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How to make an aquarium with your own hands at home. Step-by-step instructions for making a glass aquarium with your own hands Small aquarium with your own hands

More recently, I decided to make myself a small frameless glass aquarium with my own hands, I really liked cube aquariums, so I also decided to make my own in the shape of a cube. The actual dimensions of the aquarium are 415x412x430 mm. There is nothing difficult in the technology of gluing an aquarium to silicone, the main thing is patience and at least a little straight hands. In this article I will tell you how to make a small aquarium of 70 liters. Of course, you can spend much more and buy a ready-made aquarium, but this will not bring you the pleasure of making something with your own hands. So let's start in order:

I decided to make an aquarium with my own hands from ordinary glass 6 mm thick. In various reference materials on the Internet, you can see that a 70 liter aquarium can be glued from 5 mm glass, some even manage to glue it from 4 mm, but this is terribly dangerous, especially when there is a small child in the house.

Personally, I don't think that glass thinner than 6mm is not aquarium glass because the aquarium in the living room is constantly exposed to various kinds of disturbances (shocks, accidental hits by a child, sometimes not accidental, etc.) There are 2 common methods for gluing the side walls of the aquarium to the bottom :

• Over the bottom, the seam works on the cut;
• Around the bottom, the seam works to break.

As far as I know, silicone works best for tearing, not shearing, which is why the long front and back glass of the aquarium is glued on top of the side ones, and not vice versa. In addition, the second method is more convenient for manual gluing with a minimum of tools and I used it. Attached is a photo of the aquarium.

I ordered glass from a local glass workshop, warned the workers that I needed to be more precise, because. it is for the aquarium, cut pretty well. For the coverslip, I decided that 4 mm would do. In addition, everything was carefully packed in paper so that I would not cut my hands, although I did not even ask. For all the glass with the work, I paid a little less than $ 20. It might be cheaper in your area. In addition to the glass itself, we will need silicone with a gun, masking tape and some kind of glass degreasing solvent, I just used medical alcohol, because. he stinks the least.

In no case do not use ordinary silicone, it is not intended specifically for gluing glass and, moreover, it is toxic, so your fish can die very quickly in an aquarium glued to ordinary building silicone. I used inexpensive aquarium silicone, it can glue jars up to 400 liters.

After unpacking, I wiped all glass from glass dust. It is hard to see in the photo, but for the outer glass, the edges were blunted to me so that there were no open sharp parts on the finished aquarium.

These pieces of glass are not really stiffeners, they will only support the coverslip. In my aquarium, all sides are almost equal, so stiffening ribs would have to be placed on all walls, but the thickness of the glass allows them not to be used.

It is imperative to glue the aquarium on a flat surface, otherwise when gluing the side walls may be slightly skewed relative to each other and the bottom will not be flat, this affects the strength of the entire finished structure. As such a flat surface, I used a scrap from a kitchen countertop that fit perfectly in size.

Before you start making an aquarium, be sure to lay a film or paper on the work surface, otherwise you won’t tear off the aquarium for good)

I then covered the tabletop with sheets of A4 paper (I have a lot of it).

After preparation, the stage begins, which will directly affect the aesthetic appearance of the seams and the accuracy of gluing. It is necessary to protect the surface of the glass of the aquarium from excess silicone by sticking masking tape on it. It is not necessary to glue all the glass, it is not even recommended, the tape must be glued in strictly defined places.

I glued the bottom along the perimeter from the inside, stepping back about 1 cm along the edge, the seams at the bottom may be less accurate than the side ones, because. they will be covered with soil and they will not be visible.

I pasted the front and rear glass only on the inside side and bottom. Because these glasses are glued on top of the rest, then I retreated from the edges the width of the glass and the width of the seam that I wanted to get. In my case it is 6+4 = 10mm on the sides, and 6+6=12mm on the bottom.

The side windows took longer to glue. Because these glasses are clamped between the front and rear, here we retreat from the edges only the width of the seam, i.e. 4 mm. From below we retreat as on the front glass 12 mm. But it is desirable to glue the side windows also from the outside, so that the extruded silicone does not come out onto the glass, it is then very difficult to clean it off. I glued masking tape on the sides of the glass from the outside without indentation.

After pasting all the glasses with masking tape, it is necessary to degrease them for better bonding with silicone. At a minimum, it is necessary to degrease those surfaces that will come into contact with silicone.

After degreasing, you can proceed to the gluing process itself. First lay the bottom on our work surface. Now you need to apply silicone to the surface of the glass. Silicone dries for a long time, so in my case, to avoid confusion and extra tools on the floor, I decided to first apply silicone to all the glasses, and only then proceed directly to the gluing process.

When applying silicone, you should not feel sorry for it, the excess can always be removed. There are several rules for high-quality application of silicone:

• Apply silicone to the glass in an even layer, there should not be any areas with a thin layer anywhere.
• When applying, do not smear it on the glass, try to apply it as it comes out of the tube - a round sausage.
• Silicone should not walk on the glass wagging from side to side, the layer should be located exactly in the place where the glass will press.

All this is necessary so that when the glass is pressed, the silicone sausage spreads evenly on the sides and squeezes out all the air, because it is the absence of air bubbles in the seam that characterizes its quality.

First, apply silicone to the front and rear glass. It is necessary to apply on the side and bottom side of the glass, while making sure that the silicone layer does not break off in the corners, it must be uniform along the entire length of the glass.

On the side windows, silicone is applied only from the bottom side.

I will warn you in advance, applying silicone is a very hard job, although it does not take much time. Nevertheless, all this time you are in full tension, breathe every other time and your hands are very tense, because. it is necessary to constantly control the layer of extruded silicone and direct it along the glass. And God forbid at this moment the hand will tremble).

It's a pity, but in the process of applying silicone and gluing, I did not take photos, because. I was very busy with the process of making an aquarium with my own hands and completely forgot about the photo report.

