New cube build

[Cherub]

So today I wake up and get ready to go to home depot to buy acrylic to make the surface skimming box for my new tank. Then I started thinking (based on someone’s advice) that maybe I will put the box in the back and cut slits in the tank for skimming. I will use the 2 holes as dual returns. Anyway I go buy the parts I need, home depot doesn't cut acrylic or glass... I go to BLowes and the guy there, wiping his nose on his sleeve and coughing the whole time yuck, cuts the acrylic for me. Came out nice and clean. I get it home and attempt to drill a hole for the bottom pain. The drill slips all over the place, bounces off my shoes and wraps around my pant leg! It wouldn't turn off either it just kept shredding and twisting my inner pant leg all the way to my boxers! My roomy was there and quickly unplugged it avoiding injury but man that was a close call!

Needless to say I will be drilling a board first and making a stencil for the drill to follow. That was my excitement for the day I am now taking a break...

 

[jgonzz]

So today I wake up and get ready to go to home depot to buy acrylic to make the surface skimming box for my new tank. Then I started thinking (based on someone’s advice) that maybe I will put the box in the back and cut slits in the tank for skimming. I will use the 2 holes as dual returns. Anyway I go buy the parts I need, home depot doesn't cut acrylic or glass... I go to BLowes and the guy there, wiping his nose on his sleeve and coughing the whole time yuck, cuts the acrylic for me. Came out nice and clean. I get it home and attempt to drill a hole for the bottom pain. The drill slips all over the place, bounces off my shoes and wraps around my pant leg! It wouldn't turn off either it just kept shredding and twisting my inner pant leg all the way to my boxers! My roomy was there and quickly unplugged it avoiding injury but man that was a close call!

Needless to say I will be drilled a board first and making a stencil for the drill to follow. That was my excitement for the day I am now taking a break...

LMAO bout spit my drink on the keyboard, Glad your ok lol sounds like it was youtube worthy lol

 

[Cherub]

Yeah for sure youtube worthy, good thing nobody was recording my dumba*s

 

[Cake_Boss]

So today I wake up and get ready to go to home depot to buy acrylic to make the surface skimming box for my new tank. Then I started thinking (based on someone’s advice) that maybe I will put the box in the back and cut slits in the tank for skimming. I will use the 2 holes as dual returns. Anyway I go buy the parts I need, home depot doesn't cut acrylic or glass... I go to BLowes and the guy there, wiping his nose on his sleeve and coughing the whole time yuck, cuts the acrylic for me. Came out nice and clean. I get it home and attempt to drill a hole for the bottom pain. The drill slips all over the place, bounces off my shoes and wraps around my pant leg! It wouldn't turn off either it just kept shredding and twisting my inner pant leg all the way to my boxers! My roomy was there and quickly unplugged it avoiding injury but man that was a close call!

Needless to say I will be drilling a board first and making a stencil for the drill to follow. That was my excitement for the day I am now taking a break...

Lmao!

Little early to be drinking josh.

Take pics gabe, you know how much we (I) like them



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[Cherub]

Lmao!

Little early to be drinking josh.

Take pics gabe, you know how much we (I) like them



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Well at the cost of my favorite jeans... I finished the box.

[attachment=59773:name]

So what's a god way to cut slits into the back of the tank? I have a drill, was thinking about doing holes instead. I have a dremil but lost some parts over the years and don't see that as an option.

 

[Wicked Color]

side cut drill bits are nice, just have to make a jig.

 

[Cherub]

side cut drill bits are nice, just have to make a jig.

I used a side cut to make the holes. I may just cave and buy a dremil tool to go down the rest of the way.

 

[Cake_Boss]

I used a side cut to make the holes. I may just cave and buy a dremil tool to go down the rest of the way.

I'd pass on the dremel, and go for a router to do that. That being said, I use my dremel for everything

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[dv3]

table saw?

 

[othercents]

I'd pass on the dremel, and go for a router to do that. That being said, I use my dremel for everything

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Yes Router is the best way. They actually don't cost as much as you would think.

Your overflow box isn't as wide as I was envisioning, but it should work just fine. You will need to make the slits longer to compensate for an overflow that only spans a few inches. Keep in mind water friction and tension through the slits will make the water flow slower, so you have to compensate with length of slits and size of slits. I think people typically use 1/4" bits spaced every 1/4" which will keep fish and large snails from going through. You can also use 3/8" slits with 3/8" spacing between which will help keep from cracking the acrylic between the slits, but will allow for larger snails and maybe really small fish to make it through. I can't really tell you how long you should make the slits, but personally I would make it 1/2" to 1" below the max water level you are shooting for based on your overflow box size. If you made the overflow 3/4 the width of the tank then I would probably say 1/4" to 1/2" below the water level would have been fine and your sump wouldn't have needed to hold as much overflow water when the pump is turned off. Try 1/4 and then fill the tank with water (in your bathtub or outside) and see how it flows, if the water level is to high then compensate by cutting the slits longer.

