iMacquarium

plural iMacquariums · alternative iMacQuarium

1. An aquarium (fish tank) constructed using the case of a defunct iMac personal computer.

   He [Carl Blake] is apparently the first person to locate a steady supply of colored iMac cases for his iMacquarium creation.

   2000 November 13, Doug Bedell, “COMPUTER: Finding novel uses for outdated equipment”, in The Record, Hackensack, N.J.: Bergen Record Corp., →OCLC, page H-10, column 4

   5 more examples

   As I took a hacksaw and a dremel to a skinny mac^([sic]) yesterday... (yes, it did have all the signatures molded into the plastic on the inside back of the case, in case you were wondering), it made me wonder... Has anyone made an iMacquarium yet? That's^([sic]) at least look cool...

   1998 December 10, Mark C. Spaeth, “iMac owners- ARE YOU HAPPY?!!!!”, in comp.sys.mac.wanted (Usenet), archived from the original on 28 Jul 2025

   I was just wondering if the Apple Stores are going to have T-shirts, hats, iMacquariums and stuff like the company store in California or just computers and software, I haven't heard of anythig^([sic]) else though?

   2001 May 19, Big Daddy, “Apple Stores - Just Computers?”, in comp.sys.mac.advocacy (Usenet), archived from the original on 28 Jul 2025

   Can't be bothered to repair it, and it gives me a good excuse to buy an^([sic]) new one ;-) Things that it might be useful for: - Repair and resale - Building a rackmounted or casemodded mac^([sic]) - Stripping for parts - iMacquarium? Any offer considered. Going on eBay if unsold by Friday.

   2004 October 25, Jim Stewart, “FS: Dead iMac G3 for parts or repair”, in uk.adverts.computer.mac (Usenet), archived from the original on 28 Jul 2025

   Jake Harms had the clever idea to make them into aquariums, for "Mac and fish enthusiasts worldwide." The cases for his pre-made iMacquariums are sourced from recyclers, so you're not exactly saving a computer from the dump, but he also offers a kit for building your own.

   2011 October 19, Jess Zimmerman, “E-waste idea: Turn an iMac into an aquarium”, in Grist, Seattle, Wash.: Grist Magazine, Inc., →OCLC, archived from the original on 05 Aug 2020

   Then, after some planning and experimenting I had a working iMacquarium - everyone who saw it thought it was awesome and soon I was building them for family and friends. I started collecting broken iMacs from local recyclers, invested in all of the materials and supplies I would need, and started building iMacquariums in my spare time.

   2011 December 31, Mary McConnell, quoting Jake Harms, “There's something fishy about this computer: Photographer creates aquariums out of old iMacs”, in Daily Mail, London: DMG Media, →ISSN, →OCLC, archived from the original on 31 Dec 2011

plural iMacQuariums

1. Alternative letter-case form of iMacquarium.

   […] all-in-one Mac into an acquarium (iMacQuariums, anyone?).

   2000 December 3, “Tech the halls with …”, in The Seattle Times, Seattle, Wash., →ISSN, →OCLC, page C1

   3 more examples

   My original Bondi blue iMac is by far the most reliable of the half-dozen Macs operating round-the-dock in my office. […] But I think its consistent performance is due to the fact that it sits on the same table as my iMacQuarium Prototype C. […] I had to build an iMacQuarium. The whole top naturally lifts off like a cake stand’s for easy access! […] Still, an iMacQuarium isn’t the same beast as a MacQuarium. When I developed the original MacQuarium plans, Mac Classics were good for little more than becoming fish tanks.

   2001 March, Andy Ihnatko, “MacQuarium Revisited: What Can You Do with Your Aging iMac? GO FISH!”, in Andrew Gore, editor, Macworld, San Francisco, Calif.: Mac Publishing, →ISSN, →OCLC, page 27, column 2

   If you’re thinking of trashing a viable iMac to make an iMacQuarium, please think again and donate it to a school or other nonprofit that may be struggling along with old IIce’s, as this classroom is.

   2001 June, Harry Henning, “Don’t Trash That iMac!”, in Andrew Gore, editor, Macworld, San Francisco, Calif.: Mac Publishing, →ISSN, →OCLC, Feedback, page 16, column 3

   Tonight show host Jay Leno and Apple founder Steve Jobs have found a place for fish in their homes: Both have an “iMacQuarium” — an old iMac computer with the electronics taken out and replaced with a fish tank.

   2005 February 19, M. Veronica Velasco, Weta Ray Clark, “Living with fish: Stylish aquariums make themselves at home”, in The News & Observer, final edition, Raleigh, N.C.: The News and Observer Publishing Company, →ISSN, →OCLC, page 12E, columns 4–5