Aquarium rules. Turbid water in the aquarium after starting. Starting an aquarium from scratch Settling the aquarium

Preparing an aquarium for launch is not as easy as it might seem. This includes choosing a place for it, preparing water, selecting a plant, fish, soil, as well as laying it. It will not be a discovery for many that not every place is suitable for an aquarium, not every water is suitable for the inhabitants, not every plant is suitable for the first start, not every fish will withstand any conditions. Because of these reasons, an aquarium for beginners seems to be something intimidating. No, in fact, everything is not so difficult, but if you do not want to see a disastrous result in a few days, then a step-by-step instruction describing the whole process will help you.

You have an aquarium of the required volume, you already know who you want to populate there. And where can he find a place in your house?

No need to constantly rearrange it from place to place, you need to choose one. It should not be a window sill or a place where there may be a draft or direct Sun rays. And also make sure that the place is not noisy and there is no room battery nearby.

The surface of the chosen place must be clean and even, able to withstand high pressure on it. The edges of the aquarium should not protrude. If the surface is not able to support the weight, the bottom may crack. For more uniform unloading, you can look after yourself soft substrates or rugs.

It is desirable that there is an outlet nearby, as the necessary equipment will be connected to it to maintain life inside.

After choosing a place, you need to prepare the aquarium itself for launch. It is necessary to wash it without the use of chemicals (no soap or detergent), you can do this baking soda or salt. Rinse the walls with water 4 times. And also, as an option, it is recommended to fill it with water so that traces of sealant and other hazards are gone. At the same time, you can check whether it is definitely not leaking anywhere. Some leave it flooded for a few days, so that additional toxic substances are washed off from them, after which they rid it of water.

Preparing the soil

The soil is an important part, because it allows you to create an organic microclimate, is a nutrient medium and does not allow places of stagnant water to appear. It is on it that 90 percent of beneficial bacteria live. More about in a separate article.

Wash the soil. If you chose pebbles or gravel, then you need to prepare salted water and boil them for 1 hour. If sand is used, then ignite it in a pan for 30 minutes, stirring constantly. After that, you need to sift the sand through a fine sieve to rid and remove small impurities. The soil is ready.

Now fill the aquarium 1/3 with water and lower the soil there. You can do this evenly over the entire bottom, you can make small slides and hillocks - it's up to you. But the soil should fill the bottom by at least 4–5 cm.

We come up with a design

If the initial start-up of the aquarium includes a series of certain actions, then this is the moment when you can turn on your imagination. Now you can install driftwood, put stones, houses, pots, rocks and other accessories. Do not forget to process them so as not to infect. You can place them randomly and see what happens. Many people draw on paper how they would like to arrange all the accessories, and then place them there. No one bothers you after moving them at your discretion, but in order not to disturb the inhabitants, of course, it is better to do this in advance.

Fill with water and insist it

Pouring water from the tap room temperature. It is advisable to use special indicators (they can be purchased at a pet store) to check the parameters and make sure that they meet the standards, if not, it is recommended to leave the water for 12 hours, during which time the chlorine will be corrected from the water. We pour water.

Small helpful advice. You can use an ordinary garden hose and the laws of physics. Raise the water container above your aquarium, lower one end of the hose into it, and in the other part of the hose, make a couple of suction efforts so that some of the water gets inside it, and lower it into the aquarium. According to the law of communicating vessels, water will begin to flow through the hose. To avoid splashing, you can either put the plate on the bottom and direct the hose to it, or direct the water to the glass of the aquarium.

Water treatment

After 2-4 days, the water becomes a little cloudy. This means that bacteria have begun to multiply. After a few days, the water will become clear, perhaps a little yellow. You can buy a special starter with beneficial bacteria and bring it inside. If you have friends who already have an existing aquarium that has favorable conditions, you can ask them for a squeeze of the filter, this will greatly help to establish the environment when you are trying to start an aquarium for the first time.

