Do-it-yourself aquarium at home. DIY aquarium. How to make a big aquarium with your own hands

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

The choice of materials for construction

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

• Aquarium silicate glue;
• Glue dispenser gun;
• 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 the manufacture of the structure. First of all, pay attention to the thickness of the product. When water is poured into the tank, all 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 larger. If the width of the glass is insufficient, any mechanical damage will lead to cracking and leakage.

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), a glass width of 10 mm is required. If you have chosen organic glass, then you need to apply similar calculations. Few people make their own plexiglass aquarium. The reason is its rapid turbidity, poor quality. During cleaning of algae with a scraper, noticeable damage forms on the walls of the tank.

Glass should also be chosen with great care. The recommended material is M1, which does not contain foreign impurities or microscopic air bubbles. Glasses of this type are often used when installing shop 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 sealed. Check with the seller that it is made specifically for attaching aquarium glasses 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 construction

It is impossible to make an aquarium with your own hands without the use of 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.

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

Wall reinforcement

Next, with your own hands, you need to arrange stiffeners. 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 than 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 a do-it-yourself aquarium can be considered ready.

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

Depending on the type of equipment used, holes should be made in the bottom or in the 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 outward, and fix them hermetically with silicone glue along the diameter. Do-it-yourself adapters are fitted with hoses from external equipment.

How to make an aquarium cover

Do-it-yourself aquarium cover can be made from organic glass, plastic or silicate glass. Pay attention to the size of your new aquarium. PVC, or polyvinyl chloride (foamed material), is the most popular cover material these days.

See how to make a do-it-yourself aquarium lid.

If you have an aquarium of a small capacity, then the lid can be made of building plastic 3-5 mm thick. But it is not recommended to lay it on glass. That is, initially you should prepare the sides of plastic, cut strips along the length of the walls with a width of 6-10 cm. 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 cover can be attached to the aquarium.

A good method of attaching the sides to the top of the tank is obtained by means of a PVC cable channel. On both sides of the channel there are grooves where you need to insert both the walls of the tank and the segments of the rim. Therefore, it must be selected according to the thickness of the glass. All seam lines must be sealed with silicone adhesive.

Next, attach the hinges to the back side to lift the lid. The hinges can be either glued or bolted together. A square hole must be made in the plastic surface of the lid so that it is captured and lifted. Through this hole you will feed the fish. If you notice that the plastic bends in the inner surface, it is worth making a reinforcement along its length with a light aluminum corner. The resulting corner will become a mount for lighting lamps.

In order for all the wires and hoses from the equipment to safely enter the aquarium, at the stage of gluing the frame, carefully cut holes on the side of the side. This is done with a drill. You can make the same holes on the opposite side to improve ventilation inside the tank. After the completed stage, you can install aquarium equipment, and mount lighting fixtures inside the cover.

Light bulbs for lighting are recommended to be selected in advance. New types - LED and luminescent, 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 a 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 a special protective glass. You can, if you wish, decorate the aquarium cover with your own hands using self-adhesive film. The resulting product will cost much less.

How to make an aquarium with your own hands?

If you carefully examine any rectangular aquarium, you can understand its simple design. In principle, this is an ordinary container made of pieces of glass. To make such a container is quite within the power of a person who knows how to handle a home tool. There are, however, some rules and subtleties that you need to know before starting work.

Acquiring a ready-made aquarium of almost any shape is not a problem: in pet stores, their choice is quite large. At the same time, there are quite a few 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 urban pet store can be very problematic. Someone makes glued houses for aquatic animals for sale. But most often, the meaning of self-production of this item is the joy of creativity and the desire to save money on the family budget.

Work materials

Making an aquarium with your own hands provides for the mandatory presence of the following tools and materials:

• special silicate glue;
• glue dispenser (the so-called gun);
• glass cutter;
• masking tape;
• rulers or roulettes;
• sponges;
• rags made of natural fabrics.

