Plexiglass

[CyerRyn]

I'm just curious is plexiglass safe for Betta's? I feel kinda silly asking.. I was just thinking of a way to spoil my boys by making a thicker divider for some idea's I have since thin plastic would not be able to hold what I want to do. *Keeping it secret muahaha*

[frogipoi]

It looks safe.... but don't trust me. I never used a divider in my life O.o

[Wyvern]

My local Fish store uses them to divide their tanks. They had small slots drilled/cut into it so that water can flow but the fish cant get to each other. I saw somewhere once that someone used coloured pieces to create dividers so that the fish couldnt see each other.

[CyerRyn]

Yeah I didn't think it would be harmful. I have only one big problem though.. I have no drills or saws lol. I was brainstorming some other ideas to go through with my *secret decorating* plan that won't require such thick plastic... I just hope I can find it in clear. ;o.. if this all works in the end my boys are gonna feel soooooo spoiled and I'll reveal my work! *evil laugh*

[Wyvern]

You should be able to have it drilled/cut for cheap where you buy it from. Im lucky my brother works as a mechanic and they have a fancy cnc machine so that if I want to use that one day I just bribe him with something to do it for me.

[CyerRyn]

thats the problem though I need big holes cut into it too for my *secret* plan ;) and I'm not sure what size holes I would need... guess I could go to the hardware store and see what they can help me with

[Wyvern]

Go speak to them, you'd be surprised. Most hardware stores here (we go to small mom and pop ones not chain stores) love to help out on projects like that.

[Thunderloon]

Almost all the plastics currently used as windows are safe for use in aquariums, they're designed to act like glass itself against water, light, heat, pressure and chemicals.

Regular plexiglass is just normal acrylic sheet... if you happen to be masochistic you can use the harder stuff: polycarbonate... but lexan has bisphenol-A in it and can affect your fish.

When I make flush-tops for tanks using plexi I use 3mm polycarbonate. For all practical purposes it is as hard as iron and just as difficult to work.

You can use hack-saws and drills to tool both materials, but be sure to get blades with a wide camber-wave on them so you don't bind up a lot. (the line the teeth are in wiggles widely from side to side instead of straight like a knife edge). The regular acrylic will do everything you need as a divider.

My flush fit polycarb lids will hold up a ten pound cat!

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Poly%28...ethacrylate%29

Keep in mind that if your hand slips along the cut edge it WILL rip you open. The material is safe-ER than glass but you can still make holes in your hands. Polycarbonate can hold an edge sharp enough to cut through leather and cannot be broken from just being scored unless you have a pane-breaker rig, trying to do it by hand can result in serious injuries and/or youtube video footage.

[n3wport]

Secret plan?! I used that crochet mesh. Its pretty flimsy. But it seems a little more blocking-of-view over those clear plastic ones. I beat if you asked a privately owned operation with measurements and such for a little extra cash theyll cut it for ya?