Published on 09-06-2019
- Tank and hood
Fish tanks are made of either glass or acrylic. There are advantages and limitations to both materials, which we can see below:
Glass:
Advantages: Cheaper than acrylic, offers a clearer view of what’s inside the tank, the surface doesn’t scratch as easily as acrylic, doesn’t discolour, a stand that supports just the borders and has strips for supporting the base of the tank is sufficient (It will be cheaper).
Limitations:Much heavier than acrylic, shatters/cracks more easily than acrylic, larger tanks will need thicker glass, which has a green tint which you can see when viewed from the side. This will distort the colours of the fish and plants. (You can get glass that is low in iron, as they don’t have this colour distortion).
Acrylic:
Advantages: Light in weight, retains heat better (so your heater won’t have to work as hard), stronger than glass, good for uncommon tank shapes, doesn’t shatter as easily as glass, relatively easier to drill holes in and do DIY projects.
Limitations: Extremely easy to get scratches on (small scratches can be polished though), more expensive than glass (price difference gets narrower with larger tanks), gets discoloured with age (thereby reducing the clarity with which you can view the fish), needs a stand that will support the entire base of the tank, like a table (so the stand will be more expensive).
You will also require a hood to cover your tank and prevent fish from jumping out and keep dirt and dust from entering tank. Hoods also provide a space to fix light bulbs and reduce evaporation of your tank’s water. They are made of glass, plastic, wood or metal.
- Stand
The aquarium needs to be kept on a stand, since it can be very heavy. You can get pre-made aquarium stands for smaller aquariums (100 gallons and under). Larger tanks will need custom-made stands, although readymade ones are available. If you’re getting a readymade one you must ensure that they are specially built for aquariums.
Aquarium stands are commonly made from wood, metal or a combination of the two.Or you will need wood that is waterproof or at least water resistant.For larger tanks, it is advisable to go for custom-made stands. These are much more expensive, but if planned for properly, can help in saving massive amounts of time and effort during routine maintenance.When designing the tank, you can conveniently place openings, shelves and cabinets, from where you can easily access the sump, along with the filtration and other equipment. These stands can also enhance the overall look of the tank.
Regardless of whether you go for a pre-made or custom stand, it should have space for wires, filters, air pumps, etc. All these can be kept out of the line of sight for a much more elegant look. Such planning is actuallyrequired for larger tanks, as they require much more piping and larger equipment. And those can be quite an eyesore, reducing the impact of the beautification you may have done within the tank.
The most important thing to consider when choosing a stand is the weight of the tank, after it is fully equipped. Consider the weight of the glass/acrylic itself, water (1 gallon of water weighs 8.34 lbs / 3.78 kgs. 1 litre of water weighs 2.20 lbs / 1 kg), substrate and equipment (if it’s going to be inside/hanging from the outside of the tank).Artificial decorations are usually very light and their weight is negligible, but if you’re getting rocks, driftwood or something else that is large, keeptheir weight in mind too.
While we’re on the topic of estimating weight, knowing the weight of the stand itself and all of the equipment in it is also necessary, especially if the tank is 50+ gallons and is notkept on the ground floor. Tanks of this size can get surprisingly heavy when fully stocked and equipped.A 50 gallon (190 litre) tank without a stand weighsbetween 600lbs to 700lbs (272 kgs to 317 kgs).A 100 gallon (380 litre) tank without a stand weighs between 1100lbs to 1400lbs (500 kgs to 635 kgs). 150 gallon (570 litre) tank without a stand weighs between 1800lbs to 2300lbs (817 kgs to 1045 kgs). The tank’s stand alone could weigh several hundred pounds/kgs.
This is why the tanks should be kept in a corner of a room, where the floor is stronger and can handle the weight. If you are keeping tanks larger than 100 gallons (380 litres), it’s best to keep them on the ground floor. Or, you can contact the people who constructed your building and confirmwhether the floor will be able support the weight of the tank. Otherwise the floor can warp and worse, even cave in!
