By: Mark Seltzer
[mark(at)seltzer.org]
About This Project
What is a Macquarium?
No these instructions will NOT show you how to make a pipe bomb and they will not show you how to blow up your school. These instructions are how to make a Macquarium. (one of the good sources of information on the Net!)
Simply put a Macquarium is a Macintosh Computer (usually a Mac Plus, 128k, se/30, se or classic) turned into a fish tank. There are three steps which I illustrate in this site on how to build a macquarium.
So Ya Want to Build one?
Well go through this site, fill out the Macquarium Forum and then start buildin'. If you have any macquarium related questions email me em.. i'll see if i can be of help.
Who are you?
I (Mark Seltzer) am a Junior at Syracuse University & SUNY ESF majoring in Information Studies (at SU) and a minor in Natural Resource Management (at ESF). Any job offers ?? I became interested in building these nifty fish tanks in HS when my school switched from ancient 12mhz Mac SE & SE/30 machines on appletalk to faster PCS (that’s another story).
Questions or comments about Macquarium building should be sent to mark (at)seltzer.org
My Experience
I have built four Macquarium from machines discarded from a local high school. The hardest step was acquiring the systems and buying the glass, but after that the rest was rather easy. I built my first macquarium senior year of high school after exams were over (hence why I was able to get the machine from school) and proceeded to start building the systems. First I needed a way to get the systems open, the MIS department I worked at had a tool called a “mac cracker” which looked like a long allen wrench to reach the screws in the back (under the handle) of the Macintosh. I created successfully created one of these tools with a hex bit and two used (white) BIC pens. Next I headed to the local hardware store (Brewers) to get glass. Armed with the plans I showed the glass cutter what I wanted and with a suspicions look the manager cut the five pieces of glass for me. Thus starting the Macquarium Revolution!
1
| This functioning system came with a keyboard, mouse and a Kingston System Saver.
The trick to this system was to find the 'hidden' screw under the CMOS battery. I was surprised when I opened this system, I found the founders names written on the back panel of the computer. |  |
Worked like a charm no problems encountered!
3 Macintosh SE FDHD (Mothers)
Works fine but sits un-used..
4 Macintosh SE FDHD (For HS)
Ooh! the Titanic.. it leaked and leaked.. finally used some more silicone and patched it up.
Questions or comments or suggestions?
-Mark (at) seltzer.org