I Build A Table With A Stream for Real Fish

not deep enough ....

To get a deeper "river" (suitable for fish) glue additional layers of thick boards under where the "river" is going to be power carved out. This would allow the edges of the "riiver" be pre-cut to reduce amount of powered carving. This would also allow the underside to be sculptured

If anyone wants to build one of these, I suggest using an overflow drain. That way the amount of water is set by the height of your overflow, not your drain size or pump size. Then, even if you lose power, the water will still stay in the table and not all drain down into the tub underneath

my one thing as an aquarium owner is maybe instead of putting resin over the rocks on the bed of the river, resin over the bottom of the river then put the rocks on top so that they can still act as surface area for benificial bacteria to grow. Also easier access to the pump

Love the build. Improvements I would do- 1) Use a thicker slab or just add a thicker slab to the underside of the table that mirrors the river as it winds around so the river can be deeper. Just make sure both slabs are perfectly flat and when you carve out the river it will allow you to make it deeper for perhaps larger fish. 2) Use an overflow drain to avoid having to deal with timing the pump to the drain. 3) Use a cannister filter that will recirculate and pump the water in 1. 4) Seal the river but dont seal the rocks/base layer down. In the event you want to clean it you can pump the water out with shop vac (or have designated drain holes with removable plugs) and can remove all the pebbles to clean it properly. 5) Make a recess along the rivers edge so you can place a piece of plexiglass over the river and still utilize the table as a table with out anything falling in the water. If you like you can add all the extra rocks and decorations affixed to the plexiglass to give it that special look.

The wood and fish hobbyist inside me are clashing… Incredible build, awesome idea, and I believe if you overhauled this set up with an expert fish keeper fish could survive in an environment like that. HOWEVER don’t recommend this as they’ll be dead in a matter of weeks and you’ll be left with an awesome fish less table.

As a saltwater reef keeper for over a decade (we have 250 gallons of live reef). This table is more of a novelty than it is an eco system. I would NOT keep fish in this table for more than a few days. There is not enough room for them to grow. Also your sump that has to have the mechanical filtration (filter sock, activated carbon, and/or GFO) would need to be at least 40 gallons, with lots of live rock or wood, to provide enough surface area for the essential bacteria to build up to filter the nutrients out of the water column. That would require about 10-15% water changes weekly with heavy skimming. Great idea if you are having people over, but I'd have a more permeant solution for the fish. That tote would only be sufficient for about 2 of those goldfish. Also you would need an auto top off system to replace the water removed from daily evaporation. Love the idea. Love the build. Love the look. However it is not functional for the wellbeing of the livestock.

First let me make it clear that I LOVE the table. The video was great...it's was one of this years best. Having said that, the table is completely unsuitable for any fish. A few more inches in depth would make all the difference. I know that would really amp up the complexity of the build so I understand why you didn't do it. I appreciate the disclaimer. I just hope whomever get's the table does not try to keep fish in it.

Beautiful work, and a table some family will treasure. I agree with not keeping fish in this one, but you've inspired a bunch of ideas of how it could be made better. For example, using a custom bonsai pot that lets you have the water fall over an edge (helps to know some potters), incorporating a fibreglass pool at the bonsai end to provide a much deeper pool for the fish (hide it in the box under the table). That would also give the fish somewhere safe to retreat to if the power goes out. The fish still could, and probably would swim along the river, too.

I`m an `older` lady - bit of a wimp so have never, ever thought about woodwork stuff. Live in Hong Kong, so don`t have the room for a Fish Table. My son has fish in a largish `fung shui` rectangular tank - so that`s how far I keep pet fish........yet........I haven`t been this invested in watching a YouTube for quite a bit. Love this❤.

Talk to Serpa Design. He is a you tuber in the Pittsburg area as well

My cats would love a buffet like this! And good to know that you're not gonna keep the fish in there. I think that you could if the 'river' was both deeper and wider, but then you'd go into 'why not just buy an aquarium' territory, LOL.

Would be cool to have a super deep, actual live edge river table version of this with an actual waterfall thing so that the “calming pee sound” is the main feature, with a glass or plexi floating table top so that it can actually have stuff on top

Clear pond sealer should do the trick for making the water part watertight. Also Neon Tetra would have stood out against the drab browns so much better

John, did you ever think to glue the slabs together one on top of each other to give more depth for the river?

Build a deeper fishy river table! With an edge raised around the river part so you can watch the fish and not spill gravy or wine into the habitat!

Don't underestimate how much you need a chinchilla! I volunteer in animal rescue, took in a chinchilla to foster till I could work out arrangements to get her into a chinchilla rescue. Just as we were finishing all that and I had her in the rescue, my husband asked if he could keep her. Eight years later he still has her, does the lovey, sweet voice when he talks to her, they're best buds.

Just save yourself the hassle and put a lake in your dining room.

If you ever revisit this idea I would recommend using a canister filter it would combine the recirculation and filter into one sealed unit without having to mess with a sump as well.

looks lovely and i know youve taken a lot of care but its not something you should keep fish in, far too shallow. The tiktok thing would have put them in then just thrown them away or left them there to die. If you want fish, get a tank or a pond, not a table. Its still a nice looking table with the water but without the fish