City Aquarium

NY1 News: A City Aquarium Success!

2012-01-19T11:34:00.005-05:00

Recently NY1 News asked to film City Aquarium about our maintenance of the two saltwater aquariums at the Staten Island Ferry Terminal. After a tumultuous beginning for the tanks, in which many fish died off, Borough President James Molinaro and the Staten Island Zoological Society turned to City Aquarium with high hopes.

Thankfully, the tanks are now flourishing. The fish are hardier and less crowded than before, and the acrylic tanks themselves cleaner than ever before.

To hear more about this incredible turn-around and watch the news clip, please click here.

City Aquarum in Practical Fishkeeping Magazine

2011-07-15T15:39:00.005-04:00

In the latest issue of "Practical Fishkeeping," writer Nicolette Craig explains how aquariums have risen to the ranks of villas and private jets as status symbols. She interviews Justin about his celebrity clients, his source of inspiration, and how he got his feet wet in the business.

Sold at newsstands around the world, "Practical Fishkeeping" is the UK's best-selling fishkeeping magazine. It caters to most hobbyists, including those with freshwater, saltwater, and reef tanks.

The article is unfortunately not published online. So, to read the article please click on the images above.

Signing off,
Brian Sanders

Justin on Entrepreneur.com

2011-06-14T09:55:00.004-04:00

Recently Justin sat down with Rosalind Resnick of Entrepreneur.com to talk about his business and the path he took that led to the founding of City Aquarium. The article, which appears today on Entrepreneur.com, details everything from Justin's early life (catching lobsters off the coast of Massachusetts) to his business habits and policies, such as:

"Pick your projects carefully. Muir says he's very selective about taking on projects because, as his company's lead designer, there's only so much work that he personally can do.

"A lot of doctors' offices and hospitals call me, and I just don't bother," Muir says. "To make $1,000 off a tank that is going to require the same amount of time as a tank that will make me $25,000 is not worth it to me."

Be prepared to be on call 24/7. Even as his company has grown to 10 employees, Muir's clients pay for his specific expertise in maintaining aquariums. He makes himself available 24/7 to handle client issues and emergencies.

"My clients love their [exotic fish]," Muir says. "They become pets, so, when a fish becomes sick, they become very upset. They want to talk to me."

Closely monitor cash reserves. Luxury businesses like Muir's rely heavily on referrals and it can take months of meetings, presentations and contract negotiations before the client sends you a check. That's why Muir says it's important to have a steady flow of deals in the pipeline and conserve cash to tide you over when business is slow."

To read the entire article, please click here.

Signing off,

Brian Sanders

BATHE WITH THE FISH!

2011-05-12T11:58:00.000-04:00

Never mind sleeping with the fish, now you can bathe with the fish -- if you have happen to have 13.25 million dollars lying around.

The bathroom aquarium was featured in a recent article on "Curbed.com," a website whose editors claim a fascination with "real estate porn" -- interior design and decor. As you might have guessed, Justin and the crew at City Aquarium built the saltwater aquarium. At the time it was the largest aquarium we had constructed. Among the tanks Justin has designed, this numbers among his favorites.

If you're interested in buying the home or just want a glimpse of the bathroom, go here.

Signing off,
Brian Sanders

ALLURE'S SCUBA STYLE

2011-05-12T11:34:00.000-04:00

That's right. You read correctly. Scuba style is washing over the fashion world, compelling everyone from designers to celebrities to look under the sea for inspiration. City Aquarium recently had the pleasure to be featured in an article in "Allure Magazine," the leading women's beauty magazine. The "Scuba Style" article shows the latest trends in underwater fashion, from wetsuit-like jackets to coral-colored high-heels.

City Aquarium built the saltwater aquarium, seen in the article, for Russian heiress Anna Anisimova's penthouse in the Time Warner Building. The tank features a custom-designed artificial insert.

Signing off,
Brian Sanders

Justin on Martha Stewart!

2011-04-15T16:28:00.005-04:00

Yesterday Justin appeared on "The Martha Stewart Show," where he chatted live with Martha about the fastest growing pet hobby -- aquariums! Justin introduced Martha to three saltwater denizens (the French Angel, the Golden Puffer, and the Harlequin Tusk) as well as a custom tank he designed with an artificial insert. Watch the video to see what Justin had to say.

We'd like to thank everyone at "Martha Stewart" for their help during the shoot. We here at City Aquarium had a fantastic time.

Signing off,
Brian Sanders

City Aquarium in "Unique Homes"

2011-03-24T14:45:00.003-04:00

In the most recent issue of "Unique Homes" magazine, Justin gives the scoop on City Aquarium and what it's like creating works of living art. Justin discusses his process and what inspires him as an aquarium designer (people watching!). The article goes on to describe other must-have luxury items, such as crystal mosaic tilling and a spa-like toilet.

To read the full article click here.

Signing off,
Brian Sanders

The Gem Tank

2011-02-11T10:22:00.003-05:00

Here's one of our favorite aquariums that we've done over the years... the "gem tank." It's a 300-gallon saltwater aquarium with amythyst geodes and crystal sand. Justin designed the aquarium for a client's private residence in Manhattan.

Signing off,
Brian Sanders
City Aquarium LLC

A Postcard from Justin

2011-02-09T16:27:00.000-05:00

Principal designer and owner of City Aquarium, Justin Muir recently took some time off to go diving with sharks! Justin joined shark biologists in Roatan on an exciting expedition to study local sharks. Although certainly not everyone's idea of a relaxing vacation, the dive went well and without a single snag, er, bite.

Signing off,
Brian Sanders
City Aquarium LLC

City Aquarium featured on ReefBuilders.com

2011-02-09T15:52:00.003-05:00

One of the most popular and useful blog sites about freshwater and saltwater aquariums, ReefBuilders.com, recently posted a link to Justin's video with NPR's "Science Friday," entitled "Aquarist to the Stars" (scroll down to find the post).

ReefBuilder.com blogger Brian Blank had this to say about City Aquarium:

"Justin Muir, who owns and runs City Aquarium in Brooklyn, N.Y., has a unique business creating top-notch visual aquariums for clients around the New York City area. With celebrity, professional athlete and Wall Street moguls as clients, Muir’s clients often spend anywhere between $40,000 to $500,000 on these setups. “Science Friday” on NPR recently featured Muir, tagging along on a shopping trip as well as a visit to his incredible warehouse. As always, it’s great to see our wonderful hobby get some love in the mainstream press."

For anyone looking to enhance their knowledge of aquarium technology or aquatic animal life take a look at the ReefBuilder.com website. These guys even throw an annual event called ReefStock, where hobbyists and vendors gather to chat, buy, and share their passion for reef aquariums.

Signing off,
Brian Sanders
City Aquarium LLC

Aquarist to the Stars!

2011-02-04T11:11:00.004-05:00

A few weeks NPR "Science Friday" filmmaker Flora Lichtman followed Justin Muir and me as we traveled to a fish wholesaler in Paramus, New Jersey. The trip and the subsequent interview became the subject of a short documentary, which can be viewed on the Science Friday website or below.

