Do it Yourself Acrylic Fish Tank
- 1). Set the dimensions and shape of the fish tank. Consider factors such as the location of your fish tank and the stand for the tank. Also consider the type of fish you are building a tank for and the size of the pump and other tank hardware. Make a sketch of the fish tank.
- 2). Cut the acrylic with a circular saw cooled with water. Smooth all the edges with fine sandpaper after cutting. Set a mock up to see if the acrylic panels fit together. Treat the acrylic with sandpaper if the edges are not perfectly joined. You'll need to cut three rectangular pieces that all have the same dimensions. These pieces will make the bottom of the tank and the two longer sides. You also need to cut two smaller rectangular pieces for the shorter sides of the tank. For example, a common 10-gallon fish tank would have the dimensions: 20" (width) x 12" (height) x 10" (depth).
- 3). Take the bottom piece of the fish tank on a clean level working surface. Make sure you have space to move around it.
- 4). Apply the acrylic adhesive with a narrow tube tip all along the edge of the bottom piece. You can also use a syringe to make more precise adhesive strips.
- 5). Place the side piece of the fish tank on the adhesive strip you applied on the edge of the bottom piece. Position a sturdy rectangular object beside the side piece for it to lean on. Use a level to see if the side is perfectly vertical. Continue attaching the side pieces of the fish tank. Do not apply any glue on the vertical seams just yet.
- 6). Check the horizontal seams on the bottom of the aquarium to see if you missed a spot. If there are any gaps, fill them right away with adhesive and then leave the tank to dry for at least four to five hours.
- 7). Turn the fish tank sideways. This will make all the vertical seams horizontal. Fill only the two horizontal edges that are directly on the surface of the working area. Fill the edges with adhesive the same way you did with the bottom side. Leave it to dry for four to five hours and only then you can do the same with the other two edges.
- 8). Inspect all the edges for gaps or air bubbles and use methylene chloride on those places and everywhere to seal all the seams/edges from the outside. Leave the whole aquarium to dry for at least 24 hours.
- 9). Apply aquarium sealant to all the inside edges and smooth it with your fingers as you go. Wipe your fingers on a dry cloth every time you apply a line of sealant.
- 10
Pour water in your new fish tank to see that it doesn't leak and is sealed on all sides.
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