Work  /  FreshwaterAquarium.com

A Fresh Take

Brand development

Client
FreshwaterAquarium.com
Disciplines
Brand · Identity · Content strategy
Deliverable
14-page brand guidelines
Role
Brand designer — system & guidelines

The Brand, Page by Page

Fourteen pages covering the brand mission and tone of voice, the primary, secondary and submark logos, a core and an accent palette, DM Sans as the single type family, a six-mark icon set, the imagery the brand draws from, and the cadence each social channel runs to. Every page below is rebuilt in HTML rather than screenshotted — the type is real text, set on the deck’s own grid.

Three pieces of aquascaping dragon stone photographed on white The FreshwaterAquarium.com horizontal logo: an angelfish badge beside a name banner

Background

Splash into FreshwaterAquarium.com, a sister

brand to SaltwaterAquarium.com with a fresh

identity while staying aligned under the same

company umbrella.

01 Background
A red and blue betta in a planted aquarium

Direction 1

Brand Mission

Mission statement

FreshwaterAquarium.com is committed to supporting freshwater

aquarists at every level by offering high-quality products, expert

guidance, and a thriving community to explore the wonders of

freshwater ecosystems.

Core values

Clarity

Reliability

Growth

Harmonious

Clarity

Making freshwater aquarium care approachable

and understandable.

Reliability

Curating only trusted, proven freshwater equipment

and livestock products.

Growth

Helping aquarists—from beginners to pros—develop

successful, thriving tanks.

Harmonious

Promoting sustainable, healthy aquatic environments.

02 Brand Mission
A galaxy rasbora among bright green aquarium plants

Direction 1

Tone & Voice

Tone & voice

FreshwaterAquarium.com speaks with clarity, calm confidence,

and care. We are a trusted guide in the freshwater aquarium

journey—offering clear advice, honest recommendations, and

community-driven support for aquarists of all experience levels.

Brand tagline

“Where your passion for aquatics meets clear, reliable guidance.”

Voice pillar

How it sounds

Clear

Friendly, simple, and free of jargon. We make complex topics understandable.

Reliable

Calm, factual, and honest. We believe in under-promising and over-delivering.

Supportive

Encouraging, empowering, and warm. We foster every aquarist, at every level.

Harmonious

Mindful of ecosystems and balance. We promote sustainable aquarium keeping.

Tone checklist

1.

Is it clear and easy to understand?

2.

Does it feel trustworthy and factual?

3.

Are we supporting our hobbyists journey?

4.

Are we promoting balance and sustainability?

03 Tone & Voice
A carpeted aquascape of moss-covered stone

Primary

Logos

PRIMARY LOGO

The primary logo was designed

to adopt a stacked layout,

drawing inspiration from its

counterpart (sister) logo found

at SaltwaterAquarium.com.

While tailored to reflect a

distinct freshwater identity, it

remains visually aligned with the

overarching brand family.

The primary logo: a circular angelfish badge above a Freshwater Aquarium dot com banner
04 Logos — primary
A carpeted aquascape of moss-covered stone

Secondary & submark

Logos

SECONDARY LOGO

The secondary logo features a

horizontal layout that seamlessly

combines the angelfish icon with

the name banner, offering a

more compact and versatile

design.

The secondary logo: the angelfish badge set beside the name banner

SUBMARK LOGO

This submark design was

developed for use in

situations where the primary

and secondary logos would

appear too large.

This simplified mark features

the iconic angelfish symbol

and works to maintain brand

recognition at smaller scales.

The submark: the circular angelfish badge on its own
05 Logos — secondary & submark

Core colors

Colors

HEX #026009

RGB 2 96 9

HEX #54BB32

RGB 84 187 50

HEX #FFFFFF

RGB 255 255 255

HEX #000000

RGB 0 0 0

Anubias growing from a piece of aquarium driftwood, shot on white

Primary Colors

HEX #026009

Stability, nature, trust

HEX #54BB32

Freshness, growth

HEX #000000

Sophistication, balance

HEX #FFFFFF

Clean, modern contrast

Usage Guidelines

Primary color usage

Use primary colors for brand recognition and main design components (logo, headers, backgrounds).

06 Colors — core palette

Secondary colors

Colors

HEX #FFA733

RGB 255 167 51

HEX #E0E0E0

RGB 224 224 224

A fancy goldfish, its orange matching the brand accent A second goldfish entering from the top corner

Secondary Accent Colors

HEX #FFA733

Highlight elements, energy, vibrancy

HEX #E0E0E0

Neutral support tone, clarity

Usage Guidelines

Secondary accent colors

Accent colors should be used sparingly to draw attention to CTAs, highlights, or UI elements.

