DIY skimmer box

reefracer · 04-12-2008, 04:04 PM

What types of plastics are ok to use and which are not? Is plexi glass the same as acrylic? Home Depot and Lowe's carry some types.

Frankie · 04-12-2008, 04:12 PM

No. The stuff HD and Lowe's carries is extruded. You want cell cast.

reefracer · 04-12-2008, 04:36 PM

Ok that means order from some place I heard there are even some brands or types of cell cast to look for do you know?

sasquatch · 04-12-2008, 04:55 PM

plexiglass is a brand of acrylic, for what your doing anything but lexan would be fine, your talking about an overflow type skimmer not a protein skimmer right?

reefracer · 04-12-2008, 05:31 PM

That is correct. I see the link in "working with acrylics" but Ca seems a long way to get material. Yes, I just want two small boxes one for a skimmer inside the tank and one for a hang on the back outside the tank. I plan to link them with bulk heads. 3/8" mat'l for the outside one and 1/4" for the inside one. I would like to find a business that will make to my specs, there are no suppliers close to me and if I have to order all the mat'l I'd rather get them assembled.

reefracer · 04-12-2008, 05:35 PM

I may just use glass and silcone it. The plastic just seems to have a much nicer appearance. But may be too much trouble to get what I want. Do you guys know any custom shops that don't mind small jobs? Glasscages turned it down saying they only build larger tanks.

PEMfish · 04-12-2008, 07:36 PM

You might wind up breaking the glass. I'd do acrylic foe multiple reasons.

reefracer · 04-12-2008, 08:49 PM

That's what I was thinking also. Just think I would feel a little safer if the outside collection box were one piece welded acrylic unit. Now am trying to find a shop that will build to spec for me. I think my idea will work ok.

framerguy · 04-12-2008, 08:55 PM

Everything I have built may fall apart tomorrow but I have used plexiglass from the hardware store for a long time with no ill effects. I don't know the brand. For small things like overflow boxes I use 1/8 acrylic from my frameshop. Maybe a frameshop in your area would sell you some non-UV acrylic. The UV stuff has a quartz coating and I don't know if you should use it.

reefracer · 04-12-2008, 09:23 PM

Did you use the Weldon to glue or did you silicone?

Frankie · 04-17-2008, 11:12 PM

The problem with non cell cast acrylics is the absorption of water. Stuff like plexiglass will absorb water. It can also release toxins into the water like phosphates.
Cast acrylic is more dense. harder. You guys should read up on it more. I was looking for a cheaper way out of building my skimmer and found a ton of reasons in Google why i should only use cell cast.

reefracer · 04-19-2008, 06:20 PM

Thanks for the info. I decided to have mine built rather than trying to order all the correct materials since there are no places local for me.

04-12-2008, 04:04 PM	#1 (permalink)
reefracer Midas Blenny $reefracer's Avatar$ Join Date: May 2007 Posts: 111 View Gallery Karma Komment	DIY skimmer box What types of plastics are ok to use and which are not? Is plexi glass the same as acrylic? Home Depot and Lowe's carry some types.
$reefracer is offline$

04-12-2008, 04:12 PM	#2 (permalink)
Frankie Angel Girl's Daddy Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: The End Of The World Posts: 7,851 View Gallery Karma Komment Add yours!	Re: DIY skimmer box No. The stuff HD and Lowe's carries is extruded. You want cell cast. __________________ Click here to visit my thread: New Horizons Text Is a Poor Form Of Communication! If we ignore the environment maybe it will just go away....

04-12-2008, 04:36 PM	#3 (permalink)
reefracer Midas Blenny $reefracer's Avatar$ Join Date: May 2007 Posts: 111 View Gallery Karma Komment	Re: DIY skimmer box Ok that means order from some place I heard there are even some brands or types of cell cast to look for do you know?
$reefracer is offline$

04-12-2008, 04:55 PM	#4 (permalink)
sasquatch Brunt of all Jokes~ Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: the very farthest west coast of canada Posts: 8,917 View Gallery Karma Komment Add yours!	Re: DIY skimmer box plexiglass is a brand of acrylic, for what your doing anything but lexan would be fine, your talking about an overflow type skimmer not a protein skimmer right?

