The first aquarium: a guide for those who plan to have fish
Miscellaneous / / June 26, 2023
An aquarium is like a city - in order for the fish to feel comfortable, they need not only their own corner, but also clean water, green areas and pleasant neighbors. We tell you how to prepare housing for your first underwater inhabitants.
What equipment will be needed
It may seem that it is worth starting a passion for aquariums with small tanks, like round bowls of 3-5 liters. But in such a dwelling, a pet can miss oxygen, and the water will be too dirty. It is better to choose a larger tank and supplement it with equipment that maintains a comfortable environment.
1. Aquarium
Even if you are limited in space, it is better to take an aquarium minimum for 80 liters of water. Avoid tall and narrow options. Let the tank be lower and wider so that the fish have enough space for swimming. If there are children in the family, it is better choose acrylic container - it is more difficult to break it.
2. Stand
An ordinary TV stand may not be able to withstand a heavy structure. It is better to buy a special stand. The countertop should be the same size as the bottom of the aquarium, or larger. For a small tank, a chipboard option is suitable, but if you are planning a spacious aquarium of 300-400 liters, then the base of the stand should be a metal frame.
3. Filter
It will keep the water clean. Without a good cleaning system, some fish may stretch out only 3-7 days. By location, external and internal filters are distinguished. The internal one is usually cheaper, but eats up some of the space in the aquarium and needs to be cleaned more often. But, unlike the external one, this one will not leak.
In addition, the devices differ in filtering type.
- Mechanical. They purify water with a sponge that traps foreign particles.
- Biological. These contain a substrate inside with bacteriaprocessing fish waste products.
- Chemical. Maintain hygiene thanks to the filler of activated carbon or zeolite.
Often combined several types - for example, mechanical for cleaning large particles of debris and chemical for removing various impurities from water.
4. Heater
Most fish comfortable at a water temperature of 23-25 degrees. If the house is cold, you will have to maintain the desired parameters with the help of a heater. Its power must be from 1.5 W per 1 liter of water. You can calculate indicators for a particular aquarium on a special calculator.
5. Backlight
needed by plants for photosynthesis, and fish - to maintain the regime of the day. Lighting requirements vary from species to species. For example, tropical species used to to the bright sun, so for them you can turn on the backlight up to 12 hours a day. There are exceptions: for example, the Mexican tetra lives in underwater caves in Mexico and in the world does not need.
Suitable for aquarium LED lighting. Incandescent lamps generate heat. Fluctuations in water temperature can cause fish to only swim in cool areas.
6. Additional accessories
In addition to all of the above, you will need:
- Priming. It is advisable to choose small, smooth and dark pebbles. For 8 liters of water needed about 1 kilogram of soil.
- Thermometer. It will help control the temperature in the aquarium.
- Lid. It is necessary so that the fish do not jump out of the tank and to reduce the evaporation of water. Some lids may be sold with built-in lighting.
- Net. Useful for removing food residues or particles of small plants from the surface of the water.
- aquarium plants. They will help support microflora. For starters, anubias, mosses, ferns are suitable. Instead of living plants, artificial ones can be used. They will not contribute contribute to the recycling of harmful substances, but will not die from improper care.
How to equip an aquarium
Stick to the following scheme:
- Wash the gravel. Better 4-5 times. If the soil is not prepared, the water in the aquarium will become cloudy.
- Spread the soil along the bottom. Aim to lay the gravel in an even layer 10–15 cm thick. You can make a slight slope from the back of the aquarium to the front - this will give a sense of depth.
- Fill up the aquarium. It is better not to take bottled water - its characteristics may not suit the fish. Use tap water with a few drops of dechlorinator. This is a special tool that purifies the liquid from chlorine and ammonia.
- Install aquarium equipment. Rinse the new filter media with water before starting work: dust and debris could get into it in the store. Set the temperature on the heater and turn on the timer on the backlight.
- Add plants and accessories. The method of planting plants depends on their type. For example, Javanese fern is enough throw into the water, and he himself will cling to the roots of a snag or shell. But moss can attach fishing line or thread. Stones and other decor must first be washed with water.
How to prepare the microflora
Before you hook up the fish, it is important to run nitrogen cycle - this is the name of the constant circulation in the aquarium of ammonia, nitrite and nitrate compounds. All animals excrete waste products that turn into toxic ammonia. Beneficial bacteria convert it into less harmful nitrite. And another group of bacteria converts nitrite into nitrate - it is not dangerous for fish in moderation. If you populate the inhabitants in a new aquarium without microflora, they can quickly die. Wait several weeks, checking the amount of ammonia with tests - you can buy them in the store. Another way is to add a preparation with live bacteria that stabilize the water parameters.
