with the weather stripping in the link

So far it is working great....completely water tight. I shut off the pump for 30 minutes to see if the water level tried to even out but it didn't. It held the pressure perfectly. I have realized though that the water coming over the baffle is creating lots of microbubbles so I know now where the bubble trap needs to go. Nice thing about this design is that I can just pull out the baffles and move them wherever I need.

kwjones · 02-11-2007, 07:58 PM

I've seen that link as well...makes me want to take a razor blade and cut out the glass baffles I have siliconed in my sump and re-design it. Looks like a good project for this spring.

jerseyguy1996 · 02-11-2007, 08:00 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kwjones

I've seen that link as well...makes me want to take a razor blade and cut out the glass baffles I have siliconed in my sump and re-design it. Looks like a good project for this spring.

Just remember that the baffles in the middle don't need any support but that last one does since it has to hold back the higher level of water between the refugium and the return section.

reefermike1 · 02-11-2007, 09:14 PM

yea ive been thinking about doing something like that myself, glad to hear that it works. guess its off to home depot for me tomorrow!

jerseyguy1996 · 02-11-2007, 09:28 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by reefermike1

yea ive been thinking about doing something like that myself, glad to hear that it works. guess its off to home depot for me tomorrow!

black foam rubber weatherstripping, 7/16th inch thick, 3/4 inch wide. bought it at lowes for about $4.50. The acrylic (well actually plexiglass) was 1/4 inch thick piece that I got from my work. It was a sign they were throwing away.