The choice of glass for the aquarium

Particular attention should be paid to the quality and thickness of the glass. In working condition, the bottom and walls of the can experience significant water pressure. Therefore, as the capacitance increases, the thickness of the glass must 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, master aquarists rarely work with plexiglass, as it quickly becomes cloudy, and when the walls are cleaned of algae, visible scratches appear on it.

There is also a requirement for the type of glass. In our case, it is necessary to choose the material of the highest grade M1, without impurities and microscopic air bubbles inside. Glass of this brand is usually used in shop windows.

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

Making a simple glue aquarium

It is impossible to make a round aquarium on your own without special professional equipment, but almost every home craftsman can make a rectangular jar.

Preparation of glass parts

After careful measurement, glass for the bottom, front and back sides, end walls are cut out. Glass edges do not need to be sanded 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 recede 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 docking should be degreased with acetone or white spirit.

Working with glue

It is necessary to apply a few drops of silicone around the entire perimeter of the bottom glass, wait 2-3 hours and cut off so that the cured glue is 1-2 mm thick. It turns out a kind of beacons that determine the thickness of the adhesive seam. It is very important that the glass parts do not touch each other to avoid breakage under load and lateral pressure.

Further gluing is carried out on a hard surface covered with polyethylene. The front wall is applied and glued. So that it does not collapse, you need to put props on both sides.

Silicone should be squeezed out evenly so that the seam is of the same thickness. Then the end glass is attached and sealed. In relation to the front wall, it must be fixed 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 a damp cloth.

Before you continue reading, watch the video tutorial, which details how to glue aquarium glass:

Wall strengthening

The device of stiffening ribs will also be useful. 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.

A day later, you can test the glued jar under load. If there are no leaks, then the aquarium is ready.

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

How to embed aquarium accessories?

Depending on the equipment used (false bottom, external aquarium filter, etc.), it is necessary 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 out and tightly fix them around the circumference with silicone. Subsequently, the hoses of external life support devices are easily attached to these homemade adapters.

Do-it-yourself aquarium cover

The material for this important element can be plexiglass, simple silicate glass, 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 to create an aquarium cover, or, more simply, PVC panels.

Cover frame manufacturing

If the aquarium is small, then the lid can also be made from ordinary building 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 boards from the same plastic, cutting strips along the length of the walls 6-10 cm wide. This will be the height of the board.

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

attaching the lid to the aquarium

An interesting way of attaching the sides to the top of the can was invented by craftsmen: using a PVC cable channel.

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

Loops are attached to the rear board to lift the lid. They can either be glued or bolted together. A square slot is made in the plastic surface of the roof for its capture and lifting. Fish food is also fed through this hole.

If the plastic bends, then from the inside along the entire length it should be reinforced with a light aluminum corner. This corner will also be a fixture for fixtures.

Technological holes

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

Embedding lighting

Each aquarist chooses lamps to his taste, but many masters advise purchasing fluorescent lamps with a light transmission coefficient of at least 60 Ra. The presence 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 a self-adhesive film. The lid for the aquarium is ready.

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

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

DIY aquarium. How to make an aquarium?

Gluing the aquarium to 160 liters. With my own hands.

Do-it-yourself aquarium (aquarium glue)

Preparing and gluing a 72 liter aquarium

How to build an aquarium at home

How to make an aquarium with your own hands in 5 minutes. DIY How To Make An Aquarium

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

All glasses are divided into two groups - polished and window. The latter have only one advantage - an affordable price. But for aquariums they can not be used. A greenish tint and characteristic waviness will negatively affect the appearance of the finished product. Polished glass has no such drawbacks and provides a perfectly flat 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 set to the bottom. In this way, small aquariums are glued together, 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 kind of glue to glue the aquarium.
Usually, a special sealant is used for this, which includes silicone.

