How to choose an aquarium: criteria, filters, compressors, soil, tips for beginners

2024 Author: Priscilla Miln | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-16 00:21

Choosing your first aquarium is not easy. Indeed, the general condition of the fish, their well-being and whether they will have offspring depends on how correctly the vessel itself and all the components necessary for it are selected.

This article will provide tips for beginners on how to choose a fish tank so that the indoor pond becomes a safe, stable habitat for cold-blooded animals.

Difficulties

It's worth finding out why the first aquarium is usually difficult and which aquarium is better to choose in order to avoid them. One clear thing that a novice aquarist should realize first of all is that the water in an aquarium is strictly limited in its volume, and compared to natural reservoirs, this volume is extremely small. And the most important resources, respectively, are extremely scarce. This circumstance can lead to inevitable consequences. For example, if the owner is disturbed by the gurgling of bubbles from the compressor or filter, he can turn them off, which, in turn, will lead to death from suffocation of aquarium fish. Since the limited amount of watercontains very little dissolved oxygen, you should resort to its constant artificial supply. Or, in order for the fish to always have enough of it, they will have to keep a limited number of them in the aquarium.

How to choose a fish tank

Before you buy an aquarium, you need to determine for yourself what its purpose and task is. Therefore, in order to figure out how to choose the right aquarium and avoid mistakes, you should use tips for beginners and rely on certain criteria.

Size

So, which aquarium to choose for beginners? An aquarium of medium size will be optimal for a beginner, this is a capacity of somewhere around 60-170 liters. If financial resources allow and there is enough space in the house, then you can immediately purchase a large aquarium of 250-500 liters. The larger the aquarium system, the more stable it will work, and there will be less hassle with it. This is only if everything goes smoothly.

But what to do if a failure occurs that requires replacing the water in a large aquarium? After all, it still needs to be prepared, and, as a rule, it is impossible to pour water from a water supply system in such an amount. To avoid failures, it is necessary to equip the aquarium with efficient, reliable and rather expensive equipment. But this also cannot be a guarantee that everything will go well, since a beginner can make such a mistake that even the smartest and most expensive equipment cannot correct. Therefore, if a beginner aquarist is not ready for bigfinancial costs, then the best choice for him would be to purchase a medium aquarium. It will be the easiest to maintain. But how to choose between 60 and 170 liters? In this case, it is better to choose the latter option. It has more options for decoration, selection of fish and plants.

Proportions

The proportions and aspect ratio of an aquarium is a very important factor when choosing it, and not only from an aesthetic point of view. It depends on how many and what kind of fish can be kept in it.

The aquarium with a height no greater than the width is the most fish-intensive. Among aquarists, its name is not too poetic, it is called "trough".

Don't buy a very narrow one (this is a screen aquarium that has a small distance between the back and front walls). Without special equipment, it will be quite difficult to maintain the oxygen concentration necessary for the fish.

A tank above 60 centimeters, even if it is very wide, can also lead to serious problems. They are due to the fact that it is quite difficult to illuminate the bottom of the tank brightly enough through such a thickness of water. Aquarium plants (higher ones) will not be able to grow in such conditions, and lower ones will quickly cover the bottom with brown fouling. In addition, it is quite difficult to plant plants and clean the bottom in such an aquarium. After all, it will be difficult to reach him. In general, if the question is which is better to choose an aquarium for beginners, then you need to abandon the tank with high walls.

Aquarium shape

An important question that you need to decide for yourself in advance is what shape the aquarium should be, because there are not only rectangular, but also panoramic, angular and so on. When choosing a form, you need to decide what is an advantage in this case: content or appearance.

If the priority is the appearance and the aquarium itself will be part of the interior, then different forms can be considered. But if the content of the container is more important and you want to enjoy the underwater world without any problems, you should opt for the classic rectangular shape.

A panoramic aquarium with a curved front glass can also be chosen, but a hexagonal panoramic aquarium should be strongly rejected. Such an aquarium narrows the view and will cause difficult perception of the entire composition created in it. If there is not enough space in the apartment, but there is a free corner, you can try to squeeze a corner aquarium into it. However, it will be quite difficult to decorate it beautifully and organize optimal conditions for the life of fish.

How and where to set up an aquarium

Even before buying, you need to decide where and on what exactly the container will stand. The simplest solution is to buy an aquarium along with a stand. If it is not possible to purchase it, it is worth preparing at home a table or bedside table that is strong enough not to deform under weight. Secondly, the surface on which the aquarium will be placed must be flat so that its bottom does not crack. The best thingwill pre-lay a synthetic foam mat or rubber mat on the prepared surface.

The aquarium is located a few meters from the window. The most important thing is that direct sunlight does not fall on it for more than three hours a day, and when the room is ventilated, the water in the aquarium does not cool down significantly. In the northern regions of the country there is such a phenomenon as white nights, so the location of the aquarium near the window can lead to water blooms. This is due to the fact that microscopic green algae rapidly multiply in the water, the water turns green and becomes cloudy. Such algae prefer diffuse long-term lighting, but higher plants, on the contrary, prefer 8-9-hour daylight hours and fairly bright lighting. Therefore, when the aquarium is near the window, and the water in it begins to bloom, it must be shielded from excessive light. It is also worth refusing to place an aquarium near central heating radiators.

Filters

Nowadays, filters are divided into three main types: external, internal, bottom. It is worth finding out what criteria each of them is selected by.

