DIY Fish Tank Plans

Glass

• One of the most important components of your aquarium is the glass. At minimum, use tempered glass for your aquarium. Window glass will not provide enough strength for the weight of the water. For smaller aquariums, the weight of the water will allow for thinner glass. Larger aquariums will require thicker glass. For very large aquariums or to use thinner glass, consider using laminated glass. Laminated glass is made by interleaving glass and plastic, similar to a car's windshield. If one layer cracks, the plastic and other layers maintain their integrity long enough for you to move your fish and other aquatic plants and animals to a new container.

Silicon

• The glass in your aquarium is both sealed by and secured by silicon. To make an aquarium, use aquarium silicon. Aquarium silicon dries and cures harder than common bathroom and household silicon. After applying your silicon and assembling your aquarium, use masking tape to hold the pieces together while the silicon cures. How long this takes will depend on the manufacturer. Check the tube to establish curing time. For large aquariums, you may need more than one tube. Have a spare ready as assembling the aquarium is time-sensitive.

Reinforcement

• Even with recommended glass thicknesses, consider adding wood reinforcement to the top rim of the aquarium. By securing wood molding around the top, you help strengthen the glass. Although it doesn't add strength, you may also want to add wood molding to the bottom to visually balance the aquarium. If you prefer no reinforcement, you might add 1/3 to 1/2 to the glass thickness to ensure that your glass will hold the weight of the water.