What decides the cost
Five things move the price, in roughly this order.
- Size. Glass, stand, water volume and the filtration to match all scale with the tank. A desk-scale system and a lobby centrepiece are different jobs.
- Life support. Filtration, lighting and, for planted systems, CO2. This is the part that decides whether it still looks good in year three, so it is where we do not cut.
- Livestock and planting. A planted aquascape, a paludarium with crabs (land and water in one glass box), or a frog vivarium each carry different stocking and different care.
- Access and installation. Lift size, floor loading, distance from the loading bay, working around your operating hours.
- Maintenance. The one cost people forget to budget. A living installation needs a scheduled visit, and the contract is what keeps it looking the way it did at handover.
The numbers we can state
We publish prices wherever the product is fixed, and quote wherever it is not.
- Ready-to-order systems (our Signature range): from $380 for a compact aquascape to $2,800 for a statement paludarium, complete with filtration, lighting, hardscape and planting.
- Delivery and installation: from $150. We site it, level it and start the system on the spot.
- Maintenance plans: from $200 a visit, scheduled around your operating hours.
- Bespoke installations: quoted to the space after a paid consultation and concept. A six-metre planted river through a building is a different engineering job from a reception tank, and we would rather measure than guess.
For a sense of scale, see Drifting, a 600 × 75 × 60 cm aquascape composed and installed by CCS.
What your building needs
- A level floor that takes the weight. Water is heavy: a 90 cm planted tank sits well over 200 kg once filled and scaped. Raised floors and older slabs need checking.
- Power. Two points for a typical system (filter and lighting), more for misting or chillers. An extension strip is fine; a socket behind the cabinet is better.
- Water nearby. Not plumbed, just reachable. Water changes are carried in and out unless we plumb a drain.
- Out of direct sun and away from an aircon blast. Sun grows algae faster than plants. Cold draughts stress animals.
What running it looks like
Once installed, a living system asks for a rhythm, not attention. On a maintenance contract that rhythm is ours: water changes, trimming, glass, feeding checks and a look at the animals, on a schedule that suits the building. Between visits your team does nothing beyond not switching it off. If you would rather run it in-house, we hand over an online care guide and remain a WhatsApp photo away.
How a project runs from site visit to standing showpiece is on the CCS for Business page.
Questions, answered
How long does an office installation take?+
Ready-to-order systems are built in about 30 days. Bespoke installations depend on scale: design and specification first, then fabrication, then a scheduled install. We give a timeline with the quote.
Can it go in a lobby the public walks past?+
Yes. That is the brief for most of our larger work: structure, filtration, lighting and life balanced to run for years in a space that never closes.
Who looks after the animals?+
On a maintenance contract, we do. Feeding checks, health checks and water quality are part of the visit. Livestock is sourced and introduced by us once the system has matured.
Can we match it to our interior?+
Cabinetry, finishes and the layout itself are designed around the space. Bring your designer or architect; we work alongside them and handle drawings, coordination and installation.
What if something goes wrong?+
Living systems are engineered to be stable, and a maintenance contract catches problems early. Our aftercare and support are described on the Aftercare page.
Talk to us about your space
Send us the space, the intent and a timeline. We come back within one business day with the right next step, usually a site visit. One thing upfront: we don't do free designs. Proposals and concepts are payable work.