- Water testing equipment
If the tank is not cleaned regularly; ammonia, nitrites and nitrates will build up. These are dangerous to fish. Depending on their species, fish also require certain hardness level and alkalinity level in their water.So you need to check these parameters weekly, which you can do using kits available to measure them. Let’s see what these parameters are.
This is one of the most essential water testing kits. Ammonia is highly poisonous to fish, and is present in two forms, NH3 and NH4. Most ammonia test kits on the market give a reading of the total of both these values. However, some kits only measure the NH3 readings. Since NH3 readings are the more relevant ones, these kits give a more accurate picture. Ammonia levels should be tested every week.
Nitrites are also dangerous to fish, just like ammonia. Liquid test kits are generally more accurate than test strips. Nitrite levels should be tested every week.
Nitrate Test Kits
Nitrate isn’t poisonous to fish by itself, but in high concentrations it stresses them. This, in turn, weakens the fishes’ immune system and they easily get sick. High nitrate levels can also contribute to algae blooms. Nitrates must also be brought downif you want to breed your fish.
Nitrate tests are often included in a test kit combo packs or paired with a Nitrite test kit, but they can also be purchased separately. As with other tests, liquid test kits are preferred to test strips.
The pH, a measure of the water’s acidity or alkalinity, can also adversely affect the health of your fish if not in the range suitable for your fish species. Regular monitoring is a must, as pH values can go up or down swiftly, stressing or even killing the fish.
Hardness, which actually refers to the levels of dissolved minerals, is not as commonly tested. However, it has a direct impact on the stability of pH and the species of fish that will thrive in the tank, making it an important parameter to at least get a baseline reading of. Two types of hardness tests are available, KH or carbonate hardness, and GH or general hardness.
KH, often referred to as alkalinity or carbonate hardness, is the measure of carbonate and bicarbonate in the water. The higher the KH, the more stable pH will be. GH measures the levels of dissolved magnesium and calcium, which is what we refer to when using the terms hard or soft water. GH should be matched to the species of fish being kept. For instance, Tetras do best in softer water, while most Cichlids thrive in hard water. GH is particularly important when breeding fish.
Copper tests are only used in situations where copper is used to treat sick fish. Because it is used only during treatment, this is not a test kit that is normally kept on hand. Instead, copper test kits are usually purchased when giving copper treatments.
Combination, or Master, test kits are touted as the perfect way to have all the tests you need on hand. But are they worth the money? The pros of buying a combo kit are lower cost per test, everything has the same expiration dates, and it’s a quick and easy way to purchase and keep the basic tests all at once.
The downside is that one can’t customize tests; the kits are fixed to what’s in the kit. Another complaint many have is that like much the printer ink cartridges that came in a bundle rather than separately, the kits tend to run out of one item long before the others. What should be done? It is recommended that keeping a master kit on hand with pH, ammonia, nitrite, and nitrate, preferably a liquid variety instead of strips is best.
If you find that some parameters need adjustment, you can click here to read more on how to change these water parameters to suit your fish. To find out more on what the ideal parameters for your fish species are, click here.
- Thermometers
Thermometers are very underrated and not commonly kept in aquariums. However, having a thermometer can help in keeping track of the water temperature regularly, and when you find that the temperatures are too high or low, you can make the necessary adjustments. Fluctuations in water temperature can stress the fish. We want to keep our fish as stress-free as possible, because the immune system of a stressed fish becomes less effective at fighting off diseases. This could make the fish sick. You can click here to see what temperature range is comfortable to your fish species.
There are different kinds of thermometers available for your aquarium. The cheapest ones are over the glass thermometers and floating thermometers. Generally, both of these are not very accurate. This is because of two reasons. Firstly, being cheap, the materials they use to sense the temperatures are not sensitive enough; and secondly, they have barriers between them and the water. Over the glass ones have glass between them and the water, and floating ones will continuously move about due to the flow of the water.