Thanks to Flora and NPR for making this video possible.

Signing off,
Brian Sanders
City Aquarium LLC

Filming with NPR

2011-01-31T12:45:00.007-05:00

Last week NPR's "Science Friday" visited City Aquarium to learn the science behind aquarium installations. The NPR (National Public Radio) filmmaker joined Justin Muir on a trip to New Jersey's Merit Imports, a fish wholesaler in Paramus, NJ. There, Justin explained what he looks for when selecting healthy fish -- telltale signs like a fish's desire to eat or the length of time it has been at the seller's facility.

Justin also pointed out the various tropical fish and invertebrates, explaining the far places they came from, like the Phillipines, and the environmentally-friendly methods fishermen use to capture them. Afterward, NPR returned to City Aquarium's studio to film an interview with Justin: how he got started in the business and how he ensures that his tanks are "green."

To get the full scoop, watch the video this Friday when it debuts on NPR's "Science Friday" website.

Signing off,
Brian Sanders
City Aquarium LLC

Another Look at NY Harbor School

2011-01-19T15:27:00.003-05:00

Here, courtesy of the architects that contracted City Aquarium, are some new shots of the aquarium at the NY Harbor School. The charter school on Governor's Island was built with the purpose of teaching students about marine life, aquaculture, and navigation, especially as they pertain to local waters.

The 4,500-gallon freshwater aquarium features an array of fish from the local Hudson River. The rock work was fashioned out of resin, epoxy, and cement, and then planted. City Aquarium LLC was responsible for its entire construction, including the photo mural installation, lighting, and life support.

Signing off,

Brian Sanders

City Aquarium LLC

City Aquarium Reveals All in "Playboy"...

2010-12-20T14:32:00.005-05:00

...about sharks, that is. Recently editors at "Playboy Magazine" reached out to principal designer Justin Muir to get the skinny on pet sharks. Justin and City Aquarium have built many aquariums with sharks, including one for a midtown investment bank in Manhattan.

You can read all about how to buy a pet shark by clicking the image.

Signing off,
Brian

Cesana Success!

2010-11-30T10:39:00.007-05:00

Over the weekend, their bellies full of turkey and stuffing, City Aquarium techs Mike Rodriguez and Kevin Long installed an aquarium for Cesana USA.

The time-sensitive installation was needed for last night's grand opening of their showroom in the Architect & Design Building. Based in Italy, Cesana is the leading designer of shower and bathroom enclosures.

The freshwater aquarium features live rock and African cichlids of various colors. City Aquarium will also be performing regular upkeep and cleaning of the tank. We congratulate Cesana USA on the opening of their showroom and welcome them as our client.

Signing off,

Brian Sanders

Publicist

City Aquarium LLC

City Aquarium Teams up with Cesana USA

2010-11-15T12:55:00.009-05:00

City Aquarium is pleased to announce that we will be designing an aquarium for Cesana USA's showroom in the A&D Building in mid-town Manhattan.

Based in Italy with branches worldwide, Cesana is the leading designer of luxury bathtubs and shower enclosures. With our mutual appreciation of water-based products, it seems a match made in heaven.

For the project City Aquarium will create a freshwater aquarium, replete with vegetation, rocks, and lighting. Since it is still in development details about the aquarium's specific look and the fish it will hold have yet to be determined. More updates to come.

Signing off,

Brian Sanders

Publicist

City Aquarium LLC

New client in Long Island

2010-11-02T11:31:00.004-04:00

City Aquarium was recently hired by a client in Long Island to renovate and maintain their beautiful reef aquarium.

A reef aquarium consists of live corals and usually marine invertebrates and fish that help maintain the corals. Reef aquariums require intense lighting, stable water chemistry, and turbulent water movement, the latter of which our client's tank is sorely lacking.

For the renovation, Justin Muir and his team have one primary objective: to increase flow inside the tank. Without movement of water the coral do not grow properly and some fish who like to live in and around the coral often will die. To correct this problem, Justin will install new, more efficient pumps as well as power heads to circulate water. At the same time the protein skimmer will be replaced to keep the aquarium looking clear.

More updates to come.

Signing off,

Brian Sanders

Publicist

City Aquarium LLC

Client David Blaine "Dines" with Sharks

2010-10-28T10:47:00.020-04:00

He's been entombed. He's been frozen in a block of ice. He's been hung upside down for 60 hours.

Now, the latest feat of American illusionist and endurance artist David Blaine involves sharks -- Great Whites to be precise. Sharply clad in a dinner jacket and black tie, Blaine floated about a shark-filled tank to promote men's wear designer Adam Kimmel's brand. “I haven’t done a proper fashion show yet, so I do these presentations instead as a way to create the identity of the brand,” Mr. Kimmel told "The New York Times."

In 2006 City Aquarium had the privilege of working with Blaine on another of his daring exploits, "Drowned Alive". For this event, Justin Muir and his team designed a water-filled sphere, eight feet in diameter. Muir also regulated the life support systems, maintaining proper oxygen and salinity levels. Then, Blaine did the really hard work: he remained submerged in the sphere for over seven days! At the end of the submersion, Blaine held his breath underwater in an attempt to beat the then-current record. Although he came up short, Blaine subsequently shattered the record during an appearance on "The Oprah Winfrey Show" in 2008. For more information on "Drowned Alive" check out our Case Studies.

We congratulate Blaine on his latest stunt, and wish him further success as he continues to explore the outer reaches of mortality.

Signing off,

Brian Sanders

Publicist

City Aquarium LLC

Mangrove Day!

2010-10-22T10:29:00.008-04:00

Earlier this month Plant A Fish launched its mangrove initiative in southern Florida. For those of you who've been living under the sea, Plant A Fish is a non-profit organization founded by Fabien Cousteau, grandson of noted oceanographic explorer, Jacques-Yves Cousteau. Plant A Fish helps local communities around the world practice sound ecological principles and restore endangered or threatened environs and species... just like the mangrove. City Aquarium principal designer, Justin Muir, frequently participates in Plant A Fish events and belongs on their Advisory Council.

Sad to say, though, Justin and the rest of CA team were unable to attend Mangrove Day due to our busy schedule. Still, the turnout was fantastic, with 75 students and volunteers from South Plantation High collecting 30,000 seeds! Learn more about this exciting event by watching this video.

Signing off,

Brian Sanders

Publicist

City Aquarium LLC

The Descent of Clam

2010-10-21T11:49:00.011-04:00

No, this isn't a sequel to Darwin's momentous book. It's literally the lowering of a giant clam, a Tridacna gigas, into a tank City Aquarium designed for a prominent New York City non-profit foundation. The clam hails from Michigan, where grower Dick Perrin of Tropicorium raised it from two inches to the two-foot-long monster it is today. For more information about the giant clam please see our earlier post, "Giant Clam Joins Non-Profit."

