Aquarium faceplate

Our project

Every hobby breeder of fish, shrimp, crayfish and similar animals dreams of aquarium racks to showcase their breeding stock. The faceplates above the aquariums are an essential element for an attractive overall look. The only question is: how can these covers be attached securely while still remaining removable? Magnets seem far more practical than any type of screw fastener. After a failed attempt to discreetly glue disc magnets to the back of the panels, we discovered a simpler and better solution:

The shelving unit

A simple heavy-duty shelving unit from the DIY store serves as the basic framework for the aquarium rack. The fish tanks are custom-made to precisely fit the width of the shelf and the desired depth.

The faceplates are made of polyethylene, are 6 mm thick, and were cut to size by a specialist retailer. Although this is relatively expensive, it ensures that nothing splinters and everything fits like a glove.

Magnet placement

We installed 4 Office magnets 'Steel 12' on each long panel and 2 on each short panel. Holes with a diameter of 10 mm were needed to attach them. We drilled these ourselves using a metal drill bit. Afterwards, we were able to simply press the magnets into the holes.

The cover panels can be easily attached to the metal shelves of the heavy-duty shelving unit. Removing them is just as simple, and the magnets remain securely in place within the panels. What's more, the silver magnets look great against the black panels. We are absolutely thrilled - it's a brilliant solution in terms of both functionality and appearance.