Q: I am starting a new business and I would like to keep an aquarium in the office. Are there any Feng Shui rules regarding small and big aquariums and also concerning the size and number of fish?

Amit Goswami, Calcutta

A: Aquariums certainly boost business when placed in the northern sector. Care should be taken to always keep the water sparkling clean or it can have an adverse effect.

The size of the aquarium should depend on how big your office is. Small aquariums in big rooms have a negligible effect, whereas large aquariums placed in small offices become overpowering. Maintain a balance.

As far as the size of the fish is concerned, it is best to have smaller fish, which move swiftly in the water. They stimulate the surrounding energy more radically than larger fish that tend to move slowly because of their excessive weight.

It is best to keep eight gold and one black fish. If the aquarium is very large you can keep the fish in multiples of nine.

Sometimes fish can absorb negativity and in doing so, lose their lives. They should be immediately replaced to ensure the right numbers.

Q: I have a collection of crystal. I have placed them in the south-west corner of my living room but sadly there are no windows in that corner. Will the crystals still work if not charged with solar energy? What else can be placed alongside with crystals?

Avantika Agarwal, Ranchi

A: Place a lamp near the crystals and by focussing light on them, can charge them every evening for an hour. This will keep them regularly activated and charged with yang energy. Their energy can also be magnified by placing them on a round display mirror.

The other powerful way of energising them is by recharging them once every full moon. Ensure they are kept dazzling clean.

Q: What is the best flooring option according to Feng Shui? Are red tiles more auspicious than others? Also, please advise on the different implications of other options like mosaic, marble, granite and even wooden planks.

Tanmoy Basu, Gariahat

A: Flooring is generally a matter of personal preference as well as budget. More accurate assessments are made according to your birth details. The material and colour used should balance the elements of your birth chart.

Q: Our city is in disarray, with damaged roads and pavements, defaced walls and overflowing garbage dumps in every conceivable open space. Isn’t the situation very Feng Shui-unfriendly? Could the state of our city be a cause for many of our woes?

Chinmoy Das, Jatin Das Road

A: Cleanliness is a requirement in Feng Shui in the house, city or a country. Singaporeans are avid followers of this science, and that country is an example of cleanliness, which in turn makes them progressive. A cleaner Calcutta may be a more progressive Calcutta as well.