Table / Fish tank combination build.

[jvhuse]

Hi everybody, first post here. My roomate decided to build a large table with a fish tank in the middle this week. The dimensions of the tank will be 7"x62"x24", and we will be making it out of 1/4" plexiglass. As you can see in the picture, the table is already built, and is very, very solid. For the top a piece of removable plexiglass will lay flush with the table surface. There is a lower subframe to support the tank bottom as well. I am confident that the table/support structure will be more than strong enough to support the water and still park a VW Bug on top, so don't worry about that

The volume of the tank works out to about 73 gallons, or 83 gallons if we make it 8 inches deep. Because of the odd shape, being much wider and longer than deep, I would assume that we are limited in our choice of fish.

Now, on to the questions. We would like to have active, colorful fish that school nicely and swim all around the tank, so what would you recommend? In my little experience, neon tetras came to mind, and giant danios were recommended. Should we add a pleco or two to help with cleaning?

Also, what would you recommend for filtration? And I would guess that a substrate is required?

Thanks for your help

 

[amehel0]

get it up to 18 inches and you could place an aro for grow out.

 

[CichlidAddict]

For an active colorful school in that tank, tetras would be a good option - cardinal tetras are pretty neat looking.
I'm not sure how you'd do filtration in a tank like this... a plumbed-in sump is probably your only option.

 

[fishdance]

Since you will be looking down into the tank, I would be choosing fish which look good from above .... ie pond fish. I would also be worried about condensation so I would stay away from heaters (tropical fish). Giant danios or Zebra danios, Golden barbs, Rosey barbs, goldfish etc.

How are you going to run powercords? Plecos and plexitanks may not mix. Try some softer mouth suckermouths like otocinclus or if coldwater then Chinese Algae Eaters (Gyrinocheilus aymonieri) which may get aggressive later.



.

 

[schaadrak]

This would be an excellent FW ray tank.

You could get past the condensation by building a clear box for the lid and have the bottom sitting on top of the water.

 

[flagtail]

Am I the only one that see's this as a terrible idea?

First I wouldn't want to be eating there, and be getting a fishy/water smell, or looking at fish crap on the gravel..LOL

Second, the fish are gonna be freaking out, with the clanging of plates, forks, and other noises involved in eating......

I'm sure there is a ton of other issues here also....

But looks good so far!

Keep pics comming.

 

[amehel0]

i think the whole design aspect is not to eat on it i believe that that is a feature tank. if you are then yeh that could be hazardous i srsly rekon that a asian aro swimming round andd looking from above would be mad like a blood red.

 

[cjohll]

just dont put a top on and let the fish eat the scraps of food

 

[jvhuse]

Thanks for the advice and comments, everybody.

This will not really be a table for eating, more a social piece. I wasn't too gung-ho about the whole idea either, but it is his apartment (I'm subleasing in for a few months), and his money, so I just want to make sure it works out as well as possible.

For the filter, I have seen pics of external filters that I think might work and could be hidden underneath, but I am not sure how they are attached to the tank as far as hoses go. If we could just drill a few holes in the plexiglass and seal the hoses in really well, that would be ideal, but I have yet to see one in person and figure out if this is possible.

We are both aeronautical engineers, and pretty creative and resourceful, so I am confident the project will be a success.

 

[fishdance]

I have used external canister filters with both the intake and return on the bottom of the tank. Great for free standing column tanks but you do need reliable taps. You could easily use an internal power filter but this is harder to access for maintenance. I would stay away from air driven filters and hoses.

If your able to, recommend some magnetic fish. I say this with seriousness since you can then run an algicide or slow release chlorine for crystal clear water and wont need any filtration at all. A small internal water pump will create water currents and the realistic fish will wander around forever.

I am constantly asked to install long & high tanks which are only 8cm wide ... to fit inside wall cavities.