It is convenient to start gluing from the front glass. We press the bottom part to the bottom, but not much. Then we take the side glass and, at a distance of 2-3 centimeters from the front glass, lightly press it to the bottom, and then move it to the front glass and press it lightly. We repeat the operation with the second side glass. At the same time, we make sure that the front glass is approximately in the center and is not strongly shifted to one side or the other.

This operation is convenient for two people, but with a small aquarium like mine, one can handle it.
We lean the rear glass last and already press it harder so that the structure more or less holds. When all 4 side windows were together, I started fitting all the glasses into place, making sure that there were no distortions and gradually pressing the glass harder and harder.

When you press the windows, watch the ends of the side windows and the bottom, the silicone should come out on both sides of each end, this will ensure that there is no unglued space between the glasses. Just watch for the presence of air bubbles in these places, if any - you can increase the preload. The layer of silicone between two glued glasses should be about 1 millimeter, but this does not matter, if you do not have air bubbles and an unglued cavity in the seam (as in the photo), then the seam is good.

When all the walls are firmly pressed and the excess silicone has come out of the seam, you can glue the glasses with masking tape to each other along the upper part so that the aquarium does not crumble before the silicone dries.

Now let's get to the seams. Until the silicone has hardened, i.e. immediately after gluing the masking tape around the perimeter of the aquarium, it is necessary to remove excess silicone from the INNER surface of the aquarium, while slightly sealing the seam. You can do this with a special spatula, but I just removed the silicone with my finger, and a pretty fillet formed.

At this point, it is important to remember that the silicone has not dried up yet and the glass may have shifted, so you need to constantly monitor them.

After the excess silicone is removed, you can tear off the masking tape, you will get clean, even and beautiful seams.
I confess I'm not sure how true my seam sealing technology is, but I managed to make them in this way. If you want to get a wide seam, for example from black silicone, then you will have to apply it there after the main silicone has dried and seized.

After the silicone dries in a day, you can cut off the one that protruded from the outside. To do this, we will remove the masking tape from the outside of the side windows and at the same time cut the silicone flush with the aquarium wall with a clerical knife. In the photo on the left side, there is no curved seam, this is silicone on the outside that has not yet been cut off.

Two days after gluing, you can fill the aquarium with water to check for leaks. But if all the seams were technologically advanced, then it will not leak 100%.

The last step in gluing an aquarium with your own hands can be considered gluing stiffeners. As I already said - in my aquarium they play the role of only a support for a coverslip.

The ribs should be glued as high as possible, but at the same time, the cover glass located on them should be below the upper edge of the aquarium, so the condensate will drain into the aquarium. I glued them at a height of 4 mm from the top edge of the aquarium.

To make the silicone seam neat, I glued the place where the ribs will be attached with masking tape on all sides, put the aquarium first on the front glass, smeared it with silicone and put the rib. Then he took off the masking tape - it turned out a neat seam. I left it for about 1.5-2 hours for the silicone to seize and do the same from the back side.

I deliberately shifted the ribs to the right so that the wires of the equipment could easily pass from the back wall, and I would have a hole for feeding the fish from the front wall.

I ordered a cover glass in the workshop, square, its sides are 1 cm smaller than the sides of the bottom, i.e. 390x390 mm. I made the bevels on the glass with a glass cutter at home, because. Initially, I did not know where I would place the feeding hole.

This is a photo of a completely finished aquarium, which I made with my own hands. He put it on a makeshift cabinet and covered it. I glued a self-adhesive tape along the bottom of the aquarium, with a strip of 2 cm, it will hide the ends of the bottom glass and small flaws in the seam at the bottom.

Now let's calculate how much this 70 liter aquarium that I made myself cost me:

• Glass about $20;
• Aquarium silicone $4 (about a third of a can used up);
• Masking tape $2.

TOTAL: $26.

Ready-made aquariums can be bought at any of the pet stores: sometimes empty, and sometimes with fish. But sometimes people wonder: "How to make an aquarium with your own hands, and is it possible?".

Of course available! An aquarium is easy to build with your own hands, using the necessary materials at hand, and, of course, instructions. Indeed, sometimes it happens that it is inconvenient to bring a large aquarium from a store to your home: either there is no transport, or there is a fear that the product will be damaged.

In such cases, you have to build an aquarium for fish at home on your own.

How to get started?

Photos of the aquarium are available on the Internet, and they come in various types, sizes and variable shapes.

Before starting work on creating an aquarium, you should have such improvised materials in your arsenal as:

• Special aquarium glue;
• Gun for dosage and distribution of silicate glue;
• Glass-cutting scissors or files;
• Tape for painting;
• Ruler or retractable centimeter;
• Regular sponge (a couple of pieces);
• Cloths made from natural fabrics.

After that, you should decide on the type and type of glass that is suitable for the aquarium.

The first thing you should pay attention to is the thickness of the selected glass. For the bottom of the aquarium, thick and durable glass is selected, since after filling the aquarium with water, the pressure goes exactly down, as well as on the walls of the aquarium.

Still depends on the capacity and the size of the aquarium, if they are large, then the thickness should be more than a few centimeters.

If you choose the wrong width for the future aquarium, then you can subsequently get an undesirable result, cracks on the glass and water flowing from it.

An aquarium filter is easiest to purchase from a store, but you can also make it yourself from a compressor. Detailed instructions can be found online.

The lid for the aquarium is made of special organic glass or plastic. The key to making a lid is knowing the exact dimensions of the aquarium.

In modern times, a very practical material for making covers is polyvinyl chloride (PVC).

Progress

The arsenal of tools in the process of work is a key link. After all, nothing can be built without improvised tools. With proper selection of tools, you are guaranteed a positive result in the end.

Usually, a rectangular shape of an aquarium is made at home, and this is done in this way:

For example, let's take the manufacture of an aquarium with a capacity of 20 liters. The first step is to measure the glass for the side walls, for the bottom and the two remaining sides (back and front).

