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The too-tall tank and the too-short owner

S

SaulsMom

New member
I've been scrubbing out my old 29 gallon aquarium. (I apparently reached my very last straw with the brackish water habitat because I did NOT sufficiently clean this one when I dumped it in the storage shed. Yuck.) While it's on the ground being rinsed and scrubbed, everything's cool.

However, I remember not particularly liking this tank when it housed fish, because once it settled on the lovely aquarium stand, I discovered that I couldn't quite reach the bottom of the tank comfortably. Even standing on a chair, I never felt comfortable leaning off the chair and down into the tank. Being a fish tank, this was only an issue when I was planting. However, the more I scrub this puppy, the more I'm wondering if accessing the snake in the former aquarium is going to be awkward. I don't see my son being that happy with having to clamber on furniture.

I've looked around online. Every aquarium stand seems to be at 30". Are they available at a lower height?

I guess my other option is to sell the aquarium stand and hood and scrounge the thrift shops for a long, low, sturdy table.

I guess my last option is to scrub the aquarium, sell it and the hood as used, and then go find a front sliding viv with stand.

Anyone know of a shorter aquarium stand? Any suggestions?

SaulsMom
 
How about building your own stand? I think the small table idea is good too, probably cheaper aswell.
 
If you remember the aquarium stand is necessary because of the weight of the tank filled with water...........with a lovely snake inside instead the low table sound a great idea to me!
 
My tort babies are in a 40, which is 16" high. I think a 29 is 18" high? Anyway, they are sitting on 2" styrofoam, to get the UTH off the table. They are on an 18" tall coffee table I bought at Target. It's pretty cool. I have _no_ problem reaching in there, and I'm 5'1". Most likely, my new snake cages will be going under the torts, raising them another 12", which I am sure will still be fine.

Nanci
 

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Nanci said:
My tort babies are in a 40, which is 16" high. I think a 29 is 18" high? Anyway, they are sitting on 2" styrofoam, to get the UTH off the table. They are on an 18" tall coffee table I bought at Target. It's pretty cool. I have _no_ problem reaching in there, and I'm 5'1". Most likely, my new snake cages will be going under the torts, raising them another 12", which I am sure will still be fine.

Nanci
Click to expand...

OK! You convinced me! It's more scrubbing and a quick trip to the thrift shop for a coffee table. I need a screen and clamps, and then I think we're all set. Thanks, Nanci.

SaulsMom
 
A 29 is 29 :) I was given one and turned it on it's side for my big guy to give him more floor space. I use four clips on the lid to make sure it's not going anywhere.

KieransCage.jpg
 
Weebonilass said:
A 29 is 29 :) I was given one and turned it on it's side for my big guy to give him more floor space.
Click to expand...

ooooOOOOOoooo!

Good idea! If I get a top which is hinged across the length of the top, then I could have a swing down door which ran the entire front of the cage. The wheels are definitely turning on this one.

This is great! Now I have an incentive to finish scrubbing out the aquarium which I was beginning to lose interest in. Inspiration, she is good.

SaulsMom
 
I've done the tank on the side thing before (with a hinged lid) It was pretty good except when they decide to poo right on the "lid" & some comes out onto what ever the shelf/table is made of. Not too bad if you aren't using a press board shelf but that's what I had & it kinda soaked into the wood & got stinky.

I put little stick-on rubber feet on the "side" that was to serve as the bottom. That way the tank was up off of the heat cable.
 
cornspot said:
I've done the tank on the side thing before (with a hinged lid) It was pretty good except when they decide to poo right on the "lid" & some comes out onto what ever the shelf/table is made of. Not too bad if you aren't using a press board shelf but that's what I had & it kinda soaked into the wood & got stinky.

I put little stick-on rubber feet on the "side" that was to serve as the bottom. That way the tank was up off of the heat cable.
Click to expand...

Interestingly enough, he's only done that once and that was within a week or two of the change. I have hard wood floors, so it was no big deal. He's a pretty tidy boy though :)

I have the tank up on a couple of small paperbacks left from the days when I didn't have a thermostat on the UTH.
 
cornspot said:
I've done the tank on the side thing before (with a hinged lid) It was pretty good except when they decide to poo right on the "lid" & some comes out onto what ever the shelf/table is made of.
Click to expand...
You can prevent that by buying a sheet of acrylic and cutting it into 2" wide strips. Use silicone to glue the strip to the inner rim of the aquarium and it acts as a dam to keep the substrate and any excrement contained.
 
My guys are almost all climbers. I would _love_ to have taller vivs to get some nice branches in!

Nanci
 
Have you considered using a tank which doesn't open at the top at all? I use vivariums with sliding glass at the front. I have used top-opening vivs, and I VASTLY prefer the nice sliding front ones. I can send you pics if you want them. :)
 
With vivariums, don't you have a problem with the substrate falling out everytime you open the cage? If not, I'd be interested in how you keep it in.
 
Plissken said:
Have you considered using a tank which doesn't open at the top at all? I use vivariums with sliding glass at the front. I have used top-opening vivs, and I VASTLY prefer the nice sliding front ones. I can send you pics if you want them. :)
Click to expand...

Plissken, we are talking about using what we already have, not going out and buying a new one. I was given a perfectly good tank at no cost to me and I figured out a way to use it, not go out and pay a couple of hundred dollars for a new one.

Snakemom, I do have some aspen that will fall out, but interestingly enough, Kieran pulls most of it away from the lid. To clean it up... I use something called a broom. Interesting invention :)
 
jaxom1957 said:
You can prevent that by buying a sheet of acrylic and cutting it into 2" wide strips. Use silicone to glue the strip to the inner rim of the aquarium and it acts as a dam to keep the substrate and any excrement contained.
Click to expand...

Ahh. I have tons of chloroplast signs hanging around (an odd byproduct of running for office myself and then running the campaign of a colleague. All those yard signs end up in may garage. I have aquarium sealant. I think I'll just stick a strip of an old yard sign in there as a dam. And my neighbor may have a coffee table she's getting rid of.

I'm thinking that if it's on a low table, I'll start off with it upright. If he doesn't use the branches at all, then I'll rotate it on it's side for more square footage.

Thanks for all the input!

SaulsMom
 
i didnt see if your old aquarium stand was wooden or steel if its wooden you could always trim it down to size!! you might still be able to do it with the steel if you know someone with a chop saw and a welder!
just some ideas
adam
 
Weebonilass said:
Plissken, we are talking about using what we already have, not going out and buying a new one. I was given a perfectly good tank at no cost to me and I figured out a way to use it, not go out and pay a couple of hundred dollars for a new one.
Click to expand...

SaulsMom said:
I guess my last option is to scrub the aquarium, sell it and the hood as used, and then go find a front sliding viv with stand.
Click to expand...

This suggests to me that SaulsMom is open to the idea of buying a new tank. :shrugs:

It's all very well having a free tank but if SaulsMom and her son can't reach the snake inside, what good does it serve?
 
Plissken said:
This suggests to me that SaulsMom is open to the idea of buying a new tank. :shrugs:

It's all very well having a free tank but if SaulsMom and her son can't reach the snake inside, what good does it serve?
Click to expand...


A low table will give her access to the tank or sitting on it's side will give them access to them. I actually love mine sitting on the side. I can take the lid off and take some good pictures, I can also talk to my guy when he's right there... whether he hears me or not, he appears to pay attention to me :)
 
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