How to Make Your Own Fish Tank Aquarium

To avoid high costs or size limitations of factory-built fish tanks, you can make your own fish tank aquarium at home. With basic materials and tools, create a habitat for pet fish and aquatic life in any size or volume.

Things You'll Need

  • Glass
  • Glass cutter
  • Aquarium-grade silicone sealant
  • Measuring tape
  • Strong tape
  • Straight edge
  • Wax or grease pencil
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Instructions

    • 1

      Determine the measurements of glass needed to create the aquarium with whatever volume you desire. You can also base the measurements off the location in the house you wish to display your pet fish. Use the formula of width times height times length to find the area of the tank you will make, and convert the square inches or centimeters to liquid volume such as gallons or liters.

    • 2

      Lay out a sheet of glass on a flat surface for measuring and cutting. Any planned aquarium less than 55 gallons can be made with ½-inch-thick glass. Anything more than that should have thicker glass, such as 3/8-inch thickness. Be sure the glass is clean and free of dirt and oils before working with it. Wear gloves to protect your hands from the sharp edges.

    • 3

      Transfer the measurements to the glass using a measuring tape, straight-edge tool and a wax or grease pencil. Be sure the edge marks are perfectly straight and perpendicular to the sides of the glass sheet. Or you can skip marking the lines on the glass and move straight to step 4.

    • 4

      Lay the long straight-edge tool, such as a yard stick or T-square, on the marked line that you previously measured. Run a glass-cutting tool down the entire line, pressing firmly to score the glass. Repeat this procedure several times. Then, remove the straight edge and exert firm pressure on the glass edge to snap off the piece along the scored line. Do this for all edges of the glass for your home aquarium.

    • 5

      Squeeze a generous bead of aquarium-grade silicone sealant across the top of the back edge of the aquarium base glass sheet. Have a friend help you position the back side of the fish tank directly on top of the sealant and hold it there. You can also prop it up with any heavy item that will not scratch the glass.

    • 6

      Put another bead of silicone on the side edge of the base glass and some on the upright edge of the glass you just positioned. Press the next side of the aquarium into this securely, being sure the angles and edges line up perfectly. Support it as you did the last one until the sealant cures. Repeat this procedure for the remaining sides of the tank.

    • 7

      Remove excess aquarium sealant with a sharp knife or razor blade once it is dry. Then, starting in the interior bottom of the fish tank, squeeze another line of sealant and smooth it into the corners and edges with a gloved finger or plastic tool. Repeat this on all inside and outside joints of the fish tank for maximum strength. Your home aquarium is ready to use after it has dried for up to 48 hours.