What To Do with an Old Fish Tank – Great Ideas

Unsure of what to do with your old fish tank? No worries! We’ve got splendid ideas up our sleeve.

Having a fish tank in your home is a remarkable investment, but the time has to come when you are forced to get rid of it.

Instead of just letting it sit there, why not make a bit more use of your aquarium?

That way, you don’t have to agonize over what to do with that fish tank that’s been sitting on the bottom shelf for months.

Too many items that are still useful are thrown away simply because they are not being used anymore.

This contributes to the millions of items ending up in the landfills and toxic dumps all over the world.

If you keep these items instead, they can be reused in a whole new way that can not only save space but also help bring back some money.

There are numerous ways in which you can increase the functionality of your fish tank and make the most out of it.

What to do with an old fish tank with 6 amazing ideas

Fish tanks often cost a lot of money, so it is a shame to just throw them away.

Instead of taking this route, you should consider re-purposing the item.

Use these ideas to uncover what to do with an old fish tank.

Fish tank terrarium

Terrariums are a combination of plants and small animals in a confined space.

Normally, a terrarium is meant to be observed through a glass container.

You can use your fish tank to make the most stunning terrarium ever.

Remove any old substrate that’s in it and start cleaning the fish tank thoroughly.

You do not have to remove the decorations you have placed in your aquarium.

On the contrary, you should keep them there as they will add to the look of your new terrarium.

To further beautify your terrarium, add some low-light plants to it.

You can use moss, small ferns or any other low light plants.

Succulents are also amazing and gorgeous plants that would work well with any fish tank no matter the size.

The plants will blend well with the fish tank decorations and really bring out the best in your aquarium.

You should use live plants as they are much more useful than fake ones with regards to purifying the air inside of a closed environment.

Create a fish tank coffee table

If you are looking for an amazing way to show off your fish tank, why not turn it into a coffee table?

The fish tank coffee table is elegant, stylish and really attractive.

It is a bit more complicated to create, so you should only plan on doing this if you are familiar with carpentry and have the required tools at hand.

The main material you will need for this project is plywood.

You will also need some glass for the cover of the table and a lightweight frame that will hold everything together.

You will end up with a beautiful, unique coffee table.

This is not the type of project that you can do in just a couple of days.

You will have to measure, plan and buy the materials beforehand in order to successfully create this marvellous fish tank coffee table.

If you’re feeling fancy add fish to your fish tank coffee table.

Fish tank fountain for your garden

A fountain will always look gorgeous anywhere it’s placed.

It is a great way of increasing the value of your garden or yard without having to spend much money.

If you want to increase the beauty of your garden and add some more fun, you should place a fish tank fountain in it.

You will need to choose an empty fish tank and then drill holes on the top edges so that the water doesn’t disturb your decorations.

If possible, place an LED light inside the fish tank so that it glows at night.

The lights will add to the ambience and make your yard even more beautiful.

You can then fill the fish tank with water and replace the gravel with pebbles so that it is easier to clean.

Add an electric pump to keep the water from stagnating and enjoy your wonderful work of art.

Kid’s fairy garden

Children love nature and animals.

But most importantly, they love fairies.

Creating a fairy garden for your children will increase their creativity as well as their love for nature.

Most of the time, people don’t have the time to create fancy fairy gardens so they tend to go for the easy way out and get artificial flowers and plants.

Instead, you should use an old fish tank that you no longer need.

Clean it thoroughly and remove any substrate from it.

Together with the kids, create a gorgeous, magical fairy garden.

You’ll need soil, some small stones or pebbles, and colorful plants.

Using the stones, make a small path through the fairy garden.

Bring it to life by adding some tiny chairs, mini houses and other toys.

Twinkling lights will make everything even more magical and whimsical.

Grow food using the aquaponics set-up

If you are unfamiliar with aquaponics, it is a type of food growing where you grow plants and keep fish together in an enclosed system.

The fish waste feeds the plants and the plants clean the water for the fish.

Aquaponics is a bit more complicated than other types of gardening.

However, it is a very rewarding and fun hobby.

By using an old fish tank, you can create an amazing aquaponics set-up.

With this system, you won’t need to spend hours of your time maintaining it.

The frequency of water changes will also reduce significantly because the plants basically clean the water for you.

With aquaponics, you can grow all sorts of plants from tomatoes to lettuce.

If you are looking for a new hobby but don’t want to spend too much money on it, aquaponics is definitely the type of hobby for you.

It is easy to use and maintain.

The only thing you will need to do is make sure that the water level stays constant.

If you are a beginner, you should start small with a small fish tank and then gradually build it up from there.

Table centerpiece

This idea requires your imagination to fully execute.

You will need an old fish tank and some cool and interesting decorations for it.

To start, get perhaps some pebbles, suitable decorations depending on the holiday and some candles.

Light the candles and place them inside the fish tank.

Next, fill the tank with water.

Arrange the candles in such a way that the reflections of light look like its floating in space.

You can then add some pebbles, ornaments, and other decorations that will complement the fish tank beautifully.

This idea can work well on a dining table as well.

Add decorations and/or candles according to the occasion and make use of the nice contrast between the light coming from the candles and the darkness outside.

This will be a great addition to your home’s interior or the outdoors, especially if you are into photography or love landscapes.

Final Thoughts

Creating beautiful DIY things is a great way to spend some time.

Your imagination can help you come up with countless ways to utilize your old tank into something amazing.

You should always keep an old fish tank or two in case you want to create something different.

A used fish tank definitely has its advantages over a new one as it is easier and cheaper to install and maintain.

All it takes is a bit of creativity and the right tools.

If you apply these simple but powerful tips you will be able to put your old fish tank to good use.

FAQs

Can you put a fish tank in the garden?

If you plan to place a fish tank in the garden, make sure that it is elevated so that the water level remains constant.

You should also keep it close to the house for easy access.

This will prevent evaporation and ensure that you won’t have to utilize water for watering the plants.

The fish tank can be placed in a balcony, raised bed, small pond or just about anywhere where there is enough space and is safe from pests and insects.

Can I use an old aquarium for plants?

Yes, you can use an old aquarium since it is completely safe and there are no chances of causing damage to your plants.

You can fill it with soil and grow herbs or other garden plants in it.