AQUARIUM DESIGN WITH MIKE SENSKE
Mike Senske here with Aquarium Design Group out of Houston, Texas. Today I’m visiting Current-USA based here in San Diego, California. They’ve recently remodeled their facility here and have invited me out to design a beautiful African Cichlid aquarium.
Right now, I’m visualizing perspective. You know, how the aquarium is going to be viewed. Where there’s kind of some depth here. I’m probably gonna set out and do something I feel flows well with the space. Sort of a two-thirds and a third separated proportion, so it should come out really nice.
My father had an aquarium store growing up, so since I was five years old aquariums were always in the house. You know, I think since it’s creative expression. There’s a personal element to it. Really the only thing that matters is what you think. It’s your creative work. And if you like it, that’s all that’s important. And if you inspire some other people then that’s a bonus.
I’m going to want to look at the rock, too, and see which side has the most character. So I’ll be spinning it around, like so, and getting it where we get more of the character, and again, more of the depth. So when looking at it right here, I’m liking how this a little bit longer. This heavier rock where we’ve picked up some weight here and balanced that. So what I’m gonna want to do is texture this down in front, this area here, again, to give it some depth. Also, making use of the negative space. So, it’s the old “less is more” sometimes for me personally.
So, I’ve had comments before that Aquarium Design Group, or myself, or my brother, Jeff, who’s co-owner, have developed our own styles. Obviously inspiration from the master, Takashi Amano, and being inspired by nature. The only thing that’s perfect is nature.
I think we’ve got it. I think we’re now we’re ready to get the background on and get it filled with water and start working on getting some fish in here. One thing I find interesting whenever we stock aquariums with African Cichlids is it’ll always display this behavior. Everybody’s schooling around exploring the glass. Eventually, everybody will settle down into the aquarium and start establishing their territories.
A nice thing about this aquascape is there are crevices or small areas for smaller fish and fry to hide in and to escape from other fish in the aquarium. So, I say it’s been a successful day here at Current-USA in San Diego, California