A plan of action must be prepared so that the glass for the bottom remains inside the vertical glass walls. Glue connects better in tension.

All sides of the glass in the places of gluing should be glued with masking tape. This prevents the glass from getting dirty between each other.

Note!

A few drops of silicone should be spread on the bottom glass. After some time, you need to cut off the frozen layer of silicone.

The connection of the front and back parts should be carried out on a table that is pre-coated with a large-sized polyethylene film.

Excess silicone should be squeezed out between the connected glasses carefully and carefully so as not to damage the glass.

After all parts are glued, leave them alone for 2-3 hours. After 2-3 hours, an additional layer of silicone glue is applied to the joints so that the structure is a solid finished aquarium. At the end, clean the seams of excess with a razor blade.

You can install a lamp for the aquarium inside. Ready-made lamps are purchased and inserted into the aquarium with the help of equipment.

You can decorate the background in the aquarium in a different style. But many resort to the ideas of a marine motif, to drawings of algae, to blue and turquoise tones.

Note!

It happens that people hire specialists to develop an individual design for their aquarium.

Ideally, when the background of the aquarium is combined with the fish that swim in the aquarium, as well as with the style of the aquarium. You can decorate the aquarium and externally, but so that this decor does not interfere with the inhabitants of the aquarium.

DIY aquarium photo

Note!

Aquariums are of interest to a large number of people. Pet stores are filled with tanks from different manufacturers. But more and more aquarists want to build an aquarium with their own hands from glass.

When making an aquarium yourself, follow the basic rules:

1. Choice of tested glass.
2. Choosing a safe sealant.
3. Don't forget to degrease surfaces.
4. In the place where the future tank will be assembled, put an unnecessary carpet or something similar.
5. Apply sealant in an even, even layer.
6. Cut off excess glue with a knife.
7. Do not touch and rearrange the container for a day after gluing.
8. After a day, glue the stiffeners and ties.
9. After complete drying, fill the container with water.

aquarium shapes

Before designing, the shape of the container is selected.

The choice of forms is quite diverse:

• Round form.
• Rectangular shape.
• Angle shape.
• panoramic form.

Each of these forms is suitable for your interior. These forms are feasible when making an aquarium at home. The only exception is the round shape. To make it yourself, you will need the work of a glass blower.

Glass

Glass is the main material for creating a fish house. It is denoted by the letter M with numbers. To create a container, glass not lower than M3 is recommended. The best option would be to use M1 - the most durable and reliable. It should not have scratches, chips, cracks. For the manufacture of containers, ordinary silicate glass is used. The choice of good glass is the starting point, the start of container manufacturing.

Glass thickness is the second most important selection criterion. The volume of future capacity is determined by the formula:

Volume = Length * Width * Height.

Knowing these characteristics, the thickness of the container is determined.

For greater structural strength, stiffeners and ties are used.

Collected glass must be of good quality. This will allow you to easily make an aquarium with your own hands.

glass cutting

Cutting determines the stability and tightness of the future structure. Don't do your own cutting. Better buy already cut.

Why is it better to buy cut glass:

• Cutting is a difficult and long process.
• You need special equipment for high-quality cutting.
• More economical.

sealant

Needed for gluing. The adhesive must consist entirely of silicone and be approved for gluing fish containers. Adhesives are commercially available to prevent mold and bacteria. This glue is not suitable. It is hazardous to the health of fish.

Before work, decide on the color of silicone glue:

• Black. Suitable for large containers. Black sealant outlines the boundaries of the container. But with careless work and the use of black glue, chips and irregularities will be visible.
• White. Used in combination with the interior.
• Colorless. Universal and most common sealant. When using it, irregularities are not noticeable with inaccurate gluing.

When working with sealant, use a glue gun.

holes

When making a tank, it is important to take care of the holes. Wires and hoses of devices are laid through them, aquarium accessories are placed.

Lid

It will protect the fish from dust and dirt getting into the water, and will not allow them to jump out and die. It should be lightweight, removable, made of moisture resistant materials. Lighting is often built into it. Lids are often made of plastic or organic glass.

How to make an aquarium

Follow these instructions to make a fish bowl.

1. Place unnecessary carpet or other fabric on the surface so as not to damage the floor.
2. Make your own glass coasters. They should be vertical and parallel to each other.
   
   
3. Tape the surfaces along the seam with masking tape.
   
   
4. Apply sealant to glass sections.
   
   
5. We lower the glass on the glue.
   
   
6. We turn the structure over and apply glue to the sections.
   
   
7. We seal the surface with masking tape, smear the glue and press the glass.
   
   
8. Attach another side wall.
   
   
9. We make longitudinal and transverse ties, covering the surface with adhesive tape.
   
   
10. We are waiting for the surface to dry and set the aquarium on.
    
    

Design Options

• Rectangular.
• obtuse.
• Acute-angled.

Work materials

To make an aquarium you will need tools and materials:

• silicate adhesive.
• glass cutter
• Gun for dispensing glue.
• Sponge.
• Roulette.
• Masking tape.

Preparation of glass parts

When preparing the glass, determine the dimensions of the structure. After measuring with a glass cutter, cut out the walls and bottom. Do not sand glass fins. This provides the best grip. Place the bottom of the aquarium in advance inside the walls.

Before gluing glass parts, degrease the surface. Tape the glass inside and outside near the bonding point with masking tape to avoid contamination.

Working with glue

Apply a couple of drops of glue to the bottom glass sections and wait 2 hours until it hardens.

Cut off the adhesive, leaving a layer of 1–2 mm. This is done to avoid touching the glass surfaces with each other. Touching will cause the gradual destruction of the glass. After that, glue the front wall; use props to secure it. Fix the end glass with masking tape and fasten with sealant. A Also attach the second end glass and rear wall. Remove excess sealant from the surface with a sponge.

2 hours after the end of the work, the sealant dries up. Now apply another layer of silicone adhesive for tightness, strength. After the silicone coating has dried, the excess on the seams is removed with a knife. Peel off the masking tape. Assembly completed.

