JOIN USFor the love of fishes
They not only help you unwind thoroughly but also give you fresh insights into the being that you are. They could do well in unravelling a whole new self in you.
Metrolife spotted Nitin Mascreen who has a fancy for fish tanks, something that he picked up by watching his father work on fish tanks. Nitin has been making fish tanks of all shapes and sizes for the last four years.
What started off as a pastime with Nitin making fish tanks for his friends, ended up as his passion. “I learnt to make tanks from my father who used to make them the old-fashioned way with cast iron and steel as the frame and tar as adhesive. Using the latest technology available, I used the same know-how and made my first tank, here in Bangalore. It’s a great feeling,” says Nitin.
He recalls that at one time their living room was filled with glass Horlicks bottles with each bottle containing one fish. “We grew fishes to a marketable size and used these fish in exchange for food and other aquarium supplies. That's how it all began,” he recollects.
Nitin’s tanks are tailor-made to meet different requirements. There is no compromise on quality. “The glass used is the best available in the market, the glue is also of a superior quality and the build is far greater than the ones you get in the open market,” he adds.
He also points out that the tanks are made to fit specific spaces.
Making the fish tank is all about making an eco system in which fishes can live, breathe, grow and flourish, he points out. But isn’t it a time-consuming process and requires a lot of patience? It does take a lot of patience because from conception till the time you can see what you have as a live eco system, it’s a clear three months, and after that it's pure passion that will drive you because the beauty is unmatched.”
And Nitin takes care to ensure that tanks are made in keeping with the kind of fish that would be put into it. It’s a different environment for different breed of fishes. Nitin explains that the environment that is created is specific to the fish that is bred in the tank. “For instance, the Blue Tang is a fish that requires a marine environment whereas the Cardinal Tetra requires a fresh water environment. So the key to designing any tank is the kind of fish, the theme and what you want it to look like,” he says.
Nitin plugs a lot of creativity into making the tanks. He also obliges requests from friends and makes tanks that suit their taste.