Using epoxy to build tanks?

Brittany Marie

Active Member
View Badges
Joined
Jul 27, 2018
Messages
330
Reaction score
528
Location
Southern Maryland
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
A friend of mine is willing to build a 150 gallon acrylic tank. He usually works with epoxy and thinks that would be better than silicone. Is epoxy fish safe?
 

Brett S

Valuable Member
View Badges
Joined
Nov 28, 2016
Messages
1,062
Reaction score
1,352
Location
Orlando
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
150 gallons is a lot of water to put in something built by someone who has never built an aquarium before. Building your own acrylic tank can definitely be done, but I’m not sure I’d want the first attempt to be a 150G tank.
 
OP
OP
Brittany Marie

Brittany Marie

Active Member
View Badges
Joined
Jul 27, 2018
Messages
330
Reaction score
528
Location
Southern Maryland
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
150 gallons is a lot of water to put in something built by someone who has never built an aquarium before. Building your own acrylic tank can definitely be done, but I’m not sure I’d want the first attempt to be a 150G tank.
I’d definitely make sure it holds water first. Would glass be better?
 

driftin

Active Member
View Badges
Joined
Sep 12, 2020
Messages
287
Reaction score
386
Location
Chicago
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
It's a great offer but I'd be nervous too, unless when your friend refers to epoxy he is referencing a solvent-based glue that will actually weld the acrylic. Acrylic tanks aren't glued together the same way glass tanks panels are held with silicone. The panels on acrylic tanks are welded - the glues that are used melt the plastic and as it cures they fuse together.

Even if it holds water initially, I would be nervous about a failure of the seam if epoxied.
 

TOP 10 Trending Threads

DO YOU THINK TECHNOLOGICAL ADVANCEMENTS ARE MORE HELPFUL OR HURTFUL TO REEFING?

  • More helpful.

    Votes: 35 38.9%
  • More hurtful.

    Votes: 4 4.4%
  • I think it depends mostly on the technology.

    Votes: 35 38.9%
  • I think it dependsmostly on the reefer behind the technology.

    Votes: 29 32.2%
Back
Top
Home
Post thread…
Market
What's new