DIY concrete aquarium. How to make a large rectangular aquarium yourself. Additional devices for the aquarium

If you want to glue an aquarium yourself, the first thing you need to do is choose the right glass. It must be silicate and must be of the highest grade.

All glass is divided into two groups - polished and window. The latter have only one advantage - affordable price. But they cannot be used for aquariums. A greenish tint and characteristic waviness will negatively affect the appearance of the finished product. Polished glass has no such disadvantages and provides a perfectly smooth surface.

Before answering the question, how to properly glue an aquarium, It must be said that there are two assembly methods:

The vertical sides are installed on the bottom. Small aquariums are glued together in this way, but in general this method is rarely used.
The walls are glued around the bottom. In this case, the strength and reliability of the finished product is achieved.

One more problem - what glue to use to glue the aquarium together?
Typically, a special sealant containing silicone is used for this.

OBRASIL K-95.
Tytan Professional.
Aquarium sealant Moment Germent.

Direct gluing of the aquarium is carried out in several stages:

Protect the glass from dirt by covering it with masking tape. Leave a distance from each edge equal to the thickness of the glass. The glass that will be the bottom is also covered.
All surfaces must be degreased. To do this, wipe them with alcohol or an acetone-containing product. Use a lint-free cloth for this.
The adhesive seam should be as smooth as possible. You can do it as follows: apply a small amount of silicone to the end. Once it has hardened, cut it off with a blade, leaving a small overhang above the glass. It will help you make an even seam.

Carry out gluing on a flat and hard surface, which must be covered with polyethylene. First glue the glass that will be in front. To prevent it from falling inside, use regular jars that need to be filled with water.
Glue the side glass, achieving a perfect right angle. Then glue all the other parts. Remove excess glue from the glass with a cloth, first moistening it in a solution of water and vinegar.

Apply masking tape around the perimeter of the entire aquarium. It will prevent the glass from tilting inward.
After about an hour, coat the seams with silicone. Leave the product to dry for twelve hours.
Remove the masking tape and clean up the seams with a razor blade.
Fill the aquarium with water and check the seams for strength. If there is a leak somewhere, drain the water and dry the seam. Fill the problem area with silicone.
Rinse the aquarium and you can use it.

VIDEO ON THE TOPIC

Self-gluing an aquarium requires a competent solution to the problem, what glue to use to glue an aquarium. It must contain silicone.

When choosing, carefully study the packaging. The glue must be designed specifically for aquariums. It should not contain antibacterial substances that are harmful to fish and plants.

The glue can be of several colors: white, black and colorless

Blacks require clear boundaries and look great in large aquariums. If you are gluing an aquarium for the first time, choose transparent glue. For ease of use, buy a special gun with which you can easily squeeze out the adhesive.

Silicone sealants are considered a universal solution. They are characterized by a long service life, elasticity and provide reliable adhesion to any surface. Silicone is non-toxic, easy to use, and does not emit harmful substances. The glue hardens quickly, in twenty minutes.

Within a day, polymerization is completely completed. The seams are quite strong: to destroy them will require a force of two hundred kilograms. At the same time, the glue retains its elasticity. Before using sealant, make sure that the surfaces to be treated are dry, clean and free of grease.

Answering the question of how to glue a glass aquarium together, one cannot help but say that in addition to silicone, epoxies can be used. They are more fluid, harden for a long time and require careful cleaning of surfaces. Cold welding is easy to use - they are chemically inert and set in minutes. Cyacrines are also good, but in this case there should be small gaps between the parts.

If you can't find aquarium sealant, you can buy a product designed for plumbing or dishes. But it should not contain antifungal additives.

Bonding large aquariums requires certain requirements to be met. The seams should be thick, the best option is two to three millimeters.

A mandatory step is degreasing.
To avoid the formation of bubbles, you must first install all the glass and only then introduce the silicone.
Squeeze out the glue until silicone flows outside the seam and there are no bubbles inside.
The glass of a large aquarium is secured on top with corner clamps; a simple support is sufficient from below.
Place a board of appropriate width inside and hold the glass.
At this time, the second person presses the silicone.
When the silicone is pressed into the seam, the excess is carefully removed from both sides.

