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tgoeujon
04-03-2009, 02:22 AM
is any one using anything other than glass for there baffles? i want to build a sump out of my 72 gallon tank but i dont want to waste a bunch of glass but i want to do it myself.
hillegom
04-03-2009, 03:07 AM
I have heard of people using acrylic for baffles
Palster
04-03-2009, 04:06 AM
Acrylic will work fine for baffles and you can cut it yourself. Just make sure you have a very fine tooth blade on your saw when you cut it. Also, aquarium safe silicone is not recommended for securing acrylic but it will work fine to hold acrylic baffles in a glass sump. I have built a couple of sumps this way.
banditpowdercoat
04-03-2009, 04:19 AM
Yup, Acrylic or plastic, will be fine. BUT, Acrylic is usually more expensive than glass. Cutting glass is real easy too. But, If you want pieces cut, I can cut them for you, but not back till the 22nd. Ron, at 100 Mile Glass, across from Lone Butte Supply, he's real good, and a friend of mine. Shouldnt be to much for glass. Only need 1/8" thick for baffles, thats all I make mine out of.
Canadian
04-03-2009, 09:39 AM
Just make sure if you choose to use acrylic for the baffles that you don't cut the acrylic to the exact same dimensions as the ID (internal dimensions) of the tank. Acrylic absorbs water and expands slightly. Extruded acrylic, which is cheaper than cast acrylic, expands more than cast acrylic. If you wedge a piece of acrylic into the sump to act as a baffle and over time it starts to absorb water and swells you can imagine what it could do to the sides of your sump.

Personally I'd just go to a place like Speedy Glass and have them cut some 1/4" glass to the dimensions you need. It shouldn't cost much at all and will, in all likelihood, be cheaper than acrylic. Plus it will bond better than the acrylic would with silicone.
fishytime
04-03-2009, 02:23 PM
I just found an old scratched up tank for cheap and used the glass from it. My sump is a 55g which is 12" wide, so a 20g tank,which is also 12" wide worked perfectly. You still need to cut the hieght of the baffles but with the glass only 3/16 thick its not that hard with one of the cheap scribe type glass cutters.