baffles help

[aznkingfisher]

what kind of acrylic i should use for a baffles...im in the process of making my sump.i have an acrylic tank.is the acrylic they sell at hd or lowes will be fine..tanx in advance...the tank size is 48x12x12....

[OneDummHikk]

Originally Posted by aznkingfisher

what kind of acrylic i should use for a baffles...im in the process of making my sump.i have an acrylic tank.is the acrylic they sell at hd or lowes will be fine..tanx in advance...the tank size is 48x12x12....

How much difference in water level will there be from one side of the baffle to the other? Most people have told me not to use what you find at HD/Lowes and refer to it as "Flexi-glass" and say it will flex too much. If the water level on each side is close to the same, the only place it would want to flex is above the lowest water line. As small as you are talking about (12x12) I don't think it would make any difference and as cheap as plexi-glass is at HD/Lowes, it wouldn't cost much to find out. Try it. If it works, then it worked. If it doesn't, then it wasn't that much money to try. You could always double it though.

[Fly Guy]

it doesnt matter what kind so much. its the thickness and getting a good bond with it.

the difference in the flex between extruded and cast of the same width isnt much.

Getting a good bond on 1/8" isnt bad if youve done it a few times, but if this is the first time gluing a little thicker will be easier for you to get it done.

1/4" should work pretty well. If you can find 3/8 even better

[Jnicho]

Some of what they sell at HD and Lowes is not acrylic but polycarbonate (Lexan is the brand name I think)

[OneDummHikk]

Originally Posted by Jnicho

Some of what they sell at HD and Lowes is not acrylic but polycarbonate (Lexan is the brand name I think)

True. I have seen three different kinds at HD. Plexiglass, Lexan and don't remember what the third was. Just remember 3 different kinds and 3 different prices. What is the difference when using Lexan though? (I am curious).

[Fly Guy]

Lexan is softer than extruded and cast. Its also much grabbier when machining it so take yoru time if you throw it on a saw. You should be careful anyway of course, but lexan even more so. I wouldnt use it unless you had to

[aznkingfisher]

i'm thinking of using the 1/4 inch one....i also gonna use weld 16 to bond it......

[aznkingfisher]

i meant weld-on 16....i also have question to fly guy...can i used that acrylic at hd to make the rock lift.... my rocks are cooking right now....its hard to find scraps in my area...they sell sheets....also tanx 2 all who responded....

[marineduud]

Originally Posted by aznkingfisher

i meant weld-on 16....i also have question to fly guy...can i used that acrylic at hd to make the rock lift.... my rocks are cooking right now....its hard to find scraps in my area...they sell sheets....also tanx 2 all who responded....

Go to Farco Plastics off Phillips Hwy, They usually have some scraps in the back and you can get the acrylic you need for the baffles.

[slant77]

Sometimes the lowes off of I10 does have real acrylic, but like marineduud said Farco Plastics will have it along with weld-on if you dont already have that. Plus from the times I been there the prices have been pretty good.

[Fly Guy]

Originally Posted by aznkingfisher

i meant weld-on 16....i also have question to fly guy...can i used that acrylic at hd to make the rock lift.... my rocks are cooking right now....its hard to find scraps in my area...they sell sheets....also tanx 2 all who responded....

Absolutely. It doesnt matter. The only reason you see high end cast I cut up to make the frames in the pics is I know a tankmaker that sold me a bunch of his scrap.

[aznkingfisher]

can your buddy let me have some...lolz....anyways tanx to all who replies