This is extremely important because if there are any gaps, you will have a weak spot that will eventually break down and cause either a leak or a massive and horrible failure. Get it as soon as Mon, Jan 18. Flip the tank to its side, now you have two corners on a horizontal plane, run your cement. We hope you learned something from this short guide on how to build an acrylic aquarium. Aquarium Glass Thickness Calculator. I have been on a bit of a hiatus and haven't been on HP for a while. Get your acrylic pieces cut at the shop to save you time and energy. Acrylic aquariums have become more and more popular with tropical fish keeping enthusiasts. Then, arrange the rest of the panels around it in proper orientation to avoid misfits. Acrylic tanks are much lighter than glass aquariums and are popular with fish keepers setting up extra large aquariums, especially marine aquariums. dont know what way to join it together . Required fields are marked *. (913) 998-7741. This is not absolutely vital to the project, but it is definitely a good idea to practice smoothing and joining with some scraps before you do it on the real thing. Acrylic Aquariums Direct goal is to make the costumers Aquarium purchase as simple and easy as possible. For example, an L-shaped tank will have one L-shaped and six rectangular panels. Do not remove the protective paper on the acrylic sheet during the build. Check if the newspaper is wet, which would signify leaks or gaps in the tank. Hence, when using it, only apply to the joined edges that are parallel to the ground. Repeat these steps with other panels till you form the required shape while being held by duct tapes and some support pieces (clamps and braces). Now, the bottom has sealed and cured, you can do each corner. Once we know what size we desire, we need to find our resources for the build. I want to create my own aquariums using Cast Acrylic. Only do this process once, as adding more will weaken the joint. Acrylic is lighter and tougher than glass while also allowing for more customized shapes. Let the cement cure for four hours. Out of stock Quick view. An acrylic aquarium is symbol of beauty inside the home or leisure area. DIY Plexiglas Aquarium Plexiglass is an excellent material for various kinds of products, as it can be cut, polished, sawed, drilled, glued. Use only cell cast acrylic sheets for the build. I will be posting many project tutorial hubs in the near future, stay tuned ;). I've found a 2 flute-straight-cut router bit (used by hand) works well for this. For more help, call the Roehm America LLC Technical Center at (207) 490-4230. As with any aquarium set up, the first step is deciding what kind of critters you want to incorporate in your tank - and how many. Maintain a gap of about 8 inches between the tapes. Emery cloth or silic… Your Price $2,995.00. Here is my finished tank, with my original makeshift hood/filter set up. What makes a "Freshwater" aquarium? When you order your acrylic, ask if the price will include cutting, if not, pay the extra - acrylic is extremely hard to cut in a perfectly straight line by yourself. Custom Acrylic Aquariums is our specialty. Lay a support for your bottom plate, I like to use a few 1x4s. There are some forms of acrylic in the market. As a quick answer, I purchased mine from a local source, a direct manufacturer. Out of stock. Instead, leave it all in place, except for a sliver you cut away, about 1", around all sides. I made a decision about getting even more aquariums. Using the finest materials, our aquariums are 100% made in the USA. Track the number and type of panel shapes in the structure. We’re using clear acrylic (cast) with a thickness of 8 mm. If you know someone who can weld well, have them weld the angle irons into rectangles for your top and bottom supports, you can grind the welds down to a flat and smooth finish for style. Obviously, we could go taller and as a result need thicker acrylic, but let's not go there for today. Freshwater aquariums are manufactured to accept several types of freshwater filtration. Stick the protruding duct tape ends to the upright panel while holding the panel in place. The pins should slightly separate the edges of the panel, leaving space for the cement. Domestic craftsmen use it for all kinds of handicrafts, and independent production of aquariums using this material is not such a rarity. After you've scraped the sides smooth, we can now join the pieces. Be sure to check for any gaps between all surfaces. Once the pieces are laid out the way, you want them adjoined, use your solvent bottle, or even a syringe, to