Large aquariums: how to start and design?

A large aquarium in the house immediately attracts the attention of others, because observing the underwater world is a pleasure. But besides aesthetic pleasure, the content of a home reservoir carries a number of problems. Therefore, the choice must be taken with great responsibility. You should talk more about the problems associated with the placement of water bodies of the largest possible size at home.

The first and most basic obstacle is to choose where to put the aquarium in the apartment. Since we are talking about artificial reservoirs of large volumes, they will need a lot of space. But the result is a great decoration that will delight the family for more than one year.

The second problem is the need to defend a large amount of water for replacement. On average, a minimum of 20% of the fluid volume needs to be changed weekly. In this case, you need a special container and a place where it will be located. Usually, plastic barrels are bought for these purposes, which are stored in pantries or bathrooms.

And the third is a completely different approach to the maintenance of equipment, which, due to the large volume of water, requires more frequent cleaning.

There are some of the most common types of glass aquariums.

• Classical. This is a regular rectangular tank, it can contain any type of fish. It is ideal for creating a wide variety of options for the natural landscape - from fantastic to the most ordinary.

• Angular location. This type of reservoir is usually used for the rational use of free angular space. Such a solution involves a huge selection of interesting ideas.

• Panoramic. It can be either rectangular or angular.The main distinguishing feature is the curved glass, which allows observers to fully enjoy the view of swimming fish.

Usually large aquariums for the home are made of special high-strength organic glass. It withstands immense water pressure. Silicate glass, acrylic and safety glass of increased strength are also used. But if you plan to start an aquarium with a volume of 400 or more liters, then you need to choose acrylic glass. In terms of price and quality, it suits best.

In order for the aquarium to look aesthetically pleasing, you will need to study and implement a few simple rules. It is important that the appearance of the aquarium fits the design of the room in which it is located. The design of the reservoir should be as simple and convenient as possible, the best option - This is to try to reproduce the natural habitat of your pets.

There are various styles of decorations for home ponds: Japanese, Dutch, pseudo-natural, natural, marine and so on. How to design an aquarium, you choose.

A separate issue is the selection of fish in a huge aquarium. In domestic ponds, not only large-sized pets, but also small ones in groups are perfectly perceived, especially if there are several such schools. Parrots, discus, astronotus and many others look great in artificial ponds. They grow to an impressive size and look very impressive.

It must be remembered that these fish require high-quality food with dyes to maintain color. From small fish you can choose cichlids, small-sized barbs, neons of different colors, etc.

To begin with, the reservoir itself, soil, equipment and decorative ornaments are bought. We acquire fish, mollusks, plants and other residents in the last turn.

There are two options. acquiring an aquarium.

• Buy ready-made, from European manufacturers, fully serviceable, equipped with a lid and a plastic pallet. Its price, of course, will be quite significant.
• Just pay for the glass cube. You need to buy it or make a lid and a soft substrate for the aquarium yourself. This is a budget option that will help save money.

After choosing a tank, you should think about a special stand on which it will be placed. It is not recommended to put an aquarium with a volume of more than 200 liters on ordinary furniture, it may simply not support its weight. It must be remembered that the mass of the tank with water and equipment is slightly larger than the displacement.

When buying, be sure to you need to check the aquarium for absence:

• cracks;
• scratches;
• chips;
• scuffs.

You also need to make sure the seams are tight and the lighting is working. And do not forget to get a warranty card for products from the seller in case the warranty is provided.

Getting to sticking the background. It can be glued to the back and end walls to get less light if the aquarium is located sideways to the window. But this is done at the request of the owner. The background is better to choose natural colors, so it is less annoying and hurts the eyes. A huge number of different types of products are on sale - from the simplest to 3D and internal volumetric background resembling a natural habitat.

Next, we lay the soil and select decorations in the aquarium. It is better to choose natural soil without the use of dyes. The size of the soil fraction depends on which fish and plants will live in the home pond.If artificial plants are available, then ordinary pebbles in the range of 30 to 70 mm can be used. The height of the soil layer is up to 30 mm. If you plan to plant live plants, then the soil is mixed and at least 40 mm high, so that the algae roots can become stronger.

In no case should the soil of various fractions be mixed, it must be laid in layers: First, the smallest, necessary for the roots of plants, then larger, for fish.

Then we start decorating, install all the purchased stones, driftwood and other decorations. Before purchasing decorations and artificial algae, you must make sure that they are made of environmentally friendly materialsso that the population of the reservoir in the future does not suffer from low-quality products.

In the home reservoir without fail The following items must be present.

• Pump filter. The cleaning device must drive 4 to 6 volumes of the aquarium through itself per hour so that the water remains clean and the population of the reservoir has enough air.
• Heater with thermostat. Power is calculated very simply - one W per liter.

The equipment must be of high quality, as it works 24 hours a day and 7 days a week.

To fill the aquarium, you can use ordinary water from water supply networks, but first you need to let it settle for several days. If this is not possible, then you will have to use chemical cleaners. So that the soil does not erode, any capacity is installed at the bottom, and water should flow to it. The tank is completely filled with liquid; it should be at room temperature (25-26 degrees) to prevent condensation. After that, we connect the equipment, plant live plants and leave the pond for several days (from 7 to 9 days). During this period, the pond slowly begins to start.

For a week, we check for leaks, dampness or smudges. Water is completely mixed, saturated with air, and the desired temperature regime is set in the aquarium. Now everything is ready for the settlement of residents. After the check, we go to the pet store or market and buy fish, snails, etc. It is better to pick them up in parts: first the first batch, give it time to adapt, and after 4-5 days already launch the rest. The first time (up to 5 days) to preserve the bio-balance of the fish is not worth feeding - it will not harm them.

Thus, we can conclude that a beginner aquarist needs, in addition to money, to be patient. Starting the aquarium should be measured and leisurely, and then with a high degree of probability you can count on the success of this event.

Next, watch a video with a master class on the design and launch of a large aquarium.