Among the engaging and relaxing experiences, kids love is the sight of an underwater creature swimming in its natural background. To keep and maintain a home aquarium has turned out to be such an obsession for most people. Keeping an underwater creature has got a lot of advantages that many people are often attracted to them. But then, among the important things to keep in mind when you think about this project is how to come up with an aquarium, this is simple to build on your own.
What you require
To come up with an aquarium, you need to have some plywood sheets, screws, a tape measure, a silicone seal, 3/8″ glass sheets, sandpaper, varnish paint, and a glue gun. There is a need to have a stand to place the aquarium at the right height, you can consider buying a wooden or iron stand readily available in the market or build your own.
Step by step guide
Start by deciding on the shape and size of the aquarium you need to build, this will greatly depend on the amount of water it will hold. Averagely, consider the one carrying an amount of between 100-150 gallons. If you need a more convenient size, go with the one that carries an amount of between 60-80 gallons.
Next is to cut glass into five different pieces to make the sides of the aquarium you need. For this, the help of a professional glass cutter is required. Have in mind while they are being cut that the glass side pieces would be glued directly to the piece right at the bottom.
It is now time to build the aquarium by beginning with the basic guide structure once you have the cut sections. The rectangular base should be laid on a dry flat area. Place a plywood sheet varnish painted on the stand and maintain right the glass base on it. Follow by pasting side panels using the glue right perpendicular to the sides that are shorter to the base glass. After this, stick both the front and back glass panels and ensure no gap is left between the panels and the base.
You are almost done, fill it with water until full and let it settle for some time. This is to allow revealing any flaws in the basic structure of the aquarium. Using your silicone seal, mend any leakage that exists before it gets late.
It is now time to include lighting to the aquarium as a dim and dark aquarium can look depressing to other underwater creatures. It should have its own inside light and not the sources where it has been placed. In the market, you will find different waterproof lighting sets and in different patterns.
The filter is an important feature of an aquarium. This is a mechanical device that should be built by experts as they use complex techniques. It is helpful in getting rid of all toxic components in water and also in controlling algae, this is important for the health of the underwater creature.