Wall strengthening

The walls of the structure are reinforced using rigid ribs. The ribs are made of glass with a width of 7–8 cm. They are attached between the upper parts of the vertical walls. The stiffening ribs distribute the water pressure over the entire area of ​​the aquarium. They are recommended for large volume containers.

In the manufacture of large aquariums, additional ribs will be required on all walls and bottom.

flowing

If any part of the aquarium leaks, do not immediately disassemble and redo it. Often it is enough to correct small errors in the design.

leaking corner

Treat the damaged corner from the inside with silicone glue.

If the leak continues, then cut and remove the two joining walls forming an angle. Remove silicone with a knife, degrease the cleaned surface. Seal the walls with silicone glue, attach back.

Leaking seam

If the seam of the structure is leaking, use a knife to remove the problematic place of the seam. Cover the inside with silicone glue.

If this is not enough to stop the leak, then cut out the two walls, re-glue with a copious amount of glue.

small bubbles

If small bubbles form from a small gap, no action should be taken. This is acceptable as long as no leakage is observed.

If leaking in a problem area, replace the silicone adhesive to prevent damage to the integrity of the container in the future.

Why do you make an aquarium yourself

Reasons for making an aquarium with your own hands:

• Desire to test your skills.
• The lack of aquariums in pet stores of the desired shape.
• Poor quality aquariums in pet stores.
• High cost.
• The goal is to engage in the individual construction of aquariums to order.
• Desire to have an aquarium of individual work.

Most of us love animals. Someone prefers a cat or a dog as a pet, someone loves the exotic and gets raccoons, chameleons or skunks. Some want the peace that comes with watching fish. That's just for the latter and information on how to make an aquarium with your own hands will be useful.

Glue plays the main role, because it is thanks to it that the fixation and further retention of the entire structure is carried out. There are many types of substances with which you can connect pieces of glass to each other. But with regard to glue for the aquarium, the following requirements are put forward:

• non-toxicity;
• high strength;
• elasticity;
• presentable appearance;
• relatively fast setting;
• ease of application;
• long service life;
• high degree of adhesion.

All these properties have silicone sealant. But when buying, you should pay attention to the fact that it is 100%, without impurities and not antibacterial, otherwise the animals will simply die. Three basic colors are available today: white, transparent, black. If you use the first one, then the aquarium will look like a certain incompleteness. The second is well suited for products up to 100 liters. Anything more is better to glue with black. Small designs with it look very cumbersome, but in large ones, on the contrary, it emphasizes the lines and gives elegance. The choice of those who have been building aquariums for some time often falls on the Dow Corning 911, KNAUF 881 or Kleiberit Suprasil 590E.

Usually, manufacturers themselves indicate that a particular type of sealant is intended for the manufacture of aquariums. But be sure to check the ingredients.

If you decide to build an aquarium yourself, then now is not the time to save. There are many options for tables and calculators that promise to give you the perfect result. But rarely where the need to install transverse or longitudinal struts is indicated. Before proceeding with the choice of glass thickness, you need to decide on the desired dimensions. If you are doing such an operation for the first time, then it is better not to take risks with non-standard shapes and bends. Next, we calculate the volume of our structure. To do this, multiply the length, width and height. Roughly speaking, the standards will be as follows:

• up to 30 l - 4 mm;
• up to 80 l - 5 mm;
• up to 150 l - 6 mm;
• up to 220 l - 8 mm.

Below is a table that summarizes the main points. It will allow you not to stock up, which will slightly reduce costs.

Do not use glass that has been lying in the basement, garage, on display or elsewhere for a long time. The fact is that in a certain sense this type of material also has its own service life. It interacts with the environment, resulting in the loss of sodium ions. They will be replaced by other particles that weaken the strength. You need to buy a new one and consider the following:

• Ordinary silicate glass will do. Silicone sealant perfectly interacts with it, which forms a molecular bond, which allows it to withstand a pressure of 200 kg per 1 cm of the seam.
• It is better if it is brand M1.
• There should be no bulges or bumps.
• Choose one with no bubbles. On the one hand, they will violate the aesthetics, and on the other hand, they will weaken the strength.
• If the edges are already polished, then they should be perfectly even, because the sealant interacts better with such surfaces.

If you have never done glass cutting, then it is better to order it in the workshop. This is a very crucial moment, because the edges after cutting must be perfectly even, otherwise it will not be possible to glue them securely. Prepare two copies of the drawing. Give one to the glazier, leave the second to yourself, so that later there will be no questions in case of discrepancy.

Tools

After the main expenses are completed, you can begin to prepare the necessary tool, and you will need the following elements:

• gun for silicone (also called a skeleton);
• metal corners;
• small clamps;
• masking tape of small width;
• stationery knife with a retractable blade;
• small spatulas;
• substrates to create a gap.

Metal corners and clamps can be replaced with angle clamps. But if you do not use them in the future, then it makes no sense to spend money on their acquisition.

For assembly, it is better to choose a flat surface, it must be stable, and its size must also allow you to freely place all the constituent elements.

Depending on which configuration is chosen, the angles can be:

• straight;
• sharp;
• stupid.

Before applying the sealant, it is very important to degrease the surface. To do this, you can use alcohol or acetone. The size of the seam is selected according to the load that will be applied to the glass:

The bottom can be installed in two ways:

• the walls rest on it;
• built around it.

In the first option, the overall frame is first assembled, after which it is turned upside down, degreased, sealant is applied and glass is laid. In the second option, gluing the walls will need to be done in conjunction with gluing the bottom.

In some cases, another glass can be used to reinforce the bottom edge. In this case, the two elements are glued over the entire area.

If the design implies the presence of stiffeners, then it is important to remember what requirements they must meet:

• the size of the longitudinal should be equal to the length of the larger wall;
• the width should be from 5 cm (for models up to 50 liters, 3 cm is enough);
• glass of the same thickness must be used;
• to give greater strength, stick it with an overlap, and not on the inside.

