Recently, I moved to a new house in Toledo,
Ohio. This house is more spacious than my previous one, so I decided to set up an
aquarium. I did not want to buy one that was already prepared. I wanted to
create a home for fish all by myself. It was a new and thrilling experience!
Steps
for Setting Up an Aquarium
·
Select the right glass:After choosing a good place for my aquarium, my first step was to
choose the glass to suit the size of the aquarium. The glass options are many.
I was considering two: toughened glass and laminated glass. Although toughened
glass is stronger, it shatters into small pieces when it breaks. On the other
hand, laminated glass holds the pieces together for a while even if it cracks. With
laminated glass, I would get enough time to replace my aquarium in case of any
damage. My fish would remain safe. The thickness of the
glass will vary depending on the aquarium size.
·
Put them together: Two things I used to put my aquarium together were the braces and
silicone cream. I had five pieces of glass now. I put up the sides and bottom
piece together with the silicon cream. Then, I had to secure the long piece and
cross braces to keep the aquarium intact. I asked my friendly neighbor to helphold
the aquarium from all sides while I fixed it. To complete the process, I taped
it and sealed the gaps with some more silicon. After it dried for about half an
hour, I scraped off the excess silicone to give a tidy look to the
aquarium,which dried completely after 5 or 6 hours.
·
Check the glass: Now, It was time to check the glass for leakages. I added the water
and luckily had noleakages.
·
Pick a strong base:Whichever place you have chosen for the aquarium, you need to ensure
that it can handle the weight. A middle support is essential.If it bends, it
may cause trouble for your aquarium and the fish.
I wanted my aquarium right
at the center of my TV cabinet in my living room. In this way, I could enjoy
the beautiful sight of colorful fish swimming in my aquarium.
·
Add aquarium supplies:My next step was to beautify the aquarium with the other supplies. Live
aquatic plants, corals, a variety of fish of varied colors made my aquarium a
work of art! I also bought a fountain to decorate the aquarium. I also attached
a filter for water circulation.
·
Remember a word of caution:
Building an aquarium in humid or cold
conditions may be a bad idea. Tape does not adhere well because of the moistness.
The experience of building the aquarium was
incredible. Is the effort worth it? Do you think it is better to buy an already
prepared aquarium and then fill it with aquarium supplies?