Then there are the submersible thermometers and ones with a probe. Both these types are more expensive than the above mentioned types, but they are also much more accurate. The submersible thermometers can be completely submerged underwater, and are placed inside the aquarium. Other thermometers need to be placed away from the water, but they have a probe connected to the display, and that probe is kept under the water surface.
To get the maximum effectiveness from your thermometer, you can place it at the opposite end of the tank to where the heater is. If it is placed near the heater, it will show that the water is getting heated, but there could be cold spots at the opposite end of the tank.To avoid cold spots, you will need to position your heater in such a way that the water is constantly pushed away from the heater and to the opposite end of the tank. You can use filters and powerheads to achieve this. More info on both filters and powerheads is given below.
- Air pump
An air pump in the most important piece of equipment you can get for your fish tank. Air pumps take in air from the surroundings and release it into the tank.They are the primary source of fresh air for your fish, so should be kept on constantly. Some equipment, like sponge filters and undergravel filters, need air pumps to work.
- Filter
A filter helps in keeping the water clear and the tank clean. There are different types of filters, and each type comesat a different price point. Before we jump to the types of filters themselves, it would be helpful to know about the different types of filtration. Knowing this will definitely help you in choosing the right filter for your tank requirements.
There are 3 ways aquarium water can be filtered:
- Mechanical filtration: This is the filtration done by the filter, which removes solid floating particles in the water and traps them in filter media, like a sponge. It also helps with adding more air into the tank, as water is circulated through the filtration system. Mechanical filtration alone is not sufficient, because although it may clean the water of the visible dirt, it doesn’t do anything to reduce the level of ammonia and nitrites, which are both very dangerous to your fish. (It does its part to avoid increasing their levels, but doesn’t reduce the levels if they are already high. However, the filter media does play its part in biological filtration, which is our next point.)The filter media need to be rinsed andalmostall visible solid particles should be removed at least every 2 weeks. Doing this every week is ideal though, when you do the partial water changes. Did you notice I said remove almost all solid particles? Well, you need to let a small part of the media remain dirty, the reason for which is explained in the next point.
- Biological filtration:Ammonia is a gas which is dangerous to your fish, and is released into the water whenfish poop and even breathe. There are several different species of bacteria in your tank, which are not only beneficial, but also necessary for the well-being of your fish. While one specie, the Nitrosomonas, is responsible for breaking down ammonia into nitrites, another specie of bacteria, the Nitrobacter, breaks even nitrites down to a relatively harmless compounds called nitrates.
Nitrites are relatively less harmful then ammonia, but even those in high enough levels can be a problem for your fish. Nitrates, on the other hand, are much more tolerable by the fish and are consumed by plants and Algae.
The beneficial bacteria need a good supply of oxygen to thrive and carry out the processes which break down the ammonia and nitrites. They stay on surfaces rather than float around in the water. So they live on the gravel, rocks, sand, filter media (that is inside the mechanical filter) and even plants. If you want to add more surface area for them inside your tank, bio balls are available. This is the reason you shouldn’t remove all the waste while rinsing the filter media. Doing so will also remove most of the beneficial bacteria. Also, always rinse the filter media using aquarium water only, as using tap water will kill the good bacteria.
- Chemical filtration:The aquarium water gets affected by pollution from the air, fumes from cooking and various chemicals used in the household. These pollutants enter the aquarium through the water’s surface, and need to be removed by chemical filtration. Chemical filtration is most commonly done by the use of activated carbon.
Now that you know the 3 ways in which aquarium water is filtered. Let’s look at the types of mechanical filters:
Sponge/Air Driven Filters
These are the least expensive types of filters, and are also the least effective. They are connected to an air pump or powerhead (more info on those given below), whose air creates a suction, which forces nearby water to pass through the filter. The suction is very weak and is only suited to smaller tanks with a few fish. Being weak, they do not disturb the water much, and the water mostly stays still. Generally, these filters are used for breeding, raising fish fry (fish babies),keeping invertebrates (so they don’t get sucked into the filter) or hospital tanks (tanks where sick fish are kept and treated).
