Coffee table aquarium

F

fishguyrob

New member
I'm looking to do a coffee table aquarium that can be viewed from the top. If anyone has ideas on how they've done one or know of one. I would be interested in hearing.
Rob S.
 
You will have to have a still water surface to see anything clearly. Try looking at a tank from the top and you'll see what I mean. Just due to this reason I would avoid this.
 
I understand that to see it clear the water has to be up to the glass. I'm wondering if anyone can help with the best way to do this.
 
It would not be hard at all. Here is my 5 second first thought. Build a aquarium rimless just like any other 5 sided tank. The top would be expensive. Use 2" acrylic for the top. Cut a rabbit on all 4 side so that 1.5" sits down in the tank on top of the water. This way the water level would be 1.5" below the top and the top does not need to be sealed and can be lifted off for service.

Plumb it under the floor and your set.

Don
 
How will you keep it clean? I suppose you could mag float it daily. You will also need a way to remove air bubbles from the surface, as the will tend to collect there.
 
I saw a good picture of a coffee table aquarium in the clam forum about 2 or 3 months ago. You might try posting there and see if anyone knows anything about it.
 
I've thought of a few clever ways to do a coffie table tank (must have room below floor for clever plumbing and pumps). Lighting always stumps me. If you've ever been in a room with a MH pendant hanging above the level of your eyes, you know exactly how optically fatiguing it is. Kinda like working on your tank with the canopy doors open and the lights on. Not quite as bad with T5 as with MH, but this would require the projection ability of MH to keep the lights up above the surface an not just be illuminating a huge area of the floor around the table. I think a single 400w short arc bulb with a projection lens assembly recessed into the ceiling a couple feet would be the best way to do it, but it wouldn't be easy.

Going fish only of course would be cake, but pointless.
 
Here is a link to somebody to did an alternate method of table tank featuring internal lighting, which I hadn't thought of doing.

All of my thoughts on this sort of tank were like DonW was thinking with an entirely clear top and water very close.
 
the only flaw tht i see in this build is if you kept the top like the ones in the link then if you ever had any kids or had kids come over that are young they are bound to put something in the water tht you dont want JMO
but good luck with the build
 
I think you could put halides or T5s in a dry horizontal overflow with a custom built reflector that concentrates the light to keep it on th ereef and out of your eyes.
 
MAthu,
If I get it to work out, I'll send you a pic.

Liveforphysics,
The link didn't show up, if you could send that again, I'd appreciate it.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Similar threads

D
Bulkhead Installation Question
Replies
2
Views
451
wvned
wvned
skipper03
first saltwater aquarium, weird 15g setup, many questions
2 3
Replies
47
Views
512
skipper03
skipper03
slathrum
Where to buy a reef ready aquarium these days
Replies
8
Views
318
wvned
wvned
A
Single drain Overflow System for a 55 gallón tank
Replies
5
Views
735
wvned
wvned
A
  • Locked
Single drain Overflow System for a 55 gallón tank ?
Replies
1
Views
447
BrianD
BrianD
Back
Top