3D Holographic Fish Tank (DIY Project)

Turn your screen into a relaxing 3D holographic fish tank in 3 easy steps.

About

This project is purely for fun and relaxation — a low-cost way to bring a calm, glowing aquarium into any room using nothing more than a screen and a sheet of clear acrylic. It uses the Pepper's Ghost technique: place a smartphone or monitor flat on top of an open box, then insert a rigid piece of clear glass or acrylic at an exact 45-degree angle inside the box. The glass reflects the screen's light outward while remaining transparent to the eye. The result is the illusion of 3D fish floating in the empty air inside the box — no special hardware required.

Setup Video

3-Step Instructions

Use a rigid sheet of clear acrylic or glass cut to size, angled at exactly 45°.

3-step setup diagram: (1) cut an open-top box, (2) insert acrylic at 45 degrees, (3) play a hologram video on your phone placed face-down on top

No glass or acrylic panel? You can use a taut strip of cling wrap (glad wrap) stretched across the opening at a 45-degree angle instead. It works surprisingly well as a temporary reflective surface.

Alternative setup using cling wrap (glad wrap) stretched at a 45-degree angle as a reflective surface instead of an acrylic panel

Recommended Videos

All videos work best on a black background. Click the URL to open on YouTube — clicks are tracked in the last column.

#	Title	URL	Duration	Style
1	2 Hours 4K Futuristic 3D Neon Koi Fish Hologram Loop	youtu.be/oXFfoENdJas	2:00:00	True 3D neon holographic projection loop with deep meditation music.
2	1 Hour Relaxing 3D Hologram Video Betta Fish in Aquarium	youtu.be/-zOMsAosUfM	1:00:00	Designed specifically for DIY Pepper's Ghost holographic projectors.
3	3D Hologram Video 1 Hour Fish Digital Aquarium DIY Smartphone Projector	youtu.be/eo5dzX37k9s	1:06:01	Full digital 3D aquarium designed for multi-screen hologram displays.
4	1 Hour Blobfish 3D Hologram Digital Aquarium	youtu.be/oCnuWetHmZw	1:00:00	Quirky 3D holographic model floating in a pitch-black digital tank.
5	3D Hologram Fish 30 Minute 🐠 Relaxing Ambient Music	youtu.be/A0hdU3RuaCY	30:28	Vivid neon 3D holograms on a black background set to synth-piano.
6	2 Hours 4K Futuristic 3D Neon Right Whale Hologram	youtu.be/Xz1KBBwldPo	2:00:00	A massive 3D neon whale projection designed as a meditation screensaver.
7	Best Quality 3D Hologram Compilation for Hologram Projector	youtu.be/rPeEVBxYMKU	4:31:00	A massive 4.5-hour compilation of 3D holograms for specialised hardware.
8	Dream Aquarium — 2 Hours — 8 Tanks (4K)	youtu.be/HHi8qOtHnhE	2:00:03	Fully 3D-animated high-definition virtual aquarium screensaver software.
9	Holographic Aquarium ✨ 1 Hour Peaceful Cyberpunk Room	youtu.be/LD1ltTXQ6d8	1:00:00	3D-animated cyberpunk room featuring a glowing holographic fish tank.
10	A Bedroom Lit by a Holographic Aquarium at Midnight \| Chill Lofi	youtu.be/zG2Rkvh17P0	1:00:00	Holographic aesthetic room with an ambient aquatic theme and lofi beats.
11	10 Hour Jellyfish Hologram	youtu.be/CIszi2Kv_lk	10:00:00	Ultra-long holographic jellyfish loop designed for holographic projector displays.
12	2 Hours 4K Futuristic 3D Neon Seahorse Hologram Loop \| Screensaver for Meditation	youtu.be/ebyn6c7YP28	2:00:00	Futuristic 3D neon seahorse holographic projection loop with meditation music.
13	Cat TV 3D 🐟 Amazing Aquarium for Cats to Watch \| 8 Hours	youtu.be/KT6n05GkZAY	8:18:30	3D-rendered high-definition digital fish tank with ambient audio.
14	12 Hours Stunning 4K Betta Fish with Relaxing Music 🐠	youtu.be/B30S0Vr9N9A	11:59:27	Though live-action, the pure black background mimics a holographic display.
15	Neon Jellyfish Aquarium ~ Relaxing Music for Sleep • 6 Hours	youtu.be/sEH3pOhj0xs	6:05:00	Glowing bioluminescent jellyfish acting as a 3D neon hologram.
16	Jellyfish Aquarium ~ Relaxing Music for Sleep, Study • 3 Hours	youtu.be/gdJjc6l6iII	4:26:49	High-definition glowing marine life on pitch-black background (OLED-safe).
17	🌿 4K Betta Fish Relaxation \| 4 Hours Relaxing Music	youtu.be/TXH_lyE-43c	4:00:00	High-contrast neon-coloured fish on a pure black projector background.
18	2 Hours 4K Abstract 3D Neon Octopus Hologram Loop \| Screensaver for Meditation	youtu.be/M4N8RZq5VXw	2:00:00	Abstract 3D neon octopus holographic projection loop with deep meditation music.
19	✨ Beautiful 4K Betta Fish \| 4 Hours Relaxing Music for Deep Relaxation	youtu.be/CR1YeFBvTps	4:00:00	Floating neon aesthetics without visible tank walls or gravel.
20	The Best 4K Aquarium for Relaxation II	youtu.be/XVkADAwOXnU	2:03:10	High-end 4K aquatic scenes with ambient sleep meditation audio.