Where Should an Aquarium Go in an Office?
The best spot is a wall visitors see on arrival without it blocking the walkway: behind the reception desk, opposite the waiting seats, or on the inner wall of a glass-fronted meeting room.
Avoid sun-facing façades (algae and heat), the area under air-conditioning outlets (temperature swings), busy corridors (knocks and vibration) and places far from power and drainage (visible cables and hoses).
Which Type Suits an Office?
For most offices a planted or freshwater community aquarium is the balanced choice: easier to look after, quieter equipment, lower running costs. A marine aquarium is more colourful but its water values need closer monitoring; it makes sense for a large reception with the budget to match.
| Planted / freshwater | Marine / reef | |
|---|---|---|
| Water change | About 25% a week | 10% a week or 20% every two weeks |
| Service visit | Weekly | Weekly |
| Equipment noise | Very low | Low, more pumps |
| Ready after installation | A few weeks | A few weeks, longer for corals |
| Electricity | Lower | Higher |
Smell and Noise
A properly set-up aquarium does not smell; odour comes from overfeeding, undersized filtration or missed water changes. Noise comes from pumps and the overflow. We put the equipment in a ventilated closed cabinet and use a silent overflow.
Care Without Disrupting the Office
Offices have nobody to do the water change between visits, so we recommend weekly care, scheduled early, late or at weekends. Each visit includes a partial water change and cleaning of the glass and filter. If you like, we also send a report with test readings and photos, which doubles as a record for facilities management.
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