If you are interested in how to glue a large aquarium together, remember that it requires ties and stiffeners. But they can be glued only after the glue has completely dried.

To fix the stiffeners, the aquarium must be placed on one of the sides. The ribs are glued at a distance of three centimeters from the top edge, then let the glue dry.

VIDEO

If you decide to enliven the underwater landscape with the help of stones, you will need information, how to glue rocks for an aquarium. As a rule, silicone glue is used for this. To ensure the strength of the structure, you need to lubricate all points of contact.

When creating large compositions, it is better to pre-glue individual stones with silicone sealant. This way you will protect the aquarium from cracks and glass splits due to falling stones.

Repairing cracked aquarium glass

1.Remove old glue

We take a utility knife and place it against the glass with the old glue line. Using light pressure, we draw along the glass to cut off the old glue. We repeat the procedure on the reverse side. It is more convenient to pick up the adhesive by moving the knife from bottom to top. After this, the cut strip can be easily torn off by hand.

Using this algorithm, we remove glue from all corners of the aquarium.

REPAIR VIDEO

2. Degrease the surface

We degrease the seams that have just been cleaned of glue residue. To do this, soak a cotton cloth in rubbing alcohol and rub it along the seams. Leave the aquarium for 10 minutes to dry.

3. Glue the damaged aquarium

To glue the seams again, we use special glue for aquariums (for example OBRASIL K-95).

The stores offer adhesives of different colors - choose the one that suits the design of your aquarium. We begin to squeeze it out of the syringe, moving up from the corner at the bottom along the wall of the aquarium.

We take a small board (for example, you can take part of a wooden clothespin), apply it to the place where you started squeezing out the glue, and lift it up along the seam to remove excess glue and level the glue seam. Spread excess glue over the top of the glass.

We perform gluing for all the walls of the aquarium.

The glue should be as close to the seam as possible. Then the updated aquarium will be sealed and will last for many years.

Glass rectangular aquariums with fish, decorating the interior of homes, offices and shopping centers, are familiar to every fan of the underwater world. Having carefully studied the design of the tank, many fish holders come to the conclusion that they can make an aquarium themselves using glass, the necessary tools and glue. Although stores display a wide range of containers for keeping fish, not every aquarist can choose a model to their liking, and some are confused by the price of artificial reservoirs. In addition, knowing how to glue an aquarium correctly, you can make money by selling homemade containers. There are some rules and nuances that will help you learn how to make an aquarium with your own hands.

Perhaps for novice aquarists just joining the ranks of fans of the underwater depths, the question of how to make an aquarium with your own hands will seem strange. After all, pet stores and Internet sites offer a wide range of models of artificial ponds: giant and small, rectangular and round, with and without lids. However, despite such an abundance of tanks, many experienced aquarists prefer to make a homemade aquarium.

The decision to glue an aquarium at home has many reasons. For example, a fish holder lives in an area remote from the city, and transporting a fragile glass container causes difficulties. Some owners make structures for sale, earning money at the same time. But the main reason why most aquarists decide to make an aquarium with their own hands is the joy of the work done and the desire to save money.

If a large aquarium is being built, then stiffening ribs will be required. These are additional components that help the structure withstand fluid pressure, preventing the walls from sagging. The stiffening ribs are installed at right angles, which allows you to increase the strength of the container and install a glass lid for the aquarium.

Separately, it should be noted such a nuance as cutting glass. If the aquarist does not have experience in this matter, it is better to entrust the work to professionals, since inept actions will lead to sad results.

Glue selection

How to glue a glass aquarium is an important question, since the strength and durability of the structure depends on the correct choice of the adhesive mixture. There are many types of glue that can be used to connect glass edges together. But to make the aquarium durable and reliable, the adhesive must meet the following requirements:

Safety.
Strength and elasticity.
Aesthetic appearance.
Rapid grasping.
Ease of use.
Durability.
High degree of adhesion.