They provide mechanical as well as biological filtration.
Hang On Back / Power Filters
These are very common, and hang from outside the tank. They suck up water from the tank using a tube, and then mechanical filtration happens using a filter pad. Then, the water flows through an activated carbon filter, providing chemical filtration. Lastly, there is a separate chamber, called the filter cartridge, where surface area is provided for the beneficial bacteria to grow. As you may have guessed, the biological filtration happens inside the filter cartridge.
The hang on back / power filters thus provide all 3 types of filtration – mechanical, chemical and biological.
Canister Filters
Canister filters are another popular kind of aquarium filters. They are very large in size and are placed outside the tank. They suck in water from the tank and release it back into the water once the filtration is done. Unlike other filters, canister filters pressurize and force water through the mechanical and chemical filter media. This makes them a good choice for tanks with a large bioload. However, these filters can be time-consuming to open up, clean and put back together.
These also provide all 3 types of filtration, although biological filtration capacity may be increased by adding a biowheel.
Undergravel Filters
These are small in size, and are placed under the aquarium substrate. They are connected to air pumps or powerheads, whose air flow collects the dirt and traps it under the base of the filter. Basically, these filters just collect solid waste particles and keep them under their base. It is necessary to remove this build up of waste regularly.
They only provide mechanical filtration. There is no chemical or biological filtration.
Internal Filters / Corner Filters / Box Filters
These are very inexpensive and are small in size, making them great for smaller tanks that are 30 gallons or less. They are placed in a corner of the tank, stuck on the glass using their suction cups. Some types also require to be connected to an air pump / powerhead, to circulate water and pass it through the filter media. These are not very powerful filters, and can be used in breeding tanks or hospital tanks.
So essentially, they work in the same way as sponge filters. However, depending on the model, they may have partitions with different filter media in them. Sponge filters only have one filter medium, the sponge.
These filters provide mechanical as well as biological filtration. Some models have chemical filtration as well.
Wet/Dry or Trickle Filters
The wet/dry filters are placed outside the tank, inside a sump (More info on sumps is given below). The sump is usually located under the aquarium. Water flows from the aquarium down to the sump, where filter media is present. This filter media provides mechanical and biological filtration.
The best part of these kinds of filters is that they are highly customisable. You can add more filter media to increase mechanical/biological filtration, and even add chemical filtration inside the sump. There are usually barriers between each kind of filtration media, and all of them are kept in their own chambers so the focus is only on type of filtration at a time.
For example, mechanical filter media is placed in the first chamber, so the larger waste particles are trapped before they enter the dedicated biological filter chamber. The second chamber is filled with media that support growth of the beneficial bacteria. The third chamber can be filled with chemical filtration media.
Once water passes through all these chambers, it is sent back up to the aquarium using a pump and a tube. This kind of filter needs a lot more water to function.
Trickle filters work in the same way as the wet/dry filters. The main difference is in their placement. While the wet/dry filter in placed in the sump below the tank, the media in the trickle filter is placed in a stand above the tank.This stand has two or three levels, one above the other. A pump sends out water from the aquarium to the top most level, which has the mechanical and/or biological filtration (Some filters keep both these filtration types separate).
From there, the water trickles down to the next level, which has the chemical filtration. Then, it trickles down back into the tank. One drawback of the trickle filter is the constant sound of water trickling into the tank, which can get distracting.
Both the wet/dry and the trickle filters are excellent at biological filtration, and with a few modifications, can be great at mechanical and chemical filtration too. They both greatly reduce the need for water changes, if set up properly. So if a tank needs 40% water changes every week, just 25%-30% water changes can be sufficient. This can save a lot of water, especially in medium to large tanks (100+ gallons).
Fluidized Bed Filters
These filters consist of a cylinder that is hung or stuck to the aquarium from the outside. They are filled with very fine particles, like sand or specially made plastic or silica granules. A pump is used to supply water from the aquarium to the cylinder using a high pressure, which makes the filter media move rapidly and bump against each other.
