# Tank placement perpendicular to wall (room divider)



## tyhoward08

Thinking about selling my 40g and 55g and doing a single 75g or 90g and was debating on placement of the tank. The way my house is setup (very small) it would be possible to place the tank perpendicular to a wall dividing my living room into a living room and dining room and have the tank viewable on three sides (I'll try to put together a google sketch tonight).

My question is does anyone have pictures of tank setups like this where the tank is essentially setup to divide a room but not all the way to the ceiling?

What are your thoughts on this type of setup?


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## prov356

Filtration can be challenging for one. The other thing is that you've basically got a tank without a background which can make it not show as well. If you can stack a high central rock wall somehow, that may show better.


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## gilberbt

I donÃ¢â‚¬â„¢t have any photos but I have a seen a setup like this and it was nice. Are you looking for a tank with an overflow on one of the sides as I think that would look best to hide all the equipment in the sump. If you are doing a standard rectangular tank you may need to build/buy a custom stand as most are designed to go against a wall and might look funny just sticking out in the room. 
Some fish might be skittish with no long Ã¢â‚¬ËœbackÃ¢â‚¬â„¢ side of the tank but I would assume if they have enough hiding places it would be ok. Mine are in a high traffic area and stalk anyone that walks by begging for food. :fish:


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## gilberbt

You could try and setup something like this... minus the reef look with a large rock pile in the middle, a bullnose would look cool for a setup like that but they are very $$$.


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## tyhoward08

Wow, thanks for all the great input. Please keep it coming.

prov356 - You hit it right on the nose. Filtration will be the toughest part. My first thought was to have an overflow against the wall and build the tank stand so that the tank sits off of the wall 6 inches or so for any plumbing I might need to run. Do you think with an end overflow (sump) and frequent water changes/cleanings I would achieve the needed filtration or do I need to come up with a more creative filter solution? Having smaller tanks I've never used any sort of powerheads for increased water movement, but this might be a necessity is such a setup.

gilberbt - Yes, it would probably be a standard rectangular 75g or 90g. Nothing custom here I am on a budget. I like the look of the tank you shared, especially the stand. I would probably do something similar with the stand except on the wall side there would be material going from the floor to the top of the canopy to blend it to the wall and cover any plumbing coming off the end of the tank. The whole stand would then be a "C" shape.

I'd really like to see some pictures of how rooms look with such a tank setup if anybody can find any.


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## Riceburner

have the intake by the wall and run the output line along the top trim to the spray bar or whatever on the open short side.

so if like this...the spray bar could be along the left side aimed toward the wall









google fish tank room divider...lots there
http://www.google.ca/images?hl=en&xhr=t ... 70&bih=651


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## tyhoward08

Riceburner - I did the Google search as well last night, but I was a bit disappointed by the images I found (your image excluded). That's why I started this thread.

The stand in the picture you show is more or less exactly what I was thinking to do except I don't think I would ever have a tank that deep. It looks really cool but seems impractical when you have to clean the tank or catch a fish.


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## frank1rizzo

there is a mod on this forum who had this setup and it was killer. Not sure which one though.


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## DanniGirl

frank1rizzo said:


> there is a mod on this forum who had this setup and it was killer. Not sure which one though.


Was this it?

http://www.cichlid-forum.com/tanks/inde ... wner&u=871


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## nick a

Here's a DIY concept (go to page 2) easily modified to whatever size tank you choose:
http://www.hillcountrycichlidclub.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=13&t=8544&start=15


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## tyhoward08

DanniGirl - I've come across that tank before. I don't typically like the "L" look with tanks but that one is excellent.

nick a - Thanks for that link. I'm bookmarking that one in case I end up doing this.

My initial concern was that everyone who does room divider tanks does them with 150+ gallon tanks and mine will only be 75 or max 90g, but I think it will look similar given the small proportions of the room I'm putting it in. I started the google sketchup model last night to get an idea of how it would look. Hopefully I'll be able to finish it tonight or tomorrow to get everyone's opinions.