Silicone sealant meets these requirements, thanks to which you can make a durable and reliable tank. Before gluing the aquarium with silicone sealant with your own hands, it is important to pay attention to the composition of the glue. The composition should not contain impurities, and the substance itself should not be antibacterial, otherwise the fish may be harmed.

Silicone sealant is available in three colors:

White – When using this shade, it is important to note that the design may appear unfinished.
Unpainted - used to create small tanks with a capacity of up to 100 liters.
Black – used for gluing bulky structures, it looks elegant and noble.

The following brands of sealants are considered the most popular and reliable:

Dow Corning 911.
Tytan.
Soudal Silirub AQ.

How to glue an aquarium

Artificial reservoirs for keeping fish come in different sizes and shapes, but for the first time you should give preference to a rectangular aquarium, the manufacture of which is simple and convenient. There are two ways to glue an aquarium at home:

The walls are glued to the bottom of the tank.
The glass is glued around the bottom.

Both methods do not differ from each other in terms of reliability and service life. Having chosen the first method and prepared the necessary materials, you can begin gluing the parts.

How to properly glue an aquarium:

The first step is to sharpen the edges of the glass so as not to get hurt during assembly. To do this, the glass faces are transferred to a bathtub, the bottom of which is covered with a soft and clean cloth, the container is filled with water and the piece of glass is placed. Having moistened the sharpening stone, they carefully process the edges. The cut must remain intact, otherwise the silicone sealant will not be able to adhere tenaciously.
Having completed the processing of the edges, carefully remove the glass and wipe it dry with a clean towel. After this, the edges are treated with a disinfectant.
As preparation is completed, they begin responsible actions - gluing surfaces. The bottom of the future tank is carefully laid on the newspaper, then sealant is applied to the end of the front wall using a gun, and the glass is carefully placed on the bottom of the tank, gently and lightly pressing. If excess glue appears, then there is no need to remove the sealant - a double seam is used for strength.
The side walls are glued in the same way, except that their vertical ribs are lubricated with sealant. The resulting structure is left to dry for 24 hours, but sometimes it takes more time for the glue to set well.
After the sealant has dried, clamps are installed to glue the aquarium together if an impressive container is being built. A day later, after all the parts are securely glued, the excess adhesive mixture is eliminated using a sharp knife or blade.
The assembled aquarium is checked for reliability and leaks. To do this, fill the container with water and carefully inspect the joints. If there is still a leak, you can try to fix it by pressing a little glue into the weak spot. After this, you can begin to launch an artificial reservoir and stock it with fish and shellfish.

When assembling the fish tank, safety precautions should be observed by wearing protective gloves during installation and manufacturing.

Aquarium cover

The aquarium lid is an element without which the design cannot be completed. The coating provides protection for energetic shellfish and active fish that jump to the surface and fall down to die. The simplest and most economical version of a homemade lid is a thin plastic sheet that is installed on the stiffeners.

If the owner wishes, a protective covering can be constructed from silicate glass or durable plastic by installing lighting. For convenience, a handle is attached to the lid to conveniently open/close the tank. To avoid damage to the top edge of the glass, construct a soft layer of sealant. In addition, it is important to first measure the parameters of the aquarium so that the lid fits in size and looks harmonious.

Making an aquarium at home may seem daunting for the first time, but with patience and detailed instructions, assembling the tank is not difficult. The main thing is to choose high-quality materials so that the structure becomes a reliable refuge for colorful fish, exotic shellfish and underwater flora. Having gotten your hands on making artificial ponds, you can turn this hobby into a profitable business by starting to produce aquariums at home.

Video about making an aquarium with your own hands

If you carefully examine any rectangular aquarium, you will understand its simple design. Basically, this is an ordinary container made from pieces of glass. Making such a vessel is entirely within the capabilities of a person who knows how to use household tools. There are, however, some rules and subtleties that you need to know before starting work.

Purchasing a ready-made aquarium of almost any shape is not a problem: there is quite a large selection of them in pet stores. At the same time, there are quite a lot of aquarists who make their own containers for ornamental fish at home.

