50 liter aquarium: how many fish can be kept in the tank

A 50-liter aquarium is often purchased by beginners who are afraid of the difficulties of caring for a nano-aquarium and do not want to occupy the living space of an apartment with an overly large tank. A 50-liter aquarium, unlike smaller tanks, allows the use of internal equipment that greatly facilitates its care. In addition, it can be populated with more inhabitants of various species and larger plants can be planted. At the same time, such a reservoir, unlike larger containers, does not require much space for installation and cleaning it takes less time.

Choosing an aquarium

The size of a 50 liter aquarium can vary and depends on its configuration. You can find artificial ponds of various shapes on sale. The best option is considered to be rectangular, horizontally oriented containers with straight walls. Their dimensions are usually 51x27x35 cm. It is most convenient to place the necessary equipment in such tanks. In addition, they are best suited for observing the inhabitants, since straight glass does not distort the picture, and the simplicity of the form does not distract attention from the internal contents.

Another option for a horizontal aquarium is a panoramic pond with a curved front glass. It may fit well into the interior of the room, but observing the fish will be difficult due to the distortion of their appearance. In addition, such tanks take up more space than models with straight walls.

50-liter aquariums are also available in corner models. Such tanks look good in small spaces, but it is difficult to place all the necessary equipment and clean them.

On a note! In addition to the listed options, you can also find containers of other shapes on sale - moon-shaped, spherical, in the form of a vertical octagon, etc. Such reservoirs are inconvenient to maintain and are poorly suited for keeping fish.

Form

When choosing the shape of a product, you need to start from what is important to you: the appearance of the product or its contents . According to their shape, aquariums are divided into:

Round.

They are distinguished by aesthetics and originality. But such a product is quite difficult to care for. As for their volumes, they are not large. Such containers most often act as a decorative element. The fish do not live comfortably in them;
Rectangular. They belong to the classics. This is an ideal option for keeping different types of fish . With such products you can create various landscapes. These jars are easier to clean than others;
With curved glass. This option fits harmoniously into any room and becomes its main decoration. But, curved glass distorts the visibility of the contents of the aquarium, and such products are difficult to care for;
Angular. They are ergonomic and perfect for small spaces. This option will be a wonderful decoration for an office, home or apartment.

Recommendations for design

When designing a 50-liter aquarium yourself, you should adhere to two significant rules that will help you create an interesting and original body of water. Firstly, when placing the decorations and laying out the soil, 50 liters of fish for the aquarium are placed in a separate container so as not to harm the pets. Secondly, decorations and soil must be disinfected before display, so as not to introduce infection into the 50-liter aquarium.

Decoration stages:

Background – for the container, a special decorative film is used, which is glued to the back wall of the tank. The color and design of the background can be anything - from a solid black shade to an image of rocky mountains or a forest.
Soil – it is advisable to use ready-made soil in a 50-liter aquarium, giving preference to nutritious soil. When choosing the size and type of substrate, it is important to focus on the requirements of underwater inhabitants.
Stones - used to decorate underwater space. For a 50-liter aquarium, quartz, granite and medium-sized basalt are suitable. It is important that the pebbles do not affect the parameters of the aquatic environment.
Flora - the vegetation in the tank plays an important role, filling the water with oxygen and providing shelter for fish. Beginner aquarists are better off choosing unpretentious types of flora: cryptocoryne, ferns, vallisneria.
Lighting – aquarium lighting is chosen depending on the requirements of fish and plants. When installing light bulbs in the tank, it is important not to forget to control the duration of daylight hours and the power of the devices.
Equipment - for a happy life for underwater inhabitants, an aerator, filter, thermometer and heater are installed in the tank.

Startup sequence

Before you find out which 50 liter fish can be stocked in a 50 liter aquarium, you should familiarize yourself with the tank filling system. Proper launch of an artificial reservoir is the key to a comfortable and long life for pets, therefore, when designing, adhere to the following rules:

First, they decide on a design style and carefully think through the design. To avoid confusion, experienced aquarists recommend drawing a design plan on a piece of paper, which will help you evaluate the picture in full.
Having finished with the plan, you should purchase the necessary equipment, soil, decorations and plants for the pond.
Purchased decorations, soil and underwater flowers are treated to destroy dirt and harmful bacteria.
Soil is laid out in the tank and decorations are placed according to the design plan.
The container is half filled with water and the flora is planted. Install equipment.
A 50 liter aquarium is filled with water and stocked with fish and shellfish.

Features of large tanks

When choosing the size of a future reservoir, it is important to pay attention to the following advantages that a 50-liter aquarium has:

In a spacious artificial reservoir, it is more convenient for the owner to organize the equipment and arrangement of the aquarium, successfully camouflaging the technical devices with underwater flora. In small containers, like a glass aquarium, due to their small size, not all the necessary equipment can fit, which later leads to diseases of fish and shellfish.
In a 50-liter aquarium, you can install special cleaning filters that will do most of the work for the aquarist. In small bodies of water, cleaning will have to be done manually.

