When my spouse first set up our first aquarium not so long ago, he just had ideas and no whatsoever guidelines. The staff from the aquarium store was not being helpful either. What we did not realize at that time was that setting an aquarium needs proper planning and knowledge too.
We are still talking about keeping fish the natural way; without using an air pump. For that reason it is important that we plan correctly on the size of the aquarium, water surface, number of fish, plants and light.
Coldwater fish are usually larger than tropical fish. Thus, compared to tropical fish, very few, very small coldwater fish can be kept in an aquarium of similar size. Overcrowding causes stress to the fish and affects their health.
As guidelines, with a water surface of 45cm x 30cm and 30cm depth of tank, it is wise to put 18 tropical fish with an average body length of 3cm. 24 –28 tropical fish of similar length is also reasonable for a 61cm x 30cm of water surface and 30 cm depth of tank.
We are still talking about keeping fish the natural way; without using an air pump. For that reason it is important that we plan correctly on the size of the aquarium, water surface, number of fish, plants and light.
Coldwater fish are usually larger than tropical fish. Thus, compared to tropical fish, very few, very small coldwater fish can be kept in an aquarium of similar size. Overcrowding causes stress to the fish and affects their health.
As guidelines, with a water surface of 45cm x 30cm and 30cm depth of tank, it is wise to put 18 tropical fish with an average body length of 3cm. 24 –28 tropical fish of similar length is also reasonable for a 61cm x 30cm of water surface and 30 cm depth of tank.
Should we use air pumps, then the number of fish can be increased. But keeping fish the natural way proves to be satisfying too.
Shells, ornaments and rocks can mostly be used in a community aquarium. However, many kinds of rocks, in particular, slowly dissolve in water resulting in definite clouding of the water which will consequently alter the chemical content of the water and may be harmful to fish.
An important point to remember is that within reason, it is not the volume of water which counts but the area in contact with the air. Piling sand in hills and dales so that the fish have varying depths of water to choose from is helpful to their health, in addition to being decorative. Sand used must be not too fine or too coarse. Coarser sand will trap greater amounts of food and excreta and cause fouling. In the meantime, sand that is too fine will choke the plant.
Light is necessary for the health of the plants. Too much light will however cause the appearance of microscopic life known as algae and cause the water to turn green, while insufficient light kills the plant.
Last but not least, an aquarium is better situated in a dark spot where the amount of light it receives can be exactly controlled by using electric bulbs instead of relying on the whims of daylight.
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