Now, grab your popcorn and watch as City Aquarium's very finest, installer Mike Rodriguez and service tech Kevin Long, transport the giant clam into the tank. Welcome to your new home!

Signing off,
Brian Sanders
Publicist
City Aquarium LLC

City Aquarium featured in "Capital"

2010-10-21T09:10:00.009-04:00

City Aquarium was recently featured in the leading Italian business magazine, "Capital." In the article, editor Andrea Torti details the recent upsurge in luxury aquariums, such as the one Justin Muir's team designed for Anna Anisimova's $10 million Time Warner Center penthouse in Manhattan (the aquarium seen in the article). The 400-gallon installation is located in Anna's bedroom and features a cerused oak cabinet, a museum-grade acrylic aquarium, and a handmade reef sculpture. Anisimova, whom some have foreshadowed the next Paris Hilton, is the daughter of aluminum-trader Marc Rich, whose estimated net worth is $350 million.

Justin is no stranger to the recent craze among the wealthy for aquariums. "Some people are like, ‘O.K., $5,000 every month to take care of the tank, plus $100,000 cost of the tank — I’m cool with that,’ ” Justin recently told "The New York Times." Justin's explanation for the trend? A combination of wealth and an interest in the environment. As he told the WG News, "[The wealthy] aren't necessarily suffering from a bad economy, but they feel like they need to contribute to a greener planet, and they'll do so by buying a living piece of art rather than a car."

Signing off,
Brian Sanders
Publicist
City Aquarium LLC

C.C. Sabathia's City Aquarium Tank in "Architectural Digest"

2010-10-20T10:20:00.016-04:00

New York Yankee C.C. Sabathia's home in Apline, NJ has it all: a spa, a salon, a basketball court, and a spacious sneaker closet. But no home would be complete without a City Aquarium custom-designed saltwater installation, which is exactly what C.C. and his wife Amber decided to put into one of the family room's walls.

The Yankees pitcher's exquisite home, including the aquarium, is featured in the November 2010 issue of "Architectural Digest." The 18,000-square-foot home was built by architect James Paragano and designed by Martin P. Mitchell. The aquarium that Justin Muir and his team designed for C.C., Amber, and their three children is 11 feet long, with a sleek curved front panel and an artificial sunken reef.

Discussing his motivation for choosing his NJ home, C.C. said he wanted "somewhere [he] could come home to after tough games and find everything perfect, easy, warm, and welcoming." We here at City Aquarium hope our saltwater installation has helped him do just that.

Signing off,
Brian Sanders
Publicist
City Aquarium LLC

Giant Clam Joins Non-Profit

2010-10-19T11:23:00.007-04:00

Today, as I write this, a giant clam (Tridacna gigas), is flying from Detroit, Michigan to LaGuardia Airport in New York City.

The clam, which measures over two feet long and which will continue to grow (the ruler seen in the image is 7 inches long), is the latest addition to a non-profit organization's City Aquarium-designed installation. The saltwater aquarium is prominently featured in the non-profit's philanthropy building in Manhattan.

The giant clam hails from our friends at Michigan's Tropicorium, the Midwest's largest marine aquarium livestock supplier. The grower, Dick Perrin, has been in the business of raising coral and clams since 1961. He considers this giant clam to be "like a son," and with good reason: he raised it for nine years, watching it grow from two inches to two feet! When I asked him if he planned to raise any more giant clams, he noted that they're hard to come by. "Chinese fishermen," Perrin said, "have fished over 95% of them, mostly for food. There aren't too many left."

Our techs will be transporting the giant clam in a sturdy box which, with the clam, weighs 105lbs. Why so heavy, especially when the clam only weighs 8lbs under water? The answer: the clam must be transported in bags of water. Contact with the air would strain the clam's shell and potentially harm it.

Don't worry, Dick. We'll take good care of your boy.

Signing off,
Brian Sanders
Publicist
City Aquarium

City Aquarium in the WG News

2010-10-15T15:06:00.005-04:00

City Aquarium was recently featured in the October 2010 edition of the WG (Williamsburg-Greenpoint) News, a paper dedicated to art and local happenings. In the article writer Elvire Camus details how Justin got his start in the business and how City Aquarium has managed to stay afloat on the unsteady waves of our economy. "[Wealthy people] are trading their Ferraris or Bentleys for huge aquariums," Justin is quoted as saying. "They're not necessarily suffering from the bad economy, but they feel like they need to contribute to a greener planet, and they'll do so by buying a living piece of art rather than a car."

The article goes on to describe Justin's involvement with Plant A Fish, the non-profit conservation organization founded by third-generation oceanographic explorer Fabien Cousteau.

For everything you wanted to know about Justin and City Aquarium but were afraid to ask, check out the article above. Thanks to the staff at WG News for doing an excellent and thorough job.

Signing off,
Brian Sanders
Publicist
City Aquarium LLC

Interview on BBC

2010-08-23T10:27:00.004-04:00

Listen to Justin's interview about City Aquarium on the BBC

The New York Times: Home & Garden

2010-08-19T09:57:00.005-04:00

City Aquarium was on the front page of the Home & Garden section of The New York Times today. Read the online version at nytimes.com by clicking on the image above, or read the PDF version by clicking here.

L'art de la Maison

2010-06-03T10:24:00.002-04:00

New Tank with one of our Reef Scupltures

2009-09-21T12:04:00.004-04:00

Ron Rundo's, our Art Director and sculptor, latest creation for a new client in Manhattan. It's like Moon Reef.

Jmu

City Aquarium, The New Studio

2009-09-10T14:21:00.003-04:00

We are almost there! City Aquarium Studio, 6,000 square feet of fish and cool stuff to open in November!

Its awesome to have a state of the art fish holding facility and Blue Planet looks good on the big big big screen TV.

Staten Island Ferry Terminal Aquariums

2009-04-24T09:57:00.004-04:00

The twin tanks at Staten Island Ferry Terminal had a rough start. As many of you have read in the press the aquariums had some issues over the past year. City Aquarium has the best service staff in the North East, for reals. So when it was time to change the aquarium guard over in Staten Island, the Staten Island Zoo hired City Aquarium to take over. We began the renovation on January 1st, 2009. We loved the challenge and of course we loved the tanks! The life support room is massive and needed some care and our dedicated staff has been working daily to get the tanks back into shape. Thus far, not one fish has been sick or passed on since we took over. The tanks are crystal clear, water quality is healthy, and the fish are fat and loving life. We added the new lighting last month, and the new fish are on their way. We are now placing 40 new fish in quarantine and they will appear in the Staten Island tanks second week of May.

You will find David and Keiko there daily cleaning and diving the tanks, scrubbing, taking water samples, and feeding. The fish are being fed, vitamin enriched flakes, and pellets, vegetables, krill, silversides, and a special freshwater frozen mysis. All our fish are fed this special mysis from PE Mysis http://www.mysis.com/

The picture is our skinny boy, David Gould, our artificial reef caretaker. He can scrub, and he can fit into any tank. He uses the hooka device to dive and spends about 6-8 hours a week under water at Staten. More to come!