A pond with a medium capacity is an ideal solution for those who want to have a lot of fish and decorate the interior of their home. A volume of 50 liters will allow the owner to choose a beautiful design for the tank and stock many bright and colorful fish.

How many fish can you keep in an aquarium?

When there are many fish living in an aquarium, it looks beautiful, but you need to take into account that a 50-liter aquarium cannot accommodate many representatives of different breeds. You need to choose those fish that are appropriate for such a tank so that they feel comfortable in slightly cramped conditions.

Experts recommend adhering to the golden rule when calculating the number of fish for a 50 liter aquarium: for every 2 cm of the fish’s body there should be at least 2 liters. water.

If you decide to place different breeds of fish in a 50 liter aquarium, you need to calculate as a percentage which ones will be more in a 50 liter aquarium and which ones will be smaller.

If there is not enough space in the aquarium tank for all the fish, they may become aggressive towards each other.

Possible combinations of fish for a 50 liter aquarium:

10 guppies, 5 leopard danios, 3 catfish, 3 swordtails;
10 neons, 5 swordtails, 3 catfish, 5 platies;
15 barbs, 5 swordtails, 3 catfish;
2 angelfish, 5 barbs, 3 catfish;
10 neon blues, 5 barbs, 3 catfish.

Tips: who to accommodate

If you bought a fifty-liter tank, you should know who can be accommodated there, and for whom such a capacity will not be enough:

experts do not recommend stocking predatory fish;
do not buy fish that can grow from fry to large sizes: as they grow, they will be cramped in a small tank: before buying, find out what size the selected breed can grow to;
do not take expensive or rare fish: in a small container it is difficult to maintain the desired mode for fastidious fish;
there is no need to overpopulate 50 liters of an aquarium: 1 fish should have at least 4-5 liters. water;
there is no need to stock many different breeds: the fish must be temperamentally suitable for each other.

Plants

Plants are essential for the quality of life of aquarium fish. Fish eat plants, and they also like to hide in dense thickets of algae. For a 50 liter aquarium, choose unpretentious plants:

cryptocorynes;
ferns;
Vallisneria;
hornworts;
Anubias.

Plants need to be selected according to the type of fish. If you have fish that live on the bottom, plant floating plants. For mid-sized fish, you can buy other plants: ground algae.

50 liters for an aquarium is a good option for a small apartment where there is no space to install a large tank. It will be the central link of the interior, and with proper care it will delight its owners with a beautiful water world. You can put small decorations in a 50-liter aquarium, but you need to follow the recommendations so that all inhabitants are comfortable.

Scenery

For a tropical aquarium and shrimp tank, the choice of decorations is huge: live and artificial plants, stones, driftwood, etc. Remember that rocks should not increase the alkalinity of the water.

Goldfish choose plants only those that do not require planting in the ground, and their leaves must be hard enough, or they risk being eaten. The choice is generally small: ferns, anubias, some types of mosses. Cladophora balls are a good choice – they add variety to the decor. You can use artificial plants, as well as rocks or artificial decorations, but they must be securely fastened, otherwise your golden pets will literally chase them all over the aquarium.

Care

Caring for a 50-liter aquarium is quite simple and does not take much time. Weekly care consists of replacing 1/3 of the volume with fresh water, cleaning the glass from plaque and removing excess organic matter from the soil surface. General cleaning of a 50-liter aquarium is carried out once every 1-2 months. During this process, the substrate is deeply cleaned with a siphon, the decorations are cleaned, and overgrown plants are trimmed and thinned out. The fish are not transplanted during harvesting.

A 50 liter aquarium is a good choice for a beginner aquarist. In this volume you can keep various small inhabitants and most types of plants. The dimensions of the 50-liter tank allow you to decorate it beautifully, matching the design to the interior of the room. Caring for it is not as difficult as for smaller reservoirs, and it takes up little space in the apartment.

Priming

For a tropical aquarium and shrimp tank, it is better to choose soil with a fine fraction of 0.1-0.5 cm. This can be neutral sand or gravel, special soil for plants or a nutrient mixture - it all depends on the future population and plants.

For expensive and demanding types of shrimp, it is advisable to choose special mixtures of soils for shrimp - they improve water parameters, stabilize them, which has a beneficial effect on the health of animals. Also, in such mixtures, microorganisms that baby shrimp feed on actively develop, which promotes reproduction. Such mixtures are quite expensive, but it is worth it.

Equipment for a 60 liter aquarium for goldfish

If the soil is neutral and the plants need root nutrition, choose a nutrient mixture for laying under the gravel.

For goldfish, you can choose soil of a larger fraction, especially since plants are practically excluded in such a container. But the gravel must be rounded - goldfish are active diggers, they will dig and move everything in the aquarium, and can be seriously injured by sharp edges. In general, sand is suitable as a covering for goldfish, and its layer can be only 1-2 cm - this is enough to hide the glass, and this is the entire function of the soil in such an aquarium.

