WALL AQUARIUMS: PROS AND CONS
You've undoubtedly heard of wall-mounted televisions, but a wall-mounted aquarium? Many aquarists don't even know that wall aquariums exist. This type of aquarium is also known as a “portrait aquarium” or simply a “wall aquarium”, and these aquariums have recently become a trending item in the aquarium equipment trade. These aquariums are mounted directly on wall studs, which serve to securely mount it to the wall. Wall mounted aquariums vary in size, they are usually 4 to 6 inches deep with a height of 16 to 18 inches and a length of about 18 inches. However, you can find larger models that are up to 2 meters long!
Of course a wall aquarium, for various reasons, cannot be recommended to all aquarists, but certainly this type of aquarium has a right to life. Before you go to the pet store for a wall aquarium, you should first of all think carefully. Although it may look beautiful, but there is a spoonful - you may face a lot of problems related to populating and maintaining the required water parameters of such an aquarium compared to a traditional type of aquarium.
Advantages of a wall aquarium
A wall aquarium is guaranteed to be part of the design of your apartment or office - your guests will definitely not be able to take their eyes off it. In addition to the unique look of a wall aquarium, it has other advantages:
- a wall aquarium is ideal when you have little space to install a conventional aquarium;
- it is possible to install the aquarium in a wall niche between two rooms;
- wall aquariums allow you to comfortably observe its inhabitants when they are placed at eye level;
- wall aquarium is perfect for installation in crowded places, it will not interfere with anyone;
- wall aquariums are great for banks, hospitals and other institutions.
Disadvantages of a wall mounted aquarium
Although wall aquariums have a mostly unique look, there are some problems. Some of their disadvantages are:
- A wall aquarium limits the gas exchange of water due to its reduced surface area;
- The aquarium requires a secure attachment to the wall. A wall mounted aquarium weighs up to 50 to 150 lbs;
- wall-mounted aquariums are much more expensive than regular aquariums (just as a laptop computer costs more than a regular computer);
- a wall aquarium will limit you in the choice of fish, because only small fish will feel more or less comfortable in it.
What kind of fish can be kept in a wall aquarium
A wall aquarium is not suitable for all fish species - it has limited swimming space. There is a rule of thumb that the length of the fish should be 1.5 times the width of the aquarium.
So, for a 10 cm wide aquarium, you can keep fish with a maximum size of 6.5 cm. With this in mind, you will need to determine in advance the species of fish you can keep in your wall aquarium. The most suitable inhabitants for such an aquarium are, for example, guppies, mollines, rasboras, shrimps, etc.
Accessories
Another problem associated with wall aquariums is choosing the right accessories. Like any aquarium, you need to equip your wall aquarium with a high-quality filtration and lighting system. Given the irregular size of such an aquarium, you may find it difficult to purchase compact equipment. Such aquariums tend to be much narrower than traditional aquariums, and you may not have the space to accommodate it.
Alternatives to wall-mounted aquariums
If you really like the look of a wall-mounted aquarium, but you want to keep more fish or larger fish than a wall-mounted aquarium, consider a wall-mounted aquarium. The advantage of this kind of aquarium is that it is usually wider, so you will be able to keep more different fish. Unfortunately, in this case you will probably have to do some remodeling of your apartment to accommodate a wall-mounted aquarium, but it may be worth it. But, as with any aquarium, think before you decide to settle on this aquarium option.