1. OBRASIL K-95.
2. Tytan Professional.
3. Aquarium sealant Moment Germent.

Directly gluing the aquarium is carried out in several stages:

• Protect your glass from dirt by covering it with masking tape. Leave a distance equal to the thickness of the glass from each edge. The glass that will be the bottom is also pasted over.
• All surfaces must be degreased. To do this, they are wiped with alcohol or an acetone-containing agent. Use a lint-free cloth for this.
• The glue line should be as even as possible. You can make it as follows: apply a small amount of silicone to the end. When it hardens, cut it off with a blade, leaving a small ledge above the glass. It will help you make an even seam.

• Bonding should be carried out 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 ordinary jars that need to be filled with water.
• Glue the side glass, achieving a perfect right angle. Then glue all the rest of the details. Remove excess glue from the glass with a cloth, moistening it first in a solution of water and vinegar.

• Stick masking tape around the perimeter of the entire aquarium. She will not let the glass tilt inward.
• After about an hour, coat the seams with silicone. Leave the product to dry for twelve hours.
• Remove the masking tape, clean the seams with a 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.

RELATED VIDEO

Self-gluing an aquarium involves a competent solution to the issue, what glue to glue the aquarium. Silicone must be present in its composition.

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

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 a transparent adhesive. For ease of use, buy a special gun with which you can easily squeeze out the adhesive.

Silicone sealants are considered a universal remedy. They are durable, flexible and provide reliable grip on any surface. Silicone is non-toxic, easy to use, does not emit harmful substances. The glue dries quickly, in twenty minutes.

Within a day, the polymerization is completely completed. The seams are strong enough: it will take a force of two hundred kilograms to destroy them. At the same time, the adhesive retains its elasticity. Before applying the 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, one cannot fail to say that in addition to silicone, epoxies can be used. They are more fluid, harden for a long time and require thorough cleaning of surfaces. Cold welding is convenient to use - they are chemically inert, seizes in minutes. Cyacrines are also good, but in this case there should be small gaps between the parts.

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

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

1. Mandatory stage - degreasing.
2. To avoid the formation of bubbles, you must first install all the glasses and only then introduce silicone.
3. Squeeze out the glue until silicone comes out on the outside of the seam, and there are no bubbles inside.
4. From above, the glasses of a large aquarium are fastened with corner clamps; from below, a simple support is sufficient.
5. Place a plank of the appropriate width inside and hold the glass.
6. At this time, the second person presses the silicone.
7. When the silicone is pressed into the seam, the excess is carefully removed from both sides.

If you are wondering how to glue a large aquarium, remember that it requires ties and stiffeners. But they can be glued only after the final drying of the glue.

VIDEO

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

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

Repairing a Cracked Aquarium Glass

1. Remove the old glue

We take a clerical knife, put it on the glass with an old adhesive seam. With light pressure, we draw along the glass to cut 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 the bottom up. After that, the incised strip can be easily torn off by hand.

According to this algorithm, we remove the glue in 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, we moisten a cotton cloth in medical alcohol and draw it along the seams. Leave the aquarium for 10 minutes to dry.

3. We glue the damaged aquarium

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

There are different colors of adhesives available in stores - 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 plank (for example, you can take part of a wooden clothespin), apply it to the place where the glue began to be squeezed out, and lift it up along the seam to remove excess glue and align the glue line. Spread the excess glue over the top of the glass.

We carry out gluing for all walls of the aquarium.

The adhesive should be as close as possible to the seam. Then the updated aquarium will turn out to be airtight and will last for many more years.

Many of us have an aquarium at home. Someone out of love for the sea and marine life, someone for aesthetic reasons, and someone just likes to watch the life of a small ecosystem. The reason is not so important. An aquarium is an interesting, beautiful and most importantly easy-to-care element of any interior.

However, it has one significant drawback - the glass case. There are frequent cases when the glass bodies of aquariums crack or even shatter into pieces, which makes their further operation impossible. What to do in such situations? How to glue an aquarium at home? Read the answers to these questions below in the article.

