Dear Kartar: I have a mini fish tank on an island opposite my stove. Fish tank back is facing stove. Is there a feng shui issue?
Answer: There are many kitchen myths and misconceptions in the world of Feng Shui. You have asked about the feng shui of a fish tank in a kitchen, and no doubt you have concerns about the location of water’s proximity to fire. In Five Element Theory, Water dominates or destroys Fire. However, a modern-day kitchen is a mixture of elements, such as the metal appliances, the earthen (stone or tile) counters, heat-fire from cooking and water passing through the sink. On top of that some people put live plants in a kitchen which represents the wood element.
To a certain extent, all elements together will cancel each other out. As well, the kitchen might be the least important room in a house, with the exception of bathrooms and closets or a guest room that is not used by the occupants.
If you truly want a precise, accurate and personal answer about the influence of your fish tank in the kitchen, as a professional, I would need to review your floor plan, factor in the compass alignment, the year built and a few other features in order, including the volume of water, to know if the water there is having any impact on your life at all.
There is no “general” answer to your question because each home is unique and has a set of criteria that must be considered in order to get a meaningful answer. Anything else is just generic, superstitious or guessing.
Unless you spend hours a day in the kitchen, it is likely not going to affect you much one way or the other. But when water is put in the wrong location, it does have the power to reduce financial luck, trigger more arguments or legal problems, and in some cases contribute to heart or eye problems. If your tank is in a good location, it could be contributing to the overall balance of that area and even the whole house.
Kartar Diamond of Feng Shui Solutions® has a full-scale consultancy, including assistance with property searches, design phase and existing homes and businesses. She is the author of three books, 6 ebooks, 36 Cast Study Lessons and more to come. See the books she’s authored or browse through her online Traditional Feng Shui school.