DIY aquarium: step by step instructions in the photo

Every year, aquariums are again becoming more and more popular. This is not surprising, because such designs are not only a stylish decorative element of any room, but also help get rid of negative emotions. For residents of large cities, this is most relevant. You can buy an aquarium in almost every specialized store, but we offer lovers of handmade work to do it yourself. This will not require special knowledge or expensive materials, but what exactly will have to stock up is patience.

Aquarium: walkthroughs for beginners

As mentioned above, it is not necessary to have special skills if you plan to make an aquarium with your own hands. To get started, it is enough to purchase the necessary materials, namely:

glass;
file;
silicone;
scissors;
insulating tape;
alcohol.

Often in every hardware store you can ask to cut glass with a special tool. Therefore, before you go shopping, consider all the dimensions of the future aquarium. When all the materials are selected, you can safely get to work. First, we process the edges of the glass of each workpiece.

We lay out all the workpieces on the working surface, as shown in the photo. Parts that will stick together should always be clean, so wipe them with alcohol.

The next step is to apply silicone. Pay attention to the diagram on which the lines of application of this material are marked.

For reliability, we fix the walls with electrical tape and leave until completely dry. You can also press the walls slightly to the bottom to release air from the silicone.

After the workpieces are securely fastened, we apply silicone from the inside to all the joints. Leave the structure to dry.

Even if it seems to you that everything is firmly entrenched, we recommend not to rush. It is better to leave the design for at least a few days. Only in this way will you be sure that the aquarium will not begin to flow and will not decay.

We fill it with water and various decorative elements. As you can see, in this case, the aquarium will be used only as a stylish, original bedside table.

Those who want to create an amazing world in the aquarium should do it in a slightly different way. Of course, to begin with, we make an approximate diagram on paper and calculate the design parameters. Only after that you can safely go to the acquisition of materials.

In the process, we will need the following:

glass blanks;
masking tape;
silicone glue;
scissors.

We glue all the glasses with masking tape. This is necessary so as not to stain them with glue. Such preparatory work does not take too much time.

On the inside, stick masking tape with a small distance from the edge. This is necessary so that the glass is securely fixed to each other.

According to the same principle, we paste over not only the end windows, but also the front and rear.

We glue the glass that will be the bottom of the aquarium on all sides, as shown in the photo.

We put a book on the working surface and place the bottom of the aquarium on top. Put a small drop of silicone on the end and leave for two hours. When it is solid, cut off with its blade, leaving a small ledge. It is on him that you need to navigate in the process of applying silicone. Keep in mind that the glass should never come into contact. Otherwise, the aquarium will simply burst after filling with water.

Glue the front glass and fix it with a jar of water. This is necessary so that it does not tilt inward.

The next step is fixing the end glass. It is very important that it is located only at right angles. For more reliable fixing we use masking tape.

Next we fix the second end glass. The last will be the back wall of the aquarium. It is also very important to stick masking tape. It helps to hold the glass more firmly and prevents them from falling into the aquarium.

After an hour, you can additionally apply silicone to the internal seams. This is especially true if the aquarium is quite large. Leave it for several days until dry.

We remove the masking tape and fill the aquarium with water to the top. We carefully examine it and if the water leaks, drain it and dry the seam. We fill it with silicone and leave it for another day.

Only after that carefully wash the aquarium, fill it with water, various decorative elements and, if desired, move the fish into it.

Aquarium design: general recommendations

Of course, the aquarium looks very attractive even if no design is used in the design process. But still we recommend taking into account the general style of the room so that such a composition really looks harmonious.

Also, before you go shopping, you should decide what exactly you want to see in the aquarium: flora or fauna? The fact is that all living things are quite demanding both to environmental conditions and to their neighbors. Therefore, if you do not foresee this point, then you may encounter some problems. For example, the destruction of vegetation or the aggressive behavior of some species in relation to others.

As for the composition schemes for the aquarium, there are only four of them. Convex is characterized by the location of volumetric objects strictly in the center. That is, the size of the remaining parts decreases to the edges of the aquarium. In turn, the concave pattern assumes a completely opposite arrangement. Often, many choose a rectangular layout for themselves, since this means that the aquarium can be filled with objects of the same size and height. And of course, the triangular pattern means that the height of all the decorations gradually decreases, forming a geometric shape.

Aquarium in the interior

Creating and designing an aquarium is a truly fascinating activity that will appeal not only to adults, but also to children. Try interesting combinations, experiment with part layouts. This is the only way to achieve a truly beautiful result.