Other uses for your fish tank

If you’ve lost your beloved fish and can’t bring yourself to replace dearly departed Goldie, it doesn’t have to mean the end of your fish tank. There are lots of other things you can do with a fish tank you no longer want to use as an aquarium. Check out this guide below and see if you can’t give your old fish tank a new lease of life.

A terrarium is a home for smaller land animals, such as lizards, frogs or spiders. An old fish tank can form a great home for such animals, providing it is large enough and in good enough condition. If you’re not sure if your fish tank is suitable for a new inhabitant, ask at your local pet store for some advice. Any old lights or thermometers from your fish tank might also have a use, depending on the creature you choose to keep.

If the reason your fish tank is empty is because you’re looking for something that takes even less looking after than a fish, using your old tank as a home for plants could be a good idea. You will need to consider the sorts of plants you want to keep, and stick to that theme. This is because different plants need different conditions, and in such an enclosed space, you will only be able to cater for one temperature. The fish tank can also provide a great structure for a mini greenhouse, for plants that need a little heat and humidity.

Fish tanks can also be a great place for storing or displaying things. Stick your old fish tank in your living room to show off some old jewellery or trinkets, or use it in your shed to keep odd bits and bobs. Be wary of stacking things on top of it though – you don’t want it to break under pressure.

There are also lots of uses for the old gravel out of your fish tank – so if you’ve got some of that lying around, don’t throw it away! You can use it to line plant pots outside to provide better drainage at the bottom of the container, or you could make decorations if you’ve got gravel in lots of different colours.

Overwhelmed with the urge to follow some of these ideas but don't have a fish tank? Have a look at the Friday-Ad listings and see what you can find!