Why every step is so important

As you can see, you need to delve into the information, but there is nothing difficult in starting an aquarium from scratch. Many hobbyists do not know where to start and try to quickly introduce fish into their first aquarium, as a result of which new inhabitants die. An aquarium is its own biosystem in which a certain balance must be established. After all, microorganisms, algae, bacteria live in it. A certain balance must be established between all. Remember to keep track so that the fish can live comfortably with other fish and with plants. Make sure you don't get inside later. harmful substances from the outside, keep this balance. As a reward, you will receive your own beautiful aquarium, which you can constantly enjoy.

Starting the Aquarium Properly- the first priority of the aquarist Many guides and manuals tell you how to start an aquarium. But in order to apply this acquired knowledge in practice, it is absolutely not enough to increase the amount of all the components necessary for the life support of the aquarium in proportion to its volume, area and the number of its future inhabitants. And even, at first glance, a successful launch can turn into disappointment and death of the inhabitants of the aquarium.

This happens because the created aqua system is not properly maintained and its original parameters are lost. To prevent this from happening, the aquarist should understand the processes of this small ecosystem. It is worth noting here that the larger the ecosystem, the easier it is to maintain balance in it. Of course, the number of fish and other organisms living in it plays important role in its sustainability, but often for the sake of diversity, one has to manage to maintain rather fragile ecosystems.

What needs to be done before launch?

Even before starting the launch procedure, it is necessary to solve a number of critical issues and take some necessary steps:

Decide which fish or aquatic animals you want to have. Find out what conditions they require. Be sure to find out if they are compatible with each other!
Depending on the decisions on the first point, choose the volume and model of the aquarium, as well as a list of the necessary equipment and decoration items. Based on the species and the number of future inhabitants, decide whether, for example, a heating pad with a thermostat is needed, how powerful the filter should be, whether an additional compressor is required, how to decorate the aquarium: with stones or snags, which plants to plant and so on.
Choose a place for the aquarium - not in a draft and not in the sun. It is also important that access to the aquarium is convenient, and there are a sufficient number of outlets nearby.
Buy and install an aquarium (necessarily on a flat surface, so that its edges do not hang from a shelf or cabinet even a centimeter). The aquarium is pre-washed without the use of chemicals. detergents.
Place equipment in the aquarium: filter, compressor, heater and thermometer, lighting fixtures. Fill the soil with a layer of 3-4 cm. Depending on the type of soil and the source of its origin, it may be necessary to pre-calcinate, boil or rinse it. The same applies to stones and driftwood.
Ground and decorations.

As a rule, the entire future ecosystem of your aquarium depends on the cleanliness of a and decorations. Therefore, its processing should be taken especially carefully: rinse well with soda or sea salt, boil the soil, while ruthlessly refusing it, if the water suddenly begins to turn colored - this can harm the fish in the future. The most optimal soil size is 3-5-8 mm.
Anything smaller - very quickly cakes and turns sour, larger - it is harder to clean and rinse. And plants on coarse soil will be a little more difficult to take root. As a rule, if living plants are planned in your aquarium, it is advisable to place under the ground nutritional composition for future vegetation, and the soil itself must be scattered at a slope, from rear wall to the front.
This is done taking into account certain optical properties of the aquarium glass, since the aquarium landscape looks somewhat different through the thickness of glass and water. When decorating and equipping a home for your future pets, do not get carried away with sea shells and pieces of limestone - the entire chemical composition will gradually wash out and over-alkaline the water, which may also not be very good for the health of future fish. When the soil is laid, snags, large stones and other decoration elements are installed,
It's time to fill your reservoir with water. If a diffuser in the form of an air wall is planned in the aquarium, it is also worth considering in advance: whether it will lie on the ground, or whether it needs to be fixed under the ground at the bottom. Water is poured in a small trickle, so as not to destroy the landscape that you have in mind. For example, you can place a small container in the aquarium, into which water will be supplied, and it will gradually drain over the edge.
Plants

After a few days, when the water settles, it's time to plant the plants. Of course, if you are in a hurry, the water can also be prepared using special means, now in pet stores there is a wonderful selection and variety. But it is quite possible to do without chemistry, allowing the ecosystem to develop naturally and independently. But then this it will take time. Before planting, all new plants that you brought from a store or other aquarium are recommended to be disinfected. To do this, it is enough to hold the plants for 10-15 minutes in a pale pink solution of potassium permanganate at room temperature. Tall plants that grow densely are best planted closer to the back glass of the aquarium, in the future they will partially hide the equipment. Small plants are planted near the front glass so that they do not block the view. Not all plants root well. Some of them, in order not to float up, have to be weighted with special “weights”, or fixed with a fishing line on snags.

