DIY shelf-rock from scrap Lexan/Acrylic sheets??? Cogs are rolling!!!!

OK. So I have several 2X2 and 4X4 scrap (scratched, stained) pieces of Lexan laying around that I can't bring myself to trash.


Meanwhile, I'm also trying to find ways of making some stable shelf rock that resembles a stack of Montipora scrolls or tabling acro levels. Then, the thought hits me. Why not use the 1/4" thick Lexan? It's plenty strong enough.

Here's my thoughts. Some of this may sound odd at first but I'm confident this can work. I'm trying to make a 20" tall stack of Montipora-like shelves that is about 15" around at the base, tapering somewhat randomly in a cone shape near the top of the tank, using some 1.5" PVC as the backbone that holds it all up.


First, cut the 1/4" Lexan on the bandsaw into random Monti-shaped flat pieces.


Second, get out the torch and burn it up, make it bubble, and warp it into a cup-shape. Lexan is a good choice here, it doesn't melt and dribble like acrylic, but I'm sure both can work. Ignore dark burn marks altogether, the texture adds character.


Third, use a Dremel to cut a 1.5" diameter hole on the edge of the shelf to slide down over the PVC backbone.

Fourth, Make some spacers (just arago-crete) that slide down onto the PVC backbone that spaces the Monti-shelves a good inch and a half apart.



Now here is the tricky part--- making it look more like live rock. I need to coat this with crushed coral or aragonite. Would I be better trying to coat this with a thin layer of Arago-crete, or perhaps mixing up a clear plastic solution?


In case you didn't know, you can melt standard acrylic scraps (NOT lexan!) into Acetone to make a glue similar to PVC cement. I could easily mix this with some aragonite sand and coat the warped/burnt/lumpy Lexan with the aragonite/acrylic goop. It should stick, if the Lexan is sufficiently marred up from the torch treatment.



I could easily see this being a very cool looking DIY rock if it works. Or it could be a monumental waste of time lol (ie, education on what NOT to try).


Thoughts?

 

I'd do it....I love that kind of stuff....it either works or don't...like ya said...you wouldnt be out much...but if it worked..it would be crazy cool. : )

 

Indeed. I have several irons in the fire at the moment, but when I get a spare moment, I'll slice-n-dice one of the sheets to see how it goes.


I'll start melting some scrap acrylic tomorrow in acetone, it takes a few days for it to fully form a gel-type glue. I think I can smear the acrylic glue onto the Lexan and dust it with aragonite to get a sufficient look.


BTW I'm also experimenting on spraying the rock with pink and purple Krylon Fusion to give it the "purpled up" look. I sprayed a piece of aragocrete with it a few weeks ago, and after a few weeks soaking, it's still pink/purple, but it didn't seal up the pores of the rock, which is a good thing. Still breathable.

 

In terms of making it look like LR you could always try coating the lexan in reef safe epoxy, take some crushed coral or aragonite to give it a natural look. Or if you had the time to cure you could coat it in the DIY rock receipe which would actually make it look pretty sick.

 

I do indeed have the cure time, as well as the necessary arago-crete ingredients (white portland, rock salt, and aragonite mixed with crushed coral).

I'm going to try to make a few using only the acrylic goop method so that i can keep these as thin as possible. The arago-crete I'd have to mix an unusually high amount of portland in it to make it even more stout, since the flexibility of the Lexan might cause the portland to crack/break, or even worse, sheet off. I think the acrylic glue will hold better.

I could also use clear casting (polyester) resin, or even spray plumber's foam, just enough to adhere the aragonite to the acrylic without increasing the thickness much.

 

That's true, the weight of the cement mix might cause breakage. In this case I think resin/glue/epoxy would be best.

 

I wonder what it would look like if I bought some cheap off-brand polyurethane glue and mixed it with aragonite, and then let it do it's normal foam-maddness as it cures (ie, like cheap Gorilla glue). Should be perfectly reef safe.


The essential thing here is that it has to be cheap. I can make the acrylic goop using a few dollars worth of acetone and plexiglass scraps. It's also possible I could heat the Lexan enough to embed some aragonite directly onto it, followed by a little purple Krylon for color.

 

That's not a bad idea. The only thing worry about though is that later on you may get some scrapping/loss of aragonite from natural abrasion (sp?) within the aquarium which might reveal the lexan underneath. Because as the lexan hardens it won't retain that stickiness that will hold the particulates in place over its span. Unless of course you coated it in something once it harden but that would probably give it an artifical look; if this was the case I would simply heat the lexan, warp it to your liking, let it harden and then stick the aragonite on.

Anyways that's my .02

 

Fun with torches. I like it.

My 2 cents would be to take your time and don't rush to glue a lot of stuff to it. My fear is that it will actually look unnatural and, well.. like you glued a bunch of stuff to it.

Your thin approach might work best.

Where I am coming from is a few years back when I made DIY rock with portland cement, sand and shells, etc. To me my rock looked very artificial until I drilled the heck out of it with a masonry drill bit. Then it came to life. I guess that is way I like your initial approach.

Sounds like you have enough to experiment and get it right. I definitely want to see pics. Good luck!

matt

 

I'm building some military burial flag display cases and then a big LED-canopy for a 180g tank for a friend.... as soon as I get those done, I'm digging into this.


I may take a small (5" square) piece of scrap and some aragonite to work with me tomorrow and see what I can do with it.