Coffee Table Tank

[rewlyn]

not cheap

$756.361 EUR

$1,059.66 USD

 

[keenonfish]

wouldnt the cycling and all the maintenance be a pain though in the table aquarium?

I would cycle in a separate tank then move the filter over personally!

 

[Craster]

Nice idea, but won't the top glass be constantly covered in condensation, like a condensation tray on top of a tank?

I get the feeling the one in the picture has only just been filled........................

Hmm. The reason you get condensation is because the water laden air hits the glass and the glass is at a lower temperature than the air causing the water to precipitate out.

If you could either:

1) Have sufficient air clearance between the side glass and top glass to allow the air to circulate better, reducing the humidity in the gap
or
2) Keep the top glass heated to the same temperature as the tank
or
3) Keep the tank at room temperature

there shouldn't be a problem with condensation.

 

[Alec_TFF]

Hi all, I'm new to the forums.
Ran across your post/website by accident and saw your project idea. It sounds really neat and I wish you tons of luck getting this great tank built!

Thought I'd chime in with some thoughts on building the tank.

First off, the coffee-book picture of the finished tank looks wonderful. The material of the tank itself looks more like a plastic or acrylic of some sort. The sides of the tank with the special cuts for the 'raised corners' would probably be easiest to achieve with a plastic material. Cutting glass to get that shape would be quite difficult and would depend on the the skill and tools you have to get that cut.

Also, with plastic, you can use 'plastic welding cement' of some sort that would literally melt the plastic together versus silicone on glass. Perhaps would give a stronger bond?
And speaking of plastic, you can probably achieve the 'drilled bulkhead' with holes on bottom for filters and such much more easily with plastic versus glass.

Presentation is everything to achieve the look you want. You wouldn't want to dangle stuff off the sides of this since it would detract from the clean look that you want.

A couple of the posters mentioned condensation on the top glass surface. That would be a big concern of mine as well.
In addition to condensation, it would be the water marks that would form as the condensation dries. Trace salts and such in the water would leave unsightly residue as it dries.
Air stones would increase the chance of splashing small water droplets on the top as they rise and burst.
I would do a test to see how far off the surface to place the glass top to get clear of the bursting bubbles.

As regards the base of the tank. You would definitely want to hide all your equipment underneath. Make sure to build in some sort of access panels on the sides for equipment maintenance.
Multiple access points would be ideal. You would have to plan for electrical source from the floor as well.

Depending on your equipment, the height of the base would be affected. The overall height of tank would need to be taken into consideration. Since this would be a coffee table, the height to the glass top from the floor would be around 17 inches (~ 42 centimeters) and this dimension is non-negotiable. So the height of the tank sides and the air space clearance would be affected by the bottom base's dimension.

Lighting wise, I'm unfamiliar with led lights and it's wiring needs. However if you want that clean 'magazine layout' look, I would think about lighting the tank from below. This would eliminate the need for messy wiring going up the sides, etc.

Anyway, those are some of the initial thoughts that come to mind.

Again, I wish you the best of luck building this baby!
Please keep us apprised of your progress!

-Alec in Brooklyn, NY.

 

[tenohfive]

Much as it seems like a good idea, the condensation issues already stated would put me off. I don't see a way of circumventing that, and it would completely defeat the object of creating a tank like that if all you can see is condensation.

If you're not convinced it may be worth building something on a much smaller scale as a trial run but I think its a pointless exercise - if you build the tank the way you've planned it I can't see a way around the condensation issues. As others have said, heating the glass would be the best way but I can't see how you'd do that.

If it were me I'd go back to the drawing board, unless you've got a plan to get around it? Because its a lot of money to spend on the vague hope that something we all know occurs in aquaria won't occur in this one.