Complete drying of the sealant usually takes up to three days. At this time, it is better not to move the structure and not violate its integrity. If this is not observed, then the seams simply will not withstand the planned load.

Installation

After the aquarium has already survived the required period, it is not yet worth installing it in the planned place. Better test it. To do this, it is brought into the bathroom, placed on a flat surface (you can build stands and place it on the bathroom) and filled with water to the desired level. In this state, it is left for several days. If all is well, then the liquid is removed, and the structure is mounted on its pedestal.

From the aquarium you can make a partition between rooms. If it is located in a partition, it is necessary to take care of the presence of ventilation. Due to this, moisture that evaporates will be removed, which will eliminate the formation of fungus. An unpleasant odor will also be removed. It is better to close the surface above the aquarium with a vapor barrier - foil. If it is simply installed on a separate pedestal, then it is covered with a plastic cover with slots for air circulation.

In any of these cases, it is better to lay a layer of polyethylene foam under the aquarium. This will compensate for some of the irregularities, which will prevent the risk of chipping.

Interior arrangement

The arrangement of internal elements is by and large an expression of the owner's inner world, but there are some rules that should be taken into account:

• It is better not to lay sand on the bottom. It quickly collects sludge, which will lead to the need for frequent cleaning. It is better to use pebbles of small and medium caliber. Only a large one will not work, because the plants will not be able to catch on with the roots.
• Algae are selected for future inhabitants. They are an important part of the microflora, because to some extent they provide water purification, as well as its saturation with oxygen.
• Additional decorative elements and snags will not easily serve to improve the interior. For some types of fish that like to spend time in solitude, they are a must.
• Be sure to install a pump and filter. They will ensure the flow of water, as well as the removal of accumulated harmful substances that could lead to the death of the inhabitants.
• An aerator will be an integral attribute. It ensures the supply of sufficient oxygen.
• In order to have enough light, special lamps for aquariums are mounted, which are capable of emitting ultraviolet light.

The aquarium uses clean water. It should not be boiled or mineral. You need to give her a good rest. The fish can be launched two weeks after everything has been mounted and installed.

The whole process of caring for the aquarium and its inhabitants is as follows:

• Checking the performance of all pumps and filters.
• Clean filters when dirty.
• Wall cleaning can be carried out using two brushes in which magnets are built-in. They are simply installed on opposite sides of the glass and move in parallel.
• In order to determine whether it is necessary to clean the bottom, you need to move the stick along the ground. If air bubbles rise, then there is a need to take action. For this, special dirt scoops are used. You can make it yourself. You will need a plastic bottle, silicone hose and two syringes. From one syringe we make a sleeve, cutting off all unnecessary parts. In the second, we cut off the stops for the fingers, and cut a hole of 5 mm at the place where the needle is connected. We connect them together so that the sleeve is at the bottom. We connect the bottle and syringes with a hose. The process boils down to the fact that the syringes are immersed in the ground, and with the help of a bottle pressure is created that raises all the sludge. Next up is the pump and filter. In some cases, a complete water change may be required. During this period, you will have to take care of temporary housing for the fish.

As you can see, if you reasonably approach the issue and do not spare money for basic materials, then the aquarium can be assembled at home with the most positive result. Now you can try to make semi-circular or cone-shaped aquariums.

Video

About the methods of gluing aquarium glasses in the following video:

It has long been known that an aquarium with fish in an apartment or private house adds not only aesthetics and beauty, but also soothes after a hard day's work. Initially, many get a small one, but over time they want something more voluminous. That's when a person begins to think about acquiring a new home for fish, which often becomes an impossible task. Indeed, with the prices of such products in our time, it is difficult to acquire something worthwhile. Then you can try to make an aquarium of glass with your own hands. Now let's try to understand if this is possible, and what is required for work.

Read in the article:

Do-it-yourself glass aquarium: additional equipment and its manufacture

In the production of such work, it is necessary to understand that one glass box is not enough. You will need ventilation, water filtration, and even an elementary cabinet. After all, the stand on which the small-sized aquarium stood will no longer fit. Therefore, it is worthwhile to clearly consider what equipment will be needed.

In addition, you need to decide what material the aquarium itself will be made of - after all, even here there is a choice. Some prefer natural materials, while others seem to be not strong enough. In this case, you can stop at making your own plexiglass aquarium. But for starters, it makes sense to understand how it is better to connect the walls together and whether some kind of frame is needed for them.

How to glue an aquarium so as not to harm its inhabitants

The most common in this sense are various silicone sealants. They seize quite quickly, and after a day you can pour water into the aquarium. But when choosing them, you should pay attention to some nuances. Surely everyone knows that such compositions can have a different color, namely:

1. Colorless- such a sealant is suitable for those who are faced with such work for the first time. Indeed, in the absence of experience, the seams can turn out to be uneven, which will not be so noticeable;
2. White- neutral color for more experienced craftsmen;
3. Black- the assembled aquarium looks very aesthetically pleasing - the sealant gives contrast. But any unevenness of the seam is very noticeable, and therefore working with it requires special care.

Important advice! When purchasing a sealant, you should check that it does not contain antifungal additives - they are very harmful to fish. Usually, compositions for plumbing work “sin” with such substances.

You can also use epoxy glue, but it has its drawbacks - it seizes for too long and has a rather liquid consistency. A good alternative to both epoxy and silicone sealant can be an adhesive such as "cold welding". It has a thick composition and is very easy to use. At the same time, it has a very high setting speed, which can also be added by slightly warming up the joint with a hair dryer.

For a more complete understanding of the essence of the work, you can watch a short video.

Video: how to glue an aquarium with your own hands

Making your own lid for an aquarium - what is it for

For this purpose, a plastic wall panel may be the most suitable material. It may surprise many that glass is not used, but this is only at first glance incomprehensible. The fact is that it is on the lid that additional equipment will be fixed, and such a panel is perfect for these purposes. Strength and lightness are just the qualities that are needed. With a fairly rich assortment of such materials, it is quite simple to choose a width that is ideal for making DIY aquarium covers.

