![]() I hope you enjoy the collection I’ve put together below. That’s where these tutorials come into play! With a little creativity, you can turn your table into something special, and you don’t even have to spend a lot of money. Sure, the basic table goes with every type of decor, but honestly – it’s boring and needs a little “zhuzhing.” Of course you can spend more than that, but less than fifty bucks for a coffee table sounds all right by me. I don’t know if you’ve been to IKEA recently, but you can get a table for your living room for $35. Here are over twenty simple IKEA coffee table hacks any DIYer would love. Sometimes a crafty gal just wants to kick it up a notch and add a little personal touch though. Last but not least, I'd like to thank those who posted the Pinball and Stainless coffee table instructables for the inspiration to share my little hack with the world.Just about everyone loves IKEA – who can resist that budget-friendly Scandinavian design? I personally love browsing through the maze of a store and always leave with more than I intended to. ![]() It's still good enough to do the job, but I've considered buying a battery powered tank vac. The only complication I've encountered is that when vacuuming the gravel, the standard siphon effect is pretty weak, given that the bottom of my bucket, resting on the floor, is only about 4" lower than the bottom of the tank. I found instructions at this URL: I've had mine running for months now, and I must say, it's very enjoyable, and fits perfectly as a unique centerpiece to accompany my atypical end tables and other decor. Due to the arrangement of such an aquarium, a Champagne Island is an ideal addition. You're done! Now you can cycle the aquarium to establish the needed bacteria colony and add fish suitable to your quantity of water. Leave some space for airflow though!Ĭut the foam board into appropriately sized strips to wedge them vertically under the bottom shelf in order to conceal the components and the extra light. Another option would be to configure your shelf height / post length so that the glass table top would be placed almost directly over aquarium. Research your desired species or consider an acrylic or glass inset for the top of the tank. As there is not a top directly over the aquarium in my configuration, and I plan to add a species known to jump, I have not filled to the very top, but instead I'm leaving 3-4" of "wall" at the top of the tank. I used colored, flattened glass marbles as substrate in a very thin layer. I used a suction cup, glass tube thermometer mounted diagonally inside the aquarium so that it would be readable while I sat beside the table. Usually, it is highly advised not to power these devices until they are under water, so don't plug them in until you've added water. Route the cables down a corner of the tank, through the bottom shelf and to the power strip. Amazon has a set of four 1' casters for 10, and a set. Likewise, a standard submersible heater will be needed if you're keeping fish that require a temperature other than that of standing water in room temperature. Here's the good new: any coffee table in this series (and probably any coffee table you already own or find at the thrift store) can be made into a rolling table by simply adding a set of casters So if rolling tables are your jam, pick your favorite style and get some wheels on that baby. An internal power filter, in a corner of the tank is an unobtrusive, yet highly functional way to provide filtration. once you add even 10 gallons of water, moving the table will no longer be easily achieved. You're almost finished! Test your lights and power situation, and position the table exactly where you'll want it at this point. Do read the packaging on the shelving you buy to ensure your structure will support the approximate 10 lbs / gallon guideline. Disclaimer: I'm not an engineer, but the shelving used is rated for more weight than what would be added by a full aquarium of the sizes discussed, so I feel quite safe with the choices made for this project. Even if you go out and buy every item you need for the project, note that ready-made coffee table aquariums appear to start at $500 before shipping. ![]() ![]() However, this is where an old glass top coffee table, spare wire shelving or extra aquarium equipment can dramatically reduce the cost. ![]() Parts Needed: 20 Gallon Long Tank 24" Fluorescent Fixture (2) Black Foam Board Power Strip Light Timer 1" Chair End Caps (4 pack) (2) 36" x 14" Wire Shelving Unit Glass Table Top 100W Heater 20G Internal Filter Glass Vase Marbles / Beads - 12 oz (10) 2 Prong, 3 Way Power Splitter 10 Gallon Alternate Parts: 23"x14" Shelving unit 10 Gallon Standard Tank 1/2" Chair End Caps 18" Fluorescent Fixtures 50W Heater 10G Filter Tools Needed: Mallet Bolt Cutter Zip Ties If you have none of the parts already, I've estimated the costs of the 10 Gallon and 20 Gallon models at $115 and $180 respectively. ![]()
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