Expressions-LTD.com scrubber box and LED panel attachment

[amwassil]

I just bought an acrylic scrubber box and 4 LED panels from Expressions-LTD.com to build into a combo moving-bed/algae-scrubber for my turtle tank. The panels have right angle end brackets with screw holes and the box has screw holes through the sides. The various holes line up OK, however, the holes in the acrylic box are oriented at right angles to the holes in the brackets on the panels. Does anyone know if I can replace the panel end brackets with straight brackets that would align with the box sides, rather than stick out at a right angle? I know I could just use small cable ties, but I would prefer a stainless screw/bolt attachment. Thanks.

[amwassil]

Here's a photo of the 'cable tie' solution.



Although the holes in the acrylic box line up with the holes in the LED mounting brackets, the rounded ends of the brackets cause the small cable ties to slip off the ends. Thus, the third cable tie to prevent the slippage. Not very elegant.

Does anyone know if it's possible to purchase flat brackets to replace the right angle brackets on the LED panels? That would certainly be a better solution.

[amwassil]

Here's 'cable tie' solution #2.



Actually, I had tried this initially and didn't like it because it, too, isn't very elegant. However, without spending a lot of time prowling for hardware that might or might not exist, and/or spending a lot of time fabricating something from multiple different items such as aluminum angle or channel, pop rivets, etc, I decided just to go with it. I don't like using these very small cable ties. They are not designed for structural strength.

Expressions-LTD.com (if you ever read this) here are some suggestions.

Individually, the LED panels and the acrylic box are well designed and built. I have no complaints about either. However, I think insufficient thought went into how they could be joined.

If you want to join them with cable ties, then they should be built to accept standard-sized cable ties, with a 50lb break strength that can be installed with a cable tie tool. In my opinion, these very small cable ties are inadequate. They are easily stressed when tightened with pliers, which you must use because you can't use a cable tie tool, and even if they don't actually break they are very likely to stretch and break later if subjected to any kind of load. When using pliers to tighten the small cable ties it is also very easy to slip off the plastic tie and crack or break one of the acrylic panels.

You could cut small slots in the acrylic to accept the larger cable ties rather than just the round drill holes. With a bit of sideways allowance, the cable ties could be positioned around the LED panel end brackets as in my 'cable tie solution #1' so as not to slip off the ends of the rounded brackets.

If you want to join the LED panels and the acrylic box with brackets and screws/bolts, then you need to supply such mounting hardware that is required. Or, provide a detailed parts list so the user can purchase the required hardware locally. Or you could sell the hardware as a separate item to those who would prefer it. With properly designed hardware, you might not even have to change anything on either the LED panels or the Acrylic box. As is, 1/8" aluminum pop rivets fit very nicely into the drill holes in the acrylic. A small angle bracket with a screw hole in each side connected to the acrylic box by pop rivets would provide a connection to the LED panels. It's possible that such small brackets are already on the market. I thought seriously of using pop rivets to connect a piece of angle aluminum via pop rivets to the full length of the drill holes in the box.