There are various reasons for this. For example, the owner of the fish lives in a rural area, and transporting a large glass structure from the nearest city pet store can be very problematic. Someone makes glued houses for aquatic life for sale. But most often, the point of making this item yourself is the joy of creativity and the desire to save money on the family budget.

Materials for work

Making an aquarium with your own hands requires the following tools and materials:

special silicate glue;
glue dispenser (so-called gun);
glass cutter;
masking tape;
rulers or tape measures;
sponges;
rags made of natural fabric.

Choosing glass for an aquarium

Particular attention should be paid to the issue of glass quality and thickness. In working condition, the bottom and walls of the vessel experience significant water pressure. Therefore, as the capacity increases, the thickness of the glass should also increase.

For example, for a small aquarium with a length of 50 cm and a height of 30 cm, you need to choose glass with a thickness of at least 5 millimeters. And when you need to glue a large jar (1 m by 0.6 m, for example), you need 10 mm glass.

If organic glass is chosen as the material for the walls, then the same calculations should be followed.

However, aquarium masters rarely work with plexiglass, as it quickly becomes cloudy, and when cleaning the walls of algae, visible scratches appear on it.

There is also a requirement for the type of glass. In our case, we need to choose the highest grade material M1, without foreign impurities and microscopic air bubbles inside. This type of glass is usually used in store windows.

When choosing the appropriate adhesive, preference is given to special silicone sealant for aquariums. You need to make sure that it is harmless to living organisms. You shouldn't skimp on silicone. Many aquarists recommend the German sealant KNAUF 881 or Silirub Aquarium from Soudal.

Making a simple glue aquarium

It is impossible to make a panoramic aquarium yourself without special professional equipment, but almost every home craftsman can make a rectangular jar.

Preparing glass parts

After careful measurements, glass is cut out for the bottom, front and back sides, and end walls. There is no need to grind the glass ribs to ensure better adhesion to the sealant.

All glass parts near the places where gluing will be carried out are glued on both sides with strips of masking tape, the edge of which should deviate from the edge of the wall or bottom by 5-6 mm.

This is necessary so that the glass does not get dirty during the application of the sealant. Places of future joining should be degreased with acetone or white spirit.

Working with glue

Apply a few drops of silicone along the entire perimeter of the bottom glass, wait 2-3 hours and cut so that the hardened glue is 1-2 millimeters thick. The result is a kind of beacon that determines the thickness of the adhesive seam. It is very important that the glass parts do not touch each other to avoid breakage when exposed to load and lateral pressure.

Further gluing is carried out on a hard surface covered with polyethylene. The front wall is applied and glued. To prevent it from collapsing, you need to put supports on both sides.

The silicone should be squeezed out evenly so that the seam is of the same thickness. Then the end glass is attached and sealed. It must be secured in relation to the front wall with masking tape. The second end glass and the rear wall are glued in the same way. Remains of excess sealant are carefully removed with a sponge or damp cloth.

Depending on the type of sealant, drying the joints can take up to two to three days. At this time, the aquarium should be in a well-ventilated place and not subject to any physical impact. The container must not be moved, moved, or turned over, otherwise air bubbles may appear in the seams, due to which the service life of the aquarium may be reduced in the future.

Immediately after gluing, it is better to place the aquarium on its side and press down the edges with something heavy, for example, books.

Before continuing reading, watch the video tutorial, which covers in detail how to glue aquarium glass:

Strengthening the walls

It would also be useful to install stiffening ribs. They are made from strips of the same glass 6-10 centimeters wide and glued to the top of the vertical walls.

The ribs, which should be 4-6 cm shorter than the length of each wall, ensure uniform water pressure over the entire surface. This measure is especially relevant for large containers.

After a day, you can test the glued can under load. If there are no leaks, then the aquarium is ready.

Using this principle, you can glue an aquarium of increased volume. Naturally, this will require thicker glass, stiffening ribs at the top and bottom, as well as a system for fixing the vertical walls when gluing using, for example, corner clamps.

How to install aquarium accessories?

