Acrylic Material for lid = no sag

[lemonyx]

What type of acrylic do I need to get, so the lids that won't sag.Have tried with thickness up to 3/4" and even a small area like an overflow box , the material still sagged (it was cast too). This is for a 48"long tank with 2 cut outs on top. (freshwater)

tia

 

[cromag27]

I've been making these for five years. are you handy with acrylic?

 

[Slm222]

Polycarbonate

 

[cromag27]

Not as rigid as acrylic, despite what some believe.

Polycarbonate

 

[ReefQueen]

I've been making these for five years. are you handy with acrylic?

That looks awesome! I need one of these! This temporary eggcrate top on the 90 is already getting on my nerves lol. To the OP, my solution to the bowing is to flip my top every few days. This is on an 8 gallon though, so probably a little bit easier to flip lol

 

[cromag27]

What a pain!

That looks awesome! I need one of these! This temporary eggcrate top on the 90 is already getting on my nerves lol. To the OP, my solution to the bowing is to flip my top every few days. This is on an 8 gallon though, so probably a little bit easier to flip lol

 

[ReefQueen]

What a pain!

Well we all don't have your skills lol. You can just send me some tops so I don't have to go through the painfully time consuming monotony that is flipping the 10"x10" top on my reject tank. Just make sure you send those shrooms along with them;)

 

[cromag27]

You are very needy. :)

Well we all don't have your skills lol. You can just send me some tops so I don't have to go through the painfully time consuming monotony that is flipping the 10"x10" top on my reject tank. Just make sure you send those shrooms along with them;)

 

[Nano101]

how about acrylic with vertical braces? almost like lifting handles

 

[cromag27]

Odds are, the braces would also sag eventually.

how about acrylic with vertical braces? almost like lifting handles

 

[Nano101]

Ok, Aluminum braces?

 

[cromag27]

Possibly, but the issue would be finding an appropriate adhesive. acrylic is very finicky when it comes to that. would look ugly though.

Ok, Aluminum braces?

 

[Nano101]

I would think a marine clear epoxy would do the job. Clamped aquarium silicone would adhere as well (done it). Just make sure to clamp and use a very clean bead.

 

[cromag27]

No. silicone does not adhere well to acrylic.

I would think a marine clear epoxy would do the job. Clamped aquarium silicone would adhere as well (done it). Just make sure to clamp and use a very clean bead.

 

[Nano101]

Not sure if you could use west system, but I use it all the time with sailboat stuff

 

[Pepcrylic]

Lexan wont absorb the water . which causes orther scrylic to wrp

 

[cromag27]

Lexan is a brand name. but, polycarbonate will absolutely absorb water, just not as much as acrylic. but if the lid is kept dry it's not an issue with acrylic.

Lexan wont absorb the water . which causes orther scrylic to wrp

 

[spllbnd2]

Cromag08,

That is a very nice top cover you made there. Did you use plastic screws to affix the screen / mesh to the acrylic frame?

Cheers,
Alex

 

[lemonyx]

cromag looking good there. I'm kind of handy with acrylic, do you sandwich the netting between two pc of acrylic or do you run a spline?
So polycarb is the material, then?
Is that what you use?


tia

 

[Nano101]

Could you make a screen instead of an acrylic cover?