The water is filtered in the media, and is then sent back into the aquarium through another tube. The pumps and tubes usually need to be bought separately. This type of filter also needs very little routine maintenance.
These filters are very good at mechanical as well as biological filtration, although there is no chemical filtration.
- Gravel
Aquarium gravel comes in various sizes. It is always best to choose gravel size that cannot fit in your fish’s mouth, and therefore cannot be swallowed. Gravel helps by collecting all the solid waste in between the stones, keeping the water clear. While performing routine water changes, you just need to stir the gravel up a little. This will release the trapped particles and you can remove them easily.
- Gravel cleaners
As we have seen in the above point, gravel helps in making cleaning easier. Gravel cleaners are a convenient way of cleaning gravel. Essentially, they work like little vacuum cleaners for the gravel. They save you the trouble of stirring around the substrate and using a pipe to remove the debris.This can be very quick and save you a lot of time and effort, especially if you have a large tank or multiple tanks. Since they directly suck up the dirt, you can avoid making the water cloudy after cleaning is done.
- Heater
Aquarium heaters are small pieces of equipment that heat the water up to pre-set temperature. They are indispensable in keeping your fish healthy and stress-free. If you have a larger tank, say 50 gallons and up, you might want to keep 2 heaters. It is more effective to keep them at opposite ends of the tank, to ensure even heating throughout the tank.
Types of Aquarium Heaters
Submersible / Hanging/Immersible Heater
The submersible heaters are entirely placed below the water line, while the hanging ones hang from the glass of the tank. Their heating elements are enclosed in glass or plastic tubes. They often have a tiny light to let you know when it is heating. For maximum efficiency, these heaters should be placed in areas of the tank where the water flow is the strongest.
Substrate Heater
These heaters are kept under the substrate, and can be useful for planted tanks, as they promote healthy root growth. They need to be used in conjunction with other heaters, as they do not keep the water warm. These heaters are uncommon and expensive.
In-line Heater
The in-line heaters are not placed within the tank. Instead, it is placed in the sump, so the water gets heated on its way back into the tank. The whole heater is placed inside a tube, though which the water passes. The heating element heats up the water as it flows through. They are among the more expensive varieties of aquarium heaters, and are ideal if you have large and aggressive fish like larger Cichlids. The other heaters will get attacked by these fish, who can break them, or worse, get electrocuted!
Filter Heater
Some filters have heaters built into them, so the water gets heated at the same time it is filtered. Canister filters and power filters often have these heaters built in.
- Lighting
Light is needed to see the beautiful inhabitants of your aquarium, but plays a far more important role if you have plants in the tank. There are different types of lights available. I’ve listed the more common ones below.
Normal Florescent Bulbs
Normal Florescent bulbs, also called NO, usually come with a regular aquarium tank. They are sufficient for a tank with no plants. They require very little electricity to run and are cheap to buy.
High Output Bulbs
High output (HO) bulbs emit more heat than the NO bulbs, but they usually have systems to reduce the heat.
Very High Output Bulbs
Very High Output (VHO) bulbs come in a variety of sizes.They emit less heat than the metal halide bulbs. You get a more powerful light than the standard fluorescent and distribute light evenly throughout the tank.
Power Compact Lights
These fluorescent bulbs are smaller in size than the other fluorescent bulbs. They also emit more light and are more energy efficient. They are available in different shapes.
Metal Halide
Among the most expensive and powerful aquarium bulbs, Metal Halide bulbs give an intense and focused beam of light, which is concentrated on a very small area. It can be useful if you have plants that need a lot of light or the tank is 3 or 4 feet deep, as the light will penetrate even to these depths. They require a lot of energy to run and also produce a lot of heat. You will need a water chiller to keep the water temperatures comfortable for you fish. Do read about the radiation produced by the model you are buying, as you might even need a UV shield!
