Has anyone built a glass tank?

[Joker741]

I am thinking about building a tank. I have my electric blue lobster on my night stand so I can watch him while I fall asleep (I have trouble getting to sleep and usually lay there for an hour) and he is outgrowing the tank he is in. The night stand top is 20 x 22. So I am thinking about making a sort of lagoon tank for him. My thoughts are 19.5 x 21.5 x 8, that way with the trim it will fit the night stand perfect.

So, has anyone ever built thier own glass tank. Tips? Thanks for any help, I appreciate it.

 

[Zer0]

Don't know about glass sorry. :/

But i do know of people building their own tanks out of plexiglass.. or acrylic.

I hear it's fairly simple if you acquire the correct type of acrylic/plexiglass. I remember someone getting a piece of plexiglass from some hardware store, and when he brought it to home depot/lowes to get it cut to the shape he wanted, they wouldn't do it for him because you needed a diamond tipped jigsaw to be able to cut through it. So, thats all i know. heh.

 

[MichaelsLilGray]

it is possible to make a glass aquarium yourself, just usually easier to manipulate the plexi or acrylic to do what you need it to do, for a smaller piece, the plexiglass would be the cheaper of the 3 options (actually 2.. plexi and acrylic are pretty much the same thing)

 

[Joker741]

Thanks for the input my mexican friend.

I wanted glass so I don't have to worry about scratches. I will look into plexi/acrylic.

 

[MichaelsLilGray]

glad the anchor baby could assist your flappy headedness

 

[Joker741]

 

[mgamer20o0]

http://www.theaquatools.com/building-your-aquarium

 

[Joker741]

Thanks mg, I was thinking 1/4" glass.

 

[mgamer20o0]

lol google got to love lol

 

[BillD]

Glass of 1/4" thickness would be more than sufficent for a tank that size, and be resistant to little bumps. Will the night stand take the weight? Glass tanks are easy to build, using silicone from a hardare store, that is for windows and doors. I built my first one when I was around 15, and am still using it.There are lots of tutorials with photos online.

 

[InfernoST]

Why not just buy a 15 gallon tank it will cost about the same if not less and you save yourself the labor.

 

[mgamer20o0]

building it would give him twice the surface area which is a little more important then total volume. plus experience building a tank

 

[Joker741]

Why not just buy a 15 gallon tank it will cost about the same if not less and you save yourself the labor.

As MG said, I want the big foot print, no height, since it is for a lobster not a bunch of fish. I am going to go price glass on Monday.

 

[InfernoST]

Understood. I wanted to build a tank but found out it was cheaper to buy one. Sorry about that I didn't get the part about the lobster. Good luck with the build.

 

[mgamer20o0]

i think until you get to 100+ gallon it works out to be cheaper to buy. in so cali its not worth building or buying much of anything new since you can find great deals often on tanks up to 240 gallons.

 

[InfernoST]

I priced out glass to build a 180 gallon tank and it came to 350 bucks higher then buying one. I wish was over there, I would love to pick up a 180 cheap.