In addition, it is important to maintain a suitable pH for the fish in the aquarium. For example, goldfish feel comfortable with the numbers 7–7.5. A neon tetra can live in an environment where the pH is from 5.8 to 6.2. It is advisable to measure the indicator once every two weeks at the same time, because there are slight fluctuations during the day. You can adjust the pH by adding deionized water. There are other ways. For example, natural driftwood lowers the indicator, while crushed corals and dolomite gravel increase it. It is also useful to check the pH level in the store where you buy fish. It is desirable that he little different from the indicator in the home aquarium. Permissible deviation - 0.2.
Which fish to choose
For the first aquarium, it is better to look for relatively unpretentious fish. It is important that they have the same requirements for water temperature, pH and tank size - these points can be checked at the pet store. Here are a few species to look out for.
1. Guppy
Fish reach 5 cm in length and come in a variety of colors - from red and yellow to colorful and neon. For them needed an aquarium with a volume of 40 liters and a temperature of 20-25 degrees. As a rule, guppies live in groups. But keep in mind that the fish multiply rapidly, and therefore soon the aquarium may become cramped for them.
2. fighting fish
They are also called roosters. An adult reaches 7–10 cm in length, and it required aquarium at least 20 liters. This is a tropical fish, and therefore the water will have to be heated to 25.5–28 degrees. There should not be a strong current from the filter in the aquarium - because of the long, thin fins, the betta easily turns over and loses its orientation. And such fins are easy to cut on sharp decor. It is better not to keep males in the same tank, because they love to fight. Females can get along with each other in spacious aquariums.
3. neon tetra
Small blue-red fish, as a rule, are not conflicted and do not require big aquarium. They like to live in flocks, so you can start with 3-4 individuals. The fish grow up to 4 cm. They are well behaved feel at a water temperature of 22 to 25.5 degrees. By the way, neon tetra is good gets along with cockerels.
4. gold fish
There are many varieties, but the best start off from long-bodied - comets, in particular comets Saras, Shubunkin. It is important to consider that comet fish can grow up to 35 cm. Comet Saras and Shubunkin reach 20 cm. At the start, for one fish you will need an aquarium of 75 liters. As the ward grows, the reservoir will have to be expanded. The optimum water temperature for goldfish - 20-23 degrees.
5. corridor
If you want a small catfish to live in the aquarium, which peacefully roams along the bottom in search of food, take a closer look at the corridors, or just measles. fish can reach 5 cm long and prefer to live in flocks of four individuals. To make them feel good, you need an aquarium with a volume of 75 liters or more. The water temperature can be maintained within 22-27 degrees.
How and what to feed the fish
The frequency of feeding depends on the species. Most adults sufficient one or two times a day. Juveniles eat more often herbivorous species - goldfish, mbuna, ocular astronotus, diamond-shaped tetra. They may need up to four meals. Feeding time only matters for nocturnal species - it is best to do this before you go to bed. The amount of food should be such that the fish completely absorb it in 5-10 minutes. If given more, uneaten pellets will remain in the water and will produce harmful ammonia. In addition, like other animals, fish can get fat.
To choose the right food, check what and how the fish eat in nature. The most common is dry food. If you choose food for a carnivorous species, make sure that the composition were fishmeal, shrimp and other seafood. The feed is available in powder, granules and tablets. The larger the fish, the larger should be the size of its food. You can go to the diet add frozen shrimp, bloodworms or plankton. And predatory fish are sometimes fed alive crickets and worms. For herbivores fit sheets of dried spirulina or nori seaweed.
How to care for an aquarium
Just as it is pleasant for a person to walk along the cleaned sidewalks in city, fish like to swim in clear water. You need to clean up the aquarium once a week.
- Go over the inside of the glass with an aquarium brush. to get fish no need This will put them under extra stress.
- Get out the stones and decor. You can clean them with a scraper in warm water. Do not use soap or detergents. They are difficult to completely remove, and the fish hurts even a small amount of chemicals.
- Use a siphon to clean the soil. This water vacuum agitates gravel and removes debris.
- Change the water parts. Approximately a quarter of the volume per week. Add dechlorinated water. And it should also be the same temperature as in the aquarium.
- Wipe the glass from the outside and the cover. Conventional glass cleaners won't fitbecause they contain ammonia. Replace them with vinegar or an aquarium-safe cleaner.
Filter not worth it clean immediately after cleaning. So you will remove not only dirt, but also beneficial bacteria. If you tidy up and clean the filter at the same time, it could lead to ecosystem disruption and a dangerous ammonia surge. The carbon filter is usually updated every three weeks. And sponges or ceramic rings are carefully washed and returned to their place.
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