Stand or cabinet for a homemade aquarium - do it yourself or buy?

For many, it is more convenient to purchase such an accessory in a store. But it should be understood that a do-it-yourself cabinet for an aquarium will be exactly the size that is needed. And choosing the ideal dimensions for a new home for fish of exclusive sizes is quite problematic.

The material for manufacturing can be any, it all depends on the skills of the master. Making a stand for an aquarium with your own hands must be done exactly according to the size of the drawing, which is compiled independently or with the help of people who know a lot about this matter. But if you have great doubts about your abilities, you can order a similar product with dimensions that are exactly suitable for an aquarium.

Making your own filters for an aquarium and what you need for this

Everyone understands that water filtration is indispensable. But the cost of factory-made devices is quite high, and therefore it is worth considering home-made options. This work does not present any special difficulties.

An external filter for an aquarium with your own hands is quite simple to make from a conventional compressor by including an ordinary jar with a tight lid filled with cotton wool or foam rubber in its hose system.

Important advice! For the filter element, it is better to use foam rubber, which is more convenient. In addition to providing better filtration and oxygenation of the water, it is also easy to clean. It is only necessary to periodically rinse it with running water.

The device and the manufacture of a phytofilter for an aquarium with your own hands is very interesting. This device will help the renewal and reproduction of bacteria and microorganisms necessary for the fish. Making it is quite simple using a regular plastic container for flowers. If explained in general terms, then holes are made at the bottom of the container, the bottom is covered with fine ceramics. After that, the necessary plants are planted, and the rest of the volume is supplemented with expanded clay to retain moisture.

It seems to be a flower bed ... but no - phytofilter

Important! Not all plants are equally useful for certain fish. Therefore, when purchasing them, you should consult with the seller of the pet store, telling him which breeds are in the aquarium.

Such a biofilter is placed on the aquarium so that a small amount of water from the compressor constantly flows through the soil, and hence the roots. Thus, a liquid saturated with the necessary microorganisms will enter the habitat of the fish. As for the price, aquarium filters can be purchased in the range of 200 rubles. up to several tens of thousands.

Do-it-yourself aquarium compressors - necessary details

The compressor plays a very important role both in cleaning the aquarium and in saturating the water with oxygen. That is why such equipment is indispensable. But the cost of such devices is quite high, and therefore it is worth trying to assemble it yourself. For its manufacture you will need:

• electric motor;
• water pump (pump);
• not thick water hoses;
• some experience with similar mechanisms.

The electric motor must be assembled on the same platform with the pump, ensuring that they work together and connect the hoses. If you have at least the slightest experience in this area, there will be no particular difficulties in making an aquarium compressor with your own hands.

The components of such a unit will have to be purchased at the store. Although some craftsmen say that you can make a pump for an aquarium compressor with your own hands, such a product is unlikely to last long. After all, dampness generally adversely affects the mechanisms. And the pump itself, separately, does not cost that much money.

How to make an aquarium siphon with your own hands and what it is for

Cleanliness in the aquarium is a prerequisite for the life of the fish. And this applies not only to water, but also to soil. But it is unrealistic to change the water every 3-4 days with washing the pebbles from the bottom. That's what the siphon is for. Now in stores there are a lot of varieties of such devices, both electrical and mechanical.

A factory-made mechanical siphon has a pear-shaped thickening in the middle, which plays the role of a mechanical pump, with the help of which a stream of water is created from the aquarium to any container. One side of the hose is kept about 1 cm above the ground. Thus, the dirt from the stones is sucked in by the hose and moved with a small amount of water to the external container. There, the water settles and, after filtering, returns to the fish tank.

But how to make a siphon for an aquarium with your own hands? It's simple enough. An ordinary hose, about 1 cm thick, will do. If the outer edge is below the level of the bottom of the aquarium, then pumping out a little water with your mouth, you can create a constant stream.

Important advice! On the inside of the hose, it is recommended to put a plastic bottle cut off from the bottom, with a volume of 0.5 liters. This is done so that the lingering stream is not too strong and does not suck the soil from the bottom of the aquarium along with the dirt.

What is a CO 2 generator and what are its functions

Quite important for fish and carbon dioxide. It is for this reason that generators that produce it are installed. However, it is quite easy to make a similar device to maintain the level of CO 2 in the aquarium with your own hands. This requires a three-liter jar with a plastic lid and a hose. A hole is made in the lid for a hose, the second end of which is connected to the air supply to the aquarium from the compressor. Warm water mixed with sugar and yeast is poured into the jar. The container should be in a warm place.

During fermentation, carbon dioxide is released, which, mixing with air from the compressor, will enter the water. As you can understand, an oxidizer for an aquarium with your own hands is quite simple.

Important! The mixture of water, yeast and sugar must be changed at least once every two weeks, because the fermentation reaction otherwise stops, which means that the generator will cease to perform its function.

Decorative design of the aquarium: how to decorate it and how to do it right

Of course, in an ordinary “glass box”, without any decor, the fish will not swim, because then it’s easier to just put them in jars. This means that you need to add a background for the aquarium, soil, stones and plants with your own hands. Only then will the fish house acquire a finished, aesthetic appearance. It is about do-it-yourself aquarium decorations that we will now talk about. And you should start, of course, from the bottom.

The nuances of preparing aquarium soil with your own hands

Preparing nutrient soil for an aquarium with your own hands is not a matter of one hour or even one day. The nuance is that in addition to quartz sand, enriched soil must be added to it. It just takes 2-3 days to prepare it. The fact is that simple earth will not work. It is placed in a flower pot and watered with aquarium water for two days. This contributes to its saturation with the necessary bacteria and microorganisms. Only after such preparation can it be mixed with quartz sand.

Also, to prepare the soil, before watering, you can add garden fertilizer - potassium sulfate.