Equipment

It is not necessary to load your future aqua system with a large amount of equipment, but the main points must still be observed:

filter pump.His main function- purification of water from dirt, turbidity and everything that floats in the water. The filter can be internal, either quite primitive, consisting of a piece of sponge, or more complex - with carbon filtration, and external - with a complex multi-stage water purification system. The main thing is that it should be correctly selected for the volume of your aquarium, and cope with the task of purification. Initially, the water is always quite cloudy. This is a normal process, and if the filter is properly sized, it will cope with this within a few hours.
But soon after planting the plants in your aquarium, complex biological processes will begin, and the water will again lose transparency: bacteria will begin to develop on the dying parts of the plants, followed by ciliates ... In general, as in Space - Life will begin to emerge in the aquarium. That is why experienced aquarists are in no hurry to immediately launch the fish - a biological balance must be established in the water. The rapid growth of microorganisms will stop, and the water will become clear again.
Sometimes experienced aquarists are advised to take some water from old aquariums, or "squeeze" from their filters. BUT even if the fish do not get sick in the old aquarium, this does not mean that the water is free from pathogens. Most likely, everything has already settled down in this system, and the fish have developed a certain resistance. But in the new conditions, pathogens can begin to develop very actively. Therefore, you should not do this.
Aerator or compressor

Its task is to saturate the water with oxygen. In fact, the compressor is a pump that pumps air and delivers it through sprayers into the water. But at the same time, it also has a decorative function. Therefore, it is decided in advance whether it will be a thin trickle of bubbles, additionally decorated or a whole air curtain. The choice of sprayers and compressors is now simply huge!
will depend on which direction of the aquarium you have chosen. If you plan to have fish with artificial plants, the quantity and quality of light is not important, everything will depend on your taste. If you have live plants, then you can’t do without additional lighting. Most often, aquariums are already equipped with fluorescent lamps at the time of sale, but for plants, lamps with a pink spectrum will be the most optimal.
As a rule, if there is enough light, the plants quickly take root and actively start growing.
If there is not enough light, the glass and soil are covered with a brown coating, if there is an excess of light, the water turns green.
You can put lighting with a timer. Then you will not have a headache - did you forget to turn on or off the light ....

Heater with thermostat

As a rule, aquarium fish, like other aquarium animals, live in nature in warm regions, and are not adapted to the climate of our (not always well heated) apartments. The optimum temperature is mainly 22-24 degrees, and in some species even higher. Therefore, a heater with a thermostat is very convenient - just set the required temperature.
You can’t do without a heater if the fish suddenly get sick. When the temperature in the aquarium rises to 28-30 degrees, the treatment with drugs is faster and more efficient, and in a shorter time.

Testing

The aquarium is equipped, the plants are planted and are actively growing, the water has settled and become transparent in a week ... It's time to think about the fish.
But first check the water.
Water hardness test. Miscellaneous groups fish prefer different hardness. Based on the test results, you can choose fish that will be comfortable with you, or vice versa, change the water hardness for those fish that you have chosen.
There are also other tests. All of them are important in order to find out in time what the condition of the water in your aquarium is, and what needs to be changed in order for the fish to feel good.

