How to Incorporate Aquariums into Interior Designs
RedFin is a specialist in the design and construction of unique, custom aquariums. We have designed and built aquariums for everything from coral reef fish to jellyfish and completed projects in 16 countries world-wide.
When dealing with architects and interior designers we often find they have similar questions with regards to how an aquarium fits into a wider construction project. With this article we set out to create a practical guide to incorporating aquariums into interior designs.
8 areas covered in this article:
Aquariums and Feng Shui.
What types of aquariums are there?
What shape should I choose for my space?
What materials to use and what to stay away from.
Considerations when designing the cabinet.
Where should I put the filtration?
Construction, installation and stocking timelines.
Are there any other concerns I should be aware of?
Diver cleaning a large residential aquarium in Dubai
1. Aquariums and Feng Shui
Developed more than 3,000 years ago in China, Feng Shui (Chinese: 風水) helps to balance the energies (or chi) within a space and attract good health and fortune for the people living or working there.
The term Feng Shui literally translates as "wind-water" in English.
Have you ever wondered why most Chinese restaurants have an aquarium on display? When an aquarium is placed in a room according to Feng Shui guidelines it is said to attract positive energy into the space. An aquarium incorporates all of the five Feng Shui elements:
Water: The aquarium is filled with either saltwater or freshwater
Wood: An aquarium often contains plants or driftwood
Metal: The aquarium is normally sitting on a steel structure
Earth: The bottom of the aquarium is often covered in sand, soil, gravel or rocks
Fire: The bright colors of the fish and the aquarium lighting
What is the best location for a Feng Shui Aquarium?
The ideal location for your Feng Shui aquarium is in the south-east corner of your space, also referred to as the Feng Shui wealth and abundance area. This is the area that typically has the best energy to enhance wealth and prosperity. The aquarium should be located diagonally across from or opposite the entrance to a room.
Placing an aquarium in a bedroom or kitchen should be avoided under Feng Shui guidelines. The bedroom should be a peaceful environment and the energy of an aquarium can upset your sleep. The kitchen is where the fire element is strong and therefore water can clash with fire. It is said that placing an aquarium in a kitchen can create arguments in the household!
Are there any other Feng Sui considerations?
The shape of the aquarium, number of fish, colour of the fish and the materials used for the cabinet are also important considerations but the advice on these can vary a lot depending on which Feng Shui master you talk to.
2. What type of aquarium will work best for my space?
Aquariums can be designed to resemble a wide range of habitats from the world's oceans and rivers. Below are 6 of our favourite types of aquarium.
Freshwater Hardscape
A hardscape aquarium incorporates rocks, driftwood, gravel and other decorations but no plants. This is considered the least labour-intensive aquarium to look after. It can be stocked with a range of freshwater fish including simple goldfish, cichlids or discus (shown in the image below). This style lends itself to clean, minimalist interior spaces but can get a bit stale if you are seeing it on a day-to-day basis.
Aquarium by: www.aquariumdesigngroup.com
Freshwater Planted
Looking more like a landscape painting or an art piece, freshwater planted aquariums are quickly growing in popularity with aquarists around the world. They need some expertise to keep the aquarium healthy and there will be some work involved in pruning and maintaining the aquatic plants. Freshwater planted aquariums have a relaxing effect and add a natural feeling to the rooms where they are installed.
Photo by Christoffer Rudquist
Green Wall Aquariums
Green wall aquariums are often referred to as aqua terrariums or paludariums. They combine a wall covered in plants and mosses with an aquarium full of fish. Water is trickled down the back wall into an aquarium below. The nutrients from the fish waste is used to fertilise the plants; in turn the plants filter the water for the fish creating a natural ecosystem. This type of aquarium normally contains colourful tropical fish such as discus and cichlids.
This type of water feature is quickly growing in popularity and there are some really striking examples around the world. Below are some images of a wall at Amazon in Seattle built as a collaboration between Tenji, Aquarium Zen and Variance Design.
Saltwater Fish
Saltwater fish have a reputation of being harder to look after compared to freshwater fish but this isn’t necessarily true. The main difference between the two is that you need to maintain the correct level of salt in the water for marine fish. The amount of salt should match natural ocean water. The day-to-day maintenance is similar in both marine and freshwater aquariums.
Saltwater fish come in a wide range of shapes and bright colours. They are more colourful and arguably have more personality than freshwater fish. Saltwater fish also generally come with a higher price tag.
