If you walk up to a random person on the street and ask them to picture a freshwater fish tank or aquarium, maybe something from their youth, then this picture on the left is what they will most likely be thinking about.The reality is that in the US, the most common fish tank is freshwater. A very large percentage of kids in the US have one at some point or another. Typically, goldfish are the inhabitants or Siamese fighting fish / betas. Heck, go into many of the big box stores and this is still what you see first.
The question I have for all of you is, how do we change this image? Today, an EXTREMELY small percentage of people that start with this type of aquarium will "graduate" to having aquariums like the ones below. Why? Why do so many people never get past this fake plants, bubbling treasure chests and brightly colored gravel? It's painful. Please notice the taped on background on this aquarium, as well as, the decorations.
You have plastic plants along with what seems to be a plastic, neon pink brain coral. The background is full of corals yet you have Harlequin rasboras swimming around. My brain can barely process this. Now add the white and blue substrate and I just can't...
If you're reading this and a part of our growing community, you are that very small percentage that has made the transition. You're looking for more from your aquarium. Both for your inhabitants, be they plants, fish or shrimp. But also more for you. You want the aquarium to be kick-ass, beautiful. You envision your visitors going, WOW, that looks amazing!
How do we get there, folks? Below are a few inspiration pictures from our friends at Aquarium Design Group in Houston, Texas. We need these showing up in Architectural Digest and Better Homes and Gardens magazines!
