how hard is it to make your 'own' aquarium?

[Friendly]

say i can get the glass and have it cut by a local glass shop, how easy...or hard, if that's the right descriptor, is it to assemble as a rimless? 

 

or is the costs for high quality, low iron, aquarium safe glass so high, it's usually beneficial to spend the extra and get it made custom by someone with experience? 

[TatorTaco]

I reckon it depends on how big of a tank you build would determine how well it needs to constructed. 

 

I made my own sump baffles using a cheap aquarium, so I'd imagine it'd be the same. My caulk work was atrocious, so that's something to consider for a display tank. 

[Friendly]

yeh...the caulking quality is definitely something I'd worry about too!

 

12L or 22L...but with a twist. they'd be about 4" wider than the average, to fit a 4" AIO sump insert. 

 

12L - 36" x 13" x 10"

22L - 36" x 16" x 12" 

[Simulated Fish]

It is easy, just depends on how much you trust yourself and handy work lol.

 

Normally the cost of the glass is almost the same as just buying a tank. That is why you do not see it done very often.

 

 

Protip: dip your finger in a solution of soapy water and use that to clean up the lines on your caulking job. The soapy water will prevent the caulk from sticking to your finger and you'll still have clean lines. 

[Tamberav]

Seems like a pain in the ass. Rimless tanks are not smothered in silicone like the ones at Petco. They have a very perfect thin layer between the glass that is bubble free. You have a very short time to get all the glass together and clamped before it begins to cure and you have to start all over.

 

For that amount of work, it would be easier to drill and add a sump or make the tank peninsula with an AIO on one end.

 

 

 

 

[Friendly]

indeed...but I don't have the space for a sump nor am I interested in a peninsula tank...hence my plan.   

 

I'm already looking into costs for a custom tank. one of the LFS uses a gent on Vancouver Island, so I've asked them to get me estimates. 

 

I'm also working with a local acrylic fab who said to give them the needed dimensions and they will quote me on what it would cost to make the insert.   

 

custom costs...but when you have space limitations, you do what you gotta do.  

[calvin]

watch some youtube videos and see if you think it's the kind of thing you could do

[samnaz]

I don't know a thing about building custom tanks, so can't help ya there... What about the Nuvo Black 30L? It has almost the same dimensions of the 22L you want. The 30L is 36" x 15" x 13". Dunno if it'd work with the aio insert though...

 

 

[Tamberav]

Or just buy the Nuvo Fusion and it has an AIO in it.

 

https://www.marinedepot.com/Innovative_Marine_30_Gallon_NUVO_Fusion_30L_Aquarium_(Tank_Only)_Nano_Cube_Aquariums_Tanks_30_39_Gallons-Innovative_Marine-0I10443-FIAQNCNTHH-vi.html

[Friendly]

because it's cramped.

 

though I realize now, maybe it's not so bad. 15" vs 16" isn't such a bad wrap, afterall.  

 

Tam, why did you have to go and make sense? LOL!  

[samnaz]

+1 for the Fusion 30L

 

I'm kicking myself for choosing the Nuvo Black over the AIO version. What don't you like about it?

 

I'm tempted to get the Fusion instead and give up on the empty  tank that's been sitting in my living room since January.  

 

[hooligan_78]

6 hours ago, samnaz said:

+1 for the Fusion 30L

 

I'm kicking myself for choosing the Nuvo Black over the AIO version. What don't you like about it?

 

I'm tempted to get the Fusion instead and give up on the empty  tank that's been sitting in my living room since January.  

 

Pretty much opposite of you, lol!  I have a Fusion 20, and am debating getting rid of it for the 40g Black series.  I like the compact footprint for a 40g tanks.  Plus I want to go back to a "real" tank with sump and all.

 

But, back to the OP:  It's not that hard to build your own tank.  I've built several glass, internal weirs, as well as glass overflow boxes.  The trick is to run a constant bead of silicone, then smoothing it out to get rid of any bubbles.  If you run the stream uninterrupted, you have a better chance to reduce bubbles and gaps.

[Friendly]

hmmm...too bad you live so far away hooligan. I'd buy it.

[hooligan_78]

I've actually tried to sell it a few times, for only like $300, but everyone flakes out on me.

[Friendly]

well, $300 for the aquarium is too much...unless that includes bits n pieces as it's $250 new.

 

I can get it from a LFS for $370 CDN, which is about $40 more than $250 with the exchange rate. no doubt fluff for border taxes and stuff.   

 

 

 

 

[dling]

The tank I'm running now is a DIY tank. You can see size of sig. I'm getting ready to replace it with a tank from glass cages.

It looks like the adhesive is getting some air bubbles is the bottom.  That tank is 4 yrs old. I did have a hard time making it look clean. My caulking is 

terrible. Depending on the size of the tank you build you can either use 100% silicone for a small tank. http://www.homedepot.com/p/GE-All-Purpose-Silicone-I-10-1-oz-Clear-Window-and-Door-Caulk-GE012A-24C/100091111

or for a larger tank you would want to use an adhesive

silicone such as RTV108. https://www.grainger.com/product/MOMENTIVE-RTV-Silicone-Sealant-4UH12

Good luck on what ever you decide.