Building A Fish Tank

[sizar]

hi guys
i am currently building a 50 gallon fish tank/2.8f and i used galss silicon all going well so far just thought might let all those who were thinking of building a fish tank is not expensive and in fact i will be posting pics soon of my tank as soon as it dries/cures and also total cost so far is $10.50 see no much but however i got the glass for free and i cut it to size and i was just wondering do you guys think it will be to big for guppies 30 guppies and also just wondering if you guys might have any other ideas of what other fish i should put in the tank that would get along with guppies any advice Appreciated thanks.

 

[africantigerfish7]

Endler's work with guppies, and so do most extra small tetras. Use the 1 male to 3-4 females ratio for guppies, with no fewer than 3 males.

 

[Ava_Banana]

Endler's work with guppies, and so do most extra small tetras. Use the 1 male to 3-4 females ratio for guppies, with no fewer than 3 males.

Although the Endlers will interbreed with the guppies.........

....only a problem if you want to keep your Endlers as Endlers......



....what design did you use for the tank.....what thickness glass........and what strengthening/bracing did you use across the tank?.......just out of interest....

 

[sizar]

Although the Endlers will interbreed with the guppies.........

....only a problem if you want to keep your Endlers as Endlers......



....what design did you use for the tank.....what thickness glass........and what strengthening/bracing did you use across the tank?.......just out of interest....
[/quote]


i used a rectangle design just a normal design that you find at a local fish store and soon i'll build a stand the glass is 10mm thick and i used glass silicone which is aquarium safe to hold the tank together and i'll be posting pics as soon as it's dried i found a tank half the size for $250 from lfs and mine's costing me $10.50 so far so if your interested in building one i'll recommed it however have everything planned before you start because that way you can't go wrong and you have everything perfect.

 

[Rediahs]

10 mm sounds too thin... sounds like it would work for a 10 gallon tank, but not 50 gallons... please beware of the glass cracking. Although it does all depend on how tall your tank is, I heard. Can we have your dimensions please?

 

[Rafael Dilone]

Well if you are planning to have 30 guppys in that tank you dont really have many other fish to put in there. Some Tetras will go well in that tank. Also some platys.

 

[sizar]

hi
this galss is reinforced glass polymer which is why 10 mm thickness should easily hold the water, the tank is 755mm long 360mm high and 365mm wide and which means the tank will hold 98 litres of water and the glass is made with two sheet's of glass glued together with reinforced fibre in between, the fibre gives the galss it's strenghth and i was told if the glass wasn't reinfoced i'd be lucky if i could make a 10 gallon tank but because it is i should be able to make 100 gallon tank not that i am but if i wanted to and it should hold the water in place,this glass is the type you see in underwater aquraiam displays that are used for sharks etc totally safe just hard to cut to size as it has platic in between can be refered to as safety galss.

 

[diademhill]

Dimensions 76 x 36 x 37cm/30" x 14" x 14
Surface area 0.27 sqm/2.91 sq ft/ inches sq in
Volume 99 l./22 gal. (26.15 US gal.)
Probable volume 89 l./20 gal. (24 US gal.)

Tanks this size usually have 6mm glass so the safety glass my work ok.
Just look up tanks & glass thickness from reputable manufacturers to give an idea of what thickness is safe.
If the glass hadn't been a freebie a tank this size is usually much cheaper ready made IME.
While you have the silicone out, glue a couple of glass marbles onto the coverglasses as handles

30 guppies are too many.

 

[sizar]

Dimensions 76 x 36 x 37cm/30" x 14" x 14
Surface area 0.27 sqm/2.91 sq ft/ inches sq in
Volume 99 l./22 gal. (26.15 US gal.)
Probable volume 89 l./20 gal. (24 US gal.)

Tanks this size usually have 6mm glass so the safety glass my work ok.
Just look up tanks & glass thickness from reputable manufacturers to give an idea of what thickness is safe.
If the glass hadn't been a freebie a tank this size is usually much cheaper ready made IME.
While you have the silicone out, glue a couple of glass marbles onto the coverglasses as handles

30 guppies are too many.

the glass i got for free and i'm really sure that the glass thickness is more the fine however the marbles thing, do you think it will hold the lid once it's dried? as i want to have two handles one on each end that way the handle's have equall pressure and make the lid easier to lift but the lid is glass won't it be to heavy for the marbles?
just wanted to know and ideas appreicaited. and by the way only 5 of the guppies are adults 4 females one male and there are 25 guppy fry .

 

[diademhill]

I've used marbles for years - they just give something to grip while you lever the coverglass up so thinking about it the marble doesn't take the entire weight of the glass. If you wish to remove the lid you pick it up as normal but for routine access you can just slide it or lift one edge. Marbles are less work than polishing up a small strip of glass.

The problem with guppies is that at the moment you have 5 adults & 25 fry, within a month you'll have 5 adults & 100 fry, in two months 30 adults & 150 fry..............

You should be ok but get a fry predator to cull the newborns.

 

[sizar]

I've used marbles for years - they just give something to grip while you lever the coverglass up so thinking about it the marble doesn't take the entire weight of the glass. If you wish to remove the lid you pick it up as normal but for routine access you can just slide it or lift one edge. Marbles are less work than polishing up a small strip of glass.

The problem with guppies is that at the moment you have 5 adults & 25 fry, within a month you'll have 5 adults & 100 fry, in two months 30 adults & 150 fry..............

You should be ok but get a fry predator to cull the newborns.

cool so i guess i'll try marbles and i'll post pics when it's all dried up of both the lid and the tank and by the looks of it marbles should be ok and one more think since the siliocon is aquariam safe should i build a cave of something?

 

[diademhill]

You can use silicone to make caves or hideyholes.
If you coat a glass jar in silicone & roll it in the substrate you plan to use you get a hidden cave

 

[sizar]

I've used marbles for years - they just give something to grip while you lever the coverglass up so thinking about it the marble doesn't take the entire weight of the glass. If you wish to remove the lid you pick it up as normal but for routine access you can just slide it or lift one edge. Marbles are less work than polishing up a small strip of glass.

The problem with guppies is that at the moment you have 5 adults & 25 fry, within a month you'll have 5 adults & 100 fry, in two months 30 adults & 150 fry..............

You should be ok but get a fry predator to cull the newborns.

The fry should be ok as they start to inceasre because as soon as the 25 fry are big enough 1/2 -1 months old i'll trade them for platies/bettas and even angles/mollies so i have a combination of fish in my main tank and the hostpiltal tank a 10 gallon that i have i'll keep all the fry and i thing i'll keep doing this until i start to build a 100 gallon tank at my friend's glass factory and if they keep breeding i might do a contarct with few fish stores and i'll trade and even sell fish if all the fish i have breed.

You can use silicone to make caves or hideyholes.
If you coat a glass jar in silicone & roll it in the substrate you plan to use you get a hidden cave

yeah but would the marbles hold in place in the jar or will they just slide down because i just glued the marbles to the lid and it really look's good and took me less the 5mins to do.