Found some glass. Would like your advice on my first DIY aquarium

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Craw Chief

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Jan 20, 2013
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Hey everyone!

I found two pieces of glass in an old door by my cousin's house. I've cleaned it up real good and would really love to do my first DIY aquarium. I would like yall's advice on what would be good dimensions to cut it to. I keep crawfish exclusively so I would really love to make the tank as long as possible. The water depth can be as low as 3 inches for all I care, I just want to get the tank as long as I possibly can to give the crawfish more crawling room.

The bigger piece of glass measures 39.25" x 22.5" and the glass is 4 mm thick. The smaller piece of glass measures 21.5" x 9" and the glass is 2 mm thick.

I was thinking I could even make two long rectangular tanks. I could cut the big of glass into six pieces of about 39.25" x 3.75". Then I could just cut 4 pieces out of the smaller glass for the sides to get whatever water depth (could do 9" or something).

Would there be an issue with using the two different kinds of glass thickness (4mm and 2mm) in the same tank?

Also, do yall have any tips for a first-timer? Anything you really wish you would've known before you did your first DIY aquarium? I've watched Joey's videos, but wanted to see if yall had any other advice. I'm especially nervous about cutting the glass as I have never done that before.

As a thank you for helping me, here is a picture of Sammy!

q2KWh88.jpg

q2KWh88.jpg
 
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pbeemer

AC Members
Apr 27, 2010
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cute cray

you should first check to see if that glass is not tempered glass; if you try to cut tempered glass (which is what's supposed to be in door windows) it will explode into a million pieces. take it outside and look at it through polaroid sunglasses; if you see a light-and-dark pattern, it is tempered. (make sure the sunglasses are really polarized by looking at the windshield and back windows of a car -- those are supposed to be tempered, and it will give you a feel for what you are looking for.)

have you considered a plywood aquarium with the glass front (look elsewhere in the DIY section)? that wpould give you the most frontage for you glass.

assuming you can cut it, i wouldn't split that piece into more than 3 stripes, leaving you ~7 inch high wallsto keep the little folk from climbing out too easily.
 
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Craw Chief

AC Members
Jan 20, 2013
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pbeemer said:
have you considered a plywood aquarium with the glass front (look elsewhere in the DIY section)? that wpould give you the most frontage for you glass.

assuming you can cut it, i wouldn't split that piece into more than 3 stripes, leaving you ~7 inch high wallsto keep the little folk from climbing out too easily.
Click to expand...
Hey thank you for the response! I'll try and determine if it's tempered or not.

I would love to do a plywood aquarium. If, for example, the big piece of glass (39.5 x 22.5) is tempered, could I still use it in a plywood aquarium? It'd be cool to do plywood so then I wouldn't really have to cut anything.

As far as the height of the tank walls, I'm not concerned about the crawfish escaping. I will provide an adequate thing on the top to keep that from happening. I've found that with crawfish, it's not the height, but rather what measures you take to contain them. I've had them escape from a 19 inch tank. They just crawl right up the silicone. So I could make a custom canopy or something for the tank.

But the plywood idea is really good. I've seen youtube videos about making them and that seems like it would be a large aquarium for pretty cheap.
 
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pbeemer

AC Members
Apr 27, 2010
460
13
18
So Cal
if the glass is tempered you have no choice but to use is as a single piece. it would make a good aquarium front, just don't scratch it
 
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