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Acrylic Back Sump Wall


Sugawara2

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Hey everyone! I'm trying to get back into the hobby again after being on hiatus for about  3 years and am planning a 16 gallon (roughly) AIO tank. I've decided on integrating the filtration into the back because I don't have that much space below the tank and I wanted to keep it a bit tidy lol. The tank dimensions are 24" L x 16" W x 11" H.

 

So.. I was wondering If you guys think that 2mm thick black acrylic is okay for the wall of the back sump as well as the baffles inside? It's kinda expensive to buy acrylic where I'm from so I cant really go for the 4mm thick ones and they only sell them in large sheets. hoping to hear from y'all :D

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Christopher Marks

Welcome to the community @Sugawara2, and welcome back! This sounds like a fun project, custom tank building can be very rewarding.

 

2mm thick acrylic may work, but it depends a lot on where the rear baffles are placed, as they will provide some support against the weight of the water in the display portion. Are you planning to span 24 inches or 16 inches? 2mm at 24" would probably be pushing your luck, especially if you had any wider spans between the internal baffles, it may start to bow inward. What if you doubled up the cost effective 2mm material for the back wall? If they are precisely cut the same size you could bond them together face to face. Since it's opaque it would still look the same otherwise.

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On 2/25/2018 at 1:19 AM, Christopher Marks said:

Are you planning to span 24 inches or 16 inches? 2mm at 24" would probably be pushing your luck, especially if you had any wider spans between the internal baffles, it may start to bow inward. What if you doubled up the cost effective 2mm material for the back wall? If they are precisely cut the same size you could bond them together face to face. Since it's opaque it would still look the same otherwise.

Hey thanks for replying! :D I was planning on the 16" span. The tank kinda looks like this overall.view1.thumb.jpg.cdefdba571ae22771527cf526fc50af5.jpg

 

 

I don't exactly have tools here in my dorm (still in college btw :D ) but I know a place where I can have the acrylic lasercut so it can be cut exactly the same. I did try making a model of the double-paned back wall that you suggested. I'm not quite sure if I did the baffles right in terms of how thick they are but I'm planning on placing baffles in ever quarter of the way. :) oh and the water level is around an inch an a half lower than the rim of the tank :D 

 

this one is for the double-pane

5a943a47967b4_2layers.thumb.jpg.980502663de4165defe366803bcc3214.jpg

 

and this one is for the divisions I planned on doing for the backfilter

division.thumb.png.7337488c669f3bad77e7fe718321953b.png

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