You need to think in advance: choose the “right” aquarium when buying

To avoid situations where your small aquatic ecosystem collapses due to broken glass, you need to take care of everything in advance.

Choose the "right" aquarium even when you first buy it! To do this, you will need some knowledge, for example, about what types of aquarium glasses exist and, in fact, which aquarium glass to choose. After all, having bought a product that is made of high-quality material, you will already provide yourself with half the success, and the question: “How to glue an aquarium correctly?” then it won't surprise you.

The main criteria for choosing an aquarium made of quality material

When choosing and paying for goods in a store, you need to make sure that the glass of the aquarium meets elementary standards. It should not only be aesthetically pleasing, but also provide a good view into the depth of the aquarium, as well as withstand the water pressure necessary for its operation. In addition, there are several basic rules that every buyer of this glass product must rely on.

Pay attention to the type of glass. Today, according to the international classification, there are 8 such varieties: from M1 to M8.

Glass grade M1 is the most durable and high quality, so they are recommended for the development of most aquariums. Within the limits, also use glass material of grades M2 and M3. Glasses of the worst quality, as a rule, are not suitable for the construction of aquariums and are not used in works on them. However, there are different developers, so get this information from the seller of the store if it is not in the product documentation.

Glass for your aquarium should be of silicate origin.

Do not buy a product that has an organic glass body, as it is of poor quality, and the substances in its composition can adversely affect your favorite fish. Remember this.

You will buy a reliable and visually attractive aquarium when you find glass in its design. The fact is that the surface of such material is carefully polished, it is smooth and pleasant to the touch. Showcase glass is more expensive than usual, but the money spent is worth the amazing views that you can then observe through it in your little water world.

When buying a product, carefully inspect its entire surface. Glass must not have any defects. Remember that even a minor crack or scratch can in the future lead to the fact that at the slightest blow your aquarium will simply shatter.

These are just the main characteristics that will help you choose a quality product. However, what to do if, nevertheless, the material turned out to be of poor quality and the glass case cracked? How to create a new aquarium? And how to glue a glass aquarium? Let's figure this out.

The choice of adhesive for repair work

The first question, the answer to which is of interest to everyone who is faced with the need to repair or create a new aquarium with their own hands, is: “How to seal the aquarium?”. And indeed, it is quite important to choose a good adhesive for this. Many hardware stores offer a huge range of such tools. Your job is to choose the best of all offered.

Good glue: what is it?

There are several main aspects in choosing the right glue.

Firstly, a quality adhesive for repairing a structure that deals with water must ensure that it is completely watertight and tight.

After all, if the glued aquarium leaks, then its use will become impossible and the repair is simply pointless. Secondly, before gluing cracked glass and choosing a tool for this, you must first decide on the design of the appearance of your future aquarium. Perhaps you want to change it?

Then keep in mind that all hermetic adhesives for repairing such structures are mainly of two types: transparent and black.

The former are most suitable for beginners in this business, since even gross errors will not be noticeable after gluing. Black waterproof adhesives are used by more experienced craftsmen, they are great for decorating and complementing the design of large tanks. The choice is yours. However, if you are a beginner and for the first time trying to glue an aquarium with your own hands, then choose a transparent sealed glue.

Some of the best adhesives

The most reliable glass tanks are glued with silicone adhesives. They have all the necessary properties so that the result of your repair is durable, and the repaired aquarium serves for many years. Silicone adhesive is primarily characterized by excellent isolation of the aquarium space from the outside world, as well as a high level of bonding strength and water resistance. There are other types of adhesives on the market, such as epoxy. However, many of them have completely different purposes and are not suitable for solving our specific problem.

We provide you with a choice of several proven adhesives with which you can get the job done quickly and easily:

• German-made glue Chemlux 9013;
• a tool that has proven itself and has excellent adhesive properties - Tytan;
• sales and quality leader - Dow Corning 911.

You can learn more about glue from the video:

Bonding an aquarium: what you need to know and consider in the process?