07 Colors — accent palette

Fonts

Typography

Primary font

DM Sans

DM Sans Light Italic

AaBbCcDdEeFfGgHhIiJjKk

LlMmNnOoPpQqRrSsTtUu

VvWwXxYyZz

0123456789

DM Sans Regular

AaBbCcDdEeFfGgHhIiJjKk

LlMmNnOoPpQqRrSsTtUu

VvWwXxYyZz

0123456789

DM Sans Medium

AaBbCcDdEeFfGgHhIiJjKk

LlMmNnOoPpQqRrSsTtUu

VvWwXxYyZz

0123456789

DM Sans Bold

AaBbCcDdEeFfGgHhIiJjKk

LlMmNnOoPpQqRrSsTtUu

VvWwXxYyZz

0123456789

H1: DM Sans Bold | 48px | Uppercase | Tracking: 1%

H2: DM Sans Medium | 32px | Title case | Tracking: 1%

CTA: DM Sans Bold | 20px | Title case | Tracking: 1%

Product Title: DM Sans Bold | 20px | Title case | Tracking: 1%

Body: DM Sans Regular | 18px | Title case | Tracking: 1%

Aa

Aa

Aa

Aa

08 Typography

Graphics

Iconography

Usage guidelines

Icons should be simple, line-style icons in green, gray, or

black coloration depending on application used. Rounded

edges offer a friendly, approachable feel.

Consistent style across website, packaging, etc.

Fish icon: a line drawing inside a green ring Substrate icon: a line drawing inside a green ring Plants and decor icon: a line drawing inside a green ring Water treatment icon: a line drawing inside a green ring Lighting icon: a line drawing inside a green ring Aquariums icon: a line drawing inside a green ring

Fish

Explore an extensive catalog of sustainably sourced

fish, from popular picks to more challenging species.

Water treatment

Dive into conditioners, beneficial bacteria, and treatments

to keep your aquatic environment flourishing.

Substrate

Find the right gravel, sand, or specialty substrate to

enhance any aquarium environment.

Lighting

Shop aquarium lights designed to enhance coloration,

support plant growth, and create the perfect ambiance.

Plants & decor

Elevate your tank with plants, driftwood, rocks, and

ornaments to create a beautiful environment.

Aquariums

Discover tanks in all sizes and styles, including kits and

custom aquarium options.

09 Iconography
Packaged Fluval Malaysian driftwood for bettas Two electric-blue cichlids against black A Fluval Nano plant-spectrum LED and its box A rainbowfish over pale aquarium sand A turquoise discus among green plants A group of orange and blue discus An orange and white fancy goldfish A wide planted aquarium shot on white A red betta and a blue-and-white betta A piece of aquarium driftwood on white A silver angelfish lit against black A brightly lit planted tank

FreshwaterAquarium.com

Moodboard

10 Moodboard
A FreshwaterAquarium.com substrate pouch mockup against green blocks, with gravel and a leaf

Graphics

Imagery

Usage guidelines

High-resolution realistic photos of

freshwater aquariums, fish (like

bettas, guppies, cichlids), plants,

and aquascapes should be used

across all channels to offer a

consistent brand style.

Backgrounds should be clean or

blurred to emphasize the subject

with soft natural lighting.

Images should resonate with the

core values: clarity, reliability,

growth, harmonious.

Primary

Hex: #026009

Secondary accent

Hex: #FFA733

Font

Hex: #E0E0E0

11 Imagery
An Instagram profile mockup on a phone, flanked by four FreshwaterAquarium.com post tiles

Social channels

Social Strategy

#FreshwaterAquariumDotCom

#TeamFreshwater

#AquariumExpertsOnline

Clean, branded, and direct

Community-focused

Reinforces authority and niche specialization.

Hashtags

12 Social Strategy
Instagram icon

Instagram

Cadence: Daily

Inspire, showcase aquascapes, build a visual brand. Feature user-generated content incorporating branded hashtags.

Hashtag: #AquariumLife / #FishOfInstagram / #FreshwaterAquarium, #TeamFreshwater, #AquariumExpertsOnline

Facebook icon

Facebook

Cadence: Daily

Community and product education. Post aquarium care tips, promote blog content, and go live for Q&A sessions.

Hashtag: Use 3–5 per post – #FreshwaterAquarium / #AquariumTips / #AquariumExpertsOnline

Tik Tok icon

Tik Tok

Cadence: 3–5x/Week

Viral content, quick tips, and visual tank inspiration.

Hashtag: #FYP / #FishTok #AquariumTok #AquascapeDesign #FreshwaterAquariumDotCom #TeamFreshwater

YouTube icon

YouTube

Cadence: 1x / Week

Build authority through educational and how-to videos.

Hashtag: #FreshwaterAquarium / #AquascapingTips / #FishTankSetup

X icon

“X”

Cadence: 3–5x/Week

Share quick tips and updates. Tweet facts, product drops, user content.

Hashtag: #AquariumTips / #FishTankSetup

13 Channel cadence
Marbled angelfish among tall green aquarium grass

Thank You

Like the ecosystems we champion, this document is a living system

—growing, adapting, and getting a little more colorful over time. As

our brand grows and shifts, so will these guidelines—regularly

refreshed, never stagnant.

FreshwaterAquarium.com

Prepared By: NATV   04/2025

14 Thank You