Saltwater aquariums can be decorated using simple ocean or live rock. Alternatively, an artificial coral reef decoration can be created. Lifelike artificial corals are very striking, particularly from a distance, but it takes quite a lot of work to keep them clean.
Aquarium by Oceans Aquarium Design
Saltwater Fish and Live Coral
Maintaining a healthy live coral aquarium require some experience and expertise. Corals need high levels of light in the correct spectrum, good water movement and perfect water quality in order to thrive in an aquarium. As a coral grows it removes minerals from the water which are used to build its internal skeleton. These minerals need to be regularly tested and replaced in the same ratio as they are being removed in order to keep the corals healthy. This is a delicate ongoing process which needs to be carefully controlled.
Coral Aquarium at Nagoya Aquarium, Japan
There are lots of other sea creatures which can be added to a reef aquarium such as shrimp, crabs, snails, lobsters, urchins, starfish, and clams. Each of these creatures have their own set of requirements which will need to be considered by the person maintaining the aquarium.
Although reef aquariums need a lot of care, they are also one of the most rewarding aquariums to look after. The creatures inside have a lot of personality and there always seems to be something new going on every time you look at the aquarium.
Aquarium by Chingchai Uekrongtham. Check out a video of his tank here.
Jellyfish Aquariums
Jellyfish aquariums are quite a new phenomenon. Up until recently they were only seen in public aquariums but due to advances in technology, they have gradually moved into people’s homes. There are 100’s of different species of jellyfish, each with these own specific food and aquarium requirements. Jellyfish are found in all of the world’s oceans, so they range from requiring tropical right down to arctic temperatures.
Jellyfish can be kept in most aquarium shapes, but the aquarium’s water flow needs to be designed specifically for their weak swimming and soft gelatinous body. In a normal aquarium jellies will be sucked into any water outlets or damaged on abrasive sand and rocks. The water in a jellyfish aquarium needs to circulate in a pattern that keeps them away from any areas of suction and no abrasive or sharp objects should be placed in the tank.
Click here for more information about jellyfish aquariums.
For information about tropical fish species & the best tropical fish for beginners we recommend this article by Aquariadise
3. Shapes and Styles
Aquariums come in a wide range of shapes and sizes. We have compiled a list of some of the more common styles below
Rectangular Aquariums
When most people think of an aquarium they picture the traditional rectangular shaped tank that is sat on a stand, up against a wall.
Whilst this shape of aquarium is functional, it generally isn’t going to have that wow factor impact.
Aquarium built by RedFin for a casino in Macau
Countertop Aquarium
Shallow aquariums can be built into bars, countertops and cabinets similar to the aquarium in the image below. This aquarium is built into a window cabinet at a luxury office in Hong Kong. Lighting this type of aquarium can present some problems. The problem was solved with the aquarium in this image by adding some extra slim, waterproof LED lights between the top of the tank and the counter. The countertop also lifts off to allow for cleaning and maintenance of the aquarium.
Aquarium in a Hong Kong executive office by RedFin
In Wall Aquarium
Another option is to install a rectangular aquarium behind a wall. This gives the impression of a moving picture or a window looking under a river or ocean.
Another benefit to this type of aquarium is that is can often be accessed from the back, which may be of benefit if the area in front of the aquarium is in use by the public.
Aquarium by Ralf Prehn. More details about he aquarium can be found here.
Room Divider Aquarium- Island
Aquarium room dividers make an interesting feature. A room divider aquarium could consist of an aquarium inside a wall viewable through two windows, a “peninsula” aquarium viewable through three windows or a tank in the middle of a room viewable through four windows like this image shown.
Looking though two transparent windows gives the impression the fish are floating in mid-air.
Room divider aquarium built for a luxury Dubai villa by RedFin
Cylinder Aquarium
Cylinder aquariums are popular in interior design because they are quite tall, impressive displays that do not take up a lot of floor space.
Acrylic is recommended over glass for cylinder aquariums because acrylic refracts light at a very similar level to water. Glass refracts light much more thaRen acrylic so fish can look distorted when looking through a curved glass panel. There is very little distortion when looking through curved acrylic.
Oval Shaped Aquarium
An oval shaped aquarium has the same seamless and cornerless appeal as a cylinder shaped aquarium but it can be elongated to serve the purpose of a room divider.