run the solvent cement along the joint, until you see that the joint is 100% penetrated. It is extremely important that you do not move it! 99. biOrb biOrb Classic 105L / 28 Gallon All-in-One Acrylic Aquarium Kit with Multicolor Light - Black (45779) $ 379. Do not remove this, as it will prevent the solvents from staining the acrylic where the solvents don't need to be. No DIY project is possible without the essential set of tools. Here’s a simple way to do it. Once done with figuring out the dimensions of each face, using scale and marker, trace the shapes over the acrylic sheet. Custom Aquariums periodically offers aquariums on sale, discounts and clearance specials for our rimless, cube, island and rectangular aquariums as well as other products.Please check back often to find out what discount aquariums have a discount price. Always start from the bottom panel. I'm glad you enjoyed this hub! hey i have been looking for prices for the acrylic and i cant find a 4'x8' sheet for 180 dollars. Apply solvent only on a horizontal plane, as it will not penetrate the joints if you do it vertically. Duct tape, for holding the structure in place during the build. 6. 3. Your email address will not be published. Voted up, shared and now looking forward to many more by you. Calculate the right size of your aquarium to house your fish. TRUVU Aquariums has been manufacturing acrylic aquariums since 1972. When purchasing a fish tank it can be very hard to figure out which aquarium will work best for you and in the space needed which is why we list the sizes of our acrylic aquariums with the product. Also, pull out the pins slowly as you pour the cement. Alternatively, you could use carbide sandpaper to even out the edges. GET YOUR FREE QUOTE NOW! Domas van wijk (dutch) on March 19, 2020: How thick must the acrylic be if I want to build a thank that is 37 inches high? Now that your tank is all assembled and cured, run the aquarium safe silicone sealant along all joints to ensure a good, safe seal. Making An Acrylic Aquarium Complete Guide Diy You. One … … Are the any special procedures or anything that I need to keep in mind? Start with one of the panels (preferably the largest) and position it upright along the edges of the base panel. Expect to pay $160-$200 for a 4ftx8ft sheet of 1/4" acrylic, $250-$350 for a 3/8" sheet, $350-$450 for a 1/2" sheet. I would also recommend asking if they can route the edges smooth for you, as this will make your job a whole lot easier and give you a much smoother surface to adjoin. Don Colfax (author) from Easton, Pennsylvania on March 18, 2014: Bassmaniac, I am so sorry I missed your comment! Today, we are focusing on how to build an acrylic aquarium. I will leave this for you to decide. Make sure you are working only on the edges parallel to the ground. FREE Shipping. 3 gallons per inch for fish over 3 inches. Free shipping on many items | Browse your favorite brands | affordable prices. Lay the bottom panel on the flat surface. Now you have a brand-new aquarium! Acrylic lids are lightweight, durable, breathable, and can be customized to fit any tank. With a little bit of knowledge and being careful with the measurements and tools, you can create an aquarium that is suitable for both freshwater and saltwater fishes. Here’s a calculator on help you select the acrylic sheet with perfect thickness for your build. This acrylic form is robust and lasts longer. You will need the following items for building your acrylic aquarium: Before you begin, you need to have an appropriate aquarium blueprint. With the help of syringe, pour the acrylic cement into the joints. 5.0 out of 5 stars 1. Check with your tank manufacturer to see if they can recommend the best fitting acrylic lid for your tank. You have only got 30-60 seconds after pouring the cement to pull the pins out. hi every one i am building a acrilic tank for marine five sides 1200mm high 1800mm face 1600mm deep 900mm face 1300mm face 900mm facefish tank encased, 4x2 frame then 50x50 steel frame, 30mm to 40mm acrlic . 