How-To Build A 200g Glass Aquarium
- Thread starter psusocr1
- Start date
turningtim
Active Member
psusocr1, Excellent!!!! :cheer:
First, you are much like me Way to many tools! The stand looks great! I understand how you did the glass but I have a few questions.
From looking at the cut list, you have no extra room for the silicone. So these joints are very tight and just a small film of silicone? Like you would have building it out of wood? I also assume that the stand is leveled before you start to build.
The jigs are great! I was just thinking, could you build a "frame" jig for the top/bottom and also shim/clamp it? I do like that you built it right on the stand but I don't think I have that convinence. I'm also thinking smaller for my first attempt 75-90. I know that the $ savings won't be that great if at all, but like you say I built it.
Thanks so much I need to read again and I'm sure more q's will follow.
Great work and tyhanks for your efforts!
Tim
First, you are much like me Way to many tools! The stand looks great! I understand how you did the glass but I have a few questions.
From looking at the cut list, you have no extra room for the silicone. So these joints are very tight and just a small film of silicone? Like you would have building it out of wood? I also assume that the stand is leveled before you start to build.
The jigs are great! I was just thinking, could you build a "frame" jig for the top/bottom and also shim/clamp it? I do like that you built it right on the stand but I don't think I have that convinence. I'm also thinking smaller for my first attempt 75-90. I know that the $ savings won't be that great if at all, but like you say I built it.
Thanks so much I need to read again and I'm sure more q's will follow.
Great work and tyhanks for your efforts!
Tim
mitzel
Active Member
Looks great . I really like it . and I'm sure you have inspired a few of us here in denver to build. Hey tim no offense I trust you and all but lets not jump right in to the big boy lets try a few little ones first.
My wife would be super 
pissed to have 600+ gallons of water on her floor . let alone a smelly dead shark :scared: .
pissed to have 600+ gallons of water on her floor . let alone a smelly dead shark :scared: .
turningtim
Active Member
What size you thinking madman? Theres a couple of Glass places here in Parker but I bet theres got to be a place in the city. I think I'll do 75 just to see what happens, also gonna drill it. Not sure if I'll try it or have the glass place do it. Still thinking on how to make life easier, but man psusocr1 has got it down. What are your thoughts on the tempered glass?
Where's mitzel?
Tim
Nevermind!
Where's mitzel?
Tim
Nevermind!
psusocr1
Active Member
hey guys,
thanks for the kind words it means alot. TIM i will answer all the specifics tomm. as i just came from having a few cocktails. I think the most important part of this hobby is "Creating" the environment for your fish. this is what makes me enjoy it soo much .dont get me wrong i AM NOT saying that if you buy your tank you are doing wrong. but BELIEVE me when i say that creating your tank is more rewarding than anything!! i think puffer said time is money and it equalls out in the end. This is true, and beleive me i have a very good life and can easily go out and buy whatever tank i want too, i am very fortunate as a younger kid (and i make good money also), but i love to do these things and will continue to do them, not because i can easily afford HUGE tanks or my parents can buy them for me but because i love it do it. and also i would LOVE to help people such as yourselves to start small and go bigger . Thats why i spent about 4 hours trying to write this how-to . I can only hope that people ask alot of questions and show me their creations!! pleae continue to post... i hope i helped everyone out!!!
thanks for the kind words it means alot. TIM i will answer all the specifics tomm. as i just came from having a few cocktails. I think the most important part of this hobby is "Creating" the environment for your fish. this is what makes me enjoy it soo much .dont get me wrong i AM NOT saying that if you buy your tank you are doing wrong. but BELIEVE me when i say that creating your tank is more rewarding than anything!! i think puffer said time is money and it equalls out in the end. This is true, and beleive me i have a very good life and can easily go out and buy whatever tank i want too, i am very fortunate as a younger kid (and i make good money also), but i love to do these things and will continue to do them, not because i can easily afford HUGE tanks or my parents can buy them for me but because i love it do it. and also i would LOVE to help people such as yourselves to start small and go bigger . Thats why i spent about 4 hours trying to write this how-to . I can only hope that people ask alot of questions and show me their creations!! pleae continue to post... i hope i helped everyone out!!!
psusocr1
Active Member
team2jndd Did you cut any of the glass yourself? I wanted to cut plexiglass for baffles in my refugium but I dont know what to use to cut perfectly straight lines.
i didnt cut any of the glass myself, although i can. You can use a simple cutting tool with oil and cut glass very easy but for thicker glass i just let the store do it.. its alot easier!! plexiglass however is ALOT easier to cut,, you can cut that alot of different ways, and it isnt very hard to do.
