How to start an aquarium? Aquarium heater. Aquarium cleaning at home

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

A beautiful aquarium can become the main decoration of the house. The fish swimming in it will delight the owners, creating a favorable environment in the room. But if you're setting up your first aquarium, where do you start to get it right? To do this, select all the elements, as well as follow the practical tips for launching.

Types of aquariums

How to start an aquarium? First you need to purchase a container for fish. It is important to determine its design, shape, so that the aquarium fits the interior of the room. For the product, you need to choose a suitable place so that it stands where it will not interfere with anyone.

By design, aquariums can be on a stand, legs, as well as hanging, corner, frame, frameless. The shape of products is different, but the main types include:

• spherical;
• cubic;
• rectangular;
• panoramic;
• prismatic;
• pyramidal.

When choosing, it is important to consider the number and size of the inhabitants of the container: usuallycalculations are based on the proportion "per 1 cm of adult fish 1 liter". It is important to choose a suitable aquarium so that the fish feel comfortable there. And care will then be much more convenient.

Shopping accessories

If you are wondering where to start an aquarium, it is important to consider purchasing accessories. The containers are offered with lids that have built-in lighting, and cabinets for them. If there is no specific place to place the aquarium, then you should use this offer.

The illuminated lid prevents fish from jumping out. This protects against water evaporation, and also provides plants with lighting, helps to monitor daylight hours in a pond. The curbstone is used to store various devices: net, tubes, suction cups, feeders, books, feed.

Lighting

When considering where to start an aquarium, it is important to consider quality lighting. There is a classic set of equipment:

• backlight (lamp power, lighting duration is determined depending on the inhabitants);
• water heater (preferably with automatic temperature control);
• aerator and water filter (power is determined by the volume of the aquarium).

What soil and decorations will be chosen depends on the inhabitants, but fine-grained rounded gravel without sharp edges belongs to the universal one. The thickness of the soil should be 5-7 cm, so that the plants will take root perfectly. Castles sunken are used for decorationships and other accessories.

Heater

Many aquarium fish are considered inhabitants of warm tropical rivers. Therefore, they need the appropriate temperature - 26-27 degrees. It is important to control the temperature. Because of this, you need a heater for the aquarium. If the temperature is controlled, the fish will be comfortable.

To purchase a suitable aquarium heater, you need to pay attention to:

• presence of a temperature controller;
• power (selected depending on volume);
• quality of the device (no defects).

A 10W heater can heat 4.5 liters of water. Many aquarists use the calculation: 1 W per 1 liter of water. But it is better to choose equipment of greater power. Perform all operations with the device with the power off. It is necessary to turn on the heater after immersion in water.

Inhabitants and vegetation

How to start an aquarium if there were no fish before? It is better to choose viviparous inhabitants:

• mollies;
• swordsmen;
• pecilia;
• guppies.

They are beautiful, graceful, hardy. They do not require complex care. The maintenance and reproduction of such inhabitants will help you learn the basics of aquarism. Viviparous fish can be kept together with small catfish. They have a special coloration, body shape and behavior. Catfish will make the aquarium more refined. From bottom plants, you can choose elodea,vallisnergy, cryptocarina, and from the surface - richia or duckweed. You can also choose moss - cladophora and Javanese moss.

Sand

Aquarium is a whole ecosystem in which every detail is important. The soil is important. Aquarium sand needed. It contains beneficial microorganisms. The decorative function of sandy soil is also important - aquariums with it look spectacular.

Sand benefits include:

• Creating a natural environment for fish;
• protection against pollution;
• formation in the sand of fertile soil for plants;
• many types of fish like sand.

It is important that the aquarium sand meets the following requirements:

• grains of sand must be the same size, otherwise caking occurs;
• you need to choose a substrate with fractions of at least 1.5 mm in diameter;
• sand should not affect water;
• if sand is extracted independently, then you need to choose a clean reservoir;
• no need to choose colored sand, as it may contain substances dangerous for fish.

Start Aquarium

To start an aquarium from scratch, you need to follow a few rules. It takes about 2 weeks before the fish are released. One day carried out:

• laying the ground, planting plants, installing lighting, heating, filter-aerator;
• filling with water;
• connecting the heater and filter-aerator.

Then you have to wait a week, during which chlorine disappears from the water. Normalizers are added to the liquidto improve properties. Before using them, it is best to consult with competent aquarists and sellers.

When a week has passed, it is necessary to launch hardy inhabitants - snails, newts, frogs, shrimps. Water becomes stable within a month, after which it may become cloudy. Then it will clear and become transparent. And only after a week you can run the rest of the fish. This completes the aquarium equipment. It remains to properly care for him.

Design

How to arrange an aquarium correctly? A background is needed, which is created before pouring water. If it is voluminous, then non-toxic materials must be used. Often fiberglass and polystyrene foam are used for this. If it is not possible to create a three-dimensional background, then a special film is glued on the back wall from the outside or the glass is simply repainted. You can use cardboard, carpet, plastic. Each zoological shop offers different options for decorating aquariums.

Stones are suitable for decorating the home of fish. They also serve as shelter for many inhabitants. The stones serve to strengthen the terrace. With them, it will be possible to hold the plants near the ground so that they do not float. In the aquarium, you can create a certain landscape. If fish from flowing waters live in it, then the stones should be rounded.

How to design an aquarium so that the fish are comfortable there? For this, snags are still used, which serve as a shelter for manyinhabitants. Plants are attached to them. It is better to choose the root of a tree that has sunk in peat in a swamp. Suitable branches of maple, ash, alder, willow, beech. Only first everything must be cleaned of dirt.

In pet stores you can find various aquarium decorations: galleons, castles, chests, skeletons, skulls and other themed items.

Products are made from plastic, ceramics and other safe materials. They make a great addition to the aquarium. Only decorative elements should be chosen in accordance with the size and type of the aquarium so that the fish are comfortable there.

Cleaning the aquarium

After starting the aquarium, it is important to keep it clean. This is a responsible process. It is important to promptly remove the remains of rotten food and decorations. Every week you need to change the water to clean, but do not change completely. Cleaning the aquarium at home is done without problems. Requires container, algae scraper, siphon with hose and gravel vacuum.

Before doing the work, you need to prepare new water. The old one must be removed by 30%. If sea fish is contained, then suitable proportions of sea s alt for water must be prepared for it. For washing, you need to take a new container that will be used specifically for this purpose. We need to turn off the filter and disconnect it from the aquarium.

First you need to wash the walls of the container. Do not use detergents. This is dangerous for the inhabitants of the aquarium. There are other options. Soil marks are removed with a special scraper. Aquarium cleaning at homeconditions can be carried out using a special solution that is safe for fish. They sell it in pet stores. You just need to ask the seller a question.

Water must be carefully drained with a siphon with a hose. Then it is important to sort the scenery, sand and gravel. It does not take a lot of time. The bottom must also be cleaned with a gravel vacuum. It is necessary to clean the plants, wooden decorations. Accessories can be washed with an algae scraper if they are very dirty. They need to be washed in the sink. Sometimes a solution of water with common s alt is used.

After washing, the decorations should dry. Only then can they be used. At the end of cleaning, new water is poured into the aquarium, after which heating and lighting are turned on. If you regularly wash the aquarium, as well as take care of it, then the fish will be comfortable in it. Such inhabitants will make the house cozy. Follow all the rules if you decide to purchase an aquarium and arrange it at your own discretion. And then it will delight you and your loved ones with its beauty for a long time, creating peace and a special atmosphere of peace.