The amount of material required can be calculated using a soil calculator.

Lighting and cover for aquarium

Not all owners of artificial reservoirs consider it necessary to cover their aquariums with a lid. But this is an important and necessary element for small containers, such as a 35-liter reservoir. The lid prevents fish from jumping out of the aquarium in stressful situations. Underwater inhabitants may be frightened by sudden switching on or off of lights, which becomes stressful for them. In addition, lids reduce the evaporation of aquarium water and prevent external contamination from entering the container. Aquarium covers can be purchased either with or without built-in lighting. Light is very important for the full growth and development of both fish and plants. Because there may not be enough natural lighting in the room and for this you need to additionally illuminate the pond.

It is noteworthy that fish do not need a lot of light; one fluorescent lamp will be enough for them. But if you have a lot of vegetation in your aquarium, then more lighting is required. It is worth noting that the radiation spectrum can also be different. For fish and plants placed in the same pond, it is better to choose the best option.

Aquarium lighting can be arranged using different lamps: fluorescent, energy-saving, LED. Fluorescent lamps are suitable for plants and fish at the same time; it is best to choose the white spectrum, it is optimal for the entire reservoir. These lamps most often come in a set with a cover. Energy-saving lamps are very economical and make it possible to personally change and select the mode and spectrum of lighting. This type of lamp is affordable and practical.

The only thing is that you shouldn’t illuminate the aquarium with them for too long, as this threatens the appearance of algae. The most modern and new is LED lighting. They are very convenient and durable to use. Their design allows the pond to be illuminated even when one element fails. This is an excellent option for lighting an aquarium at night. Many aquarists believe that LED lighting is the future.

Advantages and disadvantages

When choosing a 50-liter tank, it is important to consider all the pros and cons of such an acquisition. The main advantages include the following:

there is an opportunity to stock several schools of beautiful fish;
The dimensions of the tank allow you to place and disguise various aquarium equipment, for example, a filter and a heater;
compactness – such an artificial pond will look good in a small room or office;
the tank can be decorated in an interesting way;
suitable for beginners.

Among the disadvantages, the following points can be noted:

you cannot keep large and rare fish;
the volume is too small to organize a marine aquarium;
Compared to 100-liter aquariums, the water becomes quickly polluted, so careful control over the cleanliness of the environment is required.

Those who have been involved in aquarium farming for a long time may not have enough volume to realize their plans, because over time they want to diversify the aquatic world and have larger and more interesting fish.

Necessary equipment

To maintain the artificial ecosystem in a stable condition and the comfortable existence of aquatic organisms, a 50-liter aquarium must be equipped with appropriate equipment. The equipment package purchased along with the tank must include the following components:

Compressor. This device serves to supply air to the reservoir and saturate the water with oxygen. It is installed outside the aquarium and is connected via a flexible hose to a sprayer, which is placed on the bottom of the tank. It is important to position the device so that water does not fall on it.
Filter. It performs the function of purifying water from mechanical dirt and harmful substances. The dimensions of a 50-liter aquarium usually allow the installation of an internal filter, but this device can also be external; in this case, it does not take up space inside the reservoir. It must have appropriate power, recommended for such a volume is 300 l/h. Some filters have a built-in aeration function, which eliminates the need to install a compressor in the aquarium.
Heater. This device is necessary to maintain the water temperature at a constant level. It must be equipped with a thermostat. In this case, the device will automatically turn on when the temperature drops and turn off when the water is sufficiently heated.
Thermometer. It is needed to control the water temperature. Aquarium thermometers are usually installed inside the reservoir - placed on the bottom or hung on the wall. Liquid crystal models are designed for gluing to glass from the outside.
Illuminated lid. The aquarium must be tightly closed with a lid. It will not allow overly active fish to jump out of the water. The lamp can be built into the cover or installed separately. To illuminate an artificial pond, it is recommended to use fluorescent or LED lamps. Their power is selected based on the needs of fish and plants.

What is the threat of overpopulation?

If there is overcrowding in the bank, the fish will begin to suffer from a lack of oxygen, which will negatively affect their health. In addition, a struggle for living space will begin, which can lead to damaged fins.

Large fish release a lot of waste into the water, which leads to an increase in ammonia, nitrates and nitrites. Because of this, pets can die.

Of course, you can install a powerful external filter in an overpopulated aquarium, change water more frequently, and plant a lot of plants. In this case, the fish will not be poisoned and die. But will they be comfortable? Of course not. And you are unlikely to like an aquarium densely populated with fish.

Filter and compressor

Tropical aquarium and shrimp tank

You can choose any type of filter, the main thing is that its throughput capacity is at least three volumes of aquarium water per hour.

Cold water

For goldfish, more powerful filters are chosen - a throughput capacity of at least five volumes of water per hour.

A compressor is not necessary, especially for tropical fish and shrimp. But they can be used to complement an aquarium with goldfish - they love oxygenated water.