Where to place an aquarium at home

Where an aquarium stands decides how easy it is to look after and how good it looks. Start with the practical points, which matter for every tank, and then, if your family follows them, the traditional Vastu and Feng Shui suggestions.

Practical points first

• Keep it out of direct sunlight. Sun on the glass warms the water and feeds algae, which turns the water green.
• Choose a strong, level stand. Water weighs about 1 kg per litre, so a 100-litre tank weighs well over 100 kg with glass, stones and gravel. Use a stand or cabinet made for aquariums, on a level floor.
• Put a power socket nearby. The filter, light and heater need power all day. Plan a drip loop so water can't run along a cable into the socket.
• Leave room to work. You need space above the tank to feed and clean, and at the back for cables and the filter.
• Away from heaters, fans and doors. Sudden changes in temperature stress fish, and doors that bang shake the tank.
• Somewhere you will see it. A tank in a room you use every day gets noticed, enjoyed and looked after.

What Vastu traditions suggest

In Vastu Shastra, water is linked with the north and the north-east, so these directions of the home or of the living room are the places most often recommended for an aquarium. The south-east is also mentioned by some practitioners.

Vastu guidance commonly advises against placing an aquarium in a bedroom or a kitchen, and against placing it directly in front of the main door. Keeping the water clean and the fish healthy is treated as part of the practice.

What Feng Shui traditions suggest

Feng Shui links water with the north, east and south-east areas of a room or home, and often suggests a living room or entrance area rather than a bedroom. Moving, clean water is valued, so a working filter fits the tradition well.

A note on traditions

These are cultural traditions, and practitioners don't all agree. Where they clash with the practical points, for example a north-east wall in strong afternoon sun, the practical points keep the fish healthy. If you'd like help choosing a size for a particular spot, send us a photo of the space on WhatsApp.

Plan your aquarium · Work out your tank's litres · See aquariums