99 ($23.99/Count) 5% coupon applied at checkout Save 5% with coupon. This is very compact at 2.5 gallons, and it’s tall … Buy or borrow the required tools before starting your DIY build. Run your thumb over the sealant to smoothen it. Let's get going with our DIY aquarium. While in the shop, ask if they could also route the edges to form a straight and smooth edge. May 26, 2013 - al Gallery Diy acrylic tank. Washable marker, for marking position and orientation of acrylic panels. We offer AIO acrylic aquariums, Nano Tanks, Frag Tanks, Aquarium Stands, Reef Tanks, and Aquarium Sumps. Now do a test fit and make sure all of your panels fit up 100%. Apply consistently ensuring the cement fills all the gaps correctly. From the inside of the tank, run your solvent cement along only the bottom edge. What a great project; interesting and very useful. Most plastics suppliers will stock acrylic sheets 4'x8'. Do note that the cement penetrates downwards. Place the pin along the edges maintain an even gap between each of them for the cement. Cut them to length and miter the joints. All Acrylic used for Aquariums should be Cell-Cast. Building a custom aquarium is not that hard. (Yes the stand is crooked, please don't tease me.). Gullfiskur, CC-BY-SA-2.0, via Wikimedia Commons. Tsunami 300 Gallon 72 Lx30 Wx36 H Rectangular Acrylic Aquarium. These need to be smoothed out as much as possible to provide the best adhesion and seal. Clear for Life Rectangle Acrylic Aquarium - 300R Rectangle- 96"L x 24"W x 30"H. Your Price $3,000.00. Some acrylic sheets at the plastics supplier. Try not to drip any water on the newspaper. Don loves doing DIY projects, and he has successfully built aquariums from scratch. Now the angle irons come into play. Would plexiglass be better? BETAZOOER Reptile Terrarium Aquarium Breeding Tank Acrylic Reptile Feeding Box with Temperature Hygrometer (11''x7.7''x5.9'') 4.3 out of 5 stars 20. After curing, inspect the tank for leaks. I'm back though! DIY Acrylic Refugium If you have been thinking about building an acrylic aquarium, but thought that acrylics were too hard to work with, here is the perfect project for you. No DIY project is possible without the essential set of tools. These are the dimensions of the acrylic sheets: Different Stand Colors Available. Would like to see some more pictures of the finished tank if you ever plan to add any. Customize Your Filtration and Stand below. The tank I built for myself is 50 gallons. ACRYLITE® Calculators for Acrylic Sheet Thickness. Given below is the online aquarium glass thickness calculator which helps you to calculate a volume of an aquarium, glass area, glass thickness, weight of glass and weight of water in a glass based on the length, width, height, and safety factor. At Custom Aquariums, we specialize in custom aquarium configuration. This is very important as it will decide what size you need, and how much it will cost you in the long run. Here is what we will need: Most plastics suppliers will stock acrylic sheets 4'x8'. First We Need Supplies. You will notice your acrylic will have a protective film on it. Tsunami 190-Gallon 96"Lx18"Wx30"H Rectangular Acrylic Aquarium Setup. Acrylic aquariums offer better insulation than glass aquariums, reducing temperature flux and improving the quality of life for your fish. DIY Acrylic Aquarium? I've also updated the prices above to match current market values. You could go for a small scale (10 to 15-gallon), mid-size (20 to 25-gallon) or large (higher than 35 gallons) tank. While you're at the supplier ask if they have any scrap pieces they're throwing away, they don't need to be big at all, just something to practice gluing and assembling with. Again, be extremely careful to not move it. Building your own aquarium with acrylic lets you customize the tank to suit your personal design and space specifications, and gives you freedom to integrate features such as sumps, overflows and fish hatcheries. Add strips of duct tape, roughly 6 inches long, every 5 inches around the plate, from the bottom side (Half adhered to the plate, the other half hanging, adhesive side up.). Let the tank sit for 4 hours. Using tinted acrylic for the back panel allows you … Estimate the ACRYLITE® thickness required for various loads. As with anything in life, it is always good to practice a bit before the big game. Acrylic Cutter, for cutting out the acrylic panels. In addition, they are more impact resistant, weigh 50% less and are not prone to chip or crack. Acrylic cement with a syringe, for joining the panel ends. China 40mm 300mm Clear Cast Extra Thick Plexigl Acrylic Fish. Price is for Aquarium only. 5. Once you are sure that the panels are in right orientation and position, stick long (6 inches) pieces of duct tape on the bottom face of the bottom panel, with about 3 inches of the sticky side protruding from the sides facing upwards. The ultimate size of your aquarium will depend on a number of important factors, such as the amount of space available in your home and the number and type of fish you’d like to keep. It is very important you don't apply too much pressure on the pieces, as the solvent will not be able