However, unless you are highly experienced with aquarium building, do not build an aquarium meant to hold more than just a few gallons of water. The reason? Water is very heavy and it is therefore very difficult to calculate the correct glass thickness for larger aquariums.
Things You'll Need
- Three panes of glass or plexiglass, 2-feet x 1-foot x 1/2-inch thick
- Aquarium-safe adhesive/sealant
- Clamps
- Two panes of glass or plexiglass,11-inches x 23-inches x 1/2-inch thick
Instructions
Attach a pane of glass or plexiglass that is two feet long and one foot wide to another pane of glass or plexiglass that is the same size. Attach the two pieces so that the two-foot-long edge of the first piece is flush with the two-foot-long edge of the second piece at a 90 degree angle. Use an aquarium-safe silicone sealant/adhesive to attach the two pieces. Repeat this step with a third pane of the same size on the opposite side. Make sure the two side pieces are attached so that they are on the inside of the bottom piece. Clamp all the pieces together and allow time for the adhesive to dry. The glass or plexiglass can be purchased pre-cut at many hardware stores and home centers. The aquarium-safe silicone can be purchased at those locations as well.
Attach a pane of glass or plexiglass that is about 11 inches wide by 23 inches long to one end of the structure built in step one and repeat this step with one final pane of the same size. The structure should now look like a rectangular box that is two feet long by one foot high by one foot deep. Use the same aquarium safe adhesive/sealant and clamp all the pieces together to allow time for the adhesive to dry.
Apply more aquarium-safe silicone sealant to the inside corners of the aquarium and allow at least 24 hours for the sealant/adhesive to dry.
Fill the tank with water to see if there are any leaks. If there are leaks, empty out the water, dry thoroughly and apply more silicone adhesive/sealant to the area where the leaks occurred. Repeat this step until there are no more leaks.