"Corian" tank - 2/24/07 (Finished) - Aquarium Advice

redswi · 12-06-2006, 11:35 PM

Okay...a little background first. I am a Cabinetmaker w/Electical and Plumbing experience. I have all the tools and materierials at my disposal. I have built 2 glass tanks in the past (15 / 30 gal), and...oh yeah "I'm cheap".
This will be my first tank in about 18 years, it will be a community tank of about 40 gal, and will fit into a corner. The project will include the tank,stand,hood,and wet/dry filter. I like to challenge myself with every new project, so with this one I will be pushing for good looking,top quality,easy to maintian,healthy enviorment,and oh yeah "I'm cheap.
By now your wondering where the Corian fits in, well... Corian is an acrylic and has very similar properties to the acrylic that most of you are used to. Corian is insoluble in water, it's chemical and microbial resistant, and it bonds to itself to create seamless water-tight construction...Plus the company I work for fabricates countertops out of it and we get plenty of scrap lying around...remember ? I'm cheap.
I summit the attached design for your input. This is the largest tank I can do with the space available and the material on hand...the back corner will be solid so the fish don't have to see my ugly walls...the overflow is an idea I had after seeing some "All-glass" tanks...the bottom will be 1/2" solid , and drilled for a standpipe/return (the wet/dry design will come later)...I am not entirely happy with framing the front angles ,but i'm to cheap to have my glass beveled.
Please feel free to pick this apart all comments are welcome....this will be my prodject for the winter and I will be posting my progress as well as my questions.

**melosu58** · 12-06-2006, 11:54 PM

Cant wait to see the finished product.

plecoperson · 12-07-2006, 12:16 AM

We just overordered Corian to get a "free" integrated sink. Must talk husband into this use of the excess.....

GlitcH · 12-07-2006, 08:28 AM

Very Interesting!!
I bet that is gonna look awesome!

I'm bookmarking this thread....looking forward to your progress.

Hey can we get a picture of the pattern on the corian.......I am wondering what that looks like.

Oh.......and welcome to AA!

drobertson · 12-07-2006, 12:13 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by redswi

I am not entirely happy with framing the front angles [/img]

I think this looks good on some tanks. You look through a window in to an underwater world, can be very cool.

Welcome to AA!!!!!!!!!

Hara · 12-07-2006, 12:50 PM

Quote:

it's chemical and microbial resistant

Please excuse my ignorance as I am totally unfamiliar with the material you mention. Does it get the above properties by being chemically treated at some point? If so, should that be a concern?

BillyZ · 12-07-2006, 06:14 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Hara

Quote:

it's chemical and microbial resistant

Please excuse my ignorance as I am totally unfamiliar with the material you mention. Does it get the above properties by being chemically treated at some point? If so, should that be a concern?

Hopefully he'll correct me if I'm wrong, but I believe it boasts those properties from being a non-porus material(?).

I think the design is fine. I would consider some sort of containing frame/rim around the outside of the top and bottom. Just from my own personally taste, i don't know if I would like the framed look of the front panels, but i guess thats just a matter of taste.

Sicklid · 12-07-2006, 07:14 PM

Corian is basically pigmented acrylic. It is little chips of it pressed together kind of like an acrylic particle board.

It is totally inert, as it is used for food preparation areas...

I am looking forward to seeing this too... The only thing I would ask is what is the thickness of this material? I know it is not the thickness of a countertop, but wont it need a brace welded across the top from front to back to prevent bowing out? I didn't see one in the plans.

redswi · 12-07-2006, 11:40 PM

thank you for the input, your positive comments show me that i am on the right track..

to answer hara
[quote]Please excuse my ignorance as I am totally unfamiliar with the material you mention. Does it get the above properties by being chemically treated at some point? If so, should that be a concern?

billiyz and sicklid are correct. Corian is basically a non porous acrylic particalboard. when cured it does not offgass or leech, it is easy to clean and disinfect making it perfect for wet areas and lab surfaces...

to answer billyz
[quote]I would consider some sort of containing frame/rim around the outside of the top and bottom.

and sicklid
[quote]The only thing I would ask is what is the thickness of this material? I know it is not the thickness of a countertop, but wont it need a brace welded across the top from front to back to prevent bowing out

the top from will be 1/4" thick x 1 3/8" wide, and will have a rout to accept a 2 pcs glass cover...the the bottom will be solid 1/2" thick.... the front and side frames as well as the back panels will be 3/8" thick...all the joints will be glued with the same acrylic resin that the corian is made from basically welding it together...the glass will be siliconed.

I will be prepping all the parts at the shop on sat. then I will bring home for assembly...I will post some pics this weekend depending on how far I get

Sicklid · 12-08-2006, 01:51 AM

Are you sure it won't bow out when filled with water? It seems like 3/8"" material is strong enough to hold water, but all acrylic tanks I have seen were at least 1/2"" thick, and they still have a top brace... Not like you cant add one afterwards if it did bow.

