Aquarium equipment . What aquarium equipment do you need to buy to properly start your aquarium? What will be required for further care of the artificial pond?
Hello, dear readers of the Aqua-As aquarist blog, since you have come to this page and are reading this article, it means that most likely you are planning to purchase or have already purchased an aquarium and are now puzzled by the question “What kind of aquarium equipment do you need to purchase to properly launch a new aquarium?” and “What else may be needed to further care for him?”
Filtration system
Filtering devices differ from each other by location:
- external;
- submersible;
- mounted;
- bottom
Submersible filters are more common, which is largely due to their low price. The design is a pump that drives water through a filter element (usually foam sponges). The filter itself is immersed inside and fixed to the wall of the aquarium using a suction cup. Most often they are used in small and medium-sized tanks (up to 150-200 liters).
Bottom filters form a water cycle in the soil, thereby forming beneficial microflora in it. These are not the best solution for large tanks due to their low flow capacity, but they are great for round aquariums.
External filters need cleaning much less often than submersible filters - no more than once every three months. An additional advantage is that you do not have to intrude on the fragile ecosystem of the aquarium space, because the filter is located outside. As a rule, these devices are used in large-volume aquariums - up to 300 liters or more.
Mounted filters operate virtually silently. They are easy to maintain - you just have to periodically change the filler.
Thermometer
For most fish, the temperature range is from 20 to 30°C. However, for more sensitive inhabitants of home ponds, even minor temperature changes can be fatal. Therefore, a thermometer is a necessary device for every aquarium. With its help, aquarium fish lovers can protect themselves from possible troubles.
Previously, water temperature was determined by mercury thermometers, which were attached to glass with suction cups. Today, plastic thermometers are sold in the form of a strip that is glued to the glass on the outside of the aquarium. It is recommended to change the location of any thermometer from time to time, and in containers with a volume of more than 200 liters it is better to glue several at once, at different heights.
Heater in an aquarium
When buying aquarium equipment, we must not forget about the heater, which is a mandatory element in a tropical aquarium, where the water temperature should be between 18-27 degrees Celsius. This element will not be needed for cold-water fish species, where the issue is more about cooling the water.
Modern heaters are equipped with a temperature sensor, i.e. if you set a certain temperature, the device will heat the water to this value, and then maintain it within these limits.
When choosing a heater, you first need to take into account the size of the tank itself. Manufacturers clearly indicate what volume a particular device is designed for. In most cases, when choosing, they are guided by the fact that 1 W of heater power goes to 1 liter of water.
Cover with lamp
To provide the flora and fauna of a home pond with sufficient, proper lighting, lighting devices are needed. This is especially true for large aquariums. Optimal lighting is created by a lamp built into the lid of the aquarium, since the light supplied from above is the most natural for its inhabitants. In addition to fluorescent lamps, incandescent lamps can also be used in the lamp, provided that they do not increase the heating of the water.
Refrigeration equipment
The use of refrigeration systems is only advisable when keeping cold-water fish. There are 2 ways to solve the problem of water cooling - fans and refrigeration units.
Fans may contain one or more propellers. This solution has several advantages:
- they do not take up much space;
- economical consumption of electricity;
- quite low price.
Fans also have disadvantages. The main one is that they promote faster evaporation of the liquid, so you will have to add water more often.
There are several types of fans:
- Unregulated. These devices produce only the power declared by the manufacturer on the packaging.
- With manual regulation. You can choose the blowing mode yourself by adding or decreasing power.
- Automatic. In this case, the blowing mode is selected automatically.
Refrigeration equipment is considered a more reliable solution. They are connected via an individual pump or external filter. It cools water much more efficiently and is easy to install, but the price of refrigerators is much higher than that of fans.
What if you need to leave?
Aquarists often face a problem when they need to leave their charges for a while. At the same time, the conditions for keeping fish are gradually deteriorating, which can ultimately lead to irreversible consequences. Modern equipment from the Aquael and Hailea brands can solve such problems.
You will have to ask friends, acquaintances, and relatives to periodically spray a special preparation that will establish or maintain the required biological balance. A special automatic feeder will prevent feeding problems.
If you leave your pets unattended, you need to purchase a membrane or piston silent compressor that will saturate the liquid with dissolved oxygen and provide aeration.
In addition, there are high-tech systems for supporting animal life. They control water indicators, are programmed to carry out feeding, turn off/on the lighting, diffuser, and filter unit.
Models have been developed that can measure liquid indicators and send messages to the owner if they are below the required level. The user can change the settings via the Internet.
Compressor for aquarium
Among other aquarium accessories, you will definitely need a compressor that provides aeration of the water inside the tank, i.e. water is saturated with oxygen.
