Build your own marine fish tank!
July 22nd, 2010 at 01:41am Under diy+ marine fish tanks
Firstly you should know that you wont save a huge amount of money by building your own fish tank but it is a satisfying experience if your are that type of person. Building your own marine fish tank will also allow you to customize it, to a certain extent, and you can also build a much larger tank than you would otherwise be able to purchase from a shop.
Glass used to be – and I think still is – the standard construction material for a marine fish tank, actually any fish tank but acrylic can also be used. Acrylic offers the advantage of being lighter and stronger than glass and is also said to be clearer than glass. It is however more expensive but if you have the budget then its worth looking into.
When sizing up your tank you need to pay attention to the thickness of the glass because water is deceptively heavy and if you use glass that is too thin then your tank is likely to burst and ruin your carpet! Glass strength can also vary between manufacturers so try to buy good quality glass from a reputable source that is less likely to contain imperfections. Because of the strength variations it is also important to include a safety margin – some say 3.8 but if your tank is fairly small of short and in a low people traffic area then you could probably go lower. There is a handy table here which you can use to get the thickness you need.
Once you have decided on a size for your marine fish tank and have ordered the glass or acrylic you can begin the assembly process. It is easier to lay all the pieces out on the floor and mark each one so you know where it goes later. You can use duct tape to secure the pieces together and then you can apply the silicon. A word on silicon is to make sure you get pure silicon or marine silicon that is non-toxic.
When applying the silicon start at the bottom of the joint and run a continuous bead up the seam. Try to work accurately and apply it evenly to avoid any bubble or gaps which could lead to leaks when you fill the tank. The last thing you want to do is discover a leak and have to dismantle the whole tank and start again. Next you need to smooth it so start at the bottom of the joint and run your finger in a continuous motion up the bead pressing silicon into the seam. Don’t worry about silicon oozing out on the outside of the tank joints because you can always – carefully – trim it off with a razor blade when it dries. On bigger marine fish tanks I found it easier to do two panels at a time – placing the base and doing the back and one side panel, letting it set, and then doing the front and other side panel otherwise you risk knocking the panels and disturbing the still wet silicon which could cause a leak.
Now let the silicon set thoroughly (read the instructions) and then you can try filling your tank and checking for leaks. If you have filled the tank and there are no leaks within a 24 hour period you can be reasonably sure your new marine fish tank is water tight. Now you just need some fish to put into it.
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