PVC sheet uses.

[mikee002]

dang that’s nice. Did you make it?

My sump is made from 1/2" PVC sheet. Dont know if the grey is any stiffer or anything.

 

[sawdonkey]

Made by Bill Wann? That’s a beauty. We’re going to need more details but I think you’re implying that you didn’t build it?

 

[Reverend Turtle]

My sump is made from 1/2" PVC sheet. Dont know if the grey is any stiffer or anything.

What did you use for the windows?

 

[Broadfield]

Not PVC sheet, but HDPE sheet... very similar. This is a stand insert for holding Apex gear and other modules, controllers etc. I texture coated the three beauty panels, but everything else is raw HDPE.

IMG_2293 by Toby Broadfield, on Flickr

IMG_2292 by Toby Broadfield, on Flickr

IMG_2294 by Toby Broadfield, on Flickr

IMG_2296 by Toby Broadfield, on Flickr

IMG_2298 by Toby Broadfield, on Flickr

IMG_2297 by Toby Broadfield, on Flickr

IMG_2301 by Toby Broadfield, on Flickr

IMG_2302 by Toby Broadfield, on Flickr

IMG_2304 by Toby Broadfield, on Flickr

IMG_2305 by Toby Broadfield, on Flickr

 

[sawdonkey]

Not PVC sheet, but HDPE sheet... very similar. This is a stand insert for holding Apex gear and other modules, controllers etc. I texture coated the three beauty panels, but everything else is raw HDPE.

IMG_2293 by Toby Broadfield, on Flickr

IMG_2292 by Toby Broadfield, on Flickr

IMG_2294 by Toby Broadfield, on Flickr

IMG_2296 by Toby Broadfield, on Flickr

IMG_2298 by Toby Broadfield, on Flickr

IMG_2297 by Toby Broadfield, on Flickr

IMG_2301 by Toby Broadfield, on Flickr

IMG_2302 by Toby Broadfield, on Flickr

IMG_2304 by Toby Broadfield, on Flickr

IMG_2305 by Toby Broadfield, on Flickr

I’m glad you wrote. I was just about to ask about hdpe. By its nature, it’s very un-bondable, right? It looks like you use fasteners for everything? So I’m guessing you wouldn’t make a sump out of it? Could you use a hot air welder?
If you could get it to hold water, it should be very easy to clean since it’s made to be a “low energy surface,” right?

and the prices are reasonable and it comes in tons of colors!

 

[AlexG]

Does any reef safe silicone stick to it?

Thanks

No just like standard PVC silicone and RTV wont stick to it.

 

[Broadfield]

I’m glad you wrote. I was just about to ask about hdpe. By its nature, it’s very un-bondable, right? It looks like you use fasteners for everything? So I’m guessing you wouldn’t make a sump out of it? Could you use a hot air welder?
If you could get it to hold water, it should be very easy to clean since it’s made to be a “low energy surface,” right?

and the prices are reasonable and it comes in tons of colors!

I am not aware of any glue that would bond it well enough to trust it in sump construction... not even remotely. I've never had the need to glue it though, so I haven't totally researched the options. But I do glue a lot of other plastics, for a living, and HDPE just isn't like ABS etc. But boy does it machine unlike anything else... I love working with it! Even when I texture coated the front beauty panels, I had to throughly sand the entire panel with 80 grit first. Otherwise the texture coat would simply just peel off.

 

[BZOFIQ]

So what's the verdict?

Is this the same meterial that these are built out of? I believe both were built by MRC

 

[Reef-Engineer]

What did you use for the windows?

1/2" thick lexan. The PVC is counterbored to receive the windows from the inside, and the lexan is machined to match, so there is a mechanical interlock, and the bonding agent. I'll find a better pic of that.

 

[Reef-Engineer]

dang that’s nice. Did you make it?

Made by Bill Wann? That’s a beauty. We’re going to need more details but I think you’re implying that you didn’t build it?

I did the design, Bill Wann made it, then I did some finishing touches. Overall it works well.

I bought it primarily because I needed a sump that had the return pump and filter socks on the same end (since fish room is a little cave).

So as you can see here, we ran 2" PVC through it all internally, to draw from the return chamber and come out on the filter sock end to meet the external return pump. Works well. Even snuck a true-union ball valve in the sock chamber to minimize water loss when servicing return pump.

 

[Reef-Engineer]

You can note that for strength, almost all panels and walls are seated into each other and bonded. This reduces bending and increases strength all around. It also makes it weigh a ton...