LED Lights
Good quality LED bulbs (with changeable spectrums) are by far the most expensive aquarium lighting you can get. That being said, they have the longest life of all bulbs, need very little electricity to run and barely emit any heat. There are LED fixtures available where you can even manually adjust the spectrum of light that is emitted!
Choosing the right spectrum can help in giving your plants’ growth rate a serious boost.You can even make the colours on your fish shine or ‘pop’, making them even more striking to look at. However, because they are not super powerful, they won’t help your plants if you have a deep tank.
A very cool thing you can do with LEDs is that you can make them emit a faint blue light during the night time. These are commonly called ‘moon lights’ and look amazing. They simulate the day and night cycle and you if you have nocturnal species, you can even observe their interesting behaviour during the night! These lights can also be attached to timers, so they turn on and off automatically according to the lunar cycle. This way you won’t need to turn them on and off every day.
- Cleaning equipment
These are the tools you will need for cleaning and routine maintenance of your tank.
Fish Net
This is a small net used to transfer fish to and from a tank. The net should be long and wide enough that the fish can be easily scooped out. When transferring fish, ensure that the fins or tail don’t get stuck in the net.
Bucket
You will need a bucket to keep your fish after removing them from the tank. Keeping a dedicated bucket just for aquarium and fish use is a good practice. Clean it just with clean water and a soft scraper, like the ones used to clean dishes. Avoid using soaps or other chemicals, as residue can be left behind after cleaning, which can be fatal to your fish.
Magnetic Aquarium Glass Cleaner
These are two pads that have soft material on their inner sides, along with magnets in each pad. You need to place the inner pad (the one that is supposed to go inside the tank) and attach the outer pad from outside the tank using the magnet. Think of it as a sandwich where both pads are slices of bread and the aquarium glass is the filling.
When you move the outer pad, the inner pad will move along with it, because of the magnets. Using these, you can avoid putting your hands in the tank. It is also a very convenient and easy to use way to remove algae and slime from the inner side of the aquarium glass wall.
Razor Blade
You can use a razor blade to scrape off algae or calcium from the inner walls of your tank. Plastic blades are also available, and can be used to avoid scratching the glass/acrylic.
Algae Pad
Along with the glass algae will also grow on you decor, rocks and plants. You can use an algae scraper to gently scrape the algae off.
Plant Trimmer
These are used to trim any dead leaves or shape your live plants in the tank.
Soft Cloth
You will need a soft cloth to clean the outer side of your glass/acrylic wall.
- Sumps
Sumps are basically containers where water is collected from a fish tank and is then sent back to the tank using a water pump. Inside the sump you can add filters, heaters, filter media, and other equipment. They offer great convenience, as you can design your own sump system specifically for your tank. It requires a fair bit of plumbing work to set up, but can save you a lot of time and effort during maintenance, especially if you have a larger tank.
Sumps allow for more water to be added to the aquarium system, even if the amount of water in the tank itself is relatively less. This means you need to change water less frequently, effects of any dangerous substances will get diluted because of the larger water quantity, and you basically have more time to fix the water parameters, if they fluctuate.
The parameters won’t change rapidly either, so there is less chance of your fish going into shock. While sumps are quite simple in principle, they have massive impacts on the tanks they are attached to. Here is an articlewhere I’ve written how sumps can be designed and how they work in detail.
- Powerheads
Powerheads are technically small air pumps that are placed below the water line. They take in air from around the tank and push bubbles into the water with force. They are primarily used to create water flow in the tank, which increases water circulation speed. Increased water circulation distributes oxygen in the tank faster and also helps in even heating/cooling of the tank. They also help in keeping fish active, as they need to push through the current, which some species enjoy.
There are other types of powerheads too, called wavemakers, which create currents in the water, but don’t use air bubbles.
- Decorations
Decorations not only make your tank more beautiful, they also make the tank’s inhabitants feel safe by providing places to hide. You can get good quality artificial decorations, real rocks/stones, or real driftwood.