Having an aquarium at home is very cool. After all, such an object will bring peace, comfort and harmony in the atmosphere to the house. Arriving home after a hard working day, you can relax on a chair or sofa, watching the serene aquarium world, and peace of mind will reign, all the weight accumulated over the day will go somewhere far away. If you decide to get such an object in your home and not buy it, but do it yourself, you need to know how to equip the aquarium.
Aquarium Equipment
The aquarium is able to bring beauty to the interior of the room. This is a kind of living corner and a place for relaxation. The size and volume of the container can be from the smallest to the largest. Mostly in the apartments and houses of the average resident, aquariums are medium in size from 80 to 200 liters. When you have decided on the sizes and acquired the capacity, you need to buy some more equipment for the normal life cycle of the fish. These functional items include:
- Filter. It is necessary for filtering the liquid so that the inhabitants of the aquarium can feel comfortable and they are not in danger.
- Backlight Since an artificial pond should receive light up to 10 hours.
- Compressor. An integral part of the aquarium. It saturates water with oxygen, which is necessary for fish.
- Feeder. This is a plastic frame that floats on the surface of the water. This helps to prevent the spread of food over the entire surface and the fish can focus on one feeding place.
- Heater. It regulates the temperature of the water so that it is comfortable for the fish and algae that also grow in the aquarium. A scraper to clean the glass, and a siphon with a pump in order to remove the waste products of fish.
Aquarium decoration
After we purchased the components for a home pond, you need to decide how to beautifully equip the aquarium. What do you need to purchase for decoration and how can all this be put together?
Nowadays it’s not difficult to find decorative elements. In specialized stores, a huge selection of such aquarium appliances is provided. In addition to beautiful design, these elements perform special functions. These decorative elements include:
- The stones. They, in turn, are divided into rocks, volcanic and sedimentary rocks. The most commonly used are sandstone, granite and gneiss.
- Driftwood. This is a very good decoration element, since driftwood can serve as a shelter for fish, and for some species of aquarium inhabitants it also becomes an additional treat and a place for throwing caviar.
- Plants, shells and corals. These items will complement the water world of your aquarium. How to equip an aquarium using these elements depends on your imagination. One rule - do not overdo it. When applying this or that container decoration, take into account the characteristics of the fish that will live there.
- Priming. This is one of the main components for fish housing. In addition to decor, it serves as a mechanical filter and is a substrate for the plant.
Screen background
A well-designed interior of the aquarium will not be fully decorated without the background of the home underwater world. How to equip an aquarium so that everything looks harmonious? In this we will help the design of the rear view. There are many design options. Consider the most popular:
- Paint the back of the aquarium. This is the most economical way to design. The main thing is to choose the color of the paint so that a harmonious composition of the entire ensemble is obtained.
- Another simple design is with a film. It is attached to the outside of the aquarium and you can choose a drawing of your choice. And changing the landscape will not be difficult for you.
- Volumetric inner world. Three-dimensional background design can be either flat or embossed. This design method visually looks quite natural and very beautiful.
Aquarium plants
To design a small pond, you can use artificial plants, or plant real greens. Each aquarist decides how to equip the aquarium, but if you choose natural plants, unpretentious plants are suitable for beginners, such as:
- Javanese moss. Outwardly, it resembles a tangled green ball of thread. Such a plant is easy to grow and in the aquarium it looks very aesthetically pleasing.
- Thailand fern. This plant has no root system and with its help you can create all kinds of compositions.
- Elodey. In the aquarium, they look like thickets. In such green bushes, fish and their fry can hide.
Aquarium for turtles
In domestic ponds can live not only fish, but also turtles. We already know how to equip an aquarium for fish; the conditions for turtles are slightly different. First you need to take into account the size of the tank, as in the process of growth, the turtle can change in size. The second criterion is that the container will perform two functions: an aquarium and a terrarium. So we can safely say that the main rule on how to equip an aquarium for turtles is to make your stay there comfortable. The aquarium-terrarium should be placed in the brightest and sunniest place in the apartment. In winter, you will need to turn on an ultraviolet lamp. There must also be special plants, in the process they will serve as food for turtles. Well, equip a small land area so that sometimes your pet can swim out and dry out.
House for snails
Recently, snails have become popular pets. Beginners should definitely familiarize themselves with how to equip an aquarium with snails.
What should be a terrarium:
- The volume of the aquarium should be at least 10 liters.
- The capacity for the snails should be closed with a lid in the hole so that the pet can get the necessary ventilation.
- You need to place the terrarium in a dark place, as the sun's rays can kill snails.
Aquarium decor for snails:
- The soil for the snails should be from moss or coconut substrate.
- Several feeders. They place all existing additives for pet growth.
- Capacities for swimming snails.
- It is imperative to install a thermometer, hydrometer and other elements in the aquarium that control the external environment of the terrarium.
- Get a spray gun. Thanks to him, you will maintain moisture in the house for snails. And the sponge with which the aquarium will be cleaned.
What style to design an aquarium
How to properly equip an aquarium for fish and in what style is everyone's choice. But there are some of the most popular styles for decoration.
Japanese style combines an unearthly landscape and Zen philosophy. Only the stones prevail in the design of the aquarium, but according to Japanese philosophy, the number of stones should be odd and, ideally, they have different sizes.
Pseudo-natural style. In this style, the most common elements of decor, unpretentious fish, ordinary soil, etc. are used.
Dutch style. Plants prevail in this style. They are matched by color, size and height. Visually, such an entourage looks like a modeling garden. To set up an aquarium in this way, you need to make great efforts and patience.
Sea style. The aquarium is filled with sea water and launched by marine residents. In addition to fish, corals, crustaceans and anemones inhabit. This style looks more effective than other types.
Conceptual style. Here you can make your preferences a reality. It could be the theme of space, sea pirates, cartoon heroes.
Properly clean the aquarium
Watching how fish swim in the aquarium is always touching. But do not forget that the house for your pets should be cleaned and cleaned. After all, like us, fish love comfort and coziness.
Cleaning algorithm:
- It is necessary to clean the walls of the aquarium from plaque.
- If there are decorations, they must be cleaned and washed.
- Put the algae in order. If necessary, grind and trim.
- Siphon the soil. It can be cleaned every other time.
- Flush the filter system.
- Pour in clean water.
For safety reasons, be sure to disconnect all equipment from the network before cleaning. Once you have decided and decided how to equip an aquarium for fish, translate the practice into reality. And let the aquarium and its inhabitants delight you for many years.