Important advice! Fertilizers should be no more than 5 ml. In this case, the necessary feed for the fish will be obtained. It is the manufacture of potassium with your own hands for the aquarium that is a very important point, because. too much fertilizer can be harmful. That is why, in order not to take risks, it is better to purchase such a feed at a pet store and use it clearly according to the instructions.

Do-it-yourself driftwood for an aquarium as a wonderful element of decor

Such an element of decor should be approached very responsibly. In addition, this is one of the few aquarium decorations that is better to make yourself in order to avoid various infections. After all, it is not known how this product was transported from distant countries (and you can hardly find Russian types of wood on sale).

That is why there are several rules for choosing the right wood. Ideally, a “dug” (a snag that has lain under water for a long time) is ideal. It should not be rotten, and on the sides it is desirable to have traces of beetles (grooves). They destroy harmful microorganisms.

Important advice! The best wood for making do-it-yourself driftwood in an aquarium, such as an apple tree, pear or willow, will be optimal. In no case should you take conifers - this is fraught with diseases in fish.

The bark and silt are removed from the driftwood, after which it is boiled in saline for 12 hours. Well, the last stage will be a long soaking of driftwood in water (the water needs to be changed, and the more often the better). This continues for at least a week. Only after that you can place it in the habitat of the fish.

Having figured out how difficult it is to make a driftwood for an aquarium with your own hands, you can understand the reason for such a high cost of such decor.

Grotto or cave: decor and entertainment for fish

There are a lot of ways to make grottoes for an aquarium with your own hands. Some suggest using mounting foam (although it is unlikely that such material will add health to the fish), others advise stones. Probably the second option is still preferable. For this you will need:

• river pebbles of various sizes;
• silicone sealant;
• a piece of tile that will serve as the base.

Difficulties should not arise here. After all, everyone in childhood built fortresses from stones or lumps of snow. The same is happening here.

A small cave is built on the base (a fragment of a tile), while the stones are connected with a sealant. By the way, for this purpose, you can also use a thermal gun. If gaps remain between the stones, it's okay. It will be even more interesting for the fish. After the “construction” has been completed, it is necessary to let the grotto dry (within 24 hours) and can be installed in an aquarium, to the delight of the inhabitants of the underwater kingdom.

Aquarium lighting, its types and which one is better

Lighting plays a very important role not only in the decor, but also in the life of the inhabitants of the "glass house". Previously, only incandescent lamps were used to make do-it-yourself lamps for aquariums, which had a very big drawback. Water under the influence of such light began to “bloom”, after which there was no other way out but to change it. Nowadays, lighting with LED strip has become quite popular. In addition, when choosing the RGB backlight, it becomes possible to change its color gamut using the remote control.

Important advice! If you choose a do-it-yourself LED strip for lighting an aquarium with complete protection against moisture, then you can glue it directly inside. The glow under the water in this case will be very beautiful and soft.

It is precisely because of the simplicity that these days it is better to make DIY lighting for an aquarium than to buy ready-made lamps in a store.

How to make an aquarium with your own hands: step by step photo instructions with explanations

The above explained how you can glue the aquarium with your own hands. But superficial explanations are unlikely to help those who have never done such work. That is why it is worth considering in detail the algorithm of actions. We offer to disassemble the photo instructions for making an aquarium for beginners.

Photo example	Actions to take
	First you need to cut five pieces of glass (4 on the walls and 1 on the bottom) and process the edges. Otherwise, you may be cut during installation or subsequent use. In our example, the size of the future aquarium will be 60x40x40 cm with a glass thickness of 6 mm
	It is in this way that it is most convenient to process the edges of the glasses. Sandpaper must be waterproof (cloth based). It must be periodically lowered into the water. In this case, not only the glass dust is washed out, but also the crumbs from the glass stick to the paper.
	Bars are installed on the linoleum, on which the bottom of the future aquarium will be laid. Although this work can be done on the floor, it is still more convenient on such supports.
	Now it is necessary to glue all the glasses around the perimeter with masking tape, cutting off the edges with a knife or scalpel. At the same time, from each side to the strip of adhesive tape, an even strip of free glass should remain, the width of the glass thickness (in our case it is 6 mm), which is carefully degreased
	Side windows are placed on the base. In the case of our photo, there are no stops, but for fixing, you can put plastic water bottles with a volume of 5 liters. Where the arrows point
	Glasses are smeared with silicone sealant on the inner sides of the seams, after which the seams are ironed, leveled directly with the remaining tip, all excess is removed
	The side (large) glasses are fixed and the almost finished aquarium is left in a warm room for 24 hours for the silicone to dry completely
	After 24 hours, you can remove the tape, along with which the excess silicone inside the aquarium will come off. What has leaked through the seam and turned out to be outside must be removed with a sharp clerical knife or scalpel. This is what should end up happening

The authors of the article hope that after such an instruction, no one will have any fears and lack of self-confidence. There is nothing super complicated in such work. Well, if necessary, you can do the repair of the aquarium with your own hands with the replacement of glass or if the seam leaks, all actions are performed in the same way.

Some Tricky Gadgets for an Unusual New Fish House

The work on the aquarium does not end with the manufacture and design. There are some more secrets that will help make it truly exclusive. And some of them even make it easier to care for.

Disinfection lamp for health

As such, it is quite suitable. The main task is to repurpose the UV sterilizer for aquariums with your own hands instead of domestic use. To do this, after the filter, install a small glass container through which water will pass. It is she who should be irradiated by quartz.

Important! Irradiation of water with ultraviolet light is carried out precisely after filtration, just before it enters the aquarium. Otherwise, no benefit from irradiation will be achieved.

Automatic feeder - what's good about it

Not everyone is able to feed the fish at a strictly defined time. However, the content of some of them requires just that. In this case, you can make your own automatic feeder for the aquarium. It is quite easy to do this kind of work. The main thing here is to understand the mechanism of its action. For manufacturing you will need:

• an old analogue alarm clock without glass and minute hand;
• a small container in the form of a plastic bottle with a narrow neck without a bottom;
• metal plate and spring.