Rendered image of oval-shaped aquarium created by Redfin
4. Materials to use
Aquariums are not always just a glass box. They can be made of glass, acrylic, fiberglass or even concrete. The material selection will have an impact on the budget and how the completed aquarium will look.
The Transparent Windows
The transparent windows on an aquarium are generally made of either acrylic or glass. RedFin do not use glass for any aquariums over one metre tall for safety reasons. Glass has a lower cost than acrylic but acrylic out-performs glass in:
Visual clarity. Acrylic is superior to glass when it comes to optical clarity. Around 92% of light passes through acrylic where as only 80-90% pass through glass. Glass also has a green tint. Aquarium windows are generally very thick so that they can safely handle the water pressure inside the aquarium. The green tint in glass may be hardly noticeable in a 5-10 mm thick house window but aquariums windows can range from 10 mm right up to and above 100 mm. At this thickness the content of the aquarium will have a strong green tint.
Safety and durability. Acrylic is far more resistant and less likely to be damaged under impact than glass.
Refraction. Acrylic will distort less than glass when viewing through bends or curves. Acrylic has almost the same index of refraction as water. This means less distortion of what is in your tank. What you see is the actual size and colour of your fish, and decorations in the aquarium.
Scratching. Like any material, acrylic will scratch if not properly taken care of. However, unlike glass, an acrylic tank can be buffed out to remove any imperfections that might happen over time. Acrylic can be restored to optical clarity by polishing (unlike glass aquariums).
Weight. Acrylic is lighter and stronger than glass and can withstand much higher impact.
Bonds. Acrylic is chemically bonded at the joints to form one solid piece.
Shapes. Acrylic can be easily cut, bent and formed into exotic shapes.
Other materials
Larger aquariums are often made of concrete with a waterproof coating or fibreglass reinforced polyester (FRP)
5. Cabinet Considerations
RedFin often supply an aquarium on a simple steel frame. The cladding facia around the aquarium and stand is supplied by a cabinet maker. Here’s what you need to know when designing this cabinetry.
Cabinetry and cladding considerations
Access Hatches
One of the first points to consider when designing cabinetry to surround an aquarium is the access needed to clean the aquarium and maintain the equipment. There should be a minimum space of 40 cm / 15” between the top of the tank and the ceiling to allow access for cleaning the tank. Take into consideration that the lighting will normally need to be installed in this space which will decrease the access space even further.
Access below the aquarium is also important. Most of the aquarium life support system (LSS) will be installed in this section. Unless the LSS is installed remotely in a different room, this space will be filled with equipment. The equipment will need to be moved in and out of the section regularly for cleaning and maintenance so large access doors to this area are important. A 90 cm or 36 inches tall space is recommended under the aquarium if the filtration system is to be installed in this area.
You can see the access hatches above and below the aquarium in the photo below.
RedFin staff cleaning a 7m reef aquarium in a Hong Kong luxury apartment
Window size
When designing the cabinetry for an aquarium the window looking into the aquarium is normally smaller than the front acrylic/glass panel. The aim is to create the effect you are looking through a window into an underwater world. If the edges of the side and base panels are visible it will detract from this feeling. The top and bottom of the window normally come in further again than the sides. At the bottom of the tank you will need to hide the sand or soil bed line and at the top, you normally hide the water line which sits below the top of the tank.
This all depends on the design of the aquarium. Some aquariums are completely open top which can create a very clean modern look. Other aquariums may be placed on a flat surface where seeing the sides of the glass tank become part of the design.
Cabinet Materials
It is important to use materials which are designed for a humid and sometimes salty environment. Marine grade plywood is recommended over standard grades due to its resistance to moisture. Saltwater is very corrosive to some metals. Mild steel or other metals with a low corrosion resistance should not be used around saltwater. 316 grade stainless steel and titanium are the commonly used around saltwater due to their saltwater resistance. Other materials like plastic and fiberglass reinforced polyester (FRP) are also common.
6. Location of filtration system
All aquariums come with a filtration which will need to be accommodated in a space somewhere in close proximity to the aquarium. The three most common spaces to house the filtration are: below the tank; behind the tank or on the floor below. Each solution comes with its own pros and cons listed below.
Option one: Under the aquarium
Installing the filtration system under the aquarium is the most common solution. It makes sense because it does not take up any additional space and there is very little plumbing between the tank and filter.
