The aquarium with its own hands made of glass

If you decide to get fish or change the aquarium , you will definitely need some tips on how to make an aquarium out of improvised means.

We make an aquarium with our own hands - general rules

There are 2 ways of assembling an aquarium of a rectangular shape: all faces rest on the bottom or are attached around it. The latter option is appropriate for tanks with a volume of more than 50 liters. Choose the thickness of the glass in accordance with the dimensions of the future capacity. This table will help in this:

For this purpose, you need to choose silicate (ordinary) glass. The glass can be window (polished) or display (mirror). Window material often has a surface with bumps and waves, less durable, but it costs less. The display surface is made with a calibration polishing, which makes the product very durable and high-quality. Pay attention to the grade of glass: M1 (highest) to M8 (lowest). The better the marking, the less foreign elements in the form of bubbles will be in the walls of the aquarium. You can use the used display glass.

Do the cutting in such a way that the front walls correspond to the dimensions of the tank itself. The bottom needs to be reduced by both parameters for two thicknesses of the selected glass, we will sketch a few mm on the glue. The front part in height is equal to the front elements, the width is equal to the bottom.

Plexiglas aquarium with own hands: work progress

1. In order to make a beautiful aquarium with your own hands the size of 400x300x240 mm, you need 2 face glasses 300x400 mm, a canvas 390x230 mm for the bottom, the ends have dimensions 300x230. The cover will be 380x220 mm, its holders - 2 glasses 180x30 mm. If the capacity is impressive, it will require stiffeners (not less than ¾ of the longest side). They are attached to the top of the facial webs, which will prevent them from bending outwards.
2. After cutting, chamfer with sandpaper. Remember that it is impossible to process the sides on which the sealant will be applied. Otherwise, the elements simply do not stick together.
3. Before you are silicone glue, glass and paint tape. The painting tape should be pasted over the contours of how the glue will be applied. This approach will not cause glue all around. From the edge recedes the distance equal to the thickness of the glass plus a couple of millimeters. We get:
4. The bottom is glued on 4 sides.
5. On the ends go through a lint-free cloth with acetone or alcohol. After that, apply 2 drops of glue on each side of the bottom and on the vertical part of the ends. After 2 hours, cut the drop, leaving 1-2 mm - this will be the thickness of the binder between the panes. This simplifies the gluing of the walls. They should not touch each other.
6. As a working area, choose a firm, level surface: carpet, sofa do not fit. To the bottom, glue the front wall. To make it easier to fix, use a jar of water.
7. Further, glue the end part at an angle of 90 degrees, in this will help the paint tape.
8. Now you need to do the second end, the last one in turn will be the rear window.
9. All excess glue is removed using a cloth with vinegar.
10. Walk through the adhesive tape around the perimeter of the upper part of the structure, this makes it possible to tighten the joints qualitatively.
11. In a few hours it is recommended to walk on all the connections with silicone. This is a mandatory procedure for overall tanks, if you make a small aquarium with your own hands - it is not necessary.
12. Give glue and silicone to polymerize for 12, and preferably 24 hours.
13. When the whole structure has dried, remove the adhesive tape, remove the seams with a blade. If necessary, attach the stiffeners and holders.
14. It's time to check. Fill the aquarium to the top to check the seams for integrity. Attach a paper to them, it will immediately show the punctures, if any. If the seam is not ideal, pour out the water, drain the seam and, with the help of silicone and needle, fix the flaw.
15. Rinse the aquarium and run your pets into it.