We act as follows. We fix the bottle with the cut bottom to the top so that there is a small platform under the neck at a distance of 1 cm. Near, on the platform, a plate with a spring is attached and an alarm clock is set. To make it clearer, we explain the essence of the work. When the hour hand of the alarm clock approaches a certain time, it touches one edge of the plate. Its other end throws off a certain amount of feed from the platform. When the arrow moves further, the spring returns the plate to its place.

Of course, there are many ways to create such dispensers, but we do not claim to be unique.

What is a sump and why is it needed

Sump is a biofilter for large aquariums. The most convenient way to create an aquarium sump with your own hands is to place another one (maybe smaller) next to it, into which any porous material (for example, expanded clay) is poured.

It is important to know! The samp will start working as a biofilter only after 2-3 months, when the necessary microorganisms begin to multiply there.

Atomizer and what is its need

The fact is that oxygen saturation is one of the most important conditions for the habitat of fish in the water. That is why making your own atomizer for an aquarium or buying it is necessary. It can be done very simply. By supplying air to water from an air compressor through a tube, at the end of which any porous material, such as foam rubber, is fixed. Such aeration will be quite enough. It turns out that if someone says that he made an aquarium aerator with his own hands, you can understand that we are talking about a sprayer.

Airlift or airlift cleaning

In fact, this is the same atomizer, but at the same time it collects dirt from the bottom, pushing up oxygen-enriched water. To make a do-it-yourself airlift for aquariums, you need a slightly more powerful compressor. The atomizer is placed inside a larger, finely porous sponge and is set on the bottom so that the air supply is from below.

Trap for snails or control the number of these mollusks

It is also not difficult to make an aquarium trap for snails with your own hands. To do this, you need a regular test tube, inside which a leaf of green salad is placed. It sinks to the bottom at night, and by morning a lot of mollusks will already be inside. If the number of snails caught is not satisfactory, the procedure is repeated.

Cooling water in an aquarium in summer

Many types of aquarium inhabitants do not tolerate too hot water. With the help of the following device, you can cool part of it. At the same time, if the container is large enough, then more heat-loving fish will find a corner in it. To make an aquarium refrigerator with your own hands, you will need a small radiator from a car stove and a cooler from a computer.

We act according to the following algorithm. We include the radiator in the filtration system in the area of ​​​​the water outlet to the aquarium, and not direct the air flow from the cooler. Thus, the area where the water is injected will be cooler. Due to the heat of summer, in the process of circulation in the aquarium, closer to its other edge, it will heat up to normal temperature.

Heating the aquarium in cold weather

Too cool water for fish is also harmful, which means that in cold weather (in autumn and spring, when the heating is not yet turned on), it needs to be warmed up a little. As an aquarium heater with your own hands, you can use a halogen lamp with a reflector.

Important! Watch the distance from the lamp to the aquarium so as not to overheat the water. This can be detrimental to many types of fish.

Basis for the growth of aquarium plants

Everyone wants not only fish to live in an aquarium, but also various plants. That's just in their diet and is the problem. It's hard to get to the ground. It is for this that an aquarium nutrient substrate is made with your own hands. The main task is planting plants in clay-containing soil. Clay itself is an accumulator, which means it accumulates the necessary substances. In the process of caring for an aquarium, fertilizers are periodically added to the water. It is they who gather in clay soil, making it nutritious over time.

Important! Fertilizers for plants must be added strictly according to the instructions, so as not to harm the fish.

Skimmer and its differences from a conventional filter

In general, such a device is used only in marine aquariums. Having understood what it is intended for, it is easy to figure out how to make an aquarium skimmer with your own hands. In fact, this device removes debris and dirt from the surface of the water with the help of air bubbles, which means that an air lift for relatively small (up to 200 l) aquariums will perform its function. It remains only to remove the dirt driven into one of the corners with a gauze net.

Sandfall with its pros and cons

Of course, such a device looks very beautiful. The only thing that is alarming is the reviews of some aquarists about its harm to small fish, but this is a moot point. To make your own aquarium sandfall, you will need:

1. Plastic bottle.
2. Water supply through a pump.
3. A plastic tube (a cocktail one is quite suitable).

From a plastic bottle we cut out a trough in which quartz sand will lie. A pump is connected to the non-bending edge of the tube, and a hole is made in it a little higher. In the same area, a trough is attached at an angle so that the sand is poured into the slot. The top edge of the tube is bent so that it points towards the plastic, i.e. sand should be poured back. That, in fact, is all.

Is it possible to buy inexpensive aquariums in online stores? Now it makes sense to consider some examples and compare the prices of aquariums of 100 liters (plus or minus 10 liters).

Appearance of the aquarium	Model and brand	Volume, l.	Average cost, rub.
	Aquael AQUA4HOME 80	102	10000
	Aquatlantis Fusion 60	109	52000
	Xilong LED	100	6500
	EHEIM Aquastar 80 plus	96	8500
	Biodesign Reef 100	100	4600
	Biodesign Diarama 90	90	6000

It can be seen that even with a small amount of money it is quite possible to purchase a good aquarium.

Important advice! Don't buy a pig in a poke. When purchasing, you need not only to visually inspect the product for cracks and chips, but also require the seller to fill the aquarium with water. Only in this way, by going through all the seams with a dry paper towel, you can determine the leak. After all, after delivery, no one will take back such a product, saying that the buyer spoiled it.

Summing up

Summarizing all the information, we can say that making glass aquariums with your own hands, although a process that requires special care, is still quite feasible even for a beginner. That is why, before buying such a product, you should think hard: “but why not make it yourself?”. The main thing is not to forget about the general rules for making aquariums, to be collected and neat. Only in this case you will get a truly beautiful and high-quality house for fish and plants.

And finally, a short video on the design of the aquarium.