# Caulk and black trim



## fortmyersdrew (Oct 24, 2007)

Alright two questions. I am building a 20 gallon tank just to get the ropes down. I need to know two things.

Can I get the caulk i need to make the tanks at homedepot or lowes if so does anyone know what this is called.

Then my second question is where can I get the black trim for the top and bottom of the fish tanks? is there somewhere i can buy it in big strips or soemthing?


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## fish_4_all (Nov 13, 2006)

I think the GE silicone I is the one you want. Read the ingredients, if it says 100% VOC then it is the right one. There is a site, well at leats one where you can get the trim online but I can't find it. Will post it if I find it.


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## fortmyersdrew (Oct 24, 2007)

also will that caulk work on acrylic tanks?


thankyou very much. and another question i had was overflow boxes i was wondering if i should ask my question here or start a new topic


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## fish_4_all (Nov 13, 2006)

Caulk will NOT work on acrylic. You must glue it with a special glue and it is not easy to do. I did not get a succesful glue on anything over 10 inches long and I tried for weeks.


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## fortmyersdrew (Oct 24, 2007)

that is fine i know how to caulk but is this glue more expensive can this be bought at homedepot or lowes do you know what its called?


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## fish_4_all (Nov 13, 2006)

The glue is a solvent made specifcally for acrylic. Make sure you get the one that is recommended for the acrylic you want to use as there are different ones for different types. Home Depot, Ace, Lowes or most any hardware store should have some of them but not sure what selection they will have or if they will have the right one.


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## fortmyersdrew (Oct 24, 2007)

bringing this topic back from the dead. I still need to find out where i can get the black trim thats on top of tanks and on the bottom of them. I need to know how to make my own. What do you guys use for the top and bottom trim when you build a custom tank


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## fish_4_all (Nov 13, 2006)

http://www.greatlakesaquariums.com/replacement-parts.html

You can make your own with any hardwood. I have also seen it done with Black acrylic. For the wood frame you can just make L trim or you owuld cut a slot for the bottom glass to fit in if you have a raised bottom tank. I would stain and verathane/urethane (waterproof) the wood before putting it on the tank.


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## caferacermike (Oct 3, 2006)

You could buy the rim strips from Glass cages.com. However if you build an acrylic tank you don't need them. Instead you can easily use scraps to create a "eurobracing" or most of my friends buy enough acrylic to cover the tank completely. Using a saw to cut out the middle, save for a 1" ring around the outside dimensions. You then "weld" that to the top of the tank so that it has a glued on rim. You will need "Weldon" 3 or 4 to weld the pieces together. It's actually a complicated process that is very easy to do. You will need to find a plastics wholesaler near you to get the products you need. They will cut the pieces for you as well if you ask them to. They will help you select what grade of Weldon will be right for your skill level. The higher the number, the thicker the product. The lower the number the nicer the seam will look.


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