Image of a fish tank with a log and several small fish swimming

Best Fish Tank Position in Your Living Room

5 min read

One of the very first decisions you make as an aquarist is where to place the aquarium. You need to do this even before you fill the tank with water and introduce fish to it. 

You may think it’s pretty straightforward, but there are a lot of factors you need to consider when dealing with best fish tank arrangement – there are a lot of intricacies involved. 

In this post, we’ll talk about where to place aquarium in living room so that your fish can be safe and healthy and you can have the best view of your pride and joy. We’ll also take a look at the best aquarium position as per Vastu Shastra.

Let’s get started. 

Why Is The Living Room The Best Fish Tank Position In House?

Women looking into the best fish tank position in a living room

Before we go into the best fish tank position at home, let’s explain why we limited it to just the living room.

It is a no-brainer if you come to think of it – the living room is the first place the visitors to your house enter, and aquarium is all about showing off to your guests.

The living room is also where the inhabitants of the house likely spend the most time, and much of the time is spent relaxing, which is something aquariums can greatly help with.

The bedroom is not such a bad place, but the fact that aquariums tend to be somewhat noisy is not desirable when your goal is to get a good night’s sleep.

The kitchen is also not suitable as there is a risk of contamination in the water.

The living room is also the best place for aquarium in house as per Vastu. We’ll delve deeper into this later in the article. 

Where Is the Best Fish Tank Position In A Living Room

Avoiding Sunlight

Avoid placing the aquarium in a position where it receives direct sunlight, such as near a window. Sunlight promotes the growth of algae, which is a nuisance for your tank. It also causes undue changes in temperature. The aquarium lights provide the needed energy for the plants and also regulate the day/night cycle in fish. 

Air Currents

Likewise, keep the tank away from strong flows of air, such as AC, air vents, fans, and windows. Not only does it accelerate the evaporation of water from the tank, it also increases the humidity level in the room.

Visibility

Fish tank on a bench in a  living room

This is a big factor when it comes to where to place fish tank – you want your beautiful aquarium to be seen by everyone as much as possible. First, you want the visitors to your house to get a glimpse of it. Second, you want it in a place where you yourself can relax and observe it.

Place it somewhere where it is easily visible from the sofa and chairs; of course there will be chairs facing multiple directions, so you should prioritize the ones where your guests will likely sit.

You could place it by the door to make it impossible for the guests to miss it, but there are issues such as sunlight exposure and high traffic which can be startling for fish. 

Keeping it at the same side of the TV is not recommended – the aquarium can distract from the TV, and vice versa. The TV speakers can also be noisy, which can startle your fish. Moreover, the lights from the TV can mess with the day/night lighting cycle of the aquarium.

Noise and Vibrations

Fish are just like humans – they detest noise and vibrations. Too much noise can startle fish and stress them. That is why you should keep them away from loudspeakers, heavy machinery, and other noisy devices.

People can also be really noisy, so try to keep the tank in a remote location in the room (where it’s still visible).

Power Outlet

The various pieces of equipment for your aquarium such as filters and heaters need electricity to function, so you have no choice but to place your aquarium near a power outlet.

This is somewhat limiting – you could use an extension cord to overcome this, but wires running along the floor of your house is not a pretty sight. 

You don’t have to place the tank right on top of the outlet – it could block access to it and create an electric hazard with water splashing to the outlet; just place it near it.    

Don’t forget to make a drip loop as you plug in the cord to the outlet – this makes sure water doesn’t drip into the electrical outlet.

Strong Floor

The fact is that aquariums can get quite heavy when you consider the gallons and gallons of water; the aquarium stand contributes to the weight too.

You need to make sure the floor can handle the weight, especially with large tanks. You don’t have to worry much with concrete floors, but wooden floors need to be double checked.

Check the load limit of your floor before you place a giant tank on it; also make sure that the floor is level.

Best Place for Aquarium in House as Per Vastu

Vastu Shastra is the Hindu-based pseudo-science of channeling positive energy in the house by arranging things in a proper way. 

Vastu Shastra fish tank

According to Vastu, the North, East, North-East, and South-East are the best locations for aquariums.

  • North, East, and North-East: Placing the aquarium in this direction can promote financial gains and career growth. 
  • South-East: This aquarium vastu position promotes social skills and attracts friendship and kin.
  • West: Tanks that are too large should be placed in this direction to avoid negative impacts. 

Additionally, you should place the aquarium at the left side of the door to sustain relationships – the right side can lead to trouble.

Keeping the aquarium at the center can drain you financially. Also, you should not place it under a staircase or beam.

If kept in the bedroom, the fish tank can give you bad dreams (in addition to keeping you awake with the noise).

Conclusion 

I hope this post helps you learn how to arrange aquarium to maximize visibility and ensure your fish are safe and healthy. 

Some consideration is also given to Vastu Shastra so that you have a proper balance of positive energy in your home.

Now that you know where the best fish tank place is in your living room, all that’s left to do is get your tank up and running and introduce fish to it when it’s ready. 

Thanks for reading.  

Written by:

Pet Aquariums

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