In the meantime here is a reef setup I came across in my search. I really like his overflow and the way he hides it with the additional piece of wood (pg 2 about 2/3 down the page).

http://www.reefsanctuary.com/forums/ree ... lon-2.html


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## Riceburner

nick a said:


> Here's a DIY concept (go to page 2) easily modified to whatever size tank you choose:
> http://www.hillcountrycichlidclub.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=13&t=8544&start=15


basically what I was describing...except he ran the spray bar along the full side. Makes a difference on that long a tank, but on a 4' tank I'd do what I said to create flow toward the intake at the wall end.


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## frank1rizzo

DanniGirl said:


> frank1rizzo said:
> 
> 
> 
> there is a mod on this forum who had this setup and it was killer. Not sure which one though.
> 
> 
> 
> Was this it?
> 
> http://www.cichlid-forum.com/tanks/inde ... wner&u=871
Click to expand...

that is the one! sweet setup.


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## pmcbar

Here is some pictures of mine. Its a 6' 125 gallon dividing my living room and dinning room. On the dinning side there is 3 hoses showing. It has 2 canister filters, one intake and spray bar are basically up against the wall on the right. The filters are of course inside the stand.


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## RRasco

http://www.hillcountrycichlidclub.com/f ... =13&t=8544


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## tyhoward08

So here are the google sketchup pictures. Kind of rough but they give you an idea of what a 90 gallon would look like in my place.

Considering this aquarium will be viewed on three sides, do you see any additional advantages/disadvantages to using Acrylic vs. Glass. My initial thought is glass. The big downsides are getting it drilled and the ugly siliconed corners. With acrylic I'd be scared that I might scratch one of the three viewable sides just from regular wear and tear (cleaning, etc.), but will I get a more clear view considering a lot of the time I'd be looking straight through two sides of the tank?


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## tyhoward08

Better pictures. I got the approval of the fiance (soon to be wife). Watching for deals on a 90g tank on CL.


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## frank1rizzo

nice sketches! 8)


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## fmueller

After nagging my parents for several years to get a fish tank, my dad bought this room divider for the living room when I was ten. In a way, it was my first ever tank, but it took many ears before I could lift off the canopy by myself 

The setup is actually pretty clever with a standard sized tank, and a canopy and cabinet that are slightly longer than the tank. A wooden box fills that remaining space next to the tank, and allows hoses and cables run out of sight between the canopy and cabinet.


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## ox777

Nice apt (house?) Howard! I'm jealous of the spiral stair, although I'm generally too big and clumsy for those things.

Couple of things you'll want to look into:

Is that a fire place next to the tank? Those can easily ruin nearby fish tanks, raising the temperature and wreaking havoc on the life inside. Even if you don't decide to light it, or light it rarely, it often only takes once. You may not even be there when a quest innocently starts it up. Fireplaces are usually designed to heat the whole space, and if it's wood burning, will often have a suggested radius to keep combustibles out of. If it's gas, maybe you can have a way of throttling the flow at the wall, in a way that's not obvious to undo. I would also go with an acrylic tank, just to get the extra thermal insulation.

What about the space where the table and chairs are. Is it big enough? you may not now exactly until you move all the furniture in, but generally I plan on having at least 30" around my tables. That leaves about 20" for the chair, and 10" for the person standing between the chair and table when they get up. Your furniture might be bigger or smaller, and you and your wife might be really skinny, so you'll just have to check.

If the two issues mentioned above really are issues, I'd look at a couple other locations. I think the fireplace is already designed to be a spacial divider between living and dining. Why not enhance the existing divider, by rotating the tank 180 and having it opposite the fire place between the couch and the stair? The couch slides over a little bit, or gets smaller, or swaps with the love seat to make room. I don't know which door is the front door, which is a closet, bathroom, etc... so I'm working with what I got.

If you own the place, you also put the tank in the wall between the kitchen and the dining area. I see the tank being flush in the wall on the kitchen side, and built out with cabinetry on the dining side. Could make water changes easier!

I adore fmueller's room divider tank. The cabinetry and trim are very fitting with the rest of the room. I also like the dedicated fish tank viewing chair. It's not too big, or overwhelming recliner, just a place to sit and talk on the phone or such.