 

[Ian H]

the only way i could see it working without condensation on the inside would be to have no air in the tank, obviously no good for fish with no gas exchange?

would it possibly work if it was heavily planted and pearling? although the excess gass has to go some where and thats quite alot of equipment for a tank like this

 

[rewlyn]

ive had an idea, if i set up a little fan to create a wind would that work? i realize i would have wires and was also thinking of redesigning into a long triangle would that be possible, ive never seen one that shape, dont see why it wouldnt, this way at the flat end i could setup a box for the equipment, wood of coarse.

what do you think? am i crazy? the original design would become a long term project, cause if the first one works ill be doing this on the side for $$$,if not full time. depends on this finacial crisis

 

[Alec_TFF]

I think you should just do some tests with simple, cheap, easy to find things laying around the house.

Get one of those Rubbermaid underbed plastic storage bins (the kinds that are big and shallow) fill it 3/4 full with water and put a piece of glass over it approximating the air clearance of the finished table (lay some 2x4 pieces of wood or something similar to lift the glass off the bin's top edge).

Let it sit for a day or so and see if any condensation forms underneath. Micro climates are quite unique and vary from location to location; conditions in your living room will be a bit different from your bedroom, etc. so it would be almost impossible to predict unless you actually test in your own environment.



I think you should still go for the square glass-top design. There is a solution; we just can't remember it yet.

 

[rewlyn]

I think you should just do some tests with simple, cheap, easy to find things laying around the house.

Get one of those Rubbermaid underbed plastic storage bins (the kinds that are big and shallow) fill it 3/4 full with water and put a piece of glass over it approximating the air clearance of the finished table (lay some 2x4 pieces of wood or something similar to lift the glass off the bin's top edge).

Let it sit for a day or so and see if any condensation forms underneath. Micro climates are quite unique and vary from location to location; conditions in your living room will be a bit different from your bedroom, etc. so it would be almost impossible to predict unless you actually test in your own environment.



I think you should still go for the square glass-top design. There is a solution; we just can't remember it yet.

thanks ill give it ago

 

[rewlyn]

mypartner is dangerous she said she would like a dining table tank, i said one tank at a time, she said hurry up then, i said im gonna need to become a glass cutter for a trade, she said

 

[helterskelter]

Couple of idea's

Get 3 1" holes drilled in a corner in a.

• inlet pipe
• outlet pipe
• and an electrical pipe

Then using slate or something box in the corner.
Then u can have all the wires coming in from inside the tank.

You can get a diamond drill bit and DIY it, just run water over it all the time and do it slowly.

You may also need to think of using plated glass for the top.
Thinking of kids, friends or some one stupid, dropping something on it!!!!!!

Also the top plate should sit on a couple of rubber's in each corner this will help stop sound transfer from the top plate to the rest of the tank, thus reducing stress.

 

[shelaghfishface]

gee wizz, cant fault the Mrs

 

[wethepeople]

Surely the best way to get around the equipment problem would be by having a centre column with your filter or a sump or similar, it would mean you dont need a plinth underneath. You could also use it to house your fans for venting the condensation.

Also, if this is your first tank build, good luck to you, you're gonna need it. As for making a career out of it, I wish you further good luck

 

[Fisses]

just a quick idea which may save on glass, is also using acrylic, byt rather than fusing the corners, if its one continuous piece of acrylic but then bent in 3 corners till the end meet in one corner then it could be fusin welded, then a bottom piese also fusion welded, then if your worried about it looking too plasticcy to have a glass top.

as for condensation i would have an air stone or similar so the bubbles are always burting on the surface splashing up in to the underside of the table top.

as for filtration by hiding wires and stuff....well the bottom half would be made out of acrylic so easilty enough to drill through so underneth filtering wires etc not a problem just build it up off the ground to hide everything.

as for wiring, if you have floorboards then just wire a socket to where you want underneath the boards. if you have a concrete floor then just use a wallchaser and chase out 2 lines to an electrical socket and jobs a goodun

good luck

 

[aaronnorth]

i'll be following with interest