Gluing Aquarium

[BruceP]

I'm going to make a Glass aquarium. 1/4" thick glass 20w x 10h x 18d or 15.61 gallons for tosakin. I'd like to make it rimless. I am wondering what glue to use. Is silicone enough or should an epoxy be used and perhaps a thin layer of silicone on the inside to assure a good seal.????

[small_ranchu]

For my 70 g rimless tank, the guy from my lfs used silicone only.

[BruceP]

Just came back from ordering the glass. It was $55 for enough pieces to make it including two pieces that I will hinge for the top.

[bigbettadan]

Good luck..... I would love to get a tank of that height for the living room for ranchu/tosakin/bf tails........ I guess making one sounds like the way to go.

Dan

[Corrie]

Bruce, couple of quick things.
Have the people that cut the glass, sand the edges.
Use aquarium silicone, just be sure it doesn't have any additives for mildew/mold. Look for 100% silicone.
Clean the edges where the silicone will go with acetone, then don't touch it with your fingers (oil).

Get a big roll of masking tape! and two more hands. ;)

Corrie

[BruceP]

Thanx for the tips Corrie....... I already thought to have them smooth the edges. I'll probably us silicone but was thinking I might try Goop. If you havent used it, it is like silicone but about 10x stronger and not as runny; probably not necessary for this tho. I'll pick up the glass tomorrow morning so I should have pix of it done tomorrow evening. :)

[Corrie]

LOL don't use Goop, or 5200, or JBWeld either!

Just get a clear tube of DAP, Dow, etc silicon with nothing in it.
You will probably need two tubes of the little aquarium stuff, or one caulking tube.

You can get black silicon too. That looks good on a rimless.

Corrie

[johnatoranchu]

I'm going to make a Glass aquarium. 1/4" thick glass 20w x 10h x 18d or 15.61 gallons for tosakin. I'd like to make it rimless. I am wondering what glue to use. Is silicone enough or should an epoxy be used and perhaps a thin layer of silicone on the inside to assure a good seal.????

The tank is very small. Not sure of your measurements - is the tank 20 ins x 10 ins x 18 ins deep or 20 x 18 x 10 inches deep? The second option is better but the tank is still far too small.
John

[Ichthius]

Hi Bruce

use masking tape as suggested. One trick is to over lap the tape and then apply another layer so when you start to pull it out one line of tape will grab the next. If not you'll be down there trying to get the next piece of tape out and you'll mess up your seams. Remove the tape before the silicone has developed a skin.

Also make sure you see the mildew resistant vs normal as the both say 100% silicone. I use GE Silicone I. There was just an episode of Discovery's "factory made" where they showed 10 gallon tanks being made. I can't find it on line but maybe you can find it.

Remember the sides and ends sit on top of the bottom.

[BruceP]

Where are you using all the tape???? I thought Id glue it and use bar clamps to hold it together whilst it dried. Maybe a little tape til I get it clamped.:confuse:


John.... its 10 INCHES from the floor up... LOL H = height

[Ichthius]

Every seam will have excess glue that you then run your finger along the inside corner. This forms the crescent of silicone on the inside corners of the tank.

If you don't tape the edge of the seams it will look like a sugar crazed 3rd grade made the tank.
http://www.aquamaniacs.net/forum/cms_view_article.php?aid=107

Every where two panes come together you will need tape on either side.

[flaringshutter]

Great advice there from David. I'll second the recommendation to remove the tape as soon as you are done with that section of sealing, before the silicone forms a skin. I had to completely reseal a 60 gallon a few years ago and the tape saved my butt, as it was my first time doing that and I made a mess!

[Ichthius]

Here's the tank I'm just about done prepping for a reseal.
http://goldfishgarage.blogspot.com/2010/02/resealing-my-first-6-foot-tank-for-3rd.html

[bekko]

Most silicon you buy in the hardware store has a lot of talc in it. The talc is a reinforcing agent and minimizes sagging while the bead dies. However, the talc also allows the dried silicone to absorb some water over time. This limits its useful life as an aquarium sealer. In my hands, construction silicon will last a little over a year when used in an aquarium. Silicone sealer formulated for aquarium use will last much longer. There is a reason aquarium sealer is more expensive.

-steve

[Ichthius]

What brand do you use? I get about 6 years out of the GE.

[bekko]

GE and DAP. When it becomes cloudy you know it has absorbed moisture.

-steve

[johnatoranchu]

Where are you using all the tape???? I thought Id glue it and use bar clamps to hold it together whilst it dried. Maybe a little tape til I get it clamped.:confuse:


John.... its 10 INCHES from the floor up... LOL H = height

It's that English language again - "d" = depth. LOL. We use L (length) x W (width) x H (height). I've got English/Japanese dictionaries; guess I need to get an English/American one too. Tank's still far too small for goldfish though!
John

[BruceP]

"I SEEEE", said the blind man as he picked up his hammer and SAW! :)
I get the tape thing now. :exact:

[Ichthius]

The factory made that has the aquariums is on right now. Science channel.

