Here are the most popular Do It Yourself (DIY) Projects including glass aquarium, aquarium cabinet, light canopy, sumps, coil denitrator and automatic top off plans and instructions.
1. Custom Aquarium
Jesse and Mollea Franks
Starting with an introduction to building your own tank with tips on working with glass and a materials list, to pre-assembly instructions followed by complete step-by-step directions on how to construct a glass aquarium up to 55 gallons in size with 1/4 inch glass. These plans can easily be modified for any size aquarium and any glass thickness. Build the custom aquarium in your dreams in about one hour for a fraction of the cost of a manufactured tank.
2. Oak Aquarium Cabinet
Stan & Debbie Hauter
Complete plans for a DIY Oak Aquarium Cabinet, including material and tool lists, photos and graphics. This cabinet looks terrific and is not difficult to build. These plans can easily be modified for any size aquarium and any type plywood. Build the aquarium cabinet in your dreams for a fraction of the cost of a manufactured cabinet.
3. How To Repair Small Leaks in Glass Aquariums in 9 Easy Steps
Photo by PriceGrabber
Easy to follow instructions for how to repair leaks in a glass aquariums in 9 easy steps. Rather than throw your tank away because it has a leak, repair it in just a few minutes for a few dollars.
4. Cheap, Easy DIY Sumps
Cheap, Easy DIY Sumps are everywhere. Why pay a fortune for a custom made one if you don't have to? Here are some great sources for fast, cheap sumps.5. Auto Top Off Plans
Graphic by Stan Hauter
DIY (Do It Yourself) Auto Top Off plans, parts list, instructions and pictures to help you install an aquarium automatic top off system in your sump or aquarium. You can install this automatic sump or tank top off system in about an hour.
6. DIY Coil Denitrator
Don Carner
Don Carner shares his coil denitrator plans for making this unit that reduces nitrates in saltwater aquariums.
7. Hang In/On Tank Acrylic Refugium
Stan & Debbie Hauter
If you have been thinking about building an acrylic aquarium, but thought that acrylics were to hard to work with, here is the perfect project for you. Building this Hang In/On Tank Refugium (use for Mangroves, Algae, or a 'Pod Farm) will give you the experience and confidence you will need to build that acrylic tank you have always wanted. Complete with parts list, instructions and photos.
8. Under Gravel Filter (UGF)
Stan Hauter
Under Gravel Filters were one of the first biological filters to be used in aquariums. Over the years, for the most part UGF's have been replaced by more efficient filters, but the UGF's are still useful and preferred for a number of applications.
You might find the Pros & Cons Of UGF Filters and The Undergravel Filter Controversy interesting reading.
