Thanks for the kind words. MVLK, I'm in Chicago, but no kidnapping -we have baby #3 on the way and I wife has the nursery list that keeps expanding!
Seriously though, I'm in sales by day and carpentry/design and fishkeeping are my passions. Whether it's a reef tank, a FOWLR, a fish only with a Living Color type insert, a freshwater tank, or a planted tank, there is simply nothing in my opinion that offers more beauty to a home than a well done and well placed aquarium.
I'm currently sitting at the desk which is right in front of that aquarium and there's nothing like the beauty of a nice bright yellow foxface darting back and forth as I listen to the subtle trickle of the refugium return.
One design note - the doors on the canopy are only temporary. They are basically 2 12"x24" mdf slabs with ogee routed edges and some hinges. I've got proper doors on order that match the doors on the base cabinets. They have the proper face panel routing detail. Check out cabinetdoorsdepot.com. They are a GREAT resource and well priced. For example, 2 paint grade mdf routed panel doors (that match the cabinet doors) with white melamine back, bored for hinges and hinges included, are like $50 shipped. The quality is top notch.
The only downside is convincing my wife to let my install all of the built in aquariums in every room of our house! I swear, I must have filled 2-3 sketchbooks with ideas!