I am considering DIY a few tanks and I think a few fellow forumers might be interested as well. Does anybody know what is the cost for a 2'x1' 6mm glass in Singapore and what type of silicon should be used to glue together the glass ?
Thanks
Use only the silicon glue that specifically states "for aquarium use". Other silicons sold for domestic/household/bathroom use contain fungicides to stop them going mouldy and people say that this can leech out and affect your fish.Originally Posted by Gan CW
Malcolm.
Though it's not cost efficient to make one yourself, but it will be very interesting. And when it's done, it just gives you that kind of satisfaction that you can actually make a tank, of course if it doesn't leak. Why I know? Because I've made one myself! :P It's a 3ft by 1ft by 1ft tank and it's made from some left over glass pieces, originally meant as tank cover. I use the tank for my tropheus.
However after half a year or so, I tear it down feeling uneasy about the safety. Maybe I needed more confident of myself.
As for the price of a 2ft by 1ft glass, it should cost from $5 to $10.
I got the silicon from a hardware shop and ask for those for aquarium use. The tube type with a gun like device to squeeze the silicon out.
Carl, Malcolm,
Thanks for the advice !
I am considering DIY a 24"x5"(D)x12" tank to put on my work table. In it I plan to have a Taiwan moss wall and some Boraras ;-)
Hey Gan, very similar to my setup on my work desk. I've got a 3ft by .8ft by 1ft, with taiwan moss too! And...with 2 boraras!
That sounds good, and a good size to start on for diy. Good luck.
Carl said "satisfaction that you can actually make a tank"
I agree with that, very much so. Also, you can make a tank to fit your space without making do with a standard model or paying a lot for a custom built one.
There are a lot of resources on the web about tank building so I wont go on at length here, however, as I have made various tanks over the years including a 5ft x 15in x15in ( I had access to free reclaimed glass once upon a time!) a couple of points to be aware of, (you proabably are already anyway!), that come to mind :-
Make sure that your glass cutting man has smoothed the cut edges, or do it yourself to make sure :- use a fine carborundum stone (knife sharpening stone) and run it at an angle along all 8 edges (Edit later : I should have said 12 of course!) of the sheet. Just a couple of strokes up and down is all that is needed. ( believe me, you dont want to catch flesh against a new glass edge !! )
Make sure that the edges and faces to be glued are scrupulously clean. I use a final wipe with alcohol. After cleaning do not touch with anything, not even your fingers, so that no film of grease or sweat gets on to it.
Malcolm.
Gan, I've read of some articles on tank-making and some use a brace to hold the glass panels together, especially the upright ones. You may need to build a custom wooden board with an area to support the glass panels while using silicon to bind them together. Ensuring that no air bubbles are trapped in the silicon, you can have a very good seal provided there's no dirt in between or the seal may be compromised. It takes several tries before one gets the hang of it but for lazy people like myself, there's always ready-made tanks and people willing to do the job for you.
Fish.. Simply Irresistable
Back to Killies... slowly.
Again, thanks for all the great tips !
BTW, should I decide to custom make the tank, do you guys know any tank maker with good workmanship ? and roughtly how much does it cost to custom build a 24"x5"x12" tank ?
Hi Gan, I made mine, size 3ft by .8ft by 1ft, for $28. I reckon yours should not be over $20.
You could contact 62940531, Kwong Ling. Mention Foong. Hope he could give a better price. But no guarantee. By-the-way, it's at Kelantan Lane, near to Sim Lim Tower.
Do the hardware shops cut the glass or do I have to do it own my own? How do I go by making the edges smooth?
Max, I'm not sure if it's standard proceedure but most glass cutters will machine grind the sharp edges before they wrap it up.
If you intend to smoothen it further, a wet grinding stone for sharpening knives will do. Just be careful.
Gan, will you be collecting the leaky 2footer this weekend?
I'm back & keeping 'em fingers wet,
Ronnie Lee
I have found no evidence of fungicides but, these domestic silicon sealants do not retain the same amount of plasticity as the aquarium specific sealants. They grow brittle very fast causing the tank to leak or burst.Use only the silicon glue that specifically states "for aquarium use". Other silicons sold for domestic/household/bathroom use contain fungicides to stop them going mouldy and people say that this can leech out and affect your fish.
Most aquarium specific sealants are good for 10 years.
Fish tanks are easy to build as long as the glass is cut correctly. I have built many of my killi tanks.
tt4n
Today I went to a glass workshop for quotations. I wanted to build a diy tank of 30cm by 25cm by 28cm. The offer I got was $15. All the pieces would be cut accordingly and the sides machine grind for me. Is the price high?
For getting that professional silicon finish, I had seen two professional did the same way to clean up the excess silicon and smooth them very nicely.
You need:
1) a shallow cup of water
2) a stack of small pieces (4"x4") of old news paper
This was how they did the job:
1) wet the index (?) finger (the finger after the thumb)
2) use the wet finger to rub upwards on the 2 glass walls that form the corner of the tank where the silicon had been applied. As you do it, the excess silicon will accumilate on the finger.
3) once you gather enough silicon on the finger, in one quick stroke, wipe the finger with the news paper cuttings.
4) follow quickly by wetting the finger and then go straight to rub upwards on the 2 glass walls again.
5) repeat.
You will see as the excess silicon was remove, you leave behind a nice smooth concave silicon corner, in clean cut look. The trick is in the water:
1) It keep the finger from being in direct contact with the silicon, thereby allow fast and easy cleaning of the soiled finger.
2) Water seems to work like a effective solvent for the silicon in liquid state.
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