Things You'll Need
- Paper Pencil Tape measure Custom-cut acrylic panels Solvent for acrylics Solvent applicator Non-toxic glass cleaner
Instructions
Making the Design
Measure the area where you want to put your finished aquarium, if you are starting completely from scratch. If you are starting with detailed custom aquarium plans provided to you by someone else, you can skip to the next section.
Using the measurements from the last step to guide your space limitations, start sketching design concepts for your new aquarium. Sketch several different basic designs if you wish, and take your time as you evaluate them and choose the one you like best.
Create a detailed blueprint of your favorite design. Make sure that you include exact measurements for every side of every acrylic panel. Once your blueprint is finished, use it to create a list of the dimensions of every acrylic panel you will need. You will use this list to do your acrylic shopping.
Calculate the thickness of your acrylic panels. In general, it is best to assume 1/4 inch of thickness for every 12 inches of vertical height in the final tank design.
Purchasing Acrylic Panels
Seek out an acrylics supplier. If you find one within driving distance, you might be able to save quite a bit of money by going directly to the supplier to pick up your panels. The supplier you choose should offer custom-cutting services and sell cell-cast acrylics in the color you want.
Negotiate the lowest possible price with the supplier, particularly if you will be buying a large amount of acrylic. Buying the acrylic panels is the only major expense of the entire project, so from a cost-cutting perspective, this is the most important part. If you are unable to get a fair deal from one supplier, seek a competing estimate from another.
Order all of the panels that you need, using the list you made in the previous section as your guide. Double-check all of the dimensions with the supplier before it starts cutting. Gather all of your custom-cut panels and the other building supplies in your work space.
Preparing for Assembly
Study your diagram to determine the order in which you will affix the panels together. Since a custom design can have any number of panels in any configuration, the best and easiest order in which to assemble them will vary. There are no absolute rules to dictate this process, but it is important to have a plan in place before you start assembling pieces. For an ordinary rectangular aquarium, it is easiest to affix one side panel to the back, then attach the other side panel to the back, then attach the front panel to both side panels and, finally, attach the bottom to all four of the vertical walls at once.
Practice how you will assemble the pieces in the order you chose. Taking two pieces at a time, hold them together just how you plan to attach them so that you can visually observe how they will fit together. This is an important step because you will have to work very quickly once you apply the solvent. Make changes to the assembly order if you discover a better way of assembling your aquarium during this process.
Clear a work area large enough to assemble the aquarium. Make sure it is well-ventilated and find a corner where you can prop pieces of the aquarium against a wall while the solvent dries.
Assembly
Pour a small amount of acrylic solvent into an applicator bottle with a small spout.
Connect the first two panels. When fusing two panels, lay the larger one flat on your work surface. Make a thin, continuous line of solvent along the entire panel in the spot where you will be affixing the other panel. Carefully set the edge of the other panel right on this line of solvent and hold it in place for several minutes while it hardens. When the bond is hard enough that you can move the two pieces, move them over to a wall and lean the vertical piece against the wall for support.
Give each freshly bonded piece of the aquarium at least four hours to harden before affixing another piece to that construction. Keep the construction propped against a stable surface while it hardens so that the joint hardens at the proper angle.
Follow your order of assembly as you continue to fuse new panels using the same process.
Final Steps
After the last panel has had at least four hours to harden, move the finished aquarium somewhere out of the way so that it can cure for at least one more week. If you can, allow it to cure for four weeks or more. The solvent causes a chemical change in the acrylic, fusing the panels together rather than just attaching them with an adhesive. This chemical process will continue for some time, and the longer you can wait, the stronger your aquarium will be.
Move the aquarium to the desired location.
Clean the aquarium inside and out with a non-toxic liquid glass cleaner prior to preparing it for fish or other pets.