Diy Aquarium Coffee Table

[x86Daddy]

A couple weekends ago, I realized I had some appropriate pieces around my place to build the cool new coffee table I was trying to find. First, I built a 10 Gallon, and then, Saturday evening I realized I could go 20 Gallon. I'm loving the way it looks, and during this last weekend, I wrote a how-to:

http/www.instructables.com/ex/i/4B2364EA...EC001143E7E506/

I was inspired by other people's articles on that site (there's a Pinball Coffee Table that rocks), all the cool DIY stuff here, and seeing coffee table aquariums in the Sears Wishbook when I was an urchin.

Enjoy!

 

[Phoenixfish]

i saw some coffe tables at bridgemere water gardens ( the origins of my fish crave) and they were like £1000 nice tho

 

[windsor-aquatic]

I womder if the fish are as enthusiastic about their new environment?

 

[onemisterchristian]

I thought that it seemed like a very fish friendly alternative to the traditional tank tables, where the glass lid to the tank is the table. But I just don't see how those lights light the tank. Through the substrate?

 

[BubblPopElectrc]

It looks stable. The heavy glass top is sitting on the metal frame that has rubber caps on it. Vibrations will be minimal (maybe none at all) if you put your glass/cup on top of it. Not sure if the table will move easily when bumped too --- it's heavy (as in, two-people-has-to-lift-it-heavy), judging from the thickness of that glass top.

The substrate looks to be blue glass marble/gem-type things.

 

[blitztidus]

It looks as though it is lit from the thing on the table because it has to be from above as the water is reflecting it heavily

 

[x86Daddy]

It is lit from beneath through a thin layer of blue glass flattened marbles, but the light does bounce off the top glass back down to the surface of the water. The fish haven't been swimming upside down, so I guess they're cool with it. The pyramid device on the coffee table is just a puzzle that lights up in its corners when turned on... meant to be held by the operator, so it is not involved in lighting the aquarium.

 

[x86Daddy]

Not sure if the table will move easily when bumped too --- it's heavy (as in, two-people-has-to-lift-it-heavy), judging from the thickness of that glass top.

The glass table top is indeed heavy, but manageable for me. Heavy enough that I definitely don't want to move it for no reason, and it won't move on accident, but light enough to make the occaisional decoration change or weekly maintenance stuff a non-issue. Also, I figured I'd err on the side of stronger / harder to break, as it only has 4 support points. I can imagine a really thin top would be in danger with a heavy centerpiece clumsily set down in the middle!