We coped with the water parameters, finally we can launch the first batch of fish. Initially, there should not be many of them: 3-5 fish, depending on the size of the aquarium. Each new portion of fish necessarily breaks the existing balance, and the aquarium, as an integral biosystem, is easier to cope with the arrival of a small number of inhabitants than to adapt to a large surge of guests. But between the launch of the next portion of the fish should not pass less than a week. So, at intervals between batches, we gradually populate the aquarium, not forgetting
adapt the fish before release.
How to properly adapt?
Many people advise you to place a container with new fish in your aquarium to "swim" so that the temperature and pressure are equal, and gradually the water mixes with the aquarium. Yes, for a fish, stress is minimized this way, but on the other hand, you run the risk of introducing pathogenic bacteria into your aquarium on a bag with beginners. Much more correct, although it will take a little longer if you place a container with new fish. After installing the compressor, within two hours you need to add 20% of the water from your aquarium to it every 10-15 minutes. So the water is gradually completely replaced by desired composition. After that, it will be enough just to transplant the fish with a net.
Finally, the planned number of fish settled in, the balance of water was restored, life is entering a calm channel. Don't forget to make them fasting days, since plants are not yet ready to fully process organic food residues. And in the future, such unloading once a week will only benefit. It's always better to underfeed than overfeed.
It is advisable to do water changes regularly, every week about 20% of the total volume.

So, if your fish are active, the color does not become paler, and the appetite does not suffer, then you did everything right. We congratulate you! You have created a piece of nature with your own hands and patience, which will give you many pleasant moments, give you beauty, comfort and peace.

Quite a bit of theory

The aquarium is an open system, where outside various substances. This is mainly fish food, which fish eat, releasing waste products. The most significant and toxic part of these wastes in chemical terms is ammonia, even in small concentrations it can cause poisoning and subsequent death of fish and other aquatic animals. However, in nature there are bacteria (they are called nitrifying) that consume ammonia, oxidizing it to nitrite. Nitrites for fish are not much better than ammonia, but there are other types of nitrifying bacteria that bind them in turn, turning them into relatively harmless nitrates.

It seems that run aquarium - as easy as shelling pears: I took water, threw soil, added a couple of bushes of plants, a snag - you can small fish run. However, if you do this, then the next day you will need to clean it with a net from fish, but already swimming with their belly to the top - they will simply die! Preparation for the launch is a very responsible business.

We offer step by step instructions starting a fish aquarium.

Preparing everything you need

First you need to carefully prepare the soil, plants, driftwood and auxiliary equipment.

1. Driftwood.
It must be remembered that you can use driftwood that does not emit strong odors and resins (for example, you can not take snags of coniferous trees). It is better not to act at random, but it is better to go to the nearest pet store and purchase a small snag there. Bringing the snag home, you need to soak it in salted water and leave for seven days. Why in salt water? It's very simple: thanks saline solution all microorganisms that can harm the aquarium ecosystem will be destroyed, and most importantly, the snag will be saturated with water, it will become heavy, will not float, but lie on the bottom. This is with regards to purchased snags. In the event that you decide to take a snag in the forest, for example, willow or hazel roots, then such snags need to be subjected to a long boil: you need to boil the snag in salt water for about five to six hours. Then you need to remove the container with the snag from the fire, cool the water and transfer the snag to the salt clean water soak for four days. Only then can the snag be used.

2. Ground.
Everything is a little simpler here: when using gravel or pebbles (size is not important), then they are in without fail it is necessary to boil for an hour, in lightly salted water. When using sand, you need to ignite it in a pan: there is a lot of all sorts of dirt in the sand than in pebbles, gravel or driftwood combined! Sand should be poured into a hot frying pan in parts and “fry” for 30 minutes. In this case, the sand must be often stirred with a wooden spoon or spatula. After calcination, it is recommended to sift the sand through a fine sieve to remove all random mixtures that are smaller than a grain of sand. After these procedures, the soil is ready for use.

3. Aquarium plants.
aquarium plants must also be disinfected. However, they do not need to be heat treated. First, purchased plants must be washed with running water. Then collect some settled water in a bowl and add two crystals of potassium permanganate to it so that the water becomes pale pink. Then you need to remove the plants from the potassium permanganate solution and put them in a container with settled water, for example, in a jar. Plants must be left in the jar for a week: during this time, the plants will create their own microclimate and will be able to go through certain stages of adaptation. As long as we don't touch them.

4. Aquarium.
Everything is simple here: it must be thoroughly rinsed, but you should never use detergents for washing. household chemicals. If you rinse the container poorly and leave at least a drop of "chemistry", then you will be in trouble. The aquarium needs to be washed with a stiff brush, a new sponge, and soda or salt can be used as detergents.

