Built in aquariums are absolutely beautiful additions to any home, as they are essentially a “living picture” but how much can you expect a built in aquarium to cost and is the cost worth it? Here’s what you need to know.

The Cost of the Aquarium Itself

The first thing that you will need to take into consideration is the cost of the aquarium itself. A readymade aquarium will generally be cheaper than a custom made aquarium. The size of the aquarium will also have a bearing on its cost – the larger the aquarium, the most it’ll cost. You will also need to take into consideration the cost of the items that are going into the aquarium such as filters, heaters, lights, plants, gravel, ornaments, and so on. Obviously a cost that you will need to factor in is the cost of the fish. Fish can range in price from a few dollars each to hundreds of dollars, depending on the species.

The Cost of Installing the Aquarium

Built in aquariums are more expensive than freestanding aquariums for one primary reason – there is a lot more construction involved. You will have to cut into your wall in order to install the aquarium. Depending on the size of the aquarium and the construction of the wall, you may also need to reinforce the wall to stably and secure the aquarium. Extra powerpoints may also be necessary in order to power the electrical elements that are associated with the aquarium, and this will require an electrician to do so. You will also need extra room beside and above the aquarium in order to house the equipment to run it and to give access for feeding and cleaning. The cost of your built in aquarium will also depend on if you will be viewing it from just the one side or if you want to view it from both sides of the wall. Viewing it from one side is cheaper because it is easier to hide the equipment in a cabinet behind the wall. Of course, you will also need to factor in the cost of having your aquarium specialist make and install your aquarium. The specialist will build the aquarium if necessary, and undertake all the construction work required to successfully install it. Make sure that you get a quote that you agree on before any work starts and that the quote is detailed.