One more stupid comment: I have heard that glass will not stick to acrylic with silicone as the bonding material (I personally don't know this to be true or false, just remember reading that somewhere). Why not weld clear acrylic windows in just to be sure? Oops, I forgot how cheap you are going for here :P , sorry.

Good luck, and show those pix when you're done!!!

12-06-2006, 11:35 PM	#1
redswi Aquarium Advice Freak Join Date: Dec 2006 Posts: 251	"Corian" tank - 2/24/07 (Finished) Okay...a little background first. I am a Cabinetmaker w/Electical and Plumbing experience. I have all the tools and materierials at my disposal. I have built 2 glass tanks in the past (15 / 30 gal), and...oh yeah "I'm cheap". This will be my first tank in about 18 years, it will be a community tank of about 40 gal, and will fit into a corner. The project will include the tank,stand,hood,and wet/dry filter. I like to challenge myself with every new project, so with this one I will be pushing for good looking,top quality,easy to maintian,healthy enviorment,and oh yeah "I'm cheap. By now your wondering where the Corian fits in, well... Corian is an acrylic and has very similar properties to the acrylic that most of you are used to. Corian is insoluble in water, it's chemical and microbial resistant, and it bonds to itself to create seamless water-tight construction...Plus the company I work for fabricates countertops out of it and we get plenty of scrap lying around...remember ? I'm cheap. I summit the attached design for your input. This is the largest tank I can do with the space available and the material on hand...the back corner will be solid so the fish don't have to see my ugly walls...the overflow is an idea I had after seeing some "All-glass" tanks...the bottom will be 1/2" solid , and drilled for a standpipe/return (the wet/dry design will come later)...I am not entirely happy with framing the front angles ,but i'm to cheap to have my glass beveled. Please feel free to pick this apart all comments are welcome....this will be my prodject for the winter and I will be posting my progress as well as my questions.

12-07-2006, 12:16 AM	#3
plecoperson Aquarium Advice Addict Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: Evanston, Illinois Posts: 1,161 Images: 3	We just overordered Corian to get a "free" integrated sink. Must talk husband into this use of the excess..... __________________ -Lisa Remember that Darwin was mostly right!

12-07-2006, 08:28 AM	#4
GlitcH Aquarium Advice FINatic Community Mentor Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: RI Posts: 618 Images: 4	Very Interesting!! I bet that is gonna look awesome! I'm bookmarking this thread....looking forward to your progress. Hey can we get a picture of the pattern on the corian.......I am wondering what that looks like. Oh.......and welcome to AA! __________________ 92G Corner Planted Community - 46G Bowfront -90G behind my bar - 20G Planted Shrimp Tank

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12-07-2006, 07:14 PM	#8
Sicklid Aquarium Advice FINatic Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: Tarpon Springs FL Posts: 658 Images: 4	Corian is basically pigmented acrylic. It is little chips of it pressed together kind of like an acrylic particle board. It is totally inert, as it is used for food preparation areas... I am looking forward to seeing this too... The only thing I would ask is what is the thickness of this material? I know it is not the thickness of a countertop, but wont it need a brace welded across the top from front to back to prevent bowing out? I didn't see one in the plans.

12-07-2006, 11:40 PM	#9
redswi Aquarium Advice Freak Join Date: Dec 2006 Posts: 251	thank you for the input, your positive comments show me that i am on the right track.. to answer hara [quote]Please excuse my ignorance as I am totally unfamiliar with the material you mention. Does it get the above properties by being chemically treated at some point? If so, should that be a concern? billiyz and sicklid are correct. Corian is basically a non porous acrylic particalboard. when cured it does not offgass or leech, it is easy to clean and disinfect making it perfect for wet areas and lab surfaces... to answer billyz [quote]I would consider some sort of containing frame/rim around the outside of the top and bottom. and sicklid [quote]The only thing I would ask is what is the thickness of this material? I know it is not the thickness of a countertop, but wont it need a brace welded across the top from front to back to prevent bowing out the top from will be 1/4" thick x 1 3/8" wide, and will have a rout to accept a 2 pcs glass cover...the the bottom will be solid 1/2" thick.... the front and side frames as well as the back panels will be 3/8" thick...all the joints will be glued with the same acrylic resin that the corian is made from basically welding it together...the glass will be siliconed. I will be prepping all the parts at the shop on sat. then I will bring home for assembly...I will post some pics this weekend depending on how far I get

12-08-2006, 01:51 AM	#10
Sicklid Aquarium Advice FINatic Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: Tarpon Springs FL Posts: 658 Images: 4	Are you sure it won't bow out when filled with water? It seems like 3/8"" material is strong enough to hold water, but all acrylic tanks I have seen were at least 1/2"" thick, and they still have a top brace... Not like you cant add one afterwards if it did bow. One more stupid comment: I have heard that glass will not stick to acrylic with silicone as the bonding material (I personally don't know this to be true or false, just remember reading that somewhere). Why not weld clear acrylic windows in just to be sure? Oops, I forgot how cheap you are going for here :P , sorry. Good luck, and show those pix when you're done!!!