I realize this is a departure from the culture war, but I am facing a war nevertheless.

A potentially deadly fish versus turtle war.

Normally, the latter eat the former, but in the case of my demented (and nearly outgrown) tank, the fish (a pair of demented Flowerhorn cichlids -- "an abomination to the hobby") are growing too fast, terrorizing the tank, and need to be separated.

So I found a used 35 gallon hexagonal aquarium which is 20 1/4" wide x 23 1/4" wide x 25" high. It came with no base, but I found a somewhat tacky office table (in two pieces) that I want to modify.

In a marvelous coincidence, the table base (made of heavy wood covered by finished sheet metal) is 20 1/4" wide by 28" high, and the aquarium edges rest on six places around the circle.

However, the above arrangement is not as solid or secure as would be a flat wooden base supporting the entire tank. (Bear in mind that 35 gallons of water weigh nearly 300 lbs. -- and that's in addition to the weight of the tank.)

The table has an enormous, fake wood formica style top 5 feet wide.

Obviously, that is far too big, so I will have to cut it to size. But what size? How should I do this without making it look even more tacky than it is?

I thought of several things.

1. Using the table base as is (with only partial support around the bottom of the tank);

2. Tracing the aquarium shape onto the table top and cutting out a piece for the bottom, then trimming around the edges;

3. Cutting a 60 degree pie section from the middle of the table, then trimming off the back triangle. (This would produce two rounded triangle "shelves" on each side, plus support for the aquarium. The front edge would be rounded, finished, and water impervious, although it might look peculiar.)

4. Making the thing look like a giant bolt, by painting it silver, with threads around the base and an enlarged hexagonal wooden top painted to look like a giant bolt head.

5. Gluing bamboo (or half bamboo) around the base.

6. Painting a Tiki pole design on the base. In the latter regard, tacky is the whole idea, and tacky designs abound:

How's this for an anti-war think tank?

Isn't the best defense a good offense? Or should I go back to the drawing board?

Your thoughts are appreciated.