Hannah Carolan’s Ocean-in-the-Office Reef
- PNW Custom
- Jan 2
- 3 min read
PNW Custom Community Spotlight 🔦
One of the most special things about desktop aquariums is how easily they can bring people together, and Hannah Carolan (@hicarolan) is a perfect example of that. Her PNW Custom tank doesn’t just live in a home, it lives in a shared space where coworkers, kids, and visitors all get to experience a tiny slice of the ocean together.
Falling in Love With the Hobby
Hannah’s reefing journey began about three years ago when she met her husband, Ben. What started as learning alongside him quickly turned into a passion of her own.
“I instantly fell in love with learning about it!”
Since then, aquariums have become a family-wide interest. Her excitement for the hobby is contagious, so much so that friends, family, and even her kids’ friends are fascinated by it.
“My kids constantly tell their friends they have the ocean in their basement at home.”
A 1-Gallon Reef With a Big Personality
Hannah keeps a PNW Custom 1 Gallon Small-In-One, which has been running since April 2025. Despite its small size, the tank is full of life and color. Her coral selection includes mushrooms, zoanthids, and green star polyps, creating a vibrant, textured reef that thrives in a compact space.
The livestock lineup is equally full of character. Her tank is home to Jerry the neon goby, Big Bird the clown goby, Squirt the green banded goby, and Giuseppe the sexy shrimp, along with a small urchin and snails. Each inhabitant adds movement and personality, making the tank endlessly fun to observe.
An Aquarium at Work
Instead of keeping her tank at home, Hannah decided to place it somewhere unexpected: her office at the Girl Scout office. The result has been nothing short of magical.
“It sits in my office and my coworkers are always coming to say hello to my fishies!”
The tank has become a shared point of joy, sparking conversations and daily check-ins from coworkers. Even when Hannah is out of the office, the reef doesn’t miss a beat. Her coworkers all help take care of the aquarium when she is out of the office for a few days. The Girl Scouts themselves love stopping by to see the tank, proving just how powerful a small aquarium can be as an educational and inspiring tool.
Low-Stress Maintenance
Maintenance has stayed simple and manageable. Hannah performs a water change every couple of weeks and uses a small glass scraper to keep the display clean. For tighter spots, she’s found a creative solution that many reef keepers can relate to, an old toothbrush.
Her experience proves that even with a busy schedule, a micro reef can stay healthy and enjoyable with a basic, consistent routine.
Sharing the Ocean Everywhere
Hannah’s tiny tank has become more than just a personal hobby, it’s a shared experience that brings calm, curiosity, and connection into her workplace.
Inspired by how much the Girl Scouts love it, she’s even considering adding a 40oz Micro Tank that could travel to troop meetings, allowing even more kids to experience reef life up close.
“Thank you for creating such a cool idea so that we can keep our piece of the ocean everywhere we go!”
Want to Be Featured Next?
We’re incredibly grateful to Hannah for sharing her story and for showing how PNW Custom aquariums can thrive in spaces far beyond the home. If you have a tank that’s bringing joy to your workplace, classroom, or community, we’d love to feature you in a future PNW Custom Community Spotlight.