Jmu

Shark Week in Japan -Our Client's Japanese TV Interview

2009-04-24T08:53:00.006-04:00

As a marine biologist, an aquarist, a hobbyist, I did not have a great feeling or attitude with regards to keeping a Black Tip Reef Shark in a smallish tank. We got her at 17", I found her in Los Angeles during one of my many visits to the fish importers gathered along the outskirts of LAX. I knew my client only wanted a shark or nothing. The tank was 130" Long x 48" Wide and 40" High. No small tank for sure, 1,000 gallons in a gorgeous penthouse apartment on 5th avenue with 360 degree views of Chelsea. It was a spontaneous acquisition, and along with a Conspiculatus angel, a Kidako moray, and a Bubblebee grouper we left for NYC.

She arrived sure enough in a crate 36" x 36". The acclimation process was interesting, she was active, and accepted the tank pretty quickly as her new home. I must say that part of my willingness to give the shark a try was that the residence is very private, and the clients were never in residence and did not have loud dinner parties, annoying visitors, and the place was very quiet. She is left alone for the most part (she ate all of her tank mates including the giant hermits), our service team is there almost daily. She is fed only the best, smelt and large peeled and deveined wild gulf shrimp (Wholefoods of course). She is a joy and she fit the tank. She has been there for a year now and all good things must come to an end. With expert care she has grown now to 22". Now must transport her back to our facility and place her in one of our large cylinder tanks. I am not sure the client wants a new shark, he is thinking about larger marine fish. Chelsea will miss her. As a rule, these animals should not be kept in tanks under 4,000 gallons. Requiem Sharks should ideally be placed in aquariums that can hold them once they reach their full adult size. This technically means that the length of the tank should be 4 times the adult length of the shark and at least 1.5 - 2 times their adult length in width (25' x 10'). This does not mean that they can't be placed in smaller enclosures as young. You must have an exit strategy in place when the shark out grows their tank. We will try to film the transport of the Black Tip and place it on the blog.

Jmu

Young and the Skinny: Jmu Needs To Go On Diet

2008-12-17T09:49:00.006-05:00

One of my divers called in sick, so I had to dive and clean the Dream Hotel tank. Lets face it, some jobs require young and skinny.

I did enjoy myself actually. One of our clients, the Dream Hotel here in NYC, requires regular tank diving in order to scrub and clean the synthetic reef insert. The tank is about 30' tall and has a 6' diameter (7,000 gallons). We have about 18" between the acrylic wall and the reef insert in order to move and clean. If I cant fit in the tank, no carbs for a month. The cleaning itself during most dives can be labor intensive. Most inserts are cleaned with brushes, and some we have the use of a pressure washer. The tough part is not to get stung by the rabbit fish, the large lions, and not to get attacked by the Kidako Moray.

Our installer, Dave Yarber, free dives this tank which is very impressive.

Jmu

Hiking in Patagonia, Explora Lodge

2008-12-17T08:12:00.008-05:00

We made a trip to Chile to Torres del Paine National Park this month. The hikes were spectacular. We averaged about 15 mile hikes per day. The first picture is me standing in front of Glaciar Grey. The second picture is a close up shot of Grey. Of course the Glaciar is receding at an alarming rate. The ice breaks off into icebergs and creates a long chain of ice that floats down the river. The last picture is the view from our hotel, Salto Chico. It was like a dream to wake up every morning with that view.

We stayed at Explora's lodge in the park. Lodge Salto Chico site on the lake, serves the best food, and provides excellent service. There were about 30 other people in the lodge from all over the world. We met some great people and made some good friends. The wildlife; Flamingos, Hawks, Condors, Puma's, and of course Guanacos.

Brummell Magazine

2008-10-27T16:38:00.011-04:00

Shedd Aquarium Trip

2008-09-03T18:36:00.004-04:00

I have been to the Shedd Aquarium several times in Chicago. It really is a great public aquarium. They have a large Oceanarium that closes this month for a year. They are spending $50,000,000 on renovating the pools and life support system. It needed it. The pools are stained and busted, and the windows were dirty and scratched in a bad way.

They did have a new Caribbean Reef exhibit. I guess I am hard to please, it was not very impressive.

I did love all of their usual exhibits including their Blue Iguana. It is a beautiful lizard and fun to watch. We were watching it for about 30 minutes and had too move on. It is sad that this species is critically endangered. There are only about 300 of these animals living in the wild on Grand Cayman. They are among the most long lived lizards on earth, some can reach the ripe old age of 75 years.

An amazing freshwater turtle at the Shedd. A guy that used to work for me had one of these. The Fly River Turtle. They are also a threatened animal. They were on CITES II and I think they still are. It is funny because The Park on 10th Avenue had one too in a scratched up tank behind the upstairs bar. Not sure how people get these. Black Market I guess. They are smuggled into the united states. There are no known breeders selling babies here in the U.S. that I know of.

Aqua Dom; SAS Hotel Berlin

2008-07-20T13:06:00.002-04:00

A New Reef Tank: Zurich North America

2008-04-25T10:06:00.005-04:00

City Aquarium builds another tank for Zurich NA in Union Square, New York. This reef aquarium measures 72" x 26" x 36" High. We will be showing the progress of this tank through out its first few months of installation.

J-Mu

Stephen Olivier; New York City Artist

2008-04-24T09:11:00.008-04:00

My dear friend Stephen Olivier lives in Brooklyn and has been painting all his life. I have several of his pieces now, one of which hangs over my fireplace.

Olivier's branches and swarms, informed by his father's experience with renal disease and dialysis, seems captured from a toxic forest in a state of radiant life. Tiny swarms sketched on wood panel grow into blooms of milk and acid encased in watery resin. He explored themes of emergence, transformation, and loss, carefully layering the paint into distinct new species.

J-Mu

Dallas Tank

2008-04-23T08:13:00.003-04:00

Crescent shaped tanks will be completed in Dallas in June 2008. The system is composed of three tanks forming a semi-circle around a large tub in the master bathroom. The center tank will feature a living reef. We will need to send a diver in the tank in order to epoxy the corals into place. Final pictures will be taken sometime in August of this year of the completed installation.

J-Mu

Gigantic Acrylic Aquarium Sumps Going To Dallas

2008-04-22T18:07:00.005-04:00

These sumps are going to Dallas this week. These guys measure 60"x30"x30", I added twin baffles and four micron sock rings. Each sump will handle a 1,000 gallon marine tank in a residence in Texas. Great job on the sumps Mike!

J-Mu

How do we keep our tanks so clean? - Ilan Glasser, Israel

2008-04-04T13:03:00.007-04:00

Ilan Glasser writes from Israel to ask us how we keep our tanks so clean. I have to say that before we photograph our tanks, they are styled and meticulously cleaned. A lot goes into our photography, and at about $3,000 per shot we ensure that the tanks look their best.

We do keep these installations in pristine condition throughout the tanks life.