5. Necessary equipment for aquarium. This concept includes:

aquarium filter- is a device that filters water, retaining various mechanical and organic suspensions: particles of rotting plants, dust particles, etc.;
compressor or aerator ( this device it is necessary to enrich the aquarium water with oxygen);
fluorescent lamp - necessary for lighting the aquarium (the intensity and power of the lamp glow depends on certain types of plants and fish living in the new house);
thermometer- it is clear why;
lid for aquarium must be, because no one has canceled the threat from the outside;
sponges, scrapers, nets- it is also clear why.

Depending on the weight and size of the aquarium, you need to choose the appropriate pedestal. The place is chosen arbitrarily, but it is worth considering: the aquarium should not be near a window or near radiators. In addition to the above equipment and supplies, you may also need other goods for keeping fish, such as decorative elements.

We're running an aquarium.

Now you can proceed to the stages of filling the new fish house with plants, snags, water, soil and inhabitants.

The first stage: stele primer.
You can pour soil even layer, you can also create hillocks and mountains - this is to your liking. However, it is worth considering: the soil layer, in any case, should be at least four to five centimeters. This is necessary so that the soil does not silt much. When filling the soil, you need to take into account the tastes of the fish: some fish like sand, some like pebbles or gravel, and some like gravel and sand mixed. In general, this factor should be taken into account.

The second stage: installation of snags and other accessories.
Well, there is nothing complicated here: you need to take a sheet of paper, a pencil and sketch out the location of accessories. By the way, this method the most reasonable, it is used by experienced aquarists. For example: a snag is set a little further from the center, at the bottom in an orderly or chaotic manner lie flat stones, shells, fancy stones, clay shards, pottery shards, bamboo, coconut shells, etc.

The third stage: pouring water.
Attention: it is necessary to pour water with special care to avoid excessive turbidity. What is the right way to do it? Take a bucket of water and a piece of garden hose. It is necessary to lower one end of the hose into the bucket, the second - into the aquarium, to the bottom. The bucket must be placed above the aquarium (for this you can use a stepladder and put the bucket on the upper platform). Then - pure physics: take the end of the hose, placed in the aquarium, into your mouth, make a suction force - and the water will flow into the aquarium from the bucket. Next, you need to send a jet of water to the glass, and you can avoid clouding. There is another method: when pouring water without a hose, you need to put a deep plate on the bottom of the tank and direct a stream of water into it: water from the plate will fill the tank without splashing, evenly. After filling the aquarium, we don’t touch it anymore (it’s too early to populate fish and other living creatures).

Fourth stage: connection of the compressor and filter.
The size of the filter is directly proportional to the size of the aquarium: for a small one - small, for a large one - large. Each filter has a power regulator. You need to put the regulator in the middle position. Then, start the compressor also in medium mode. Attention: in the event that the room is warm, then the heater for the aquarium is not needed. If it is cool, then it is required to set a constant water temperature. Mostly, optimum temperature- it is + 23-25 ° С. You don't need to turn on the lights. And once again we remind you: do not launch fish, do not plant plants!

The aquarium in this state should stand for some time. You need to monitor the changes that occur during the launch of the aquarium:

Day one to four: it is possible that the water becomes cloudy. This should not scare you: at this time, a kind of microclimate is being created, and interference can cause a violation of the emerging ecology of the aquarium;
On the fourth day: you need to plant the first plants in the aquarium. Plants should not be demanding on water parameters. It could be: hornwort, nias, ambulia, hygrophila , vallisneria , riccia .
On the ninth or tenth day: the lighting turns on. However, only on certain time, for nine to ten hours a day. At the same time, you need to remove and clean the filter: in 10 days it becomes clogged and a thorough cleaning is necessary. (By the way, about cleaning. When cleaning and rinsing the filter, you need to collect aquarium water in a separate container and rinse the filter in this water). You can launch the first residents in new house: for example, a flock swordsmen. The first day you need to watch the fish, but you do not need to feed them (do not be afraid - they will not die).
Eleventh day: we feed the fish. It is necessary to give a little food, as the fish did not eat yesterday. And if you give a lot of food at once, then they will have stomach problems. They need to be fed twice a day with small portions of bloodworms. Keep watching.
Seventeenth-twentieth day: if everything is fine and the fish are mobile and cheerful, then this means that the ecosystem has been established, and you can move on. But before that, you need to change 10-15 percent of the water, clean the windows, clean the filter again. Depending on the volume of the container, you can further populate it, but it should be borne in mind that overpopulation is an enemy not only for fish, but for the entire ecosystem. It is worth remembering the unspoken rule: for one fish, up to 4-5 cm in size, you need three to four liters of water. Based on this, we conclude how many and who can be settled in the aquarium. Don't forget about snails because they are nature's organic waste recycling lab!
Twenty-fifth day: cleaning the soil, changing the water - 15 percent of the volume.

