Aquariums have moved far beyond the fish tank on a stand and into the realm of living art. More homeowners are discovering that aquanums, replete with colorful fish. exotic corals, and flourishing olant life. can breathe life into a room. offer a calming connection to nature, and add a unique and beautiful design element. If you've ever wanted to incorporate an aquarium into your home, this is the book for you. The Inspired Aquarium explores new territory in aquarium installations, delivering the most up-to-date advice and ideas for creating innovative and inspiring aquariums. The book also includes hundreds of breathtaking full-color photos and a wide assortment of design tips for creating the aquarium of your dreams.

Introduction

01  Placement and Planning

Chapter 1 : Where to Place Your Aquarium

Impact on the Space

Support Structure

Making it Easy: Proximiiy to Drain And Fill

Room to Breathe: Special Ventilation Considerations.

The Noise Factor

Areas to Avoid

Chapter 2: Choosing an Aquarium

Size Matters: Considering a Larger Aquarium

The Great Debate: Glass Versus Acrylic

Aquarium Designs

The Classic Built-in Aquarium

A Word on Cabinetry

Chapter 3: Filtration

A Polished Performance: Mechanical Filtration

The Battle for Purily: Chemical Filtration

Ecology in Action: Biological Filtration

Chapter 4: Lighting

Fish Need their Rest. Tool Lighting Do's and Don'ts

The Balancing Act: Special Lighting Rules

for Reef and Live-planted Aquariums

Let There Be Light: Lighting Types ana

Fixtures for the Aquarium

02  Freshwater Aquariums

Chapter 5: Decorative Freshwater Aquariums

Decorative Freshwater Design Possibilities

Keep It Simple: Freshwater System Design

The Fish

Keep It Clean: Maintenance Guidelines

for the Decorative Freshwater Aquarium

Chapter 6: Freshwater Live-Planted Aquariums

The Green Glow: Asthetics of the Live-Planted Aquarium

Healthy Plants = Healthy Fish = Healthy Aquarium:

System Design for the Freshwater Live-Planted Aquarium

Beyond Gravel: Special Substrates for Aquatic Plants

The Plants

The Fish

Maintenance Basics and Long-Term Considerations

for the Live-Planted Aquarium

03 saltwater Aquanum

Chapter 7：Decorative SaltwaterAquariums

The Ocean Asthetic：The impact of the Saltwater

Aquarium

Variations on a Theme：Layout Concepts and Materials

for the Decorative Saltwater Aquarium 

The Fish 

System Requirements for the Decorative Saltwater

Aquarium  

A Case for Purlty：Deionization and Reverse Osmosis

Pursuing Ocean Purity：Maintenance Guidelines for

the Decorative Saltwater Aquarium   

Chapter 8：Live Coral ReefAquariums

Aesthetic Considerations：

The Impact Of the Coral Reef Aquarium

Reef Building：Composition and Layout Approaches

Living Treasures：Common Live Corals and other

lnvertebrates

The Fish  

A Most Delicate Balance：System Requirements for the

ReefAquarium  

Caring for the Indoor Ocean：Maintenance Guidelines

for LiveCoraI ReefAquariums

04 I Case studies

Chapter 9：FreshwaterAquarium Case Studies

Metropolitan Home Decorative Freshwater Aquarium

Cherrywood Bedroom Decorative Freshwater Aquarium

Eclectic Style Home Decorative Freshwater Aquarium

Dock-Side Home Live—Planted Aquarium 

Waterfront Home Live-Planted Aquarium

Chapter 1 0：Saltwater Case Studies

Suburban Home Decorative Saltwater Aquarium

Modern Home Decorative Saltwater Aquarium 

Home Theater Live Coral Reef Aquarium

Bed and Bath Live Coral ReefAquarium

Urban High-Rise Condominium Live Coral Reef Aquarium

Resources    

1ndex   

Acknowledgments

AbouttheAuthors