External filter

External allows mechanically, biologically and chemically to purify water. The main advantage is ease of maintenance. Nothing needs to be pulled out of the container, since the filter is outside. When buying, the question may arise: which external filter to choose for an aquarium? It is necessary to rely on its main indicators. First, it's power. When choosing a filter according to this criterion, it is necessary to take into accountthe volume of the aquarium, the composition of hydrobionts and features (individual) of the underwater world. This means that you need to weigh three main components: the type of aquarium, volume, population.

Also, when choosing an external filter, it should be taken into account that over time, the filler may become clogged, which will lead to a decrease in its throughput. That is why it is better to take the filter with a margin.

You should also pay attention to the configuration of the external filter. For example, many models have valves, but they are not recommended, as they block the holes through which water enters and exits, which leads to overvoltage of the filter pump. This kind of work is undesirable for her. The best way to control the flow of water is with nozzles such as a flute.

Another important criterion is noiselessness. In this regard, the unequivocal recommendation would be not to purchase filters with a metal rotor axis.

Another important aspect is the dimensions and equipment. It is necessary to determine what kind of filtration the aquarist wants to receive from an external filter: chemical, biological, mechanical or mixed. Therefore, you should pay attention to the volume of the canister, the number of baskets in it and the fillers.

The following nuances: the taps of the external filter adapter must rotate. This will make it easier to install it in the cabinet. Hoses should be rigid so they do not kink and impair water flow.

Internal filter

And in order to decide and choose an internal filter for an aquarium, you need to know what areoptions and what are their specifics. So, in essence, the internal filter is a pump that pumps water in one or another system of the installed filtration element.

The sponge pump is the easiest option. Such filters are used for mechanical water purification, and secondarily for biological. They are usually installed in large cichlids.

The second option is a filter glass. Its essence is the same, the only thing is that it has a compartment in which a sponge fits. The advantage of this model is the use of other filtration elements (peat, zeolite, aquarium coal, ceramics).

Another look is the inner backpack. What are its benefits? In that you can hide fillers and a heater in it, it creates a jet-waterfall that aerates the water. Its only drawback is the size.

The airlift filter can also be classified as internal. The principle of operation is the movement of air under water. Rising to the surface, its bubbles create draft in the air outlet tube. Under the influence of this thrust, the water passing through the filter material is purified. The advantage of such models is that they perform two functions: filtration and aeration. Such options are used in spawning aquariums, where a strong current is undesirable.

When choosing an internal filter, as well as when choosing an external one, you should pay attention to what material the rotor axis is made of. In most cases, with a ceramic axis, the filter is silent.

Also when buying an accentneeds to be done for power. In this case, you need to estimate the volume of your aquarium.

Compressor

The compressor is an indispensable aquarium device that pumps air into the water column under low pressure. Rising to the surface, air bubbles produce a slight seething, which helps oxygen from the air to actively saturate the reservoir. How to choose an aquarium compressor?

There are several types of compressors. The most common are diaphragm and piston.

The main disadvantage of all aquarium compressors is the noise they make during their operation. Unfortunately, there are no silent options, since the principle of their work is precisely vibration.

The diaphragm compressor is one of the noisiest. However, it will save energy costs, it almost never breaks down, and it has a long service life. It's also more efficient. It can be connected to several aquariums at once.

Reciprocating compressors are leaders among the silent ones. With a sufficiently large aquarium capacity (150 liters or more), people install two or more aerators. Compressors with different operating principles can be selected in this case: the diaphragm compressor can be turned on during the day, and the piston compressor at night.

Ground

Another important question for a beginner is what is the best substrate for an aquarium. Aquarium soil, as well as the foundation for a house, plays a crucial role in the life of an aquarium. It is a unique and powerful biological filter that cannot be replaced.anything else. The thing is that when the soil is put into the aquarium, beneficial bacteria settle in colonies, processing the waste products of organisms living in the aquatic environment into harmless substances. Moreover, the soil is a substrate for plant nutrition and rooting through the root system, a habitat for some fish and many microorganisms. And in one direction or another, he is able to change the parameters of water.

In order to choose the right soil, you should:

• think carefully, down to the smallest detail, how your aquarium should look in the end;
• analyze and collect information about aquatic organisms that a novice aquarist plans to populate;
• thorough design.

After all, for example, painted soil does not belong to porous materials and has a minimum usable area to populate the necessary bacteria. If it is laid in a very thin layer, it will reduce its effectiveness. The white color of the soil is very easily soiled. Also, with its natural origin (most often it is marble), the water in the aquarium becomes hard, and not many fish like it. A clear understanding of the tasks and goals of the aquarium will be the key to successful arrangement of the aquarium bottom and soil selection.

Lighting

Another important point that a novice aquarist will have to face is aquarium lamps. How to choose? If the aquarium is high and does not exceed 50 cm, the total power of fluorescent lamps must be at least 0.5 W per liter. Therefore, if the aquarium is large, from light sourcesmore power is needed. If it is small, then under such an artificial sun, only some types of plants (shade-tolerant) will be able to grow normally.

It is also important that the lamps cover almost the entire length of the aquarium: if they are shorter, shadow zones will appear at the side walls, which will lead to poor plant growth around them.

Often, aquarium manufacturers provide standard lighting that does not reach the norm. Therefore, when buying, you should pay attention to whether there is free space under the cover where you can place additional lamps or LED lights.

All of the above tips will allow a beginner to figure out which aquarium is better to choose and how to equip it according to all the rules and to your liking, without harming all its inhabitants.