To calm the nervous system, psychologists recommend looking at the water, listening to the sound of the waves. And if there is no opportunity to be near the pond, just install the aquarium at home or at work and periodically observe the bubbling of air bubbles or its inhabitants, whether it be fish, turtles or frogs. After all, it is not only useful for nerves, but also simply beautiful and interesting.
When is it better to buy a ready-made option
Nowadays, pet stores offer a huge selection of both standard rectangular and spherical aquariums, as well as other non-standard interesting shapes (concave, curved, elongated). And from fillers and unusual decorative details, the eyes simply run up. In general, there will be no problems with the choice, it all depends on the tastes and finances of the buyer. And if the aquarium is purchased small and for the first time, it is better to buy a ready-made one.
Is it possible to do it yourself
But everyone wants to make their home individual, unlike others. That is why, to complement the interior of their home, many try to make an aquarium specially according to the developed sketches, non-standard sizes, a unique shape, and a more durable structure. To save money, just for fun, in case there is free time, many decide to do it on their own. The benefit of various instructions on the Internet is many, detailed and not very. Even a beginner, choosing the right materials (in particular, you should pay attention to the thickness of the glass for the aquarium) and strictly observing the sequence of actions, will be able to slowly manufacture what meets his needs.
What materials is the best aquarium - acrylic or silicate? It is impossible to answer this question so simply, because each of them has its own advantages. In order to simplify the selection, we consider each of them separately.
Silicate glass
The material is familiar to everyone firsthand, from it make a huge number of designs - from windows to shop windows. This material is often found in everyday life. But for aquariums, it is preferable to use polished, as higher light transmission (in other words, transparency). Glass thickness for the aquarium is considered suitable from 4 to 19 mm. In the Russian market you can find both local and foreign manufacturers. Such glass is quite inexpensive, but very heavy. Capacities of large sizes are very massive and require huge installation labor. Obtaining interesting curved structures is quite problematic, because for this glass must be heated to high temperatures (about 800 degrees) using expensive forms. Therefore, it is advisable to use for simple geometric shapes. Bonding requires a special sealant for glass, which is black or transparent.
The advantages of a glass aquarium include comparative ease of care:
- can be cleaned with solid scrapers;
- transparency is not lost over time;
- not deformed over time.
Plexiglass
Acrylic (and this is organic glass) has recently gained enormous popularity in the manufacture of aquariums according to individual sketches. To obtain unusual forms, it is enough just to bend it, or place it in a heat chamber (200 degrees). A solvent is used for gluing, and the seams are completely transparent. The advantages of an acrylic aquarium are as follows:
- light weight, this is especially true with significant dimensions;
- plasticity, easily takes any form; the capacity is as if seamless;
- cutting glass in size is quick and effortless (especially true for additional ventilation holes).
But plasticity also has a second side - insufficient bending resistance. Because of this, the walls of the aquarium quickly deform (bend) under the influence of water pressure.
When cleaning, use only soft materials so as not to scratch. But the main drawback is the loss of transparency over time (warranty - from 3 to 5 years).
The main criterion for choosing an aquarium
The main criterion for choosing should be the thickness of the glass for the aquarium (it can be different at the walls and bottom). The security of the home (office), the safety of life of all water inhabitants, depend on this. Indeed, quite often, upon entering a taste, simply for beauty, quite expensive and rare species of aquatic inhabitants are bred. And to eliminate the consequences of the flood due to a bursting wall or bottom - this is a very tedious and costly task (especially if neighbors have suffered). And manufacturers of aquariums to reduce the cost of putting glass with boundary values.
Therefore, it doesn’t matter if you decide to buy a ready-made aquarium or make it yourself, the wall thickness values for typical size aquariums should be as follows:
- for a container of 5 to 30 liters, 4 mm glass is used;
- for a volume of water from 30 to 80 liters, it is desirable to take 5 mm;
- an aquarium with a capacity of 80 to 150 liters will require glass 6 mm thick;
- when resisting water pressure with a volume of 150-220 liters, the walls and bottom should be at least 8 mm thick;
- for a volume of over 220 liters - at least 1 cm.
If the aquarium is non-standard
What to do if you want to have an aquarium of its original shape, super-flat, vertical or curved-concave? Then you have to do it yourself, or on order.
In any case, both you and the company will have to calculate the thickness of the glass for the aquarium. The manufacturer has trained people for this, or special programs. With self-assembly, you will have to look for sites where the formulas are given, according to which they calculate and explain in detail all the values, or there is even a special calculator.