Like Hanging a Picture: Wall-Mounted Aquariums

If you gave somebody the task of spicing up a living space by adding art, I think it’s safe to say that most people would start by adding framed pictures. In fact, I wouldn’t be surprised if wall art such as posters, pictures, and paintings make up the most common household art in America. It makes sense — framed pictures have a couple of advantages that other art forms can’t match. They occupy giant empty spaces on the wall to make a living space feel less empty, they take up no floor space whatsoever, and they’re easily visible because they’re at eye level.

So, why not capitalize on all of these advantages by installing wall-mounted aquarium? It might seem a bit strange at first, but wall aquariums could make a great addition to your home, especially if you don’t want to devote valuable square footage to huge aquarium tank. Some wall mounted aquariums are only a few inches thick, which leaves more than enough space for other pieces of furniture.

There’s only one catch to wall-mounted aquariums: you’re probably going to have to do a bit of construction. First of all, you can’t just drive a few nails in a wall and expect to be able to hang a 10 gallon aquarium. You’ll need a sturdy installation that will secure your aquarium to the wall, kind of like those wall mounts for flat screen TVs. Second, you’re going to have to power your aquarium somehow. The last thing you want is to install a gorgeous custom aquarium, and then let a visible cord ruin the aesthetic. I highly recommend that you hook up the aquarium’s power in such a way that the power outlet and cords are obscured by the aquarium itself.

Alternatively, you could always have an aquarium that’s built in to the wall itself. Built-in aquariums have all of the advantages of their mounted counterparts, with the added benefit that built-in aquariums tend to look much more elegant and beautiful.

These two types of wall aquariums have a very similar aesthetic, but they send out very different messages about the owner. A wall-mounted aquarium is inherently more ephemeral than a built-in aquarium. Sure, it takes a bit of elbow grease to install wall-mounted aquarium, but you can still move a wall-mounted aquarium to a new location whenever the mood strikes you. This makes wall-mounted aquariums much more flexible, but the downside is that the mounted aquarium won’t always feel like an intrinsic part of a living space. It might come off as a “tacked on” extra that ancillary to the centerpiece of the room.

Built-in aquariums don’t have that flexibility. You’re pretty much stuck with wherever you put it. That isn’t necessarily a downside, however. By building an aquarium into a wall, you’re making a powerful statement about a room. The aquarium is part of the room, which allows you to use the aquarium as the room’s centerpiece. Plus, a built-in aquarium could pump up the value of your house!

You should consider all of these factors before installing a wall aquarium in your home or office. Both aquariums will provide you with a beautiful aquatic display, but the type of aquarium you choose can fundamentally affect the overall feel of the living space. Either way, these aquariums options are perfect if you want to introduce some aquatic beauty to your living space but you don’t have the floor space to spare.