Build a little river in a tank

I've had fish tanks since I was a kid.

When I was about 20, a new kind of tank came out: the River Tank EcoSystem by Finn Strong Designs. It was a kit that fit inside a regular aquarium. A pump at the bottom left sent water straight up, a channel carried it across to the highest pool on the right, and from there it cascaded down through three pools back to the left, where it was pumped up and around again.

What I loved was that it wasn't just a fish tank. Fish, little crabs, small turtles, fire-bellied frogs and even chameleons could all live in the same tank, in the water, on the ledges and in the plants. It was fun to watch and nothing like a plain old aquarium.