I wouldn't make the slits go all the way through the top of the tank. This also means you will probably have to drill a starter hole before you use the router (or dremel).

David

 

[othercents]

View attachment 2201

What did you use to build the box? Weld-on or silicone?

 

[Cherub]

What did you use to build the box? Weld-on or silicone?

The people at lowes look at me like I was crazy when I asked for weldon like I made up a product. They told me to use gorilla glue which sucked. It turned into this expanding foam as it dried which made my box look like crap. I tried to peel it away but it was a no go. I sealed it with the aquarium silicone I got at elite

 

[Cherub]

Yes Router is the best way. They actually don't cost as much as you would think.

Your overflow box isn't as wide as I was envisioning, but it should work just fine. You will need to make the slits longer to compensate for an overflow that only spans a few inches. Keep in mind water friction and tension through the slits will make the water flow slower, so you have to compensate with length of slits and size of slits. I think people typically use 1/4" bits spaced every 1/4" which will keep fish and large snails from going through. You can also use 3/8" slits with 3/8" spacing between which will help keep from cracking the acrylic between the slits, but will allow for larger snails and maybe really small fish to make it through. I can't really tell you how long you should make the slits, but personally I would make it 1/2" to 1" below the max water level you are shooting for based on your overflow box size. If you made the overflow 3/4 the width of the tank then I would probably say 1/4" to 1/2" below the water level would have been fine and your sump wouldn't have needed to hold as much overflow water when the pump is turned off. Try 1/4 and then fill the tank with water (in your bathtub or outside) and see how it flows, if the water level is to high then compensate by cutting the slits longer.

I wouldn't make the slits go all the way through the top of the tank. This also means you will probably have to drill a starter hole before you use the router (or dremel).

David

Well I ended up buying a router attachment for the dremel... that was a total disaster with it slipping all over and chipped some acrylic. I had to stop before I messed it up even more. I will use a small tooth hacksaw tomorrow. I guess it will go very slow but I tried all I could at this point and am a bit irritated at the situation. Buy it rr is the only way i will ever do it again. Some people should not use tools

 

[Cake_Boss]

Hate to tell you but...told you. You'll want to go get the weld on, the silicone won't hold it if there is enough pressure. You can get weld on at glass shops. You can probably still use the dremel if you use a guide (piece of wood clamped down). Don't skimp when it comes to something holding water in. My .02

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[KhensuRa]

You can get weld on at hobby stores...

 

[Cherub]

Hate to tell you but...told you. You'll want to go get the weld on, the silicone won't hold it if there is enough pressure. You can get weld on at glass shops. You can probably still use the dremel if you use a guide (piece of wood clamped down). Don't skimp when it comes to something holding water in. My .02

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It's not skimping if I never heard of it and people at the shops never did either. I figured you typo'd.

 

[Cherub]

You can get weld on at hobby stores...

thanks

 

[Cake_Boss]

Lowes...wirick works at lowes. Lol. They have no clue when it comes to aquarium stuff.

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[Cherub]

Lowes...wirick works at lowes. Lol. They have no clue when it comes to aquarium stuff.

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Yeah they sure don't lol The woman said "I had a crack in my pond equipment and this gorilla glue worked wonders" So annoying lol I peeled off the box I made I will just go to hobby lobby or some where I can find weld on. Luckily the piece of acrylic I bought had enough for 2 boxes. i really dont feel like trying to clean off that mess.

 

[othercents]

Yeah they sure don't lol The woman said "I had a crack in my pond equipment and this gorilla glue worked wonders" So annoying lol I peeled off the box I made I will just go to hobby lobby or some where I can find weld on. Luckily the piece of acrylic I bought had enough for 2 boxes. i really dont feel like trying to clean off that mess.

Using anything other than weld-on on acrylic will cause it to leak or fall off especially when you have pvc parts that might move when performing maintenance. I also noticed that maybe the parts are not exactly the same sizes. If that is true then you will need some of the thicker weldon, so you can fill the seams better. I only use silicon for acrylic if I'm putting acrylic into a glass sump, and even then I have to be careful not to cause too much pressure against the acrylic when filling the water that it comes loose from the silicon.

I have weld-on #3 if you want to borrow it for this project. However you probably need weld-on #16 if you have to fill gaps, or a mixture of weld-on #3 and acrylic shavings to make a paste.