Anyone Have A Tank That's Not Against A Wall?

[Algonquin]

HI all, we're going to be setting up a new 20 gallon tank soon (YAY!) and are looking at putting it on top of a cabinet that divides our open-concept living room and dining room. The cabinet is about the height of the back of the couch that's against it, perfect eye level for viewing from either room.

Of course, this will have it's challenges... keeping the cables tidy and as much out of sight as possible will be the biggest one. The tank has an HOB filter, which is fairly slI'm and not too bulky. I'm looking for any tips on scaping this tank, since it will be viewed from 3 sides (the 4th side is one of the 'short' sides and will face the wall but not be near the wall, if that makes sense).

Any ideas, pics, tips etc? Pros & cons? The location isn't carved in stone yet, but it's the ideal spot for the tank so I'd like to try to make it work.

Thanks everyone!

 

[Zigi Zig]

Hello
I won't see problem to place it on top of your cabinet however keep in mind 20.gal just a water will weight just about 166.8 LB not included substrate and other items.. so make sure your cabinet will hold that kind of weight..

 

[Algonquin]

Yup, no worries on the cabinet - it's pretty heavy-duty

 

[mossman]

You could switch to a canister and use an external in-line heater so these items could be stored inside the cabinet out of view. The only electrical cord exposed would be for the light. Two water lines from the canister and one power cord to the light is all you'd see. Bundle the hoses and cord together neatly for a clean look. Pictures of your proposed install location would be of help.

 

[toeknee]

The king of DIY's old scape he had in his 375 gallon is a nice scape for tanks not against a wall. If you jump to around the 3:20 mark in the video below you'll see what I mean. Something simple like that would work nicely for multiple viewing angles.

 

[Algonquin]

You could switch to a canister and use an external in-line heater so these items could be stored inside the cabinet out of view. The only electrical cord exposed would be for the light. Two water lines from the canister and one power cord to the light is all you'd see. Bundle the hoses and cord together neatly for a clean look. Pictures of your proposed install location would be of help.

Sounds like a great way to hide some of the equipment, but I'm planning to use the filter etc that I already have... didn't want to spend more on this one before I've even got it up lol

Thanks, toeknee, I'll have a look at that video when I have a chance!