I am still waiting on the final lexan windows for the lids of each chamber, and the refugium trays. Bill says they are done and I am just waiting on shipping.

 

[BZOFIQ]

Another question: Are these (the ones from home depot) 1/2 boards strong enough to support say a 300 Gallon tank instead of using plywood on top of the stand and under the sump?

I gotta take a trip to HD and see this material myself.

 

[Reef-Engineer]

worth noting too. I have a AGE Hybrid tank. 350 gallons, Acrylic Eurobrace top, Low-Iron 3/4" glass sides, 1" PVC sheet bottom, steel frames top and bottom.

Thing is indestructible.

But there is a probably a reason they use 1" PVC sheet for the bottom...

 

[BZOFIQ]

worth noting too. I have a AGE Hybrid tank. 350 gallons, Acrylic Eurobrace top, Low-Iron 3/4" glass sides, 1" PVC sheet bottom, steel frames top and bottom.

Thing is indestructible.

But there is a probably a reason they use 1" PVC sheet for the bottom...

Is only PVC used as the tank's bottom or is it on top of the glass bottom?

 

[Reef-Engineer]

Is only PVC used as the tank's bottom or is it on top of the glass bottom?

It is the tank's bottom, no glass down there. The bottom steel frame has a few cross members that are countersunk into the PVC bottom from below.

 

[BZOFIQ]

It is the tank's bottom, no glass down there. The bottom steel frame has a few cross members that are countersunk into the PVC bottom from below.

Well, that would answer my earlier question where I asked if silicone would bond well with it.

Thank you.

 

[jnvd3b]

Regarding glue. It is PVC so one would think the standard schedule 40 pvc primer and glue that we use on home sprinkler systems would work.

Only drawback is the primer is more commonly sold in purple but there is clear. I have been toying with building boxes with it for sumps. 15 to 20 gallons each. Manageable sizes. Connecting using 1 or 2 inch pvc. Unions. Box 1 return chamber and skimmer. Box 2 empty for refugium, rocks, combination of and also house back actors (hermits, etc), and box 3 return pumps and heaters.

I figure with sprinklers it would be similar. Cut to fit. Lightly sand pieces that are bonded. Prime. Apply glue. Press together, move left and right and then align to mark to set. Press together and hold firmly for a few minutes. Apply final EURO type brace internal for extra or on surface or both.

At least this is what I was thinking of trying. At 4o - 70 bucks a sheet it seems like it is an affordable test platform if one doesn't like using acrylic. At least to me it seems easier to put together or glue. Then again those working with acrylic here and elsewhere make it seem super simple

i cut a few strips of it tonight and used the standard purple primer/cement combo to attach a 1/2” strip to a 1/4” sheet.

adhered just like any pvc piping and i clamped it and left it for ~30 mins and came back it was good to go. I never sand any pvc I glue, I just deburr it and then move to primer, so I didn't sand this either.

Now this is a cosmetic ‘panel’ to cover up my tacky 2x4 stand, so not structural but I will say I am quite pleased at how much easier it is to work with (than acrylic, just my opinion) Cuts like butter and doesn't make much of a mess, washed it clean and let it dry and then primed/glued and was done.

i will definitely use it for more projects in the future

 

[coseal]

those sumps are made of a different type of pvc sheet, the stuff at the hardware store is closer to sintra or expanded pvc. the last few sumps in this thread are made out of type 1 or type 2 pvc sheet.

 

[mcshams]

I didn't use PVC, but I used 1/2" HDPE for our control panel/cord box. Our sump is made of PVC and acrylic (although I did NOT make that...that was Advanced Acrylics).

 

[User1]

i cut a few strips of it tonight and used the standard purple primer/cement combo to attach a 1/2” strip to a 1/4” sheet.

adhered just like any pvc piping and i clamped it and left it for ~30 mins and came back it was good to go. I never sand any pvc I glue, I just deburr it and then move to primer, so I didn't sand this either.

Now this is a cosmetic ‘panel’ to cover up my tacky 2x4 stand, so not structural but I will say I am quite pleased at how much easier it is to work with (than acrylic, just my opinion) Cuts like butter and doesn't make much of a mess, washed it clean and let it dry and then primed/glued and was done.

i will definitely use it for more projects in the future

Thanks for the information. No idea why I sand the piping when I installed my sprinklers but as I was typing the post that was the thought and flow. Never the less sounds like what you did worked amazingly well and I do agree the deburr and move to primer.

Sounds like it is easy to work with. Once I finish my canopy I will join the club and get a panel to test with. Sounds really easy to work with.