Depending on the equipment used (external, etc.), you need to cut holes either in the side wall or in the bottom and glue short pipes into them.

Some craftsmen carefully cut off the necks of glass bottles, insert them into the holes with the edge of the neck facing out and seal them hermetically around the circumference with silicone. Subsequently, hoses from external life support devices are easily attached to these homemade adapters.

DIY aquarium lid

The material for this important element can be plexiglass, simple silicate glass, or plastic. It all depends on the size of the container.

With the advent of new building materials, home craftsmen began to abandon heavy plexiglass and began to use foamed polyvinyl chloride, or, more simply, PVC panels, to create an aquarium lid.

Making the cover frame

If the aquarium is small, then the lid can also be made from ordinary construction plastic with a thickness of at least 3 mm. In any case, it cannot be placed on glass. Therefore, you first need to make the sides from the same plastic, cutting strips along the length of the walls 6-10 cm wide. This will be the height of the side.

The frame is glued together with resin or a special glue for plastic. It is better to reinforce the corner connection with a metal corner (also glued).

Attaching the lid to the aquarium

Craftsmen came up with an interesting way to attach the sides to the top of the can: using a PVC cable channel.

On both sides, the cable channel has grooves into which both the walls of the aquarium and sections of the side are inserted, so it must immediately be selected for the appropriate thickness of the glass. All joints should be coated with silicone.

Hinges are attached to the rear side to lift the lid. They can either be glued or bolted together. A square slot is made in the plastic surface of the roof to grip and lift it. Fish food is also supplied through this hole.

If the plastic bends, then it should be reinforced from the inside along its entire length with a light aluminum corner. This corner will also serve as a mount for lamps.

Technological holes

In order for wires and hoses to go inside the aquarium space, even at the stage of gluing the frame, holes are carefully cut in the side of the board. This can be done with a wide wood drill bit. Some owners of decorative fish drill the same holes in the opposite side, which promotes better ventilation of the aqua.

We build in lighting

Each aquarist chooses according to his own taste, but many craftsmen advise purchasing fluorescent lamps with a light transmission coefficient of at least 60 Ra. The availability of this technical indicator should be checked in the store.

If desired, the outer part of the lid can be decorated to your taste with self-adhesive film. The aquarium lid is ready.

Why do you need to make an aquarium yourself if you can freely purchase it at a pet store or at a bird market? This question can definitely be answered by creative people, whose pride is things made with their own hands. In addition, the cost of making a glass container for fish yourself is almost half the cost of the finished product.

Video with instructions on how to make an aquarium with your own hands:

A standard glass aquarium can be purchased at any pet store. But if you are confident that you can make it yourself, it’s worth trying, using the necessary parts and instructions. There are times when it is inconvenient to transport a bulky product, especially over long distances - it will probably be damaged.

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Selection of materials for construction

To make an aquarium with your own hands, you will need the following tools and materials:

Aquarium silicate glue;
Gun with glue dispenser;
Glass cutting file;
Painting tape;
Centimeter or ruler;
Porous sponge 2 pcs.;
Rag made of natural fabric.

Now you need to decide what type of glass is suitable for making the structure. First of all, pay attention to the thickness of the product. When water is poured into the container and all the parts are installed, they will exert significant pressure on the bottom and walls. In a large container, the thickness of the glass should be several centimeters greater. If the glass width is not sufficient, any mechanical damage will lead to cracks and leaks.

An aquarium 50 cm long and 30 cm high should have a glass thickness of 5-8 mm. When gluing a large container (100 cm by 60 cm), you will need a glass width of 10 mm. If you choose organic glass, then you need to apply similar calculations. Few people make their own aquarium from plexiglass. The reason is its rapid cloudiness and low quality. When cleaning algae with a scraper, noticeable damage occurs on the walls of the tank.

You also need to choose glass with great care. The recommended material is M1, which contains no foreign impurities or microscopic air bubbles. Glass of this type is often used when installing store windows. Then pay attention to the choice of glue. Superglue "Moment" will not work - it is too toxic. Give preference to silicone aquarium glue. It is harmless and airtight. Check with your dealer to make sure it is made specifically for attaching aquarium glass and other hard surfaces. Do not buy cheap brands of glue, they are unlikely to be of high quality.