Congratulations! Your aquarium is running. That's the whole launch of the aquarium: it now has its own climate and works!

Next steps:

We change the water every week, 1/3 of the total volume of water;
We clean the filter - also once a week;
Cleaning the soil once a week;
Add variety to your fish diet.

So far, that's all.
As you can see, starting an aquarium is a delicate matter. However, if you show diligence and patience, then the reward will be appropriate: a perfectly working aquarium!

The first launch of an aquarium requires responsible preparation. First you need to study the information and purchase the necessary equipment. Before starting, you should already understand what inhabitants will inhabit the aquarium and how much space they need. Based on this, the shape and size of the aquarium is selected, and then all the rest of the equipment: filters, lamps, thermometers, heater, compressor. As well as the background and decorations (optional). They must correspond to the characteristics of the aquarium, the number and needs of its inhabitants.

If you want to decorate the aquarium with plants, you also need to purchase them in advance. Be sure to check that they are compatible with the fish.

Decide on a place.

We wash and check the aquarium.

Before decorating the aquarium, you need to wash it and check for defects. If the aquarium is clean, it is enough to rinse it with tap water, without disinfectants. Place the aquarium in the tub and fill it with water. Check carefully for leaks. If no defects are found, proceed to the next step.

We set up the aquarium and decorate the background.

Install the aquarium in a pre-prepared place and fix the background (optional). The background is drawn up before the soil is laid, and even more so before the aquarium is filled with water.

We lay the soil.

Fill the bottom with soil. If there are plants in your aquarium, then the soil should consist of two layers. The first is nutritious, the second is classic, natural color, with a diameter of 2-4 mm. For example, this is a combination of Tetra Complete Substrate (nutritional) and Tetra Active Substrate (classic).

The total thickness of the soil should be approximately 5-8 cm, depending on the capacity of the aquarium. In small aquariums, the optimal thickness is up to 6 cm.

We install equipment and decorations.

The next step is to install the hardware. Bring the equipment to the aquarium, carefully install the equipment according to the instructions, but do not connect it yet.

When installing an external filter, measure the required length of hoses that will circulate water from the aquarium to the filter and back, and cut off the excess to avoid kinks and save space. The internal filter is usually installed in one of the rear corners of the aquarium. If desired, it can be decorated, but so that the water circulation at the filter is not disturbed.

Place the decorations in such a way that they do not interfere with the view of the aquarium, the operation of the equipment and do not occupy all the free space. The fish should have enough room to move.

Use only special decorations. They are cleaned and completely safe for aquarium inhabitants.

We plant plants.

It's time to decorate the aquarium with plants (optional). You can choose artificial or live vegetation, at your discretion. How exactly to plant plants depends on their type. But for decoration general rule: the space at the front wall of the aquarium should be planted with low plants, and at the back with tall ones.

We fill with water.

When the equipment and decorations are installed, and the plants are planted, you can fill the aquarium with water. Plain tap water is best for this. Beforehand, she needs to be allowed to settle for 3-4 days, in glass container without cover.

How to properly fill the aquarium? Place a shallow plate on the ground and pour water into it so that it slowly drains from it onto the ground. If water is immediately poured onto the ground, it will wash it out, and your work on decorating the aquarium will go down the drain.

