A custom installation begins with imagination. Almost anything is possible providing the budget and proper engineering are available. Custom installations are necessary when the installation requires modification to your space, such as when installing aquariums of uncommon shape or placement, or when filtration or plumbing requirements are complex. Whether it is simply adding some plumbing to automate water additions or moving walls, adding structural support and electrical outlets, custom installations require solid planning. However, the unique results are worth the additional effort.

FRESHWATER vs. SALTWATER

The freshwater tank lends itself better to a pre-fab installation due to its simplicity and compact filter designs. Many saltwater systems can also be housed in a pre-fab setting, although often the filtration or ventilation requirements push the project into the realm of custom design. In any aquarium, the most important factor to control is nutrient build up. Any captive aquatic system has a finite ability to breakdown harmful waste which will accumulate over time as the fish are fed and grow. Tried and true methods for achieving this are the cultivation and care of beneficial bacteria, regular fresh water changes, the use of carbon and phosphate absorbers and proper feeding techniques.
The freshwater aquarium is, generally, the least expensive, least complicated and quietest option. It is the perfect aquarium choice for the beginner hobbyist. The use of live plants and proper lighting to help them grow can help immensely in producing stable and clean water conditions for the fish. As plants grow, they absorb many of the nutrients that would otherwise reduce the water quality in an aquarium.
There are also many types of fish and snail that can be introduced to help keep the aquarium substrate and interior surfaces clean. Using a good quality canister filter to grow beneficial bacterial strains and house chemical filtration mediums like carbon, poly filter, and phosphate absorbers is also essential.
Building a simple fresh water aquarium does not need to be complicated, and a proper set up will last for years.

The salt water aquarium is subject to the same basic principles; however, it requires more space and equipment, is usually more expensive and requires a more sophisticated operating system. But when designed properly, the saltwater aquarium is just as easy to maintain as a freshwater aquarium.
Salt water fish and invertebrates are more sensitive to the buildup of waste in their environment and therefore more equipment is required. Protein skimmers and wet dry filtration are standard for waste removal and proper bacterial cultivation. Sand beds and live marine plants help control nutrient levels. And for reef aquariums containing invertebrates, calcium reactors keep water chemistry balanced.
The saltwater aquarium can be designed for fish-only or as a living reef and is best suited to the more experienced hobbyist,