I am trying to build a medium size aquarium for myself and maybe a box for my scrubber and i keep calling around locally for prices on glass and acrylic. the prices make my jaw drop!! For instance $145.00 for a 36"x15" hunk of low iron glass 1/2" thick ($75.00 for plate) or the same price for 3/8" acrylic. There is NO WAY tank builders are paying this or a 40 breeder would cost you a grand at the LFS,,WHERE are you guys getting your glass/acrylic at a reasonable price?? please help,i am pulling my hair out!
Try Sabis Polymershapes, Laird Plastics, Regal Plastics, or Port Plastics. Not sure where you are but one of those should be reasonably close. Generally you will find several brands of extruded and cell cast available. Avoid extruded, as it will generally bow more and I think it is harder to work with, others don't care. If you go with extruded get Acrylite FF or Plex GM. If you go for cell cast, you could try to find Plexiglas G or Acrylite GP, but those are more expensive. Plexiglas makes a generic version that is meant to compete with the cheaper import cast products, it has a plain paper mask (no print) and it referred to a PMACS (pronounced p-max). Try to find that. 3/8" full sheet should run under $200.
thank you sooooooo much! have been getting the run around! is a full sheet 4'x8' like plywood? Do you think 3/8" acrylic would be strong enough for a 36" tank that is 15" tall with 14" of water in it?
Yup, that should be fine. It might bow a bit but not too much at that height. You will want a eurobrace, minimum of 2" around the perimeter and adding a 3-4" wide center brace wouldn't be a bad idea
I make rimless tanks out of 1/2" but only 8.5" tall. I made a few that were 3/8" tall and they box like nuts. OK for fests and frag swaps, but not very good for full use. If you want rimless 14" you're probably looking at 3/4" minimum and the cost goes way up because you have to buy a full sheet even though you're only using a fraction of that
floyd, just called liard plastics, they wear very helpful and have full 4x8 sheets of cell cast for $400.00. They will even cut it for free!! PLEASE tell me that 3/4" acrylic would be good enough for a 36" L to R 30 front to back and 15" tall tank......
Yea and i think the bow would look like crap and drive me nuts! o well it was fun to dream. guess ill just go buy a pre-made tank at the LFS thanks for all the help!