So, we have already selected the glue we need, now we proceed to the part of the article in which you will learn how to seal the aquarium with high quality and without any extra effort. The process of this work consists of 6 stages. To glue the aquarium of different sizes yourself, you will need to strictly follow the phased work.

Stage 1. Before starting the process, it is necessary to protect the glasses of the future aquarium from contamination. To do this, we glue them with a special masking tape. It is also required to degrease all surfaces. This can be done by wiping them with alcohol or other substances that necessarily contain acetone.

Stage 2. The correctness of the work done largely depends on the adhesive seam, which should be as even as possible. Many craftsmen achieve this evenness thanks to a simple technology: apply a little adhesive to the end. When it hardens, cut off this mass so that a small protrusion remains above the glass. He will help you correct all the formed seams.

Stage 3. Directly all the gluing work takes place on a flat surface. Cover such a surface with polyethylene. This will give it additional evenness and protect it from accidental gluing of structural elements. Starting to glue the aquarium with your own hands follows from the glass that will be in front.

Stage 4. With the front glass evenly positioned (so that it does not fall, you can use, for example, cans of water), glue the side glass to it. Then we glue our aquarium gradually, connecting the rest of its parts. Carefully remove any remaining adhesive using a soft cloth soaked in an aqueous solution of vinegar.

All steps can be seen in the video:

Stage 5. Cover the almost finished aquarium around the entire perimeter with a masking net. This procedure will not allow the glass to deviate from its initial position. The assembled structure dries for about 12 hours. Dry and warm conditions will contribute to the speedy gluing. After the required time has elapsed, remove the masking net, and also clean and check the seams for strength by filling the aquarium with water.

Stage 6. In the event that a leak is found somewhere, you need to drain the water, dry the seams, and fill the problem area again with glue. You can use the aquarium only after the final drying of all seams and only when you are convinced of its absolute tightness.

findings

By adhering to all the instructions in the article, you can not only choose and buy a ready-made aquarium correctly, but even glue it yourself. In the case of the latter, the main thing to remember is that working with glass requires careful and careful handling. Only then will its results be positive.

In the 21st century, you can buy a suitable aquarium for fish without any problems. Why do people still decide to make an aquarium on their own? What could be the reasons for the decision to be made? What aspects would you like to focus on?

Reasons for creating a fish house on your own

In most cases, the reasons for self-creating an aquarium boil down to the following:

• lack of a suitable instance on the market, taking into account the optimal configuration. In addition, there may not be an optimal option in terms of the price-quality ratio;
• there is a desire to test mastery and creative skills;
• there are plans for the corresponding part-time work.

Only if you understand the reason and motivation, you can proceed to the implementation of the idea in practice. It is best to take into account the size and shape of the fish house, as not all options are suitable for real implementation.

Beginners should start with small models. The optimal volume is about 20 - 40 liters. Such a small aquarium will give experience, because it will already allow you to feel the features of the technological process and work out your skills. In addition, a trial specimen will definitely come in handy for those who breed fish and try to create ideal conditions for them.

It is important to prepare for possible flaws. If the final result is disappointing, do not throw out the aquarium. You can try to clean everything and glue it again.

aquarium shapes

When planning to create a fish house yourself, it is important to consider the available container forms:

• rectangular;
• round;
• panoramic;
• angular.

Round models delight with their aesthetics, thanks to which they are able to successfully fit into almost any variation of the interior. It is important to come to terms with the fact that such containers can only be created with the use of special equipment and the successful implementation of the skills of a glassblower. Most likely, a round aquarium cannot be created at home.

Corner and panoramic models require considerable experience. This is due to the specifics of working with glass and the increased complexity of creating frame elements.

If you correlate the shape and volume of the container, you can understand what the result should be. In addition, a small copy of up to 40 liters will allow, if necessary, to re-assemble the container.

How to choose aquarium glass?

