Seeing Green in the Aqua Forest Aquarium

Just down from the legendary Fillmore Auditorium in San Francisco, one may find an equally intense little gem: The Aqua Forest Aquarium store. This is not your typical fish store with some water hyacinth and fern plants, AFA carries over 13 varieties of moss alone and is "the first aquarium store in US dedicated to Nature Aquarium Style concept" made famous by Takashi Amano.



In fact, it is safe to say Aqua Forest is a shrine to Mr. Amano. Display tanks are laboriously manicured, often minimalist and feature rimless Amano aquariums, lighting and filtration.






In fact, Aqua Forest is a distributor of ADA - aqua design amano - aquarium products from Japan and carries the full line in the store. Seeing the full line up close - even the aquariums - is impressive and is one of many clues that Aqua Forest is a high-end outlet for planted aquarium fanatics as you just don't find ADA and Do!aqua products at every fish store.


Glass CO[SUB]2[/SUB] Diffuser by ADA


Mini ADA C0[SUB]2[/SUB] System


Everything ADA in stock at Aqua Forest!


Do!aqua glassware

Planted aquariums can arguably rival the beauty of coral reef aquariums when done right and a look around the Aqua Forest Aquarium store is a quick study in the planted tank fundamentals. Deep iron-rich substrates, C02 diffusers, intense lighting and plants - lots of plants. In fact, the fish are far and few between here - they are reduced to a backdrop as plants take the center stage. So many hues of green, red and yellow - there is something innately soothing about a planted aquarium.


ADA aquariums are very nice!

It is worth noting that even if reef is your thing, you may want to swing by Aqua Forest just to check out the rimless glass ADA aquariums they have for sale. The craftsmanship is quite evident and the shallow design with large surface area would make for a very, very nice reef aquarium.

Next time you are in San Francisco you should really check out the Aqua Forest Aquarium store. It is time well spent.














Aqua Forest Aquarium
Address: 1718 Fillmore St, San Francisco, CA 94115

Tel: 415-929-8883

Fax: 415-929-8826

Email: [email protected]

Store Hours: Mon - Sat 11:00am to 7:00pm
Store Hours: Sun 12:00 pm to 6:00pm
Store Hours: Closed on Tuesday.

Web site:
aqua forest aquarium

 

A couple more pics...


HID Lamp Over Vase Tank


Aqua Forest already has a copy of Amano's Latest Book!

 

I could really get into that.

 

Very very nice. Seems like a lot of work though.

 

Me too! I had a 6 gallon Eclipse tank that I put PC lamps and kept it planted for several years with a DIY CO[SUB]2[/SUB] reactor - I really enjoyed it.

True but more than reef tanks? I am not so sure. Like reef tanks, they benefit from starting out with the right hardware and stock, then from there husbandry is key.

 

Matt IME they are far more work then a reef tank, mainly due to the amount of pruning needed to keep them looking tight

FWIW we have several stores in the BA that carry both Doh and ADA

 

A labor of love?

No kidding? I have to get out of the ghetto more!

 

labor of love for sure

 

Planted tanks can be breathtaking, but I agree that they can be hard to maintain. I'll check that store out, if I ever visit San Francisco

 

parking can be tough at times. Typically I've had to park numerous blocks away but last time I got a spot nearly smack dab in front It's just your normal SF parking situation really.