Q&A for How to Make an Aquarium

It's totally up to you, although you do want to make sure that your aquarium is visible. Think of it kind of like a window. You want to strategically place it in an area where it will be easy to take a peek into this underwater world.

You can, although it's going to be a lot easier to just buy one. Still, it's certainly possible. Just keep in mind that you really need to make sure it's sturdy. Water weighs roughly 10 pounds a gallon and if your DIY aquarium can't handle the weight, you're going to have a major headache on your hands.

You want the aquarium to be easily visible from anywhere in the room. I'd say that most people have a lot of success at 36-40 inches (91-101 cm).

A good local glass company will be able to help you with smaller orders and it will be cheaper than buying it at a hobby store.

Yes, but it may result in a translucent and not completely transparent tank, as well as your fishes' health being compromised from chemicals used in common plastic.

Commercially available fish food is good. Also, supplement their diets with algae wafers for bottom feeders and frozen brine shrimp and blood worms for larger top swimmers.

You shouldn't get them from the ocean, instead, buy them from a pet store. Fish from the ocean are saltwater fish, and won't live in water from the tap. They'll need special chemicals and water. They also are not meant to live in a tank, they're used to having an infinite amount of room to swim, as well as other animals to interact with. In the ocean they have a wide variety of food, which is impossible to replace with food from a pet store. Leave fish that you find in the wild where they belong, in the wild.

A fish is a good first pet for your/other children. You can teach them the responsibilities of feeding, cleaning, and sometimes, having to deal with a pet's death. Yet just remember---if they are young, they will need your help.

It depends on the type of fish you have in the tank, as well as your routine. I never do anywhere close to a 100% water change. It disrupts the balance of the tank and is harmful to your fish. I'd recommend a 10-20% water change weekly, depending on the size of the aquarium, and if possible, remove the decor and give it a quick wipe down.

Make sure the water and space is clean, talk to your vet about diseases in fish and make sure you are feeding your fish the proper amount and type of food.

Color the background black or even the side glass if you wish. Black color will absorb heat. Or you can simply use an aquarium heater.

No problem, as long as you use cast acrylic. The glue dries in less than ten minutes. You can buy cast acrylic precut to any size. I have built more than a dozen tanks and have never had a leak.I use 1/2 cast or bottom and 3/8 for sides. I usually try to find a plastic top frame for added strength. Do not use silicon -- use cast adhesive #3, which is extremely thin and flows between panels very easily.

You can use a submersible filter or a sponge filter. Both will oxygenate your tank.

The length of the aquarium definitely affects both the glass thickness and the height of the tank. A short tank doesn't require thick glass as the weight of water inside will be held by it, whereas a larger tank will need thicker glass for the additional weight.

Choose one that will contrast with your future fishes' colors. A water background with yellow and orange fish would look nice. The photo backgrounds are cheesy.

It can take up to a month or two with fishless cycling. Adding materials from established tanks can speed up the process to as short as a week. Alternatively, you can add a few hardy fish as soon as your temperature is good and your water is dechlorinated. Be careful, though, as ammonia will quickly build up and may kill your fish. Danios are a good, cheap, and hardy choice.

It depends on the size. A good aquarium tank will run about $70 new, or sometimes nearly free at flea markets and yard sales. A filter will run about $20-30 for a 20 gallon tank, plus another $20-30 for a heater. Substrate (sand and gravel) will be about $10. Any and all decorations are extra, but try for live plants, which are around $5 each. Fish will run anywhere from $1 to $10 each, and a 20 gallon tank can fit about twelve of them roughly depending on size. Be prepared for new water in a new tank to require "fixing" too ($20). All in, a brand new 20 gallon freshwater tank may cost about $175, but buying and finding (and then cleaning) a used tank can significantly reduce the cost.

No, hot glue is not strong enough to bond the glass together and will simply peel back off. It also tends to peel off when wet.

Yes, but if you seal it, how are you going to put in decorations, clean the tank, and handle other maintenance tasks?

The thickness of the aquarium glass should be listed on the package. You can do some research online to see if that thickness matches your particular needs.

Yes, but you would need a stick to push out the silicon. Using a caulk gun is the best method.

Chipping them off will make more sharp edges, so get ones specifically for aquariums.

Probably not, please be safe with your fish. Maybe buy 1 or 2 feeder fish and put them in there for a couple of days and if they are okay, put the rest of your fish in.

In an aquarium, the pressure is mostly on the lateral edges when filled with water. I think that you should be safe, as long as it has a sturdy stand that covers and supports the entirety of the base.

It may not be strong enough. A solid piece of glass is safer. The silicone bond is a weak one, and most of the water weight will be on that bond.

No, distilled or purified water removes minerals from the water. Go with tap water, or if you must buy water, go with spring water. Just get some starter chemical solution from your pet store that has dechlorinator and pH balance already in it. Remember not to drastically change your pH if you have fish in your tank; it will stress and possibly kill your fish.

Maybe you could go to a local lake and catch a fish, ask friends and family if they know anywhere you might get fish, or see if you can order them online.

I used to have about 6 140cm by 30cm by 30cm tanks of both types. All of them were placed on Styrofoam pads slightly larger than the base, the reason being that, even using a spirit level, it is hard to get a really level surface. Water is heavy and glass is not particularly flexible. The Styrofoam takes up the slack. My suggestion for setting up a tank: Level the surface as possible for stand and put down the Styrofoam pad. Position the empty tank, check with spirit level. Half fill tank, leave for a minimum of 24 hours. Don't forget your substrate is even heavier than the water and if you make slopes and hills, or rock structures (caves for shy fish), they are point weights on parts of the tank!

Use LED lights that have been covered with silicone sealant. Not only will they not blow up, but the humidity that damages them is prevented from getting in by the silicone layer.

Yes, do whatever works well for your needs. You can even buy Starphire/low iron glass, so that the front panel doesn't have that greenish tint that most glasses do, and use either regular glass, or acrylic on the back and sides.