How to Make an Aquarium Out of a Plastic Bottle
Making an aquarium can be a fun project and a neat decoration for any home. It is very inexpensive and requires mostly objects you already have around your home. Make this a family project and have everyone submit their aquarium ideas. Take those ideas and combine them together to come up with the ultimate aquarium. Does this Spark an idea?
Things You'll Need
- 5 or 10 Gallon plastic water jug
- Utility knife
- Rocks
- Backdrop
- Caves
- Fish flakes
- Goldfish
Instructions
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1
Decide how big you want your aquarium to be. This should be based on the space you have set aside for the aquarium. The best plastic bottles to use are the plastic water coolers you would find in a doctor's office. They come in 5 to 10 gallon jugs.
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2
Get out a utility knife and cut the top off of the plastic water jug. Make sure you leave enough room to stick your arm in the plastic jug so that you can add decorations. If you are young get your parents help with this step. Utility knives are sharp and very dangerous for inexperienced users.
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3
Add some little stones to the bottom of your plastic jug. This is your base and the best way to start creating a habitat for a fish.
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4
Find some objects that can be used in your aquarium that would give a fish a place to hide. Little caves or pirate ships work great. Miniature doll houses may also work.
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5
Create a backdrop for the aquarium. This will work if your plastic jug is clear, but not so good if your plastic jug is blue. You can buy a backdrop at your local pet store or you can create one on your computer. Look for an underwater scene and print it out. Tape it to the back of your plastic jug on the outside.
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6
Pour water in your aquarium and let it sit out overnight so that it adjusts to the room temperature.
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7
Add a few goldfish and enjoy!
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Tips & Warnings
Make sure you get some fish flakes for your fish from the pet store.
Make sure you clean out your water jug before you use it. Clean with dish soap and let air dry overnight.
Don't use any fish in your plastic aquarium that require a filtration system. They won't last long in that kind of environment.
