logout
help
framed forum
go pro
subscriptions
account
create thread
OtherGround Forum >> Aquariums, TME
| 2/1/13 3:33 PM | |
Harmon Whistler
155 
Member Since: 5/9/09 Posts: 8487 |
I'm planning on building my own out of acrylic.. what do I need to know? |
| 2/1/13 3:37 PM | |
lordbreakdown
35
Member Since: 4/6/09 Posts: 16075 |
how far are you along on this? do you initially know how to keep fish? |
| 2/1/13 3:44 PM | |
|
Harmon Whistler
155
Member Since: 5/9/09 Posts: 8489 |
lordbreakdown - how far are you along on this? do you initially know how to keep fish? I'm still in the early stages of planning.. and no, I have no experience with keeping fish. |
| 2/1/13 5:01 PM | |
|
Harmon Whistler
155
Member Since: 5/9/09 Posts: 8492 |
so.... anyone? |
| 2/1/13 5:08 PM | |
|
lordbreakdown
35
Member Since: 4/6/09 Posts: 16079 |
wow dude.. okay.. I hope you realize what you're getting into. it's a hobby, and it's consistent work. man, this is such a loaded question. I recommend you look for a few threads first, and read everything you can online first. read into the following: setting up the tank. cycling the tank. stocking the tank. what fish can live together. decide what fish(s) you want to feature first, then stock around them. maintaining water parameters proper filtration for the size tank, and type fish you decide to stock. a good formula is you want a filter(s) that will cycle close to 4x's the amount of water in your tank per hour...for cichlids def 4x's. |
| 2/1/13 5:18 PM | |
|
rjbo71
45
Member Since: 2/20/03 Posts: 9267 |
LOL he is not even at that point. He wants to build his own acrylic aquarium. . |
| 2/1/13 5:19 PM | |
SlightlyStoopid
57
Member Since: 8/20/09 Posts: 4316 |
Biggest thing is don't throw fish in it right away. You have to cycle it to grow the bacteria needed to filter the fish waste. This is a very common mistake by rookies. Also research the fish you want before you go so you know how big they get, how big of a tank they require, and how many to buy. 
|
| 2/1/13 7:14 PM | |
|
Harmon Whistler
155
Member Since: 5/9/09 Posts: 8493 |
Thanks, lordbreakdown and SlightlyStoopid.. I know it's going to be a huge challenge, but I'm up to the task.. I'll read more about aquatic life once I get this bitch built. ok, went all over hell and back looking for "weld-on 4" which apparently is the best solvent to bond acrylic.. I checked fish stores, hardware stores, hobby shops, etc.. No one carries it. Guess I'll have to get it online somewhere. |
| 2/1/13 7:18 PM | |
I Dini Ken Min
36
Member Since: 9/27/10 Posts: 2304 |
I've seen that weld on 4 stuff on eBay try there.
|
| 2/1/13 8:08 PM | |
|
lordbreakdown
35
Member Since: 4/6/09 Posts: 16082 |
I don't know jack dick about the nuts & bolts of building one, but if you run across any conflicting info online or just want to ask some questions you come up with, shoot me a PM. |
| 2/1/13 8:57 PM | |
|
444local
1
Member Since: 6/27/11 Posts: 138 |
Take your budget. Double it then your ready to start. Its a great hobby but can be both time consuming and a virtual money pit 
|
| 2/1/13 9:02 PM | |
|
MrFluffyHippo
199
Member Since: 6/10/12 Posts: 3930 |
I built a 150 gallon, 4 compartment salt water aquarium for a college. From my research, building it is the easiest part. Getting it set up correctly is literally a science which most people spend years getting the right Ph for whatever they want to have. It's insane. There's people that would spend a month just getting the water right before they put it into the tank!! I'm sure there's other ways that are much less extreme and less maintenance, especially not using salt water fish and coral, but my advise is a few hours of research every night for a couple weeks and then going into a nice local pet store and asking them all about it. Bulkreefsupply was one of the websites i remember that had good selection and prices. The cost of acrylic is very high and in some cases it could be cheaper to buy a tank already made as the manufacturer gets a much better deal. Good luck.
