A Wall Aquarium Gives a Dramatic Look to Any Room
Posted on 25. May, 2009 by admin in Aquariums, Fishtanks
Wall aquariums impart an impressive and beautiful look to every room. They can be mounted on a partition wall so they can be viewed from each room. Although wall fish tanks may be pricier than standing aquariums and are harder to mount you will be pleased that you made the investment and effort when you see how good your aquarium looks and how it is appreciated by visitors to your home. They can, however, be slightly harder to maintain than a stand alone aquarium as they are installed in a limited space which will make it slightly harder to access the tank for feeding, cleaning and other maintenance jobs. Many wall fish tanks now come with cabinets above the fish tank which will help to make access much easier.
Many of the newer wall aquariums can be bought as a kit with all the add ons and hardware for hanging required, so that the accessories such as pumps and filters are concealed. These kits are easy to install so you perhaps don’t need a builder to do it for you. However if you aren’t too sure of your experience in do it yourself, it is well worth paying someone else to do the job for you so that all you must do is to add water and fish.
An important thing you should do before you hang the fish tank is to see if there are any electrical wires or pipes within the wall at the location you are going to mount it. You also need to locate a load bearing wall and find the wall studs. Tanks are extremely heavy when filled with water so you must be very sure that the studs are able to take this weight.You should decide whether you are going to hang the aquarium or build it into the wall.
The second task for you to do is to measure the area where the tank will be placed and ensure you include some room for things such as pumps, filters and lights. You can place the pump at a distance from the tank, and water can be pumped through through plastic pipes to the tank. Although this is a lot more work when setting up it does have the benefit that you can move more water through the fish tank, which let’s you accommodate more fish, and also keeps the noise of the pump away from the room. A problem with wall fish tanks is that they tend to be narrow so they have a smaller surface area than rectangular fish tanks. This can mean that if you don’t aerate the water very well you won’t be able to keep so many fish in the aquarium.
If you are going to use a professional builder to mount your wall tank talk to him before you order your fish tank to make sure that he knows your requirements. Once your tank is installed it can be filled and stocked exactly like any other fish tank by first cycling the tank before you add your fish. The best method is fishless cycling which is simple to do and does not cause distress to the fish. Once you have cycled the tank you may start to buy the fish and put in some plants if you will be using them.
An especially dramatic effect can be achieved by making a marine aquarium with brightly colored reef corals and fish, but this is, perhaps a plan for an expert fish keeper. A wall tank, as we have said, makes an excellent centerpiece to your room and is sure to be admired by each one of your guests.
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