There was a time when serious aquarium owners would build the tank and the supporting equipment into a wall space. Built in aquariums required a space behind the wall in order to gain access to the pumps, filters, lighting and to the tank itself. Built in tanks are generally of a size larger than the average home aquarium. Standard stand alone tanks can take up quite a bit of space in the average home and smaller novelty aquariums may not be big enough. The wall mounted aquarium solves some these problems in a beautiful and unique way.

The parallels between wall mounted aquariums and the new generation of flat screen televisions cannot be ignored. In certain respects, the aquarium looks like a flat screen television, being roughly the same diagonal size and thickness. Of course the big difference is that instead of cable news, we are treated to a segment of Mother Nature at her aquatic best. The same can be said for the thin line tabletop aquariums that can easily be mistaken for a flat screen television. The design of these unique aquariums takes the best of novelty aquariums and combines them with aesthetic appeal and ease of maintenance.

The equipment end of these modern fish tanks are integrated into the cabinet that surrounds the tank. Filter systems are typically of the wet-dry variety and require no more maintenance than a standard aquarium setup. The balance of the system including lighting and temperature controls are fully integrated. The water capacity of currently available wall mounted aquariums ranges from less than a one gallon to just over twenty gallons. The volume of fish depends not only on the water capacity but on the habitat that the owner establishes inside the tank.

Designed primarily for fresh water fish, some manufacturers allow for alterations that will make the tank suitable for salt water use. The biggest change will usually involve the filter type. Maintaining a saltwater habitat takes a great more work and knowledge, and is not a task suited for the novice fish enthusiast. Wall mounted and slim line tabletop aquariums are designed like most novelty aquariums. The goal is make the tanks as easy as possible for everyone from the novice fish keeper to the most avid hobbyist.

The relative simplicity of the wall mounted aquariums and novelty fish tanks in general can still pose a challenge. Owners must still take on the responsibility of learning what it takes to care for their new charges. Too few fish is rarely a problem, while too many fish in a tank can cause real difficulties. The small capacity of most wall mounted aquariums limits not only the number of fish but the species of fish suitable for a given setup.

Other routine chores the come with owning an aquarium must also be considered. Maintaining the right Ph, keeping a cleaning schedule and understanding the nutritional needs of the fish is key to fully enjoying what some folks have described as art coming alive. Fish are susceptible to attacks by parasites and certain water-borne bacteria that can sicken and kill aquarium fish. As with any type of pet, owners have a responsibility to learn about aquatic diseases and how to properly treat them.

These cool aquariums are not inexpensive and this convenience of a fully integrated system comes at a price. Larger, more decorative tanks can range upwards of twenty five hundred dollars to less than one hundred dollars at the low end.