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## tyhoward08

fmueller - I actually came across your site when Googling aquarium room dividers. That is a great looking tank and the woodwork/trim on the cabinet is A+. What you describe about hiding the cables is exactly what I hope to do. It looks like you have a curtain which hides the wall/cabinet interface as well. This is one of my big concerns as I'd like to make this look like the peninsula is a part of the wall, but I can't physically putty it to the wall as I am renting .

ox77 - Thanks for all of your comments. It is always fun to have someone take interest in your projects. It is a house with only part of the floorplan sketched. The spiral staircase is visually appealing but a pain to maneuver after a few beers . The stove is a gas furnace and it heats the whole house. That being said, it does not get as hot as you might think. Maybe because I am too cheap to keep my house real warm . I will definitely put a little more thought on this though now that you mention it. I think I can easily direct the flow away from the tank to avoid issues. I'd really like to use acrylic as well because of its clarity and the ease for drilling for a sump, but I am horrified of scratches and such. I just don't have any experience to know how serious of an issue this is or if people blow it out of proportions. The table is a bit of a tight squeeze for sure, but we will find a way to make it work even if it means building seating against the wall. To give you a little better perspective of the flow of the house, the door nearest the floor lamp/love seat is the main entrance. The other next to it is my office and the door next to the staircase is the bathroom. If worse came to worse I would probably set the tank up against the wall between the dining and kitchen areas and move the table out. Lets see. Once I do get going I will definitely document everything for everyone's viewing pleasure.


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## tyhoward08

Found this picture while on CL. Debating whether I might make the divider to the ceiling. Need to make a new sketch


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## millsb40

This is very ironic. I've only been a member of this site for a short while, but have been "using" it for quite awhile. I am in a very similar position. I once had an 80 gallon that was only 13" wide. Sold it, left the hobby for a while, decided to get a tank again, but couldn't really fit anything bigger than a 55 in my house without using a lot of space.

I have been thinking very seriously about putting in a 3 sided tank very similar to what you are thinking. I need to go with a 6' tank and I think I'll go 125, possibly 150.

I have a 6' pony wall dividing my living room and front entry way. My plan was to tear out the wall and rebuild it to the proper width.

I too was going to leave 4"-6" from the wall for plumbing and misc. I was thinking about a DIY background, but only on the side to hide plumbing. I was thinking about using undergravel jets on the sump return. I am using those on my 55 and I like the way it is mostly hidden.


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## fmueller

Just to be clear on this, that room is not in my house. My place is just a tad more modern. 

The room divider tank is in my parent's living room in Germany. I think I took the photo in 2008, but the room really had not changed since the 1970s. Particularly my dad loves that kind of heavy, rustic-oak furniture. He even had the compulsory Phillips TV of the period put in a matching case, so no black plastic would disturb the ambiance. The curtain is there just because of the window. Now you know what window treatments in Germany used to look like in the 1970s :lol:

That said, the room divider tank is very well built, and the thing cost an arm and a leg. Unfortunately it was most impractical, because the entire canopy needed to be removed for any access to the tank other than feeding :roll:

In 2008 we moved the tank to a place where my dad would enjoy it more. I converted the canopy for easier access, and my brother upgraded the lighting to T5, which made a huge difference. The stocking changed from community fish to Lake Tanganyika cichlids (paracyps, black calvus, and similis).









_That's the tank in the new space, but no longer set up as room divider. Somehow my dad's taste in furniture seems to have changed, and despite the black plastic case, the flat screen TV sure beats the old Phillips :lol: _


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## tyhoward08

I've been going back and forth on this project. I love a good project, but sometimes my froogle side gets the best of me.

Anyways, I've been watching CL for a decent tank and I came across a couple of 110g x-tall tanks. I wouldn't gain any room on the footprint and cleaning becomes more of a pain, but as a wall I am inclined to believe the 30" height would look pretty cool so I'm leaning in this direction. Overall the cost isn't that much different.

I'd love to hear anyone else's opinion on 90g vs. 110g x-tall. I made some quick sketches for comparison. I guess if the last pictures are standard aquarium glass, these are starfire .


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## shellies215

The extra water volume is always a plus, but you're gonna have to get some rocks stacked up pretty high if you want the fish to use all the space. Most cichlids, from my experience ( whatever thats worth) don't seem to go above the highest rock, unless it's feeding time.


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