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Aquariums at your business

© Winston Vaughan Schoenfeld

Recently I was sent an email from someone who wanted to know about some problems she was having with a new aquarium she had installed in her business. Her company had purchased a saltwater setup for the office from a local aquarium company that also provided the maintenance service on a monthly basis. To get to the point, I realized that there are probably a number of people out there that may be interested in having an aquarium in their office. As many of you know, aquariums can help lower stress and add a natural touch to an otherwise dull room. In this article I will try and touch upon a few points that will help you decide on what type of an aquarium you should consider and what you should expect from a aquarium company that you may use to setup and maintain your aquarium.

 

Freshwater or Saltwater?

The logical place to start is with the most common question - freshwater or saltwater? As far as the aquarium company is concerned, saltwater is the best way to go. Why? Well it is true that they can be in some cases much more impressive than freshwater, but the truth is they cost more (i.e. more money for the company). Please don't be fooled into thinking that it is the initial cost of the aquarium that makes the most cost differential. Actually the cost of the fish that you will occasionally replace and the maintenance supplies can also amount to a considerable difference between freshwater and saltwater. So, please consider that future costs of the aquarium as well as the "startup" price. I am not trying to give aquarium companies a bad name, rather I just want to point out that you should make an informed decision. I also recommend that if you are not an experienced aquarist, do not choose a saltwater setup unless the aquarium company is going to take full responsibility for the aquarium maintenance. Bottom line here, consider all costs (startup and future), and make sure that you understand the difference in maintenance requirements between freshwater and saltwater aquariums. On a final note, if you get a plan that includes maintenance, try and stick around or become more informed when the aquarium company sends someone to work on the aquarium. This way you will learn more, and may eventually decide to reduce the frequency of their visits since you can do some things yourself (i.e. save money).

The copyright of the article Aquariums at your business in Aquariums is owned by Douglas DuHamel. Permission to republish Aquariums at your business in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.