After filling the aquarium, do not rush to populate its inhabitants. New aquarium- this is a dead environment, and the fish in it will die. Release the first fish after about 7 days. During this time, a small aqua world will be installed in the aquarium, which will friendly accept the inhabitants.

We connect the equipment.

Connect the equipment as soon as the aquarium is filled. Carefully monitor its operation and measure the water parameters regularly. At the time of settling with fish, everything should be in perfect order!

Ahead of the most interesting - the settlement of the aquarium. We will talk about how to put fish in an aquarium in our next article.

IN Lately more and more people want to buy an aquarium, as interesting element interior. They do not think at all that this is a serious step, responsibility for the life and health of living beings. In addition, in order for the aquarium to really decorate the interior, it must be clean, well-groomed, and the fish healthy and active. How to prepare the aquarium before launching the fish will be discussed below.

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Photo gallery: How to prepare an aquarium before launching fish

Many people think that the more expensive the aquarium itself and the equipment for it, the better. They invest a lot of money in the beginning, and then even more - to correct their own mistakes. Therefore, it is important to think over the weight of the part in advance so as not to make a mistake in choosing. The price of the equipment absolutely does not imply its quality and need for you. Many of these things can be completely dispensed with. Even if the seller in the store gives excellent advice and praises a certain product - do not take my word for it right away. The following is what is the basic equipment needed for the proper functioning of the aquarium even before the introduction of the fish.

Choosing an aquarium

Aquariums are different. And it's not just about the shape and number of liters. First, they are divided into freshwater and marine. The latter, of course, are the most spectacular, colorful, but also the most difficult to maintain. In addition, in our conditions it is quite expensive - you have to buy special reagents to simulate sea water. True, in such aquariums, fish are less susceptible to infections, get sick less often and live longer. After all sea salt- natural antiseptic. Still, for beginner aquarists, a freshwater aquarium is more suitable. What we call "normal".

Now about the form. It all depends on what kind of fish you are going to keep. Round aquariums of 8-10 liters are only suitable for a couple of small fish such as guppies or zebrafish and a couple of snails. Many keep goldfish in such aquariums. Actually this is a mockery. Goldfish are carp, only decorative. They need space (about 50 liters for each fish). However, this is a topic for another article. The best way to prepare an aquarium rectangular shape, elongated in length and not very high. So it will be more convenient for the fish to swim without interfering with each other. Yes, and it is more convenient for plants to grow in such an aquarium, thanks to larger area bottom with soil. All other aquariums are diamond-shaped, in the form of columns, paintings on the wall, etc. - it's just a decoration. You are struggling with bringing them into proper form, since the natural balance in such an aquarium cannot be formed. The water will constantly become cloudy, the algae will tighten the glass, and the fish will suffer and die one by one.

There are also different kinds glass, for example, optical white or special plastic, which is characterized by increased transparency. However, to start ordinary glass enough. It is also important to try to get standard shaped aquariums. This will allow easy adjustment of the lid and lighting - it's just that many fluorescents are standard. The price of standard containers and lids is much lower than custom-made ones.

The bigger, the better?

In the case of an aquarium, yes. Not because it makes more impression, but because with more water it is easier to form a balance. Many people think that by purchasing a small aquarium for themselves, they deprive themselves of unnecessary problems. In fact, the opposite is true. In small aquariums (up to 40 liters) it is very difficult to balance, especially with artificial plants. And with a weekly change of water, the balance is constantly disturbed. A larger aquarium reduces the amount of work involved in maintaining it in a "residential" state. In addition, many species of fish and plants simply will not grow in their life size in a small aquarium and will feel bad all the time. The fish will exhibit behavior that does not allow for reproduction, meaning you will not be able to breed them. They will not be able to reproduce or will not show much of their color. After all, in the human world, a family also feels better in a house with a garden than in a one-room apartment. Therefore, if possible, it is worth buying a large aquarium (from 100 liters). This rule applies to both marine and freshwater aquariums.

