Cape Town's planted aquarium studio. We design your tank, build it, and come back to look after it, so it always looks like the day it went in.
Running a practice, office or restaurant? See tanks for business
Neon tetras over driftwood
We build planted aquariums: living layouts of stone, wood and real plants, with fish that suit them. Each one is planned for the room it lives in, from a desk nano to a lobby centrepiece.
Planted tanks grow fast. Skip a few weeks of trimming and water changes and the glass turns green. So we don't build a tank and disappear. We come back and look after it.
Not sure which plan fits? We'll tell you after the first visit. It's free.
Desk and counter tanks up to 40 litres.
One visit a month
R450 a month
Choose NanoPlanted tanks from 40 to 150 litres.
A visit every two weeks
R950 a month
The right fit for most homes.
Choose PlantedTanks over 150 litres, or any tank running CO2.
Every week or two
FromR1,600 a month
Choose ShowpiecePlans run for at least three months, then month to month with 30 days' notice. Regular routes cover the southern peninsula. Further out, it's R150 extra a visit. Replacement plants, fish and filter media are charged at shop prices.
Send a photo of the space and we'll tell you what fits.
A planted tank designed for your room and built in a day.
Nano tanks from R4,500
Ask about a new tankBigger and CO2 tanks are quoted after the visit. A 50% deposit books your install date.
Made to fit your space. Built into a wall, a room divider, a reception counter or an awkward alcove.
Quoted after a free visit
Ask about a custom tankA 50% deposit covers the glass and cabinet. Most builds take four to six weeks.
A fresh layout for the tank you already own. Your fish stay safe throughout.
From R1,200 plus plants and stone
Ask about a rescapeMost tired tanks need one rescape. A care plan keeps them right after that.
For practices, offices and restaurants. We build it, you own it, and we look after it. Your staff never touch the water.
Care from R950 a month
The tank is quoted after a free visit. A 50% deposit covers the build, and the rest is due on install day.
Ask about a business tankMade for dentists, doctors, vets, physios, offices, restaurants and retirement homes on the southern peninsula.
A free look at your space, the light and what you want.
Fixed quote within two days
Stone, wood and plants go in. Fish follow over the next few weeks, once the water is ready.
One day on site
Visits on your plan keep it healthy. If something looks off in between, send a photo on WhatsApp.
Every two weeks for most tanks
Planted layouts with stone, wood and fish that suit them. Client tanks will go up here as we finish them.
Cape Aquarium Studio is a small Noordhoek business. I keep planted tanks myself, and I know how fast one goes from the best thing in the room to a job you avoid.
That's why the care plans exist. You get the tank. I do the chores.
Skye HarmseFounder
Nano setups start from R4,500, with plants and fish. Bigger and CO2 tanks are quoted after a free visit. Care plans run from R450 to R1,600 a month, depending on the tank.
Most planted tanks need a visit every two weeks, because the plants grow fast. Nanos and low-light tanks are fine with one visit a month. Big CO2 tanks may need weekly care. We'll recommend a plan after the first visit.
Care plans run for at least three months, then month to month with 30 days' notice.
On a plan, fish we supplied are replaced free. Message us and we'll come out, find the cause and fix it. Losses are rare in a well-kept tank. That's what the visits are for.
Yes. We design a tank for your space and build it, and you own it. A 50% deposit covers the build. Then we visit every two weeks on a care plan from R950 a month. Already have a tank? We'll take it over.
Yes. We measure the space, design the tank and cabinet, and have the glass cut to size. It can go into a wall, a room divider or cupboards you already have. You get a fixed quote after a free visit. Most builds take four to six weeks.
Yes. We start with a free visit. Then we'll suggest a care plan, or a rescape first if it needs a fresh start.
One day on site for the stone, wood, plants and equipment. Fish go in over the next three to four weeks as the water settles.
A free nine-page guide to the full routine we follow, from water testing to sick fish.
Send a photo of the room or your tank, and roughly how big it is. You'll get a ballpark price within 24 hours and a fixed quote after a free visit.
We take on a few new clients each month, so every tank gets proper time.
Noordhoek, Kommetjie, Fish Hoek, Simon's Town, Kalk Bay and Muizenberg.
Tokai, Constantia, Hout Bay, the southern suburbs, the Atlantic Seaboard and the city centre.
Visits on weekday mornings. Messages answered seven days a week.