[Ichthius]

http://goldfishgarage.blogspot.com/2010/02/factory-made-aquariums.html

[BruceP]

That was interesting but I wouldnt want to do it 8 hours a day. :)

[BruceP]

It turned out to be surprisingly simple once I got going on it;

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v239/23tbucket/Tosakin/DSC_0003.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v239/23tbucket/Tosakin/DSC_0005.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v239/23tbucket/Tosakin/DSC_0011.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v239/23tbucket/Tosakin/DSC_0009.jpg

[BruceP]

And the finished product:

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v239/23tbucket/Tosakin/newtank0210a.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v239/23tbucket/Tosakin/newtank0210e.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v239/23tbucket/Tosakin/newtank0210b.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v239/23tbucket/Tosakin/newtank0210c.jpg

[small_ranchu]

good job. I like it. But I wouldn't put any tank on top of DVD player or cable box, basically no tank on electronic device.

[BruceP]

Fred..... yeah, that's what Lari said but there is a glass top to the table so if the aquarium leaked that would divert the water.... besides, MY work would NEVER leak... LOL
Did you notice the goldies on TV? That is our camera that is hooked up to the 700g tank in the basement. :)

[nygold]

Nice job on the tank. I saw the T.V. screen above the new tank but I couldn't figure out what it was. NICE
Looks like if you cut up your kitchen table you could make another one. LOL

[BruceP]

NYGOLD........ Lari may have sumptin to say about cutting up the kitchen table.... BUT, she has already asked me to come up with a way to move the electronics. Its not so much she is worried about them getting wet now, its that she wants me to make another tank just like this one to put on the lower shelf. Of course, more Tosakin is what she is after... LOL

[Lari]

Honey......:Man:

[small_ranchu]

Fred..... yeah, that's what Lari said but there is a glass top to the table so if the aquarium leaked that would divert the water.... besides, MY work would NEVER leak... LOL
Did you notice the goldies on TV? That is our camera that is hooked up to the 700g tank in the basement. :)

I didn't see the goldies on TV first time. But I saw the trophy on the floor right away.

[judge]

Very Cool. How did you cut the glass?
:worship::worship::worship:

[Lari]

Judge,
He had the glass cut to measure and the edges ground to make them not sharp at a local window and door shop.

[bekko]

A friend gave me a bunch of tanks which he had custom made twenty years ago to fit his fish room design. I have been using them for about a year. Because they were custom, the plastic frames were cut and solvent welded instead of molded as one piece.

All was well yesterday at sundown. This morning, I went to feed the juvenile butterflys only to find that one end of one tank had completely blown out. The end panel was lying on the ground (un-shattered) with sections of the plastic frame still attached. The tank walls were already drying out so I did not bother to look for the butterflys.

-steve

http://www.raingarden.us/snap-glue.JPG

[BruceP]

Steve....... looking at the end panel that blew out, the silicone hanging indicates that it was way past due to be resealed. At least in the pic it does. Too bad you lost some fish.
I have a friend that is in the glass business and when he saw my thread on Koiphen he said that he has some corner pieces that would work. I'll have to see what he is talking about.

[flaringshutter]

I agree Bruce - I always check the silicone carefully when buying or using older tanks. If it's not flexible and soft anymore or looks thin with ragged edges, I strip the tank and reseal. Sorry to hear about your tank blowout though, Steve! That's too bad.

[bekko]

There are fifteen more tanks of the same vintage and seven more with the same type of pieced-together frame. I may put a band around the fabricated frames so they cannot blow out all at once and reseal when/if they start leaking. Everything is outside so small leaks do not bother me.

-steve

[Ichthius]

Hi Bruce

To add strength to the tank you may consider adding eurobracing. It's essentially putting a one inch piece of glass around the top and over lapping at the corners. This give the tank significant strength from the increase surface contact and by forming right angles.

[BruceP]

I think I'll be fine with this smallish tank (18x20x10). Might be something to consider for a deeper tank tho. Thanx

[marlin08]

All was well yesterday at sundown. This morning, I went to feed the juvenile butterflys only to find that one end of one tank had completely blown out. The end panel was lying on the ground (un-shattered) with sections of the plastic frame still attached. The tank walls were already drying out so I did not bother to look for the butterflys.

-steve

http://www.raingarden.us/snap-glue.JPG

What a total freaking bummer....

[flaringshutter]

There are fifteen more tanks of the same vintage and seven more with the same type of pieced-together frame. I may put a band around the fabricated frames so they cannot blow out all at once and reseal when/if they start leaking. Everything is outside so small leaks do not bother me.

-steve

Whew, that would be a whole lot of work! I think it's a very good idea to put a band around the tanks, though, prevents you from losing all that work with the fish! You could use the fabric tie-downs that motorcycle riders use to secure their bikes in truck beds. They're like a big nylon strap with a mini come-along... you've probably seen them. That way you can custom fit them to the different tank sizes.

[Ichthius]

Along the same lines as Iris, what about an industrial strapping as it is inexpensive and you can get it in polyester which will hold up to the tropics better than nylon which will rot much faster?

Here's an example of the product:
http://www.uline.com/BL_2801/Polyester-Strapping?pricode=WG45&gclid=CJft_Pn_iKACFR6lagodYRjNeA

[flaringshutter]

That's a good idea too, David.

The ones I have in mind come in polypro as well. I guess it would depend on what you can get locally and for a good price. The industrial strapping is definitely cheaper but I'm not sure how you would secure it around a tank.

Here's what I was thinking of. Even if its not what you want you get the idea.
http://www.drdcorp.com/loadlock-tiedowns/camstraps.htm