Most of our clients spend over $1,000 per month on their aquarium cleaning program. I would say that on average we clean our installations 1-3 times weekly. When we have clients with just one service visit per week, we still manage to keep the tanks looking great. There are several cleaning philosophies that we use to keep the tanks looking great and free from detritus, debris, and algae.

First, we always use R/O water for water changes and top off. Silicates and phosphates will kill a tank, and it is very difficult to keep the substrate and rock work algae free with these elements present. Reverse Osmosis is essential, and these systems are most likely installed in most of our installations.

I will always try to oversize protein skimmers, ultra violet sterilization units, circulation pumps, and ozone. I tend to increase suggested flow rates by 50% to 100%, and I use the same increased rates with my skimmers and UV units.

We will also use phosphate removing media such as phosban. The media is either placed in reactors or in some sort of canister. Carbon, poly bio, the use of a good protein skimmer are all products which help us export or remove nutrients and waste.

I am a big fan of using Mexican Turbo Snails as natural living cleaners. I have kept these in tanks with puffers, triggers, and angels with great success. These animals need a long acclimation period, and we use a slow drip method when acclimating.

Lastly, light or photo periods play the biggest role in helping us maintain a clean tank. Most of our clients travel or keep several residences, or at the very least work quite often. This enables us to keep photo periods for our fish only installations at 6-8 hours per day and we keep our wattage at a minimum. In a nut shell, tanks respond well to a strict schedule and plan.

J-Mu

Are Lookdowns From Hell?

2008-03-27T18:45:00.008-04:00

Lookdowns (Selene vomer), are members of the Carangidae family. The word Selene, being derived from a lunar deity in Greek mythology, gives these fish their common name "Moonfish". Like most members of this family, they are found in large schools. This particular fish is found throughout the tropical Atlantic.

This animal is not my first fish of choice for my clients. These Silver Surfers come with a multitude of issues and I do not recommend keeping this fish if you are not an advanced aquarist. I have about 20 years experience with this species, and as a general rule I stay away from purchasing these animals. I have tried them in some large tanks with better success. We did a large school of Lookdowns at the Ship Wreck Tavern here in New York, and they needed constant attention.

Most hobbyists or people do not understand how to collect or handle scaleless fish. You must not touch a net to these animals. Net collection or mishandling of these fishes often leads to death. I have many dealers and collectors for this Jack, most of them are out of the Florida Keys. These Jacks are line caught most often and given special care when transported.

Lookdowns do not ship well and a long acclimation period is suggested. When we receive these fish they have to go into quarantine. Scaleless fish are sensitive to most medications. Quinine, one of the best medications used to treat copper resistant saltwater ick, will kill these animals. Like most scaleless fish, Lookdowns tend to be ick magnets so keep a close eye out for this parasite. Another disease this fish seems to attract is Brookynella. The skin turns white and comes right off their bodies. A nasty looking disease, but treatable.

These fish are also very nervous creatures. Sudden movements, sounds or vibrations can send them racing into the sides of the tank. I do recommend cylinders for these fish or if you place them in rectangular tanks, bull nosed ends is the best option. If they are going into a small home aquarium I would suggest placing only a few small individuals in the tank.

You will not have any problems feeding these animals, they love to eat. We feed them mainly silversides. They often need to be fed live feeders to trigger their feeding responses initially.

There are several members of the Carangidae family better suited for the aquarium. Trevallys Blue Runners, and other Jacks we have had better success with. Lookdowns still are the best looking and most silvery in my opinion, but you are better off schooling a fish like the Blue Runner.

J-Mu

Al Vinjamur Photography

2008-03-27T11:30:00.008-04:00

Al has been a long term client here in New York City. Once a very successful Hedgefunder, Al has now embraced his real passion.... Wildlife Photography. Ever since I have known him he has always had the fancy cameras and now he has put them into use. Vinjamur has been fascinated with sharks, so much so that he wanted to move to the burbs so he could build a million dollar shark tank. We came pretty close to that at one point. He has been diving and photographing these amazing creatures for the past 10 years now.

His work with the Katmai Bears, the Lemon Sharks, and the Polar Bears shows the versatility of his work. I am always drawn to his aquatic photographs, but I am down with the land and air animals. I was happy to see the American Bald Eagles back in such large numbers. Al is leaving for Botswana and South Africa in Aril 2008 to photograph Leopards and other wildlife.

J-Mu

Multiple Custom Aquarium Installations; Zurich North America

2008-03-27T10:33:00.013-04:00

Zurich North America engaged City Aquarium to design and fabricate multiple installations for their East 17th Street location. The first tank to be completed was the 3rd floor or executive floor aquarium. The aquarium is museum acrylic construction, marine grade life support, and the sculptural motif is live rock. I usually never design FOWLR (fish only with live rock) systems for service clients. The reason being is inevitably one or some of the fish will get sick. Power outages, chiller failures, mechanical failures, and other problems arise that can destabilize the system. Disease is very difficult to treat in reef tanks and FOWLR systems. I have added fish very slowly to this now stable tank. The life support is basically a reef system design which helps us maintain the tanks stability. We are also using almost 200 watts of ultraviolet sterilization and some serious ozone. The tank is now home to a very active French Angel, a Maculosus Angel, a fat Mappa Puffer, and a Japanese Kidako Moray.

The fish are also treated in Nitrofurizone Green for almost 30 days before they are delivered. Furizone Green destroys most external pathogens, bacterial, and fungal infections. It is my medication of choice during the quarantine process.

J-Mu

White Reef Insert

2008-03-26T16:48:00.012-04:00

The white reef insert is one of my signature designs. White inserts are both minimal and modern and are often requested by my clients in New York City, Miami, and Los Angeles . Often we do cream, tan, or dark brown tones on the tips and fringes of the corals. The base reef has been done in off white washes. When my clients aesthetic is modern, and their color pallet is earthy tones of browns and whites, I often create these inserts. I have done variations of this insert in dark brown, and black satin. The insert pictured here is nearly completed and is going to a residence on Central Park West, New York City. We developed this insert as a habitat for seahorses. We booted several SPS and LPS corals into the base reef which will be used as hitching posts for the Pot Bellied Seahorse (native to Australia, a cold water species).

Many hobbyists ask if I am crazy placing these white inserts in my tanks, but they can be done successfully. The insert itself is clear coated several times, this prevents the algae from rooting and makes cleaning easy. Most of these inserts are made to be removed for annual cleaning. Also, Mexican Turbo Snails are our friends. We do use theses amazing little cleaners to clean our inserts, and this is why I do not want to close our borders with Mexico!

J-Mu

New York Daily News

2008-02-07T09:18:00.000-05:00

Elle Decor

2008-01-06T17:14:00.001-05:00

Bespoke

2008-01-05T16:56:00.000-05:00

W Magazine: As She Likes It

2006-10-05T13:30:00.000-04:00

South China Morning Post: Tanks a million

2006-10-04T15:23:00.000-04:00

Excerpt from New York Magazine

2006-05-09T15:14:00.000-04:00

By Arianne Cohen

Even magicians need their marine biologists. In early March, Justin Muir, the city’s preeminent luxury-aquarium designer, got a call from David Blaine’s people. It was about Blaine’s next televised municipal stunt: two weeks in a shark tank on the plaza in front of the Lincoln Center! “It was kind of cool,” says Muir. “How often does a marine biologist get to put David Blaine in a tank?”

