Incredible

[2fastlx]

Well today started off just lovely. I get home from work at 830 and check the tank. My foureye butterfly is in the intake side of my skimmer:frustrat: How he managed that I have no idea. I proceeded to get the skimmer off the back of the tank and pour the water (and the houdini butterfly) back into the tank. As Im negotiating the skimmer back into position it slips from my grasp and falls to the floor. It landed smack dab on its bottom and a chunk broke out of the bottom of the return side:pissedof: Of course there was about a gallon of water still in the skimmer so that promptly made its way all over the wall, baseboard, and floor. I ran to the pet shop and grabbed an emperor filter until I can figure out the fate of this skimmer (they dont really have skimmers there). I am thinking the skimmer can be patched with a small piece or acrylic if I can figure out how to bond it there. Do you guys have any suggestions or repair ideas? Here are some pics of the damage

 

[coolhandgoose]

Wow that sucks. Maybe try like a two part epoxy to patch it up.

 

[johno1973]

I would try acrylic cement or a two part epoxy. Should fix you right up since it is a HOB and won't carry a large water load.

 

[bjohanson1234]

I would also look for some acrylic cement, put the piece back in, then put another sheet of acrylic on its underside to try and secure it a bit more.

 

[wontonflip]

+1 everyone...it's not like it's holding a whole lot of water. Make sure you let the acrylic cement cure, and do a test run to check for leaks w/ tap water before using it.

 

[2fastlx]

Cool, thanks for the help guys. Can anyone get me a brand name of acrylic cement and where to get it? Im not familiar with the stuff.

 

[johno1973]

I'm not sure about the safety of this but I would look into it:
IPS Weld-On 16 Cement: TAP Plastics&

 

[johno1973]

I know I have seen other Weld-On solvents that will work. I'm not completely sure about this particular one.

 

[reeffreak]

Weld-On 16 is totally safe after it dries.John at Lifereef.com and Melev uses that product for making acrylic sumps.

 

[2fastlx]

The weld-on 16 seems like the ticket, I did some research and people have successfully repaired similar things with it. Im having a heck of a time finding out where to get it though. Their website doesnt list their distributors like most do. Anyone have any ideas where to look? I was thinking plastics shops but Im not sure theres any locally here.

 

[Rcpilot]

I use Weld On 16 for acrylic parts all the time at work. The stuff I use is like water. Paint it on with a tiny hobby brush and get the parts together quick. Squeeze out the tiny air bubbles. Tape it in place or just sit there and hold it for about 15 minutes.

Basically, it melts the 2 pieces of plastic into a slurry and then after it dries they will be fused together. Done right, you can't even see the seam.

I know it's water tight, because I've had joints like this under about 30psi water pressure @ 100 F.

 

[bjohanson1234]

Also try some glass shops. They usually deal with acrylic also.

 

[AdeptMrSniffles]

I've seen a lot of different types of Weld On at auto parts stores.

 

[chbix]

Ebay has it too

 

[2fastlx]

Well I repaired the skimmer. I used weld on to glue the broken piece back in place, as well as glued a patch piece of acrylic on the bottom. It holds water no problem and shows no sign of leakage or water intrusion between the 2 pieces. It has been going strong on the tank for an hour now (under close supervision) so hopefully its back in action. Thanks for the suggestions on using the weld-on, it worked awesome:Cheers:

 

[bjohanson1234]

Congrats!!!! A lot cheaper than buying a new one