Filtration

Some consider this item optional, but this is a huge mistake. The filter is necessary because the water in the aquarium is not in a natural reservoir. It is constantly polluted with food residues, fish feces, rotten parts of plants, etc. The water in the aquarium will instantly become cloudy if you do not provide timely filtration. Especially if you keep goldfish or ampoule snails - there is a lot of waste from them.

Filters are of different types:

Mechanical - the same devices that are sold in the store. They are internal and external. The latter are more reliable and efficient, but quite expensive. All of them are aimed at eliminating contaminants visible to the naked eye and are placed in the aquarium before the fish are released.

Biological - special plants whose activity is aimed at improving water quality. They include very beneficial bacteria that break down dead plants and other impurities, preventing them from rotting.

Chemical - serve to maintain good chemical composition water.

The most common is the sponge filter on a conventional pump. The sponge has mechanical filtration properties and also has positive influence on biological filtration because it regulates strains of beneficial bacteria. These sponges are removed from the tank almost every day and washed, which is not very convenient. However, some experts advise washing such filters no more than once a week.

Another type of filters are cascade filters, which are placed on the edge of the aquarium with outside. They have many benefits. Firstly, they do not take up space in the aquarium, which significantly affects the aesthetics. In the aquarium there is only a tube from the filter. The water from the overfilled filter has a lot of contact with the air, which improves aeration. Maybe not much, but as an extra aeration, it is to be welcomed. Another advantage is that the new models make it easy to clean the filter. For cleaning or replacement, there is no need to dip your hands into the aquarium. Modern cascade filters also allow you to provide any filtering.

Another type of filters is called external filters. On this moment this is the most modern type filters, and by far the most expensive. Water from the tank is sucked through a tube inserted into the tank (as in a cascade) in a tightly closed bucket-shaped container. This filter reservoir is placed in special baskets. The size and shape of the container allows you to place in it a large number of filter materials for water purification. This large number of carefully selected materials allows you to get really pure water that meets the physical and chemical properties.

Aeration

We all need oxygen. Fish are no exception. Therefore, aeration is vital for many of them, and you must prepare the aquarium before introducing the fish to properly aerate it. Although, not everyone needs it. There are such types of fish as labyrinths - they breathe oxygen from the air. Everyone else needs an additional supply of oxygen to the water. A lack of oxygen can be seen, for example, when fish swim slowly, are lethargic, and float on the surface. There are several methods of aeration. It is important that air is introduced into the water in the form of tiny bubbles. As mentioned earlier, internal filters are equipped with aeration systems installed at the ends exhaust pipes with external filters. But there are also separate air pumps that supply air to the aquarium. They are more powerful and noisy, but the degree of air supply does not depend on the contamination of the filter. And you will be sure that it will not turn off if the filter suddenly gets dirty with something.

Water heating

Another point that many beginner aquarists miss. Majority aquarium fish- thermophilic. They need a temperature of 24 0 C. True, there are also cold-water fish (for example, goldfish) - they feel great at 13-20 0 C. In any case, decide on the type of fish in advance. You will most likely need a heater. It is better to take an adjustable one - it is easier to handle and set it up desired temperature. It is also useful when the room temperature fluctuates. For example, during the heating period, the temperature in the room rises - the heater may not even be needed.

It is important to know that at certain moments the temperature must be artificially raised even up to 30 0 C. This applies to the spawning of fish or the period of their mating (in viviparous fish). Also, heat must be maintained when growing fry. Therefore, it is so important to purchase a heater with the ability to adjust.

aquarium lighting

Many people think that an ordinary light bulb with a simple light directed at the aquarium is suitable for lighting. In fact, such light has no effect on normal growth plants and only irritates the fish. Such lighting causes the rapid growth of harmful algae, which fill the entire aquarium. In addition, such a lamp, which shines all day, consumes a terrible amount of electricity.

In good aquariums, specialized T5 and T8 fluorescent lamps are most often used. They are very effective in stimulating plant growth, providing enough light for fish. The most powerful and most expensive is marine aquarium lighting. This requires at least two to three times more light than in a conventional aquarium. As for a freshwater aquarium, the plants in it need a lot of light. Thus, it is better for them to purchase special fluorescent lamps that produce a large amount of light of sufficient intensity and appropriate color.