See how to make an aquarium with your own hands.

The first stages of manufacturing the structure

It is impossible to make an aquarium with your own hands without using tools, but if you find them, you have a high chance. A rectangular glass container is prepared in stages. First you need to prepare the glass parts.

You can make an aquarium with a volume of 20 liters or more. Designs with a volume of 50 liters or more are successfully obtained. Professional craftsmen know how to make 500-800 liter tanks, but the skill is developed with experience. Take glass measurements for the bottom, end walls, back and front sides. Glass ribs should not be sanded.
The product plan must be drawn up in such a way that the bottom of the tank is inside the vertical glass walls. Silicone glue has better tensile strength.
All glass parts near the areas where the gluing line will pass must be taped on both sides with strips of masking tape. Its edges should retreat from the edge of the wall or bottom at a level of 5-6 mm. This will prevent the sealant from contaminating the glass during gluing. The areas of the future joint must be treated with acetone to degrease.
Apply a few drops of silicone around the perimeter of the bottom glass. After a few hours, cut it off so that the hardened silicone is 1-2 mm thick. Dots will be visible that will determine the thickness of the glue seam. Avoid adhesion of glass parts so that damage does not occur under pressure from the sides and load.
After this, gluing should be carried out on a table covered with plastic wrap. Attach and glue the front wall. To prevent it from falling over, place supports on both sides.
Using your own hands, squeeze out the aquarium silicone gradually so that the seam comes out in an even layer. Then attach and seal the end glass. Secure it with masking tape to the front wall. Glue the second end glass and the back wall in a similar way. Carefully remove the remaining amount of sealant with a sponge or a rag soaked in water.
After 2-2.5 hours, apply an additional ball of silicone glue to the joints to ensure the strength of the structure. After another 60 minutes, remove the masking tape and use a razor blade to evenly clean the seams.

Strengthening walls

Next, you need to arrange the stiffening ribs with your own hands. They can be made from samples of the same type of glass 6-10 cm wide. Glue the ribs at the top of the vertical walls. Ribs with a length shorter by 4-6 cm from the length of each wall can provide uniform pressure over the entire surface. This stage is relevant for spacious tanks. After 24 hours, you can test the glued container under pressure. If no leaks are noticed, then the aquarium you made yourself can be considered ready.

This gluing method can be used in the manufacture of enlarged aquariums. But here you need to stock up on thicker glass, stiffening ribs at the top and bottom, as well as a system for fixing vertical walls when gluing corner clamps. After these manipulations, you can build in aquarium structures.

Depending on the type of equipment used, holes should be made in the bottom or side wall and short pipes should be glued there. You can carefully cut off the necks of glass bottles, insert them into the holes with the edge of the neck facing out, and seal them tightly with silicone glue along the diameter. Hoses from external equipment are put on adapters made by hand.

How to make an aquarium cover

You can make your own aquarium lid from organic glass, plastic or silicate glass. Pay attention to the size of your new aquarium. The most popular cover material these days is PVC, or polyvinyl chloride (foam).

See how to make an aquarium lid with your own hands.

If you have a small aquarium, the lid can be made of construction plastic 3-5 mm thick. But it is not recommended to place it on glass. That is, you should initially prepare the sides from plastic, cut strips along the length of the walls 6-10 cm wide. This will be the height of the side. The frame can be glued with resin or plastic glue. The corner connection is reinforced with a glued metal corner. Then the lid can be attached to the aquarium.

A good method of attaching the sides to the top of the container is obtained through a polyvinyl chloride cable channel. There are grooves on both sides of the channel into which you need to insert both the walls of the tank and pieces of the side. Therefore, it must be selected according to the thickness of the glass. All joint lines must be secured with silicone glue.

Next, attach hinges to the rear side to lift the lid. The hinges can be either glued or bolted together. You need to make a square hole in the plastic surface of the lid so that it can be grabbed and lifted. Through this hole you will give food to the fish. If you notice that the plastic is bending in the inner surface along its length, it is worth reinforcing it with a light aluminum corner. The resulting corner will become a mount for lighting lamps.