Open filtration systems (the kind you will find on most larger aquariums) will need a clear space of approximately 1 m/3 ft in height for access. Equipment may need to be removed from time to time for cleaning, repairs or replacement. The legs on the stand will need to be spaced allowing for the equipment to be moved in and out.
Placing the life support system under the tank becomes problematic if on aquariums with a large water volume. Larger aquariums normally require large filters. If the space under the tank is small or the aquarium is placed on a solid slab, then a different location will need to be found for the filtration.
Option two: Behind the aquarium
Installing the filtration system behind the aquarium comes with a number of benefits. Firstly, it means the aquarium stand can be lower which means the viewing window into the aquarium can be larger and more impressive.
It also means the equipment is easily accessible and general maintenance on the tank can be carried out from behind the tank. This can be important when the front of the tank is in a public space.
Option three: On a floor below the aquarium
The is the most common option for large aquariums and public aquarium displays. The filtration can be housed multiple floors below or quite a large distance away from the aquarium display. The only limiting factor is the size of the system pump and the pressure rating of the plumbing.
Placing the filtration on a floor below the aquarium is often the preferred solution when the aquarium is installed in a commercial space. If the area around the aquarium has a high rent value it often makes sense to install the filtration on a lower floor which may be a car park or basement.
7. Construction, installation and stocking timelines.
A typical aquarium project is split into 6 phases. The length of each phase will vary depending on the size of the project.
Phase 1: Design
The design phase for a feature aquarium will normally last between 2-6 weeks depending on the complexity of the project.
Phase 2: Construction
Construction of a simple glass aquarium and filtration system normally requires 4-6 weeks. A large acrylic aquarium may require up to 3 months and extremely large acrylic aquariums with thick panels can require up to 6 months of construction.
Phase 3: Shipping
Time needed for shipping will depend on your location and the type of shipping used. Air shipping can take as little as one week including the transport on either side. Sea shipping normally takes around one month depending on the location.
Phase 4: Installation
Again, the installation phase will depend on the complexity of the project. 1-2 weeks installation is normally required for a large feature aquarium.
Phase 5: Maturation
This phase is often overlooked when planning an aquarium project, but it is extremely important for the health of the livestock which will be added to the tank. An aquarium’s filtration system relies heavily on biological action to break down fish waste.
The biological filter in an aquarium normally takes about 4 weeks before it is at a stage where it can handle a significant load of ammonia and fish waste. There are bacterial additives and techniques which can speed this process up but if fish are added to the aquarium too quickly, before the filtration system has been matured to a point where it can handle the fish’s waste, then all of the livestock in the aquarium can quickly die. This is referred to as ’new tank syndrome’.
Phase 6: Adding livestock
Livestock is normally added in batches to avoid overloading the filtration system. For example, if the plan is to add 400 fish to an aquarium, they may be added in batches of 100 fish every two weeks until the target number is reached.
8. Other Considerations
Heres are some other considerations which often get overlooked.
Installation site access
This might seem very basic but all too often these two points are overlooked when planning an aquarium project. The access route including doorways, elevators and stairs are often the determining factor when deciding on the size of an aquarium. Glass aquariums can generally be assembled from individual panels on site. Although it is possible to bond acrylic aquariums together on site this is difficult, costly and there is a high risk of the bonds being a lower quality than they would be if the aquarium were to be bonded together in a factory. Generally acrylic aquariums will need to be transported into the installation location in one piece.
Floor loading
Buildings are designed with a maximum amount of weight per metre/foot in mind. The maximum weight a floor can take will depend on what the building was originally designed for. For example, a building designed for residential use will have a much lower maximum floor loading than an old industrial building designed for heavy machinery.
It is important to check the floor maximum floor loading allowed in a building before installing a large aquarium or it could cause structural issues. Water weights 1 kg per litre. A 1 m x 1 m x 1 m aquarium will weigh over 1000 kg when full. A large aquarium will often go over the standard floor loading of a building but there are techniques to get around this such as placing the tank close to structural columns or spreading the load on steel plates.
Important Note
It is important to make sure all livestock added to your aquarium is ethically sourced. RedFin always try to source aquacultured livestock over livestock taken from the wild. If you need to source wild collected livestock, it should be through a reputable supplier who follows ethical collection practices and does not overly stress wild populations.
Thanks for reading.
If you have any questions or commets please let us know,