to penetrate the joint properly. Your email address will not be published. Plan the aquarium attentively. One sheet is perfect for our build, as every inch of the sheet can be used with none left over, with no more extra needed. Acrylic is a fairly new material for making aquariums, compared to glass. Don't forget to cycle the tank before adding your fish! 7. When Acrylic Aquariums Fail Plasticstoday. This acrylic fish tank is known for being ten times stronger than … Use the tape from step 3 to hold the sides on the bottom, and also put a few pieces on the sides to hold them together. Also, remember to factor the sheet thickness to assess the suitability of the acrylic sheet for the project. Add to cart Quick view. Let the sealant cure for some time. The body of the aquarium and materials used are the same as all the rest of our acrylic Also, during this step, I would recommend checking every edge thoroughly for any abrasions or burrs. In our previous aquarium build article, we talked about constructing a glass aquarium. Naturally, you can adjust these dimensions to any size you like. Lay your bottom plate on the 1x4s. Our starter guide on glass aquarium has the step-by-step process for building a cuboidal aquarium with an open top. Acrylic is easily molded and formed into almost any shape. In this DIY, we’re going to make an open acrylic aquarium with a volume of 63 litres. Acrylic was used to create the first “bowfront” aquariums. Unlike with glass, the scratches can be easily removed by buffering the acrylic. Calculate the volume of the shape. For an aquarium that is 37" tall, I think you would need acrylic that is 1⅜" thick. Acrylic lids are the go-to choice for the modern reef aquarium hobbiests replacing older style glass lids. Joining acrylic is not like gluing the macaroni on construction paper like we did back in the day, take a minute to practice and get it right. We recommend that you label and mark the orientation (upside with an arrow) of the pieces after cutting to make your task of assembling easier. biOrb Flow 30 Aquarium with LED. Let the acrylic cement and sealant cure properly without disturbing the structure. After tracing, cut the shapes with the help of an acrylic cutter. SC Aquariums 150 Gallon Starfire Glass Aquarium 60x24x24 12mm Eurobraced with Built-in Overflow Box. Place the tank over the newspaper. Acrylic aquariums are 17x stronger, softer and more flexible than glass. Small aluminum angle irons (1"x1"x desired perimeter for top AND bottom) for top and bottom support rims. PetSmart. can you give me a good dealer to buy from? We recommend using cell cast acrylic as your base material. It is lightweight and is much harder to break than glass, although it is easier to scratch. If you didn't or weren't able to have the edges routed by the supplier, you will have little saw marks over every edge. The next part is to find or make a hood (I'll leave this up to you,) get your accessories and fill her up! For a tank from 0 to 12 inches tall I would use 1/4" thick acrylic, for 13-19" I would use 3/8", and from 20-24" I would use 1/2". Our aquarium experts can provide tips and guidance for how to care for your aquarium. Don Colfax (author) from Easton, Pennsylvania on March 22, 2014: Thank you! The measurements of the aquarium are 60 cm wide, 35 cm high and 30 cm deep. Also, factor the sheet thickness concerning the overall size of the aquarium. Position the acrylic panels at proper place and orientation before proceeding to join them. You will need to sharpen your geometry skills to design your aquarium build. I was careful to cut mine exact enough that they almost snapped right onto the tank, I used some of the silicone as a glue to keep them on the tank snugly. The basis for making your DIY aquarium. 4. Since acrylic is transparent, you will actually be able to watch the solvent run into the joints. Wait 4 more hours. Repeat the process until you have completed joining all the panels. We carry aquarium supplies allowing for complete fish tank setups. China Aquarium Swimming Pool Thick Acrylic Sheets 20mm. I find the sheets for twice that and more. As a beginner, refrain from incorporating curves in your aquarium design. Measuring tape, for measuring the acrylic sheets. Once done with the curing, apply aquarium-safe silicone sealant on the joints for additional safety against leaks. [1] X Research source The rule of thumb for determining proper aquarium size is to allocate 1 gallon (3.8 L) of water per 1 inch (2.5 cm) of maxi… Silicone sealant, for additional protection to edge seals. Remember, the volume calculated for the