There are 2 types of compressors:
- External. Typically, these devices have a valve to regulate air flow.
- Internal. There is power adjustment, they can even be used as additional decoration, but only if the tank is large enough in volume.
When choosing the power of the device, as a rule, they are guided by the ratio - 0.5 W per liter.
Automatic feeder
Many aquarium fish lovers consider an automatic feeder to be an underused accessory. But in some cases it is necessary. For example, you cannot do without it if the owners of the apartment are absent for a long time. This device for feeding underwater pets consists of three elements:
- Drum with a hole.
- A plastic casing that protects the food from moisture.
- Electronic control unit.
There are several models of automatic feeders, but they all work on the principle based on portioned feed supply per unit of time. The feeder drum cells are filled with dry food (flakes or granules). The filled drum is connected to a control unit on which the feeding interval is set. The device is then covered with a plastic casing. Using the control unit, you can program the required number of feedings per day.
Aquarium lighting
Some types of aquariums come with lights already built into the lid, but if you have a regular tank, then you need to take care of additional lighting.
The following types of lamps are most suitable:
- Fluorescent T5 (only compatible with electronic ballasts).
- T8 fluorescent (compatible with electronic and magnetic ballasts).
- LED lightening.
If it is important for you that there is living vegetation inside, then you need to pay attention to the calorimetric temperature of the lamps. The optimal parameter is from 6500 to 8000 K.
When choosing lighting, you need to consider the following factors:
- Tank dimensions. If it is below 50 cm, then 0.75 W per liter of volume is enough, if above, then 1 W per liter of water.
- Type of aquarium (sea, plant).
- Brightness of light.
Scenery
You can really get lost in the variety of aquarium decor. Today the choice of these products is very large. Let's look at the most basic decorations:
- castles, caves;
- pirate theme - ships, chest with coins;
- glass balls that lie at the bottom like gems;
- shells, sea pebbles;
- some beautiful driftwood;
- artificial corals.
When choosing decorations, the main thing is not to overdo it. Don't turn your aquarium into a landfill. Approach the design of the “fish house” not only with imagination, but also with taste.
Is it possible to use an aquarium without equipment?
Not all cases require the use of expensive aquarium equipment. In many homes, fish are generally kept in a small container that was not originally intended for this purpose. But in such conditions it is possible to keep only a small number of individuals. In addition, the aquarium inhabitants themselves should be undemanding to their living conditions.
Instead of installing an oxygen generator, you can plant more plants in the tank. The oxygen they produce should be enough for one or two fish. But even here you can’t do without additional accessories. At a minimum, you will need a table lamp because plants cannot survive without light.
CO2 generator
The list of equipment required for an aquarium should include a CO2 generator. To a greater extent, this applies to “jars” that are too densely planted with aquarium plants. Because with an excess of light and a lack of CO2, the growth of green algae accelerates. Increased carbon dioxide content will help fight this unpleasant phenomenon. sera offers a simple and affordable CO2 generation system consisting of a compact container with several tablets that release CO2 when dissolved. The gas supply level should not exceed 30 mg/l. This amount is enough for plants and fish should not suffer from it.
Accessories
In addition to the standard list of necessary equipment, you will need additional accessories for the aquarium:
- Scraper for cleaning tank walls. The most convenient is magnetic.
- Nets. They will be needed to move the fish to another container while cleaning the main tank.
- Siphon for pumping out water.
- Tweezers, scissors for plant care.
- Special means for destroying unnecessary algae, etc.
The equipment allows you to maintain the necessary microclimate inside the tank, which has a positive effect on the plants, as well as on the condition of the fish themselves. We offer a large selection of high-quality specialized equipment: pumps, filters, water heaters and coolers, carbon dioxide supply devices, etc. These accessories will help create the necessary conditions for your aquarium inhabitants.
Plants
Some aquarists prefer artificial plants. Yes, there is no hassle with them, you just have to clean them of plaque a couple of times a year, but there will be no benefit from such plants either, but there is a lot of benefit from the “natural product”. It’s not for nothing that living vegetation is called the “lungs” of an aquarium - it really releases oxygen, and some specimens also serve as food for fish, as well as a place for spawning.
The hardiest grass is Vallisneria. It takes root without problems, grows quickly, and is unpretentious in care. Thin long light green leaves of Vallisneria perfectly drape the back wall of the tank. Ludwigia repens, bacopa, and rotalla are good for the middle part. You can also put a piece of driftwood with Java moss.
The foreground will be perfectly complemented by dwarf Anubias, which somewhat resembles a liana. It grows slowly, so it won't cause much trouble. You can also take something from Echinodorus. Under favorable conditions, they also bloom on the surface of the water, but flowering can also occur under it.
