Making your own tank, bad idea?

has anyone here made there own tanks or is it just a bad idea?
some questions...
what is the best thing to make it out of? (i heard acrylic as it is supposed to be stronger then glass)
is all silicone safe? is there a brand you would recommend?
anything else i should know?

here is what i plan on doing for the tank if it is possible

it will be at least 10 gallons and will also be rimless and have a small slow flow waterfall coming down the side it will be stocked with one betta and mabye some shrimp or a nerate snail

thanks!

 

I'm not experienced enough that I'd ever trust myself to do that. But I suppose the counter argument would be that you can't get experience if you never try.

 

Starting with a small tank is a good idea if you want to try. Stay away from silicones that have additives in them.

For a regular sized/shaped tank the saving is not worth it, it is worth it if you are making a special project like the water fall, or you are having fun making the tank.

 

no, its not a bad idea, its just hard to do. acrilic isnt stronger than glass for all i know, but the seals on acrilic tanks are. glass tanks are bonded using a veriety of sealants and silicone, but acrilic tanks are literally fused together at the seams, making them rediculously strong, and less likely for a panel to blow out.

 

Starting with a small tank is a good idea if you want to try. Stay away from silicones that have additives in them.

For a regular sized/shaped tank the saving is not worth it, it is worth it if you are making a special project like the water fall, or you are having fun making the tank.

okay! I might start with a slightly smaller tank found some acrylic sheets that should make at least a 7 gallon tank and the waterfall will take up some room leaving about 5 gallons for the betta.

 

I have built a few tanks though all of them have been quite small (under 10 gallons), in my experience acrylic is stronger than glass with an acrylic bonding agent (not silicone) and is preferable for larger tanks. It is pretty difficult to find glass thick enough to withstand the pressure of larger tanks so acrylic tends to be better for that. However glass is much easier to work with and is cheaper for small projects. Have fun!

 

no, its not a bad idea, its just hard to do. acrilic isnt stronger than glass for all i know, but the seals on acrilic tanks are. glass tanks are bonded using a veriety of sealants and silicone, but acrilic tanks are literally fused together at the seams, making them rediculously strong, and less likely for a panel to blow out.

so acrylic is still better?

 

so acrylic is still better?

yes. but idk which is cheaper, and which is beginer friendly.

 

yes. but idk which is cheaper, and which is beginer friendly.

okay thanks! i will look into all the other stuff later

 

Acrylic is superior is all ways except ability to scratch. But you have ability to buff.

However you cannot ‘unmake’ a seam on acrylic as they’re fused together so it’s more difficult. If you mess up on silicone it’s much easier to fix.

Technically acrylic material is cheaper but because it’s much more low in demand, it costs more. You need specific cell cast acrylic. Cheap will turn yellow. It will also get blurry. It’s also good to understand something called deflection - or your panels will bow and acrylic will craze.

Glass of far easier to work with. But is it worth it? Other than making something giving you a ‘made it yourself’ satisfaction, it’s really not worth it in any sense. Glass aquariums are extremely cheap. And you don’t have to worry so much about water damage from a mistake.

 

I hate acrylic because of the scratch issue long term. So glass all the way with myself.

 

If you happened to find some or cheap to free glass you might as well try. The other tools and materials are cheap.