Mount A Wall Aquarium

A wall aquarium can provide your room with interesting living decoration. Here is how to build this space-saving tank yourself:

Tools and Materials Needed

• Wall aquarium
• Stud finder
• Drywall knife or utility knife
• Carpenter’s pencil or marker
• Stoppers
• Wall frame molding or decorative trims

Step 1 – Decide Where to Put the Wall Aquarium

The wall you use should act to partition 2 rooms. One room will be the display side of the aquarium while the other will serve as access for the maintenance of the fish tank.

Step 2 – Check the Wall

Avoid any load-bearing wall that serves as a main structural support for your house. Find out if there are electrical wires or pipes that run inside the wall where you plan to mount the aquarium. Before you hammer away, you must also use a stud finder to locate and mark areas with wall studs or vertical frames behind the wall.

Step 3 – Measure the Aquarium

Get the dimensions of the fish tank that you will mount on the wall. Make sure that your tank is big enough for your fish to live in. Most wall aquariums are narrow so they can easily fit inside walls. For best results, make sure that the width of the fish tank can span the width of the wall stud.

Do not forget to provide allowance for aquarium accessories like filters and lights. It is best to place the filter as far away from the wall as possible. This will spare you from noise or vibrations that can travel from the wall to adjoining rooms.

Step 4 – Match Aquarium Dimensions to the Wall

Outline or sketch the measurements of the fish tank onto the front of the wall area where you will mount it. Provide necessary allowances for space. Just make sure that the bottom of the aquarium will be located directly on top of a wall stud or frame.

Step 5 – Cut Away the Outlined Part of the Wall

Carefully cut the portion of the wall that has been outlined. Use drywall knife or utility knife for smoother and even edges. This will create the wall cavity or the opening where you will fit the fish tank in. But before you even touch the aquarium, trace the borders of the cavity onto the other side of the wall. Cut away the outlined portion on the other side of the wall, such that the wall cavity passes through the wall and is perfectly even. There should now be a rectangular opening on the wall where you can see through the other room.

Step 6 – Add Stoppers on Both Front and Back Sides

Before you insert the aquarium, add stoppers in the display side and the back side of the wall cavity. This will prevent the aquarium from tipping over to either side of the wall. Don’t use adhesives to secure the tank in place because doing so will complicate the maintenance.

Step 7 – Insert the Wall Aquarium into the Opening

Insert the wall aquarium into the wall cavity. Ensure that the tank sits steadily on the wall stud. Gather all electrical cords and secure them on the other room that serves as the maintenance (or back side) of the aquarium.

Step 8 – Attach Wall Aquarium Frame

On the front side of the wall aquarium, attach wall frame molding or decorative trims to conceal the stoppers and the cuts you made to the wall. When complete, the framing will make your aquarium appear to be a live picture.