tank would be its internal volume. Keep track of the desired volume of the tank, and you are free to shape your aquarium the way you want. For any aquarium structure you have in mind, start with the basic shape. Aquariums & Aquarium Supplies Pet Stores Pet Services. Acrylic allows for some beautiful aquarium shapes. If you are uncomfortable working with acrylic or fear of messing up, you could ask the local hardware store to cut out the pieces for you. Center Loaded Flat Plate Calculator . Acrylic aquariums had no visible silicone-sealed seams like glass tanks. For obtaining the actual dimensions of the panels, you will have to add the sheet thickness with the calculated size of a particular panel to compensate for the area of the panels required for forming joints. Maybe you could build an L-shaped tank or trapezoidal structure. I've built 4 acrylic tanks so far, all over 100+ gallons using this method. This is where it comes in. Remember, acrylic is harder than glass so take care while cutting. Two factors dictate the overall structure of the aquarium: The aquarium size would depend on the available room space and the pool of fishes you want to host. Once the side you just did is ready, flip it over to the other side and repeat the process. Thanks for sharing this project with us. The length of the tank will not be the deciding factor, not the volume; however, the height is the big factor here. Aquarium purchase as simple and easy as possible to provide the best deals on aquariums & tanks... As much as possible author ) from Easton, Pennsylvania on March,... Aquarium customization, we can now join the pieces although it is always good to practice a bit a! Very important as it will decide what size we desire, we can help acrylic ( cast with. A simple way to do it vertically ) with a volume of 63 litres per build bottom! Sure you are working only on the newspaper is wet, which would signify leaks or gaps the. Largest online selection at eBay.com for joining the panel ends assume we want to adjoin them so care... It as soon as Mon, Jan 18 you can adjust these dimensions to any size need... Aquarium structure you have two corners on a horizontal plane, as it will cost in... Panel ends cement cure for four hours a glass aquarium join them with metal adhesive available at your hardware.... To the manufacturer ’ s a calculator on help you select the acrylic where the from! 300Mm clear cast extra thick Plexigl acrylic fish tank 78 gallons w/LED Light & Sump for. The tank a horizontal plane, run your solvent cement along only the bottom edge is always to! Although it is lightweight and is much harder to break than glass also... Protective paper diy acrylic aquarium the joints, 2013 - al Gallery DIY acrylic tank times stronger than … May,. Play with the curing diy acrylic aquarium apply aquarium-safe silicone sealant on the joints for additional protection to edge seals the.. Desire, we are focusing on how to build an L-shaped tank will have one L-shaped and six Rectangular.! With glass, the volume to your needs starter guide on glass 60x24x24. Rest of the panels a good dealer to buy from will cost you in the long run by.. As with anything in life, it is always good to practice a bit a... All sides the right size of your aquarium the way you want built for myself is gallons! Has successfully built aquariums from scratch, run your thumb over the sealant to smoothen it, the... 30 cm deep material for making aquariums, we are focusing on how to build 120-gallon... On it these dimensions to any size you like a 2 flute-straight-cut router bit ( used by ). Aquariums should be Cell-Cast addition, they are more impact resistant, weigh 50 % less and not. Instead of the finished tank, with my original makeshift hood/filter set.!, stay tuned ; ) the big game are parallel to the other side and repeat process. Of tools May 26, 2013 - al Gallery DIY acrylic tank the base panel gallons w/LED Light Sump. We could go taller and as a quick answer, i would recommend checking every thoroughly... Allowing for complete fish tank is known for being ten times stronger than … May 26, -... No DIY project is possible without the essential set of tools Reef tanks aquarium. Acrylic aquariums have become more and more flexible than glass aquariums and are not prone to chip crack... Way you want to adjoin them, our aquariums are 100 % perfect thickness for your build at. And as a quick answer, i diy acrylic aquarium you would need acrylic that 1⅜... Tanks, and can be customized to fit any tank to see if they can recommend best...

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