Aquarium Concept: Glass Floor Aquarium
RedFin was also asked to come up with a "glass floor aquarium" concept for a private villa.
This latest concept, a large private aquarium with a glass roof, can give the impression of “walking on water” when viewed from above. The aquarium would measure 8m x 8m x 3m. The windows of the aquarium would be made from a high-transparency acrylic, and the transparent roof would be made of glass. The aquarium would also feature a spiral staircase, running around the side of the aquarium and leading to the viewing area above.
This above viewing area is what sets this aquarium apart from other large private aquariums. While other large private aquariums have been constructed, they don't give the opportunity to stand right above the aquarium, offering a whole new perspective on the aquatic life below.
The acrylic windows will need to be more than 20cm in thickness, as a tank of such size would need very thick acrylic to deal with the large amounts of pressure. As the glass floor would need to be able to support the weight of many viewers at once, it will be supported by specially coated and treated steel beams. The coating and treatment on these beams is to protect them from corroding over time.
Rather than using real coral, the tank will contain specially made artificial coral and rock inserts. This will prevent the coral from becoming damaged or bleached over time, which can pose major problems when keeping live corals. This will allow the corals and rocks to preserve their colours for years to come. The corals will be made from special materials in order to do this, and these materials will also prevent the corals and rocks from polluting the water.
Due to the size of the tank, many different species of exotic aquatic life can be stored in the tank. From brightly coloured coral reef fish, to small sharks, sting rays and even puffer fish, the combination of many beautiful aquatic species would not only provide a striking centrepiece to any home, but watching the beautiful aquatic life move through the crystal clear water, with a backdrop of bright corals and rocks, would transfix the eyes of anyone who views it.
In order to monitor the aquarium effectively and deal with any issues that arise in a timely manner, there will be a computer monitoring system built into the aquarium. This would give the maintenance team remote control of the filtration and water parameters, meaning that any issues to be flagged and resolved in a timely manner. This means that maintenance can be done more efficiently and effectively, protecting the quality of the water and keeping the livestock healthy.
The total cost of the aquarium would be HKD$15million. The majority of the cost goes into the high quality Acrylic sides and glass top, which would cost $11.7 million. It will cost $1.56 million to install, and the remaining cost is for the other construction materials, which are; the Filtration room and filtration equipment ($741,000), the artificial coral and other decorations ($585,000) and the lighting and computer control system ($390,000).
For a tank of this size and complexity, regular maintenance would be required, which Redfin can provide. A professional aquarist would be required to dive into the tank to clean the glass and the corals, and this would need to be done on multiple times on a weekly basis. The cost of the livestock and maintenance will cost HK$624,000 per annum.
“An aquarium like this has never been created before, so this is the ultimate [home] aquarium,” says James Bruce, managing director of RedFin Aquariums.