TIM
From looking at the cut list, you have no extra room for the silicone. So these joints are very tight and just a small film of silicone? Like you would have building it out of wood? I also assume that the stand is leveled before you start to build.
Yes the stand HAS to be level before you build or you will have serious problems. and also beleive me if you put the silicone on right there shouldnt be any room in the cut list for the silicone..you would be very suprised how silicone actually works. Also i have about an eighth of an inch inbetween my 2x4 framign and my glass,,it doesnt touch at all, especially if you look at the pics with the shingle wood wedged in there you can see i get the shingle wood in there pretty far. as shingle wood starts off like paper thickness then goes gradually into about the size of a nickel. in other words iw ould EASILY be able to put about 10 sheets of paper inbetween the framing and the glass(The glass doesnt push out into the wood at all) and it shouldnt!!
The jigs are great! I was just thinking, could you build a "frame" jig for the top/bottom and also shim/clamp it?
explain this more to me, i think i get what your saying but i dont exactly know..
and last but not least, glass to glass bonding is NOT as hard as you think it is to get it right. I made have made it look complicated but beleive me once that silicone sets it takes ALOT to get it apart. Im a strong , big kid and my dad is twice the size of me at 6'6 285 and he cant come CLOSE to pulling glass to glass bonds apart!! and on another note you think thats strong when i work with acrylic for my croc tanks MEK of WELD-ON actually melts the acrylic together and is IMPOSSIBLE to break the bonds. I dont care who you are youll break the acrylic before you get the bond apart, this also goes for glass!
keep the questions coming...theres alot to learn that you guys will have alot of fun with!
i didnt cut any of the glass myself, although i can. You can use a simple cutting tool with oil and cut glass very easy but for thicker glass i just let the store do it.. its alot easier!! plexiglass however is ALOT easier to cut,, you can cut that alot of different ways, and it isnt very hard to do.
TIM
From looking at the cut list, you have no extra room for the silicone. So these joints are very tight and just a small film of silicone? Like you would have building it out of wood? I also assume that the stand is leveled before you start to build.
Yes the stand HAS to be level before you build or you will have serious problems. and also beleive me if you put the silicone on right there shouldnt be any room in the cut list for the silicone..you would be very suprised how silicone actually works. Also i have about an eighth of an inch inbetween my 2x4 framign and my glass,,it doesnt touch at all, especially if you look at the pics with the shingle wood wedged in there you can see i get the shingle wood in there pretty far. as shingle wood starts off like paper thickness then goes gradually into about the size of a nickel. in other words iw ould EASILY be able to put about 10 sheets of paper inbetween the framing and the glass(The glass doesnt push out into the wood at all) and it shouldnt!!
The jigs are great! I was just thinking, could you build a "frame" jig for the top/bottom and also shim/clamp it?
explain this more to me, i think i get what your saying but i dont exactly know..
and last but not least, glass to glass bonding is NOT as hard as you think it is to get it right. I made have made it look complicated but beleive me once that silicone sets it takes ALOT to get it apart. Im a strong , big kid and my dad is twice the size of me at 6'6 285 and he cant come CLOSE to pulling glass to glass bonds apart!! and on another note you think thats strong when i work with acrylic for my croc tanks MEK of WELD-ON actually melts the acrylic together and is IMPOSSIBLE to break the bonds. I dont care who you are youll break the acrylic before you get the bond apart, this also goes for glass!
keep the questions coming...theres alot to learn that you guys will have alot of fun with!
madman133
Member
yeah i was think either a 75 or a 90 but not right now as i just got a new one but maybe by the time june comes around i can do something. Hey mitzel did you get any of that lr? Was going to get somemore yesterday(29) but called and said they were all sold out. Also let me know if you guys find a place that will do all the glass stuff for cheap.