This isn’t Muir’s first man-tank. His company, City Aquarium, designed the 10,000-gallon, 30-foot fish-filled tank in the now-shut Coral Room (go-go “mermaids” cavorted within). He also built the 30-foot-tall cylindrical shark tank in Vikram Chatwal’s Dream Hotel. But none of those required logging this many hours of conference-calling among Blaine’s mask people, tank people, scuba people, medical people, Lincoln Center people, and ABC people. Plans changed quickly. The medical people realized that Blaine’s skin might not survive two weeks in water and dropped the time period to one week. The shark idea sank, too. “There are fish that are better suited,” says Muir. “And no one wanted to sacrifice any animals.” Two weeks ago, a compromise floated: Lower the temperature for several hours daily and insert fish. Then remove fish. The fish would be flown in daily from Miami and quarantined for a few days to relax them after the shock of travel, before the shock of Blaine. “It’s something we really wanted to do, because it would be really beautiful,” says Muir. But fish have their own agenda. “They know what a net is. It would be a battle getting fish in the tank and out every day. So we decided to scratch the idea”

What’s left is a ten-foot tank with 1.5-inch-thick insulating acrylic walls, filled with 2,000 gallons of spring water, to be trucked in from upstate. They’re adding salt, to help Blaine’s skin. Blaine will spend his week attached to a custom mask supplied with compressed air. He has trained by meditation and extended time underwater. “He is human, and he does need to survive,” says Muir. “The core body temperature is the most important issue we’re dealing with.” Muir will have a staffer on call around the clock, managing power heaters that can raise the temperature one degree per minute. The other issues are more minor. Will Blaine get knocked around? “Well, the bigger the tank, the stronger the return water pump,” says Muir, who often enters larger tanks to clean them. “It’s like a Jacuzzi jet stream. You can get blown to the other side of the tank.” Muir is also charged with maintaining the “pristine clarity of the water…No algae blooms, no bacterial blooms.” What about urine blooms? “It’s the same thing for fish,” says Muir. “The filtration system removes urea, ammonia, and hormones.”

Excerpt from Fortune

2006-05-07T15:16:00.000-04:00

By Matthew Boyle

The latest must-have hedge fund accessory weighs a ton (literally), contains up to ten living creatures, and costs $600 a month – just for upkeep. Aquariums, which were popular in the 1970s, are back. But forget the fish tanks in your dentist’s office - these "installations," as they’re called, take six months to complete and cost as much as $600,000. The tanks feature specialized glass for better viewing, custom-made furniture crafted to accentuate the colors of the fish, live coral, and rare creatures like angelfish from new Caledonia, which sell for $3,000 each. Angelfish "grunt and have very distinct personalities," said Justin Muir, co-owner and principal designer of New York—based City Aquarium. "They’re more like pets."

Aqua-entrepreneur Muir has made a specialty of catering to the hedge of fund crowd, who he says continually try to outdo one another. A native of the Massachusetts coastal town of Cohasset, Muir was a licensed lobsterman at age 8, studied marine biology in Hawaii, and previously raised eels in South Carolina. City Aquarium, which he founded in 1999, now has a client roster that includes sultan, supermodels, Russian heiresses, Broadway producers, and an increasing number of hedge funds like SAC Capital Advisors and Sandell Asset Management (both declined to comment on their expensive toys). "Aquariums are status symbols," says Muir, who has also designed aquariums for hedge fund managers’ homes. "These guys say, 'Okay, if we are going to do [an aquarium], it has to be hot.'" So what’s the hottest thing right now in hedgie tanks? Sharks, natch. The price: around $2,000 each.

Sydney Morning Herald: Finding Nemo in your lounge room.

2006-05-06T12:52:00.000-04:00

Haute Living: Aquatic Aesthetics

2006-02-10T12:50:00.000-05:00

Sharks and Morays and Jelly fish, oh my!
City Aquarium's custom-built aquariums let your imagination swim wildly through the depths of the deep down under from the comfort of your own home.

By Vanessa Valera
Photography by Jason Brownrigg for City Aquarium

Custom-built aquariums have become more than just awe-inspiring collectors' items for aquatic aficionados. Now, renowned as a chief design and décor staple for all multimillion-dollar luxury lifers, these City Aquarium tanks enhance the very nature of high-profile living.

Naturally, no bachelor pad or mansion would be complete without one of these highly sought-after personalized water worlds to accessorize its most frequented living areas. And though they are difficult to find, Justin Muir and the nautical design experts from City Aquarium make ordering your custom-built aquarium as easy as 1-2-3; all the while, offering site-specific installations, customized to reflect your individual preferences.

City Aquarium's design team is comprised of proficient specialists, which include architects, biologists, interior and furniture specialists, sculptors, and visual artists who work to assemble these enviable fresh-water domains. Developing its own set of distinctive design procedures, City Aquarium has repeatedly distinguished itself from its competitors. For instance, for highly specialized orders, City Aquarium designs a top-notch facet of its tanks' life-support systems in house, while outsourcing the aid of top industry producers and professionals for the complementary specialty accessories.

When planning for your custom aquarium, City Aquarium recommends considering the combination of environmental and lighting schemes, along with architectural design and marine life selection. To add to the diversity of your fashionable aquatic paradise, City Aquarium offers an extensive array of exotic marine life, including sharks, moray eels, jelly fish and rhinopias.

Private Clubs: Excerpt from Underworld Fantasies

2006-02-09T13:04:00.000-05:00

One of the hottest names in New York City's art and design scene is Justin Muir, principal designer for City Aquarium. The company has a client roster that includes the Sultan of Oman, billionaire Michael Barrington, and New York's majestic Dream hotel. Last year, Muir customized a $40,000 aquarium in Barrington's wine cellar at his Nantucket Island estate. Standing 6 feet tall and built into a wood wall, the aquarium features a dramatic handmade reef sculpture and exotic tropical fish.

Muir, who has a degree in marine biology, utilizes a team of interior and furniture designers, architects, sculptors, visual artists, and marine biologists to design one-of-a-kind aquariums that are expressions of water, light, space, and marine life. His residential custom aquariums start at $20,000 and his signature jellyfish aquariums start with a $150,000 price tag.

"High-end customized aquariums have become status symbols just like other expensive pieces of art or sculpture," Muir says. "For that reason, the fish and water are only part of the total package."

A minimalist designer, Muir places strong emphasis on the wood or other material encasing the aquarium. Typically, the furniture cost of a Muir-designed custom aquarium is nearly 70 percent of the total price. The centerpiece of many of his designs is the manmade reef and he also uses rare objects and statues in his aquascape design.