The initial task is the correct choice of glass grade, which is indicated by the letter M and the addition in the form of a number. The glass grade M1 is the highest, so the creation of a reliable and high-quality aquarium is guaranteed. In most cases, it is recommended to use a grade not lower than M3, since in a different scenario, undesirable risks appear.

If you plan to make an aquarium at home, it is best not to be smart with glass. The ideal option would be ordinary display glass, so it is advisable to contact a glass workshop and make an appropriate choice. Before buying, it is recommended to carefully inspect the glass, and make sure that there are no cracks, scratches, inclusions.

The next step is to decide on the thickness of the glass. For this, the characteristics of the future capacity are taken into account. In each case, the volume of the aquarium is calculated using a special formula: V=l*a*h. The formula is decoded as follows:

• V is the volume;
• l is the planned length;
• a - width;
• h is the height.

Each characteristic allows you to understand what an aquarium should be in terms of its size. Calculations are carried out very simply and quickly, and it is allowed to use an aquarium for them. The glass thickness is calculated taking into account all four capacitance parameters.

The stiffening ribs, presented in the form of special glass strips up to 5 centimeters wide, deserve special attention. It is these additions that guarantee the resistance of the container to water pressure. Ribs are best used for both small and large models. Of course, sometimes their significance becomes especially noticeable.

Stiffening ribs are a prerequisite if the length of the container exceeds 0.5 meters. At the same time, smaller aquariums also need to improve their quality. To prevent unnecessary risks, it is recommended to glue at right angles to the side and front windows.

The stiffening ribs contribute not only to increase the strength, but also the possibility of using a cover glass from above. Moreover, the fish house can be carried with surprising ease.

It is necessary to remember one more important aspect: the length of the aquarium over 1.5 meters provides for the presence of not only stiffeners, but also special ties. The use of glass ties attached to the stiffening ribs at the very bottom or from the bottom guarantee a high level of reliability. A width of 5 centimeters will be enough.

Glass cutting features

So, we managed to successfully determine the capacity parameters. The next important task is the correct cutting of glass. Understanding how to make an aquarium at home largely depends on the nuances of this process.

Self-cutting glass is not the best option. What is the reason for this?

• the process promises to be dreary;
• independent performance of the task is not worth such an approach. In most cases, cutting is initially included in the cost of glass. In addition, an experienced glazier will be able to successfully complete the task, using a special machine for this. Turning to a professional, you can count on high-quality cuts and very accurate dimensions, so that the finished aquarium will be reliable and neat;
• the creation of a small aquarium is best based on the use of parts from scraps of glass, which can also please with high quality. This option allows you to count on successful savings.

So, glass processing begins most often with gluing individual panels into a single whole aquarium. Of course, the next steps are also important and may seem specific to beginners.

How to glue an aquarium?

Silicone glue is suitable for gluing the aquarium. In doing so, it is recommended to pay increased attention to the following aspects:

• the sealant is 100% silicone;
• glue is allowed to be used for aquariums. It is advisable to carefully study the data on the tube. You need to understand that on the modern market there are special antifungal sealants that are detrimental to any living organisms. Careful study of information is a guarantee of saving the life of fish.

• black sealants guarantee increased clarity of container boundaries. This option is ideal for large aquariums (from 100 liters);
• colorless products are universal, and they provide for less manifestation of flaws;
• white sealants are chosen only if they match the interior of the room.

For a beginner, in 99% of cases, colorless hermetic products are suitable.

Glue from a tube is not so easy to squeeze out, so for the convenience of using the product, it is best to take care of having a special glue gun, thanks to which the extrusion process will be as simple as possible. The quality of the surface treatment determines how airtight the aquarium will be. It must be remembered that the optimal thickness of silicone guarantees maximum strength of the structure being created.