In order for all the wiring and hoses from the equipment to easily enter the aquarium, at the stage of gluing the frame, holes should be carefully cut on the side of the side. This is done using a drill. You can make the same holes on the opposite side to improve ventilation inside the tank. After this step, you can install the aquarium equipment and attach lighting fixtures inside the lid.

It is recommended to select light bulbs in advance. New types are LED and fluorescent, in which the power is 0.4-0.5 Watts per liter of water. The spectrum of light should depend on the type of fish and plants that will settle in the pond. It is not recommended to install many incandescent lamps with tungsten filament. They heat the water too much, which can lead to a deterioration in the condition of all living creatures. The lamps must be under special protective glass. If you wish, you can decorate the aquarium lid with your own hands using self-adhesive film. The resulting product will cost much less.

Home aquarium keeping is a fascinating activity. Such pets do not require much space or attention, and watching swimming fish is a very pleasant and relaxing activity. An important issue will be the arrangement of cozy housing, which will have all the necessary equipment. Our article will tell you how to make an aquarium yourself and what materials are used for this.

How to make an aquarium with your own hands: necessary materials

There are many models of ready-made aquariums available for sale, but a large selection does not always mean that you can find an option that suits your wishes and capabilities. If you plan to make an aquarium yourself, you need to prepare all the necessary tools and materials in advance.

What you will need:

Glass or plexiglass of suitable thickness.
Glass cutter
Measuring tool.
Silicone for aquariums and a gun for applying it.
Masking tape.
Small spatula.

Additionally, you need to prepare a rag for wiping glass, a sharp knife and a building level. It is advisable to carry out all work on a flat, durable surface suitable for the size of the future aquarium.

Particular attention should be paid to the choice of adhesive composition. It is preferable to use special silicone for aquariums.

In addition to increased strength and moisture resistance, it has a safe chemical composition. Conventional sealants are not intended for such work, because the chemicals in the composition can cause the death of fish.

Making a beautiful aquarium yourself

The whole process begins with determining the size of the future aquarium.

The thickness of the glass must correspond to its size, otherwise the structure will be fragile.

Models of relatively small displacement are usually made from plexiglass. It is preferable to purchase special tempered glass, be sure to check it for defects. When filling the container with water and turning on the backlight, any unevenness and air voids in the glass will be especially noticeable. In addition, defects negatively affect the strength of the structure, but there will be a serious load on the walls and bottom.

How to make an aquarium with your own hands:

You can cut glass yourself, but it is much easier to order this service separately when purchasing the material. This way the cuts will be smoother and neater, which will make the work easier.
When calculating the glass dimensions, it is necessary to take into account the method of fastening the side walls. There are only two of them: the walls rest on the bottom, or the walls are located around it. In the first option, the width of the side walls must be reduced by two thickness sizes. The second involves adding this value to the dimensions.
The edges of the glass must be sanded. This can also be done at a workshop that offers glass cutting services. At home, you need to prepare a sufficiently large container with water and a sharpening stone. The work is carried out under water, the glass is installed on the fabric to prevent chipping of the edges and corners.
The ends to be glued must be thoroughly dried and degreased with alcohol or acetone.
The bottom of the aquarium is placed on a solid base (table or workbench). It should be borne in mind that in this position the finished product will dry for at least three days, so the assembled aquarium should not interfere with everyday activities.
To make the seams look neater, and to avoid having to scrape off excess sealant from the glass, you need to insulate the edges with masking tape, retreating 5-6 mm on each side.
It is necessary to apply sealant to the end of the front wall in an even layer, the thickness of which is approximately ⅔ of the thickness of the glass. It is more convenient to do this with a special device - the so-called pistol. It is more convenient to process a small aquarium with walls up to 4 centimeters using a large (40 ml) syringe.
If the walls will be located around the bottom, the sealant is applied to the ends of the bottom glass.
We apply the front part to the bottom, there is no need to press the glass hard, there should be a small gap between the walls. Carefully level the protruding sealant with a spatula to the width of the seam.
For beginners, it is preferable to use a transparent sealant - this way the seams will be almost invisible. Black sealant looks best, especially for large structures. At the same time, the slightest irregularities will be noticeable on such a seam, so without proper application experience, it is better to refuse such material. There is also a white sealant available, but it may turn yellow over time. In addition, designs with white seams are more difficult to fit organically into the interior.
The installation of the walls begins with the front part, then the ends are installed and, lastly, the backdrop. For convenience, you can provide wooden supports or special clamps for fastening glass. You can also fasten the glass together with masking tape, which can be easily removed later.
The location of the walls is controlled using a building level. It will no longer be possible to correct the flaws after the adhesive has dried, so we check the angles and slope of the walls immediately.
The final stage is to remove excess silicone with a soft, damp sponge (with a knife if the glue has hardened). It is better to remove the tape the next day after applying the glue, and the aquarium itself should stand for at least three days without water for the final polymerization of the sealant.