Bucks: Water World

2006-02-05T12:48:00.000-05:00

In the never-ending quest to one-up your neighbors, media rooms, and koi ponds simply don't suffice anymore. Today's uber-chic homes now have custom aquariums that are akin to a work of art. City Aquariums creates aquatic installations that have graced the halls of world-class museums, homes of celebrities, as well as the walls of hotspots such as The Coral Room and Duvet. Consisting of interior designers, furniture makers, architects, sculptures and marine biologists, the City Aquarium team uses the world's most exquisite sea life, including shark, eel, coral, and jellyfish to create their glass-enclosed masterpieces. The end result is an underwater fantasy world designed entirely for you. Once your custom-aquarium is complete, City Aquarium maintains your aquatic exhibit with a 24-hour on-call staff of marine and fresh-water biologists.

Vanity Fair: Minimalism To The Maximum

2005-11-04T12:44:00.000-05:00

The CITY AQUARIUM team is always working on new projects. This summer and fall JUSTIN MUIR and his design team are extending their reach into deluxe minimalist design by creating new works of art for the most discerning new clients. Once again, CITY AQUARIUM will use their signature sophistication to mix water and diamonds, sculpture and rock, and of course, the rarest fish in the world.

CITY AQUARIUM is about to unveil its latest creations:

*Over 20 custom aquarium cubes for the Caribbean-themed event sponsored by Travel and Leisure Magazine, published by American Express. This one-of-a-kind installation contained rare exotic fish and the decadent diamond creations of world-famous jeweler, Daniel K. Completion date: July 14, 2005.

*She wants seahorses... Muir designs for billionaire and international socialite Anna Anissimova her very own seahorse tank. The seahorse aquarium features farm raised Pot Belied seahorses from Australia and schooling Golden Butterflies from the Red Sea. A museum grade acrylic fabrication, cerused oak cabinetry and hand made reef inserts with delicate pink sea plumes will be completed in December, 2005.

*A Fourteen foot long Bull-nosed, Lucite aquarium in the Tribecca townhouse of financier Alan Wilzig. Special features include a 17th Century Burmese sculpture, hand-crafted, archival quality birch tree branches, and the magnificent Asian Arowana fish. Completion date: December, 2005. In the works is a lake renovation on the 240 acre Wilzig retreat in up-state NY.

*Acrylic installation in a black steel bar for Marvel Comics Editor in Chief, Joe Quesada. This special design is in collaboration with Thom Filicia Designs. It will incorporate a man-made reef and schooling saltwater fish. Completion date: December 1, 2005.

CITY AQUARIUM is growing faster than ever! The winter roster of creations promises to be as spectacular as the summer. Coming up: minimalist water installations in New York's exclusive Time Warner Building, in the ultra-lush South Hampton house of a top surgeon, aquariums in Greece, Los Angeles, Miami, and jellyfish NYC...

Stay tuned!

Stuff: Gearotica

2005-11-02T12:42:00.000-05:00

Get Tanked - Custom Aquariums

Buy your pets a castle fit for a king—a king who swims in his own feces.

Those Siamese fighting fish worked in your college dorm room, but if you want to express your burning need to play God to a bunch of finned critters with panache, nothing does it better than a custom aquarium. Don't count on your local Petco to carry anything resembling saltwater style, though. Custom jobs like this one by Manhattan's City Aquarium (cityaquarium.com) start at around $18,000 and can run into the six-figure stratosphere depending on how you trick it out. On the upside, at least a plasma TV doesn't seem to expensive anymore.

New York

2005-10-24T12:38:00.000-04:00

BizBash: Event Report Travel Makes Over Popular Venue as Oasis

2005-07-14T12:36:00.000-04:00

Travel & Leisure's World's Best awards party
Skylight
Thursday, 07.14.05, 7:30 PM to 10:30 PM

How to make a popular venue feel fresh? Try the back door. That's how Travel & Leisure added a little mystery to Skylight, the large raw space that has hosted high-profile events for Domino, Dolce & Gabbana, and Dom Perignon recently. Creative projects director Laura Aviva sent invitations for the magazine's World's Best awards giving only the rear address, 30 Renwick Street—not the venue's name or regular Hudson Street address—and gave it a stylish makeover fitting its travel-minded host.

When guests arrived on shabby Renwick—which typically has more construction and trash bins than cachet—past a metal cyclone fence, they found rows of palm trees rising like an oasis from a stone and gravel path leading to the party. The trees came from Florida through Chris King of Foliage, and the gravel had arrived the day before to spruce up what is normally a loading dock and small parking lot (which can double as a terrace for parties).

That unique entrance made for a dramatic introduction to the venue's giant main space, where Aviva and designer Dean Christopher painted sections of the walls blue and brought in custom furniture for a unique feel. The scheme worked so well, Aviva said one publicist whose firm (his name is on the door) has hosted multiple events there had to be told it was the same venue.

(Now, we realize Skylight opened this past September, meaning it's not really that old, but media types can be acutely aware of who used which place when—one frequent party guest who wasn't fooled commented to us that Skylight is this year's Splashlight Studios, which saw a rash of magazine and fashion parties after it opened in 2002. Cattiness aside, both are great spaces.)

In the main space, the party had plenty of Caribbean touches, but a decidedly urban feel. The venue's super-high ceilings allowed plenty of room for stiltwalkers from Brooklyn Jumbies and more palm trees. Olivier Cheng served coconut-crusted shrimp with tamarind dipping sauce, and lobster and mango skewers with spicy vanilla sauce. In the long hall behind the main space—er, in front of it, normally—hung cube-shaped lamps with photos from the magazine and the names of its 32 award winners, making for a striking design element and an unexpected display. "It seemed really obvious to do a gallery on the wall," Aviva said.

Among Aviva's other tricks—and she's big on production tricks, like building platforms over a pool in Lincoln Center for last year's awards—were custom-made wall dividers with built-in seating and aquariums filled with tropical fish. Designer Justin Muir from City Aquarium (he did the Coral Room) built tanks filled with a total of 60 fish and 500 to 600 gallons of water. Using saltwater fish made for a challenge: adjusting the chemicals can be tricky, and his usual, permanent designs can take 30 days to set up. The event's fish only arrived from California that morning via FedEx ("in bags like you win at the fair," Aviva said), and were in the tanks by the afternoon. But not to worry: no fish were harmed in the production of this event, Muir assured us.

—Chad Kaydo

Click here to see original article.

Centurion Magazine: Finding Rhinopias

2005-04-02T12:35:00.000-05:00

New York Resident: Water World

2005-03-28T12:33:00.000-05:00

From Goldfish Bowls to Large Tanks, an Aquarium Can Add a Touch of Tranquility

By Valerie L. Merahn

If you are looking for a fun and creative way to bring peace, nature and relaxation into your home, consider purchasing an aquarium. Adding a simple goldfish bowl is an inexpensive way to add life into even the smallest studio apartment.