Workflow steps

Every beginner should understand how to make an aquarium. The whole process can be divided into several stages:

1. The aquarium is always created using carefully crafted glass. All sharp edges of glass need to be sharpened by professionals or by yourself. If the procedure is performed at home, a bath filled with water is required. For processing, a special grinding stone is used. In order to protect the walls of the bathtub from glass crumbs, a bedded terry cloth is recommended.
2. After the successful completion of the procedure, the glass is wiped and dried. All ends are degreased. For this, ordinary acetone or alcohol is suitable.
3. The bottom is placed immediately on the place where the aquarium will be located. It is recommended to lay paper beforehand. All walls of the aquarium are carefully treated with a hermetic agent. The glue sausage should be sufficiently dense, but at the same time it should not be too thick. It depends on how successful the result of the work will be. The sealant layer must be uniform, as thickening or voids reduce the reliability of the container.
4. Now the side walls are glued to the bottom and to each other. It is recommended to process the bottom and side end.
5. It will take a day for the aquarium to dry out. During this time, the structure cannot be rearranged.
6. After a day, stiffeners should be carefully glued. To do this, the aquarium is placed on the side and the edge is glued with glue. The quality of gluing depends on how carefully the long side of the additional structure is smeared. It will take 1-2 days to dry.
7. Then, using a blade, it is recommended to carefully cut off the excess glue on the seams. On the inside, you can not cut if a colorless and safe sealant was used.
8. Now the aquarium is allowed to fill with water. The first few hours will show how successful the work was.

The phased implementation of the task in hand guarantees the achievement of the best result if the performer shows maximum responsibility and caution.

What to do if the aquarium is leaking?

Aquarium corner leaking

In this case, you need to re-treat the problem area with silicone glue. This is done from the inside.

If the problem persists, you will need to completely cut the seam and cut out 2 walls of the aquarium. Then, with a blade, you need to clean the edges of silicone, re-degrease and carefully coat with glue. Only after the repeated procedure is it possible to glue the sides of the aquarium.

Leaking seam

If such a problem is noted, it is recommended to try to remove the problematic piece of the seam. In its place, gently press a small amount of silicone.

If the problem still bothers you, you will need to cut out two walls and carry out the procedure described in the first example.

A series of small bubbles appear

If the places do not leak, you can do nothing. Many aquarium owners are willing to confirm that the appearance of small bubbles does not lead to any undesirable problems.

Only a reliable container is ideal for fish.

Technological holes

How to embed lighting?

Lamps for an aquarium can be selected according to personal preferences. It is best to use luminaires with a light transmission coefficient of at least 60 Ra. If desired, the lamps can be replaced with a special lighting film. In any case, lighting devices must be reliably protected from water and built in accordance with the instructions.

Independent creation of an aquarium may initially seem like a very difficult and responsible job. Despite this, you can still cope with the task on your own in the shortest possible time, if you understand the specifics of the workflow.

Home aquarism is a fascinating pastime. Such pets do not require a lot of space and attention, and watching swimming fish is a very pleasant and relaxing experience. An important issue will be the arrangement of comfortable housing, in which there will be all the necessary devices. 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: the necessary materials

There are many models of ready-made aquariums on sale, but not always a large selection means that you can find an option suitable for your wishes and possibilities. If you plan to make an aquarium yourself, you must prepare all the necessary tools and materials in advance.

What will be required:

• Glass or plexiglass of suitable thickness.
• glass cutter
• Measuring tool.
• Silicone for aquariums and a gun for its application.
• 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, solid 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 aquarium silicone.

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

We make a beautiful aquarium on our own

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

The thickness of the glass must match its size, otherwise the design 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 irregularities and air voids in the glass will be especially noticeable. In addition, marriage negatively affects the strength of the structure, and there will be a serious load on the walls and bottom.