04-12-2008, 05:31 PM	#5 (permalink)
reefracer Midas Blenny $reefracer's Avatar$ Join Date: May 2007 Posts: 111 View Gallery Karma Komment	Re: DIY skimmer box That is correct. I see the link in "working with acrylics" but Ca seems a long way to get material. Yes, I just want two small boxes one for a skimmer inside the tank and one for a hang on the back outside the tank. I plan to link them with bulk heads. 3/8" mat'l for the outside one and 1/4" for the inside one. I would like to find a business that will make to my specs, there are no suppliers close to me and if I have to order all the mat'l I'd rather get them assembled.
$reefracer is offline$

04-12-2008, 05:35 PM	#6 (permalink)
reefracer Midas Blenny $reefracer's Avatar$ Join Date: May 2007 Posts: 111 View Gallery Karma Komment	Re: DIY skimmer box I may just use glass and silcone it. The plastic just seems to have a much nicer appearance. But may be too much trouble to get what I want. Do you guys know any custom shops that don't mind small jobs? Glasscages turned it down saying they only build larger tanks.
$reefracer is offline$

04-12-2008, 07:36 PM	#7 (permalink)
PEMfish Golden Moray Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: Kane Co. Il. Posts: 2,370 View Gallery Karma Komment Add yours!	Re: DIY skimmer box You might wind up breaking the glass. I'd do acrylic foe multiple reasons. __________________ Paul `EM My new 48" reef tank; http://www.reefsanctuary.com/forums/...-opciones.html My new planted; http://www.reefsanctuary.com/forums/...-planted.html# Make it idiot-proof and someone will make a better idiot. I'll make the whole damn world jealous if given the money to do so. Don't make mistakes and learn from them, read and learn how to avoid mistakes. a)Fix the damn problem b)live with it -But absolutely no b*tching

04-12-2008, 08:49 PM	#8 (permalink)
reefracer Midas Blenny $reefracer's Avatar$ Join Date: May 2007 Posts: 111 View Gallery Karma Komment	Re: DIY skimmer box That's what I was thinking also. Just think I would feel a little safer if the outside collection box were one piece welded acrylic unit. Now am trying to find a shop that will build to spec for me. I think my idea will work ok.
$reefracer is offline$

04-12-2008, 08:55 PM	#9 (permalink)
framerguy Manta Ray Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: Mount Airy, Ga Posts: 3,469 View Gallery Karma Komment Add yours!	Re: DIY skimmer box Everything I have built may fall apart tomorrow but I have used plexiglass from the hardware store for a long time with no ill effects. I don't know the brand. For small things like overflow boxes I use 1/8 acrylic from my frameshop. Maybe a frameshop in your area would sell you some non-UV acrylic. The UV stuff has a quartz coating and I don't know if you should use it. __________________ ___________________________________ Greg All time fav quote: "Now and then it's good to pause in our pursuit of happiness and just be happy."-Guillaume Apollinaire "Being happy can be as easy as deciding to be!"-Greg Kimsey (framerguy) Still Workin' on it! 375gDT built in wall, Gargantuan DIY Beckett Skimmer, 100g sump, Sequence Hammerhead closed loop, 75 gallon seagrass/mineral mud refugium, 55 gallon crushed coral/live rock refugium, 30 gallon DSB/ cheatomorpha refugium, algae turf scrubber, DIY calcium reactor, DIY kalkwasser mixer, DIY light system w/4x 250MH & 4x54w T5, etc, etc, etc... chronicles-akwareum

04-12-2008, 09:23 PM	#10 (permalink)
reefracer Midas Blenny $reefracer's Avatar$ Join Date: May 2007 Posts: 111 View Gallery Karma Komment	Re: DIY skimmer box Did you use the Weldon to glue or did you silicone?
$reefracer is offline$

04-17-2008, 11:12 PM	#11 (permalink)
Frankie Angel Girl's Daddy Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: The End Of The World Posts: 7,851 View Gallery Karma Komment Add yours!	Re: DIY skimmer box The problem with non cell cast acrylics is the absorption of water. Stuff like plexiglass will absorb water. It can also release toxins into the water like phosphates. Cast acrylic is more dense. harder. You guys should read up on it more. I was looking for a cheaper way out of building my skimmer and found a ton of reasons in Google why i should only use cell cast. __________________ Click here to visit my thread: New Horizons Text Is a Poor Form Of Communication! If we ignore the environment maybe it will just go away....

04-19-2008, 06:20 PM	#12 (permalink)
reefracer Midas Blenny $reefracer's Avatar$ Join Date: May 2007 Posts: 111 View Gallery Karma Komment	Re: DIY skimmer box Thanks for the info. I decided to have mine built rather than trying to order all the correct materials since there are no places local for me.
$reefracer is offline$

Currently Active Users Viewing This Thread: 1 (0 members and 1 guests)