Making your very own custom aquariums and fish tanks can be extremely satisfying.
It's not only the rich aquarium life, plants and fish that are such a pleasure to see.
It's the fact that every time you look at your aquarium, you see the fruits of your hard labor.
One of the easier custom aquariums to make is a glass aquarium.
Here are some tips from Aqua Custom Aquariums & Fish Tanks, a company based in New Jersey.
The following is only meant as an overview so you can see what you're getting into.
As planning is everything, your best off getting a pre-made aquarium plan or schematic, or getting a kit.
The best type of glass to use is single strength glass.
The sharp edges are smoothened to avoid injuries, and it's very flexible when creating your custom size aquarium because you can get precise cuts.
Look up "Aquarium Glass Thickness Calculator" on the internet to find out what thickness of glass you should be using based on the dimensions of the custom aquarium you want to build.
Although you probably want the pride of saying you built it from scratch, unless you have precision tools, you are better off having a glazier cut and finish the edges of the glass for you.
It's very hard to get a perfect cut without the right equipment, and being off just a drop can cause a lot of problems later on.
Remember, you can always reposition, but a glass panel that's too short is not structurally sound.
The side panels are inset into the longer width panels.
All the panels sit on top of the base panel.
A hood with some type of ventilation (usually lighted) is placed on top of the tank.
If building a larger aquarium (over 25 to thirty gallons) you will also need a glass center brace.
This is an extra piece of glass placed on the top of the tank, between the front and back panels that gives extra support the front and back panels.
You might need more than one brace, depending on how big you're going to build your exquisite fish tank.
When putting in more than one brace, the braces are usually evenly spaced between the two side panels of the aquarium.
The panels are them assembled in piecework using duct tape.
First clean the edges with acetone, tape together with strips of the duct tape, and then apply the silicone glue to the joints.
The silicone is then smoothed out with a finger, just enough to smoothen the silicone and get it into the joints.
Once your done, let it dry for 24 hours.
Make sure to build the aquarium in dry stable place.
If there is a little too much humidity in the air, let it sit for a little longer.
After the silicone on your new custom aquarium has cured, fill with fresh water and let sit for 24 hours to check for leaks.
And don't forget to make a little label on the side that says "custom built by me" so your grandkids can have another reason to feel proud of you.