madman133
Member
hmmm weel it early in the mornig and im bored so i started think about what i could do for a tank. One question i had though is do any of you know how to bend acrylic? i was thinking of doing some kind of crazy corner tank but then i would have to build a weird stand and stuff too. And i also though if we could learn how to bend acrylic then we wouldnt have to worry so much about coming home to 600 gallons on the floor and a smelly shark lol. Just my thoughts at 3:30 in the morning(cant sleep must be full moon or something)
mitzel
Active Member
Nope I had to pass on the rock. Moneys kinda tight at the moment and well rock is down low on the priorites list. It's funny that bending acrylic should come up as I was thinking of that as I was in bed last night. We could deffinatly squeez a few more gallons out of a big bow front . and it would give more of a foot print for the shark to swim about.
turningtim
Active Member
What in the heck are you guys doing up at all hours of the morning? Now I really feel old!
Madman go to GARF.org (DIY section). This site has what your looking for. Plug in numbers and it will do all the calcs, cutlists, glass thickness and such...... I'm gonna check it out today and make some calls for glass.
mitzel (pat), No worries on the monster tank, I'm with you on going small first. I'm really gonna try this with my new set-up. Remember the "no Nag" tank!
Can we please just talk about square tanks first before you start getting nuts with bowfronts and crazy arcylic stuff. I assume your talking about an animal and not shape of the tank "octo" :notsure: . I think the least of your worries would be a shark on the floor. First b/c if 600 gals of water breaks your gonna know it so the shark won't get smelly and then your gonna have to clean up that 600 gals of water and lastly your gonna have to find a new place to live b/c your wife will kill you otherwise. I don't think I would have to worry about the place to live part b/c I would be DEAD instantly!
psusocr1, I do have more Q's and am making a list, gotta feed my kids and I'll get back. But in the mean time does anybody have any thoughts on tempered vs. plate?
Tim
Madman go to GARF.org (DIY section). This site has what your looking for. Plug in numbers and it will do all the calcs, cutlists, glass thickness and such...... I'm gonna check it out today and make some calls for glass.
mitzel (pat), No worries on the monster tank, I'm with you on going small first. I'm really gonna try this with my new set-up. Remember the "no Nag" tank!
psusocr1, I do have more Q's and am making a list, gotta feed my kids and I'll get back. But in the mean time does anybody have any thoughts on tempered vs. plate?
Tim
psusocr1
Active Member
tempered is stronger. The only HUGE difference that i can also see is this.
you have plate glass and your kid throws a baseball at the plate. it wil crack in a few large sheeets then be on your floor in 10000 pieces
however if your kid throws a baseball at your tempered tank your tank will spider, like a windshield at least giving you some time to at least take your fish out and stuff. Depending all of course on how much outward force will be pushing against the spider and how large!
oh ya and i fixed the post so we didnt have to keep scrolling left to right!! god that was annoying!! especially when you have a few cocktails!! ***)
you have plate glass and your kid throws a baseball at the plate. it wil crack in a few large sheeets then be on your floor in 10000 pieces
however if your kid throws a baseball at your tempered tank your tank will spider, like a windshield at least giving you some time to at least take your fish out and stuff. Depending all of course on how much outward force will be pushing against the spider and how large!
oh ya and i fixed the post so we didnt have to keep scrolling left to right!! god that was annoying!! especially when you have a few cocktails!! ***)
psusocr1
Active Member
Madman go to GARF.org (DIY section). This site has what your looking for. Plug in numbers and it will do all the calcs, cutlists, glass thickness and such...... I'm gonna check it out today and make some calls for glass.
great site, but the thickness calculator is a bit off when it comes to 250+ gallon tanks(it still says 3/8" and i dont think i would use only 3/8" on a 300 gallon), so if you want a better one to tell you the miniumum you can go and the maxumim you should be at with your glass, let me know
great site, but the thickness calculator is a bit off when it comes to 250+ gallon tanks(it still says 3/8" and i dont think i would use only 3/8" on a 300 gallon), so if you want a better one to tell you the miniumum you can go and the maxumim you should be at with your glass, let me know
grumpygils
Active Member
If I build one, I am going to go acrylic front and glass everywhere else.
Mc
Mc