You probably know how amazing fish look when they all swim in unison and move through plants and corals. What you probably didn’t know, though, is that they’re the most popular pet in the US. 7.2 million American households boast aquariums containing some form of fish or other sea creatures that their keepers can dote upon.
If you’re one of these people — or someone who wants to be — you might be wondering how to spruce up your aquarium to make it stand out. If you want to do something truly unique, an aquarium wall might be the right thing for you.
Read on to learn how to install an aquarium wall into your home and why you should dive into this project… no pun intended.
Do Your Research
Before you can begin building the aquarium wall of your dreams, do a little research. Look at images on Pinterest to learn what looks good to you and what shape aquarium wall you might want. There are so many options out there that you might initially feel overwhelmed, and that’s okay! Still, it can be a lot of fun to browse your options and daydream about what could be.
The research you do needs to be on the practical side. Specifically, this means looking into your budget and figuring out what you can afford. While you might’ve set aside money for this project, the amount you have may be at odds with the fancy aquarium wall of your dreams. Make sure you don’t put yourself in debt, and look into cheaper alternatives if this is the case!
Learn Your Dimensions
Another practical concern to consider when designing your aquarium wall are your room’s dimensions. You don’t want to plan for and design something that isn’t going to fit into the space you have. Before doing anything majorly fancy, measure the dimensions of your wall space.
If you’re using a standard aquarium shape, it will be easy to trim (or widen) the dimensions of your aquarium wall. All you’ll need to do is scale it similarly but trim the numbers a little. If you’re using a different shape for this part of your decor, you might need to get a little more creative.
Match the Decor
Now that the practical concerns are out of the way, it’s time to dive into the fun bits of your aquarium wall design. One of the most engaging parts of planning for this addition to your home is thinking about how your aquarium wall will match the existing parts of your decor.
If you have a room filled with yellows, reds, and oranges, this may not be the right room in which to install your aquarium wall. The water aesthetic would clash too much with the heat of these colors. Instead, select a room that has a cooler aesthetic to ensure that the wall looks as amazing as possible — which, let’s face it, is pretty amazing.
Customize Your Frame
Another part of matching the rest of your interior decor is using the trim and frame of your aquarium to its fullest potential. You want this part of the room to really stand out, so it’s crucial that you make the aquarium pop with a frame that’s out of this world.
Make sure to buy an aquarium that you can customize the trim and frame on. Then, figure out what color doesn’t clash with the rest of the room but makes your aquarium wall stand out. If you have a colored wall, white or black will do this trick nicely. If your wall is white, try a dark blue or sea green.
Get the Right Critters
Now your aquarium wall is installed. Congrats! Now it’s time for the best part of the whole process: choosing the fish and other sea life to include in your aquarium.
The first consideration you make should be entirely based on practical matters. What type of aquarium are you keeping? You don’t want to keep freshwater fish in a tropical aquarium or vice versa. Different fish have different needs, and you need to be mindful of these when choosing your fish.
Also, make sure that you don’t choose a sea predator and its prey and throw them into the aquarium together. You don’t want any of your little guys meeting a sad end because of a thoughtless mistake.
After you’re sure that you haven’t made these mistakes, it’s time to think about what fish you actually want to look at every day! There are a ton of different options. Browse your local pet store and choose your favorites!
You can also include other sea life in your aquarium besides fish. You obviously need to have some plants (and possibly corals) for your fish to hide in, but an algae-eater is also a good idea if you want to eliminate algae. If you can afford it and feel ready to take the leap, you can also include creatures like starfish!
Install Your Aquarium Wall
We’re not going to lie: Installing an aquarium wall is no easy task. Still, if there’s a will, there’s a way, and fortunately, you can easily get professional help with this task. The struggle will be worth it when you can kick back and watch as all your favorite sea creatures swim, splash, and play.
Now that you know the basics of installing an aquarium wall in your home, it’s time to learn more home design tips. To do this, check out the “interior design tips and inspiration” tab on our home page! Here, you’ll find more designs that will accentuate your aquarium wall and make your home stand out.