|
| 2/1/13 9:02 PM | |
|
Gullivers Travels
Member Since: 5/17/08 Posts: 4387 |
Does acrylic hold up well for aquariums? I have bred reptiles and dabbled in decorative vivariums, and have read that acrylic has a tendency to warp. Are you building a huge tank? If not, why not get some glass cut and use that instead? |
| 2/1/13 9:06 PM | |
|
MrFluffyHippo
199
Member Since: 6/10/12 Posts: 3931 |
The right kind of acrylic is much stronger than glass and less than half the weight. I forget the exact type but a high quality cast acrylic is what is used. Also much better than glass for salt water and UV protection and won't yellow.
|
| 2/1/13 9:09 PM | |
|
Harmon Whistler
155
Member Since: 5/9/09 Posts: 8500 |
Yeah, 3/4 acrylic is what I'll have to use.. and this tank is going to be massive. I'm looking around the net for a good prices.. |
| 2/1/13 9:12 PM | |
|
MrFluffyHippo
199
Member Since: 6/10/12 Posts: 3933 |
Harmon Whistler -Holy shit 3/4"! Lol it's going to cost you a fortune. What size you thinking? Salt water? When I get home I can look at my files and find where I ordered from and if they're still cheapest. I had about $900 in acrylic for my tank which was 3/8" thick, 4'w, 2' t, and 18" deep with three dividers inside.
|
| 2/1/13 9:14 PM | |
|
ClayPackedB17'sFudge
475
Member Since: 2/16/08 Posts: 16545 |
I think bigeyedfish does some aquarium stuff. But he is Canadian, so can you really trust him? |
| 2/1/13 9:14 PM | |
|
NorthernHospitality
528
Member Since: 12/18/08 Posts: 26613 |
Fish shit a lot. |
| 2/1/13 9:18 PM | |
|
Poleeko
33
Member Since: 4/11/10 Posts: 2434 |
Go with real plants.
|
| 2/1/13 9:21 PM | |
|
Harmon Whistler
155
Member Since: 5/9/09 Posts: 8501 |
MrFluffyHippo -Harmon Whistler -Holy shit 3/4"! Lol it's going to cost you a fortune. What size you thinking? Salt water? When I get home I can look at my files and find where I ordered from and if they're still cheapest. I had about $900 in acrylic for my tank which was 3/8" thick, 4'w, 2' t, and 18" deep with three dividers inside. yeah.. looking at the prices, I might have to scale it down a tad.. I originally wanted to put in a 4' x 2 ' x 21' that spanned an entire wall in my basement, but I don't want to take out a second mortgage :( I'm finding 4 x 8 sheets for around $700(!) |
| 2/1/13 9:30 PM | |
|
TheAssMurderer
260
Member Since: 11/17/05 Posts: 12024 |
|
| 2/1/13 9:33 PM | |
|
Pencil Neck
Member Since: 1/1/01 Posts: 3229 |
If you're going saltwater reef, keep in mind that acrylic for some reason has an affinity to pink calcareous algae, which is sort of hard scale like spreading sheet. Once your tank is established and the conditions are good for the reef tank, calcareous pink algae is good for the rocks since it keeps hair algae off, but on the acrylic sides it's a real bummer because the only way to get it off is to scrape it with a razor, and that of course would scratch the daylights out of your acrylic. Which comes to the bigger aspect that acrylic tanks are harder to clean because they scratch so easily. In an aquarium, whether salt water or fresh, you have sand and rocks that could scratch the view if you're not careful while cleaning. |
| 2/1/13 9:46 PM | |
|
ClayPackedB17'sFudge
475
Member Since: 2/16/08 Posts: 16558 |
NorthernHospitality -
|
| 2/1/13 9:51 PM | |
Dirtyu D
Member Since: 12/19/07 Posts: 8798 |
Harmon Whistler - acrylic scratches easily. Glass is pretty easy to work with if you use good tools. |
| 2/1/13 9:54 PM | |
|
Dirtyu D
Member Since: 12/19/07 Posts: 8799 |
Gullivers Travels - Does acrylic hold up well for aquariums? I have bred reptiles and dabbled in decorative vivariums, and have read that acrylic has a tendency to warp. Are you building a huge tank? If not, why not get some glass cut and use that instead? the warping is usually from heat and humidity and don't think the same effect takes place when the acrylic is actually submerged. Or I am assuming, since I have always heard such complaints when setting up paladoriums and vivariums |
Reply Post
You must log in to post a reply. Click here to login.