How to make an aquarium with your own hands:

1. Glass cutting can be carried out independently, but many fertilizers order this service separately when purchasing material. So the cuts turn out to be more even and neat, which will facilitate the work.
2. When calculating the dimensions of the glass, 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 variant, the width of the side walls must be reduced by two thickness sizes. The second involves adding this value to the dimensions.
3. Glass edges must be sanded. This can also be done in a workshop offering glass cutting services. At home, it is necessary to prepare a sufficiently capacious container with water and a grindstone. Works are carried out under water, the glass is installed on the fabric to avoid chipping edges and corners.
4. The ends to be glued must be dried well and degreased with alcohol or acetone.
5. The bottom of the aquarium is installed 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 daily activities.
6. To make the seams look neater, and you don’t have to scrape off excess sealant from the glass, it is necessary to insulate the edges with masking tape, stepping back 5-6 mm on each side.
7. On the end face of the front wall, it is necessary to apply sealant in a uniform 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. A small aquarium with walls up to 4 centimeters is more convenient to handle with a large (40 ml) syringe.
8. If the walls are located around the bottom, the sealant is applied to the ends of the bottom glass.
9. We apply the front part to the bottom, it is not necessary to press the glass strongly, there should be a small gap between the walls. The protruding sealant is carefully leveled with a spatula in the width of the seam.
10. For beginners, it is preferable to use a transparent sealant - so the seams will be almost invisible. Black sealant looks the best, especially for large structures. At the same time, the slightest irregularities will be noticeable on such a seam, therefore, without proper application experience, it is better to refuse such material. There is also a white sealant, but it may turn yellow over time. In addition, designs with white seams are more difficult to organically fit into the interior.
11. The installation of the walls begins with the front, then the ends are installed, and lastly, the back. For convenience, wooden supports or special clips for attaching glass can be provided. Also, the glasses can be fastened together with masking tape, which can be easily removed later.
12. The location of the walls is controlled using the building level. It is no longer possible to correct flaws after the adhesive has dried, so we check the angles and slope of the walls immediately.
13. The final step is to remove excess silicone with a soft, damp sponge (with a knife if the glue has hardened). It is better to remove the adhesive tape the next day after applying the glue, and the aquarium itself must stand for at least three days without water for the final polymerization of the sealant.

After three days, the product is checked for leaks. If a leak is detected, the water must be drained, the leaks must be dried and degreased. After that, the seams are once again sealed with a sealant according to the already described algorithm and left to dry.

How to make a big aquarium with your own hands

Large aquariums look especially advantageous. If the area of ​​\u200b\u200byour housing allows you to place an aquarium with a large displacement, you must also take into account the features of its self-production. Our tips will tell you how to make a large volume aquarium with your own hands.

How to make a big aquarium:

• First you need to calculate the thickness of the glass in accordance with the displacement. The following table will help determine this parameter.
• Additional strength will provide a frame made of a metal corner. Gaps between glass and metal are treated with sealant.
• Additional strength of the structure will be given by stiffening ribs and screeds. These are long strips of glass glued at the ends to the front and rear walls (stiffening ribs), as well as across (screeds). Reinforcement is required for containers over 50 liters. The main rule: the higher the aquarium, the more it is necessary to provide screeds.
• For containers with a displacement of more than 500 liters, stiffeners are also made at the bottom.
• Ensuring the strength of the structure is also achieved due to the double bottom. In this case, the upper part should be less than the lower part by exactly the thickness of the side walls plus a margin for the seam.

It should be noted that with an increased glass thickness, it is necessary to withstand the curing time of the sealant for about a week.

At the bottom, an adhesive composition is applied 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 withstand an additional couple of days for the final solidification of the composition.

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

To understand in more detail the features and nuances, as well as to see clearly how to make an aquarium yourself at home, the presented video will help. It shows a step-by-step algorithm of work, the process of applying a sealant, as well as the finished result. Inspired by this example, you can safely proceed to the independent manufacture of an aquarium.

How to make a marine aquarium

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

Necessary equipment:

• External filter with filler. It can be coal, sponge and ceramic chips.
• Skimmer - a special device for removing foam.
• The pump filter oxygenates the water and helps remove waste.
• Temperature controller.
• 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 the relocation of the inhabitants, it is necessary to prepare and defend the water, populate it with the microorganisms necessary for the health of the fish.

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

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