After three days, the product is checked for tightness. If a leak is detected, the water must be drained, the leakage areas must be dried and degreased. After this, the seams are once again sealed using the already described algorithm and left to dry.

How to make a large aquarium with your own hands

Large aquariums look especially advantageous. If the area of your home allows you to place an aquarium with a large displacement, you must also take into account the features of making it yourself. Our tips will tell you how to make a large aquarium with your own hands.

How to make a large aquarium correctly:

It is first necessary to calculate the thickness of the glass in accordance with the displacement. The table below will help determine this parameter.
Additional strength will be provided by a frame made of a metal corner. The gaps between glass and metal are treated with sealant.
Stiffening ribs and ties will provide additional strength to the structure. These are long strips of glass glued at their ends to the front and rear walls (stiffening ribs), as well as across them (ties). Reinforcement is necessary for containers over 50 liters. The main rule: the higher the aquarium, the more ties need to be provided.
For containers with a displacement of over 500 liters, stiffening ribs are also made at the bottom.
Ensuring the strength of the structure is also achieved due to the double bottom. In this case, the top part should be smaller than the bottom by exactly the thickness of the side walls plus a margin for the seam.

It should be noted that with increased glass thickness it is necessary to allow the sealant to cure for about a week.

The adhesive composition is applied to the bottom in several passes, between which a drying time of 3-4 days is maintained. Usually the following formula is taken into account: 1-1.5 mm of sealant is polymerized per day. It is also necessary to wait an additional couple of days for the composition to completely harden.

How to make an aquarium with your own hands at home video

The video below will help you understand the features and nuances in more detail, and also see clearly how to make your own aquarium at home. It shows a step-by-step algorithm of work, the process of applying sealant, as well as the finished result. Inspired by this example, you can safely start making your own aquarium.

How to make a saltwater aquarium

Making an aquarium with your own hands makes it possible to turn extraordinary ideas into reality. This way you can make a beautiful aquarium for exotic inhabitants. The main difference is the large displacement and specialized equipment. The volume must be 200 liters or more so that the ecosystem can develop and function.

Necessary equipment:

External filter with filler. This can be charcoal, sponge and ceramic chips.
A skimmer is a special device for removing foam.
The pompofilter oxygenates the water and helps remove waste.
Thermostat.
A hydrometer that determines the density of a liquid.
Ultraviolet lamp.
Separate container for preparing sea water.
Filter consumables, salt supply, bacterial preparations, acidity tests.

Before relocating the inhabitants, it is necessary to prepare and settle the water and populate it with microorganisms necessary for the health of the fish.

The aquarium should remain uninhabited for a couple of weeks so that a suitable environment can form inside. Starting a marine aquarium is much more difficult than usual, and maintaining it at first will also bring a lot of trouble. At the same time, if everything is done correctly, an established mini-ecosystem will function with minimal outside interference.

A homemade aquarium will fit perfectly into the interior and will become a source of special pride for the owner. A little patience and the advice from our article will help you make a beautiful and reliable “fish house” of a suitable size.