At a chain pet store such as Petco (four locations in Manhattan, 888-824- 7257, www.petco.com), for as little as $5.99 you can purchase a kit that includes a half-gallon plastic drum bowl, plastic plant, gravel, Betta food and chlorine neutralizer. Just add a goldfish, then find the perfect spot to display your new friend.

For something a bit more sophisticated and exotic, consider a saltwater aquarium. Morris Bareto, manager of New World Aquarium (204 E. 38th St., between Second and Third avenues, 646-865-9604), notes that it is easier than ever to keep saltwater fish, thanks to the availability of improved filtration systems. Aquariums at the store range in price from $150 to several thousand dollars, depending on the size and style. Seventy- to 90-gallon tanks with a curved front are extremely popular.

For something really extraordinary, City Aquarium (132 E. 16th St., between Irving Place and Third Avenue, 212-243-0503, www.cityaquarium.com) can design and build a custom aquarium to exceed your wildest fantasies. With price tags of $10,000 to more than $60,000, these spectacular tanks are works of art. Be warned, however: Installation can be a fairly complicated process.

"The biggest challenge of building custom aquariums in New York apartments is the size of the tank," says Shelly Eversley of City Aquarium. "Unless a client is willing to have window panels removed so that a crane can lift oversized glass or acrylic panels into an apartment, custom residential tanks must have parts small enough to fit into a freight elevator. However, some clients are willing to pay the price of having the tank of their dreams — cranes, special permits and all."

These magnificent tanks are not simply for the living room or family room. Since kitchens are a natural gathering place, and open kitchens are more popular than ever, it is not surprising that there is a growing trend to build custom aquariums in the kitchen.

City Aquarium is currently working on a tank located in the kitchen of a Tribeca townhouse. "This tank will be 144 inches by 12 inches by 30 inches, with a bull-nosed top," Eversley says. "It will be lit by fiber optics and will contain a white driftwood sculpture with South American Discus fish." Of course, an aquarium of this magnitude comes with an equally impressive price tag — about $35,000 initially and $600 a month in maintenance and service.

As children often are fascinated by fish, kids' rooms are also popular settings for aquariums. Eversley cites one current project she is working on for a child's room in Chelsea. "In this project, our client's daughter is in love with the film ‘Finding Nemo.' This custom design will include anemones and clown fish with a Hippo tang (the Dorrie fish in the movie)."

When it comes to selecting your fish, do not rely on aesthetics alone — consult with an expert. While some species are easy and recommended for beginners, others should be reserved for those with experience. Angels, for example, are regarded by many as among the most beautiful fish, but they are extremely sensitive to even small changes in water quality and can be difficult to feed. Other fish may not cohabitate or may be sensitive to light.

If you have your heart set on an exotic species, be prepared to spend money. While you can purchase a goldfish for just a few dollars, Eversley says that some of her clients have fish that cost $2,000 each.

City Aquarium creates custom aquariums that are works of art.

2005-01-20T12:32:00.000-05:00

NEW YORK, NEW YORK
City Aquarium creates custom aquariums that are works of art. Since 1998, City Aquarium has the distinction of working with interior and furniture designers, architects, sculptors, marine biologists, as well as visual artists so that its aquaria and water pools become organic installations of water, light, space, and marine life. City Aquarium specializes in original, site-specific projects that reflect the clients' imaginative choices.

City Aquarium designers personally select all of the livestock to correspond with each individual installation. Representing the most exquisite sea life from around the world, City Aquarium livestock selections can include eel, shark, jellyfish, coral, marine and freshwater fish, and live rock.

The City Aquarium team has created residential and commercial installations as well as exhibits all over the world. Its diversity of client's include New York's Majestic "Dream" Hotel, hedge fund developers, world-class museums, plastic surgeon Dr. Allen Rosen, Tony Oursler, celebrities, the Honda Corporation, and New York nightclubs such as The Coral Room and Duvet.

City Aquarium also has one of the largest professional service and maintenance programs in the New York tri-state area. The maintenance staff includes both marine and freshwater biologists who are available 24 hours a day, every day of the week. City Aquarium is fully bonded and insured.

City Aquarium Installation: The Dream Hotel

2005-01-18T12:31:00.000-05:00

NEW YORK, NEW YORK
Dreams do come true. New York City will experience a new way to experience air, water, and light by visiting the Dream Hotel's new world-class aquarium designed by Justin Muir's City Aquarium. Standing near a stoic copper sculpture of Catherine the Great (c. 1915), City Aquarium's new installation rises over twenty feet, and holds 7,000 gallons of water.

The Dream Aquarium is the largest of its kind in New York. It invites visitors and hotel guests to wonder how far the imagination can reach, how far it can dream. It invites the senses to feel the connection between luxury and fantasy. The Aquarium's high design concept represents a collaboration with hotelier Vikram Chatwal, fashion surrealist David LaChapelle, and spiritualist Deepak Chopra's collective vision so that the rising column of water, light, color, and marine life seduces the viewer to float through a Dream.

City Aquarium's Dream installation completes the hotel lobby's design elements of 1940s style seating, hard-carved lions, and vaulted glass ceilings. Angelfish inside the Dream Aquarium suggest the possibility of heaven on earth and then he surreal experience approaches the fourth dimension: water seems suspended in air.

Ryan McGinness: Fun and, Yes, Games

2004-11-21T12:29:00.000-05:00

Gotham Magazine: Fishing For Compliments

2004-11-01T12:26:00.000-05:00

NEW YORK, NEW YORK
Ask Justin Muir-self-proclaimed "almost millionaire" who graduated from Georgetown, sports Marc Jacobs, lives in Gramercy Park, and just happens to run a business called City Aquariums-what the ultimate holiday gift is this season and he will tell you: fish tanks. Yes, fish tanks. "Aquariums have become quite a status symbol," says Muir, who looks like a Dawson's Creek character and speaks with the down-and-dirty know-how if a second-generation fisherman. After all, his company has grown from a one-man show with 500 bucks in the bank in 1998 to today selling the ne plus ultra New York City style-statement. "I prefer to be called an aquarium designer," says the entrepreneur who has a degree in zoology and has spent time studying marine biology at the New York City Aquarium in Coney Island.

Muir lists hedge-fund managers, traders, and corporate big shots as the types who typically enlist his company to create masterpiece habitats for their underwater creatures; fill them with fashionable fish like octopus, shark, and angle fish; and maintain them for thousands of dollars each week. At the end of the day, the cost of his services can range form $35,000 to a couple of million-a big price to pay for slimy little suckers. But as Muir assures, "It's an absolute focal point in interior design today." The cutting edge tanks, complete with livestock, are splashing around Gotham from the Coral Room to Duvet to Vikram Chatwals' Dream Hotel to the Sultan of Oman's private villa. "Personally, I have two Kidako Moray eels," Muir says humbly of the three-foot-long treasures that cost $1,500 each. "They're called Kid and Ako." Not bad for a fish-monger now is it?

Conde Nast Traveler: When You Have A 10,000-gallon Aquarium, Why Leave All The Liquid Fun To The Creatures With Fins.

2002-07-07T12:16:00.000-04:00