Building your own 10-gallon fish tank might be a fun way to keep yourself busy and entertained, but without any experience or knowledge regarding this kind of project, you are going to get stuck. With a project as challenging as this one, you will definitely need some help.
You will need to go through all the materials you will need to build it and you will need to acquire a bit of knowledge regarding assembly. You will need to be handy with your tools to drill holes, add screws and many other skills that might be useful. You may also put some aquarium plants to make it look fresher. For details on which aquarium plants are needed, click here.
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You will also have to check whether you have all the right tools and equipment to start a project such as this one. So, if you still want to build your own aquarium and if you do not want to pay hundreds of dollars to buy one then here are is a short guide that will help you in your adventure.
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Find a place in your home
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The first thing you will need to do before you start building is to determine where you are going to place your brand new fish tank. Is it for your home, your weekend hour or for your office at work? Once you make the decision and choose the location, there is no going back once you fill it with water.
Moving it to another location is a hassle and a complicated task. You would have to remove all the fish and keep them safe in another aquarium and then drain the tank, move it, fill it back up and finally put the fish back inside of it. This is why we recommend that you should be certain about the decision you make.
We should also note that 10-gallon aquarium would weigh somewhere around 80 or 90 pounds, so wherever you plan on placing it, make sure that kind of weight can be supported.
Choosing the Glass
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The most important part of every aquarium is the glass. It is what you will be looking through most of the time and it is what makes the structural integrity of this object. Depending on the size of the aquarium, the size of the glass will change. For this project, we are focusing on a 10-gallon aquarium which means that you will need these next dimensions for your glass panels. If you feel like working with glass is too much for you then skip the DIY steps and read more here.
Two twenty-inch panels for the longer side with twelve inches in height, two ten-inch panels for the sides also in twelve-inch height and finally the bottom panel which should be twenty inches in length and ten inches wide. The thickness of the glass panels will depend entirely on you.
Most “hardcore” DIY enthusiasts will probably cut the glass on their own, but if you do not have the right equipment or if you do not feel comfortable doing it then you should probably contact a professional to do them for you. It will be safer and the chances of making a mistake are much smaller.
Choose the filtration system
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After you have finally assembled the glass panels together, the next step you have to worry about is keeping your fishes safe and healthy. To do this, you will require a filtration system that will be able to handle 10 gallons of water.
There are several different types of filtration systems, but when it comes to such a small tank, you shouldn’t really give it too much thought. Some filtration pumps are located under the gravel. With small tubes, they suck in water and then push it through a filter that cleans it from any waste or food and then releases it back into the tank.
Keep in mind, if you decide to go for a bigger tank then you should also get a bigger filtration system.
Choose the gravel
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Having gravel inside of your aquarium is very important, especially if you have multiple fishes inside of it. It creates a natural habitat for the marine life in your aquarium and even acts as a filtration system. The cleaner the water is, the healthier they will be.
The great thing about these tiny rocks is that you can get them in any color that you want. However, make sure that the gravel you choose has natural color instead of dye. The dye can be toxic to fish. With time, the gravel will become dirty, as food and other waste make their way to the bottom of the tank. To avoid buildup of toxic, dangerous gas and to make sure that your fish tank stays clean, you will need to make sure you clean it from time to time. You can get more information, recommendations and tips on doing that here.
Choose your fish
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Naturally, you can’t just start building a glass housing if you do not have any idea what your fishes will look like. How small or big will they be? Will one species be able to live together with another? Will they eat each other? These are some of the questions you will have to go through to determine what you will put it in.
Our recommendation is to consider getting a couple of Guppy because they do not want a lot of maintenance. You can leave them throughout the entire day and they will be completely fine. In our opinion, they are beautiful and they are also quite peaceful, so you won’t have to worry about them attacking any of the other members living in your aquarium. They can also be breed easily if you have both a male and a female Guppy. Keep in mind, the Guppy lives in freshwater.
Another option is to consider the Cherry Barb. It is cute, it is quite common to find and very peaceful. What’s not to like? If you are the type of person who cannot do a lot of maintenance then you should definitely consider the Cherry Barb.
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The goldfish is probably one of the most common species you can find in people’s aquariums and for a good reason. You can find them at a cheap price and almost anywhere. Not only they are one of the most peaceful species, but they look amazing too. The transition of the orange into the white-colored part of their bodies is what creates the beautiful gold color, hence their name.
