Aquarium: Calculating The Budget And Choosing A Place For The Aquarium

2023 Author: Molly Page | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-11-27 22:49

With due care, aquarism becomes a very exciting experience. You can create countless biotopes in your home. The first step for a novice aquarist is planning a budget, and, already starting from this budget, determine which aquarium we are going to install: the style and size of the aquarium, a stand for it, a canopy, as well as where we will buy it all.

Budget

When planning a budget, we need to know that the cost of the aquarium itself, equipment and energy costs are added to the total amount. The cost of an aquarium is determined by the type and size of fish and plants you plan to keep, as well as the cost of decorating the aquarium. In addition to the aquarium itself, there are many more costs.

Maintaining your aquarium is very important, so you will need food, aquarium lamps, filters and medicines. There are also monthly costs - they are reflected in your electricity bills. Yes, perhaps the amount will be insignificant if you have a small aquarium, but it increases several times if you have a large, energy-intensive system with good powerful filters and lighting.

Related article Types of aquariums by purpose

Aquarium location

It is better to set up the aquarium in such a way that it is possible to see and enjoy its view. The aquarium should not be in direct sunlight, as excessive light will provoke the rapid growth of algae, and it can also heat the water, which is undesirable. The aquarium should not be located opposite windows, doors, heaters and fans, in order to avoid unwanted fluctuations in water temperature.

When choosing a place for the future location of the aquarium, you must also take into account its weight. A good way to estimate the total weight of an aquarium is to calculate it as 4.5 kg by 3.5 liters. Thus, it turns out that a 255 l aquarium will weigh approximately 340 kg. To avoid subsidence of the floor, it is better to position the aquarium against a load-bearing wall. If you are not sure about the load on your floor and the load on the system, contact a specialist.

It is also important to consider the distance from your aquarium to water sources and pumps. Water changes are perhaps the main element in maintaining an aquarium, and therefore it should be positioned in such a way that it would be easy enough to drain or fill it.

It is a bad idea to place the aquarium on the second floor, away from the water supply, because you will have to periodically run up and down the steps with buckets. Usually, the more difficult it is to maintain the system properly, the less often we will do it. Water changes are a very important factor in the prosperity of an aquarium system, so it might be wise to spend a little time choosing a suitable location for your aquarium.

Aquarium sizes

The size of the aquarium is determined by the budget and where we are going to place it. Now that we have decided on the budget and location - we can think about the size of the aquarium. In this case, the statement “the more, the better” is likely to be true.

A large tank will greatly expand the variety of fish and invertebrates you can keep. However, it is not just about the inhabitants, the system will be healthier and more stable with large volumes of water. That is, the more water - the less the risk of unexpected sudden changes. Such changes can occur with overfeeding, if any of the inhabitants died, temperature changes.

Volume (L) Size (cm) 35 50x25x30 52 60x30x30 52 high 60x25x45 70 high 60x30x40 70 long 75x30x30 105 75x30x45 105 90x30x40 190 120x32x50 260 120x45x50 350 120x45x60 440 180x45x55 525 180x45x70 630 180x60x60

It is a common mistake for beginners to get caught up in a hobby of several species of fish, often without considering the budget and layout of your aquarium. As a result, an aquarium is bought that is on the verge of a budget and is too small for these species, or is not able to acquire the proper equipment and provide proper care at the initial stage.

In any case, the result will be an unsuitable habitat for fish, and the chances of successfully completing the endeavors are significantly reduced. In other words, if you decide to go in for aquarium hobby, choose an aquarium according to your possibilities and common sense, and in spite of the fish you like first of all.

Glass or acrylic?

There are usually two types of aquariums on the market - glass and acrylic. And each type has its own advantages and disadvantages. Glass aquariums are cheaper, usually small to medium in size, and easier to find commercially. Glass is also less prone to scratches and heat than acrylic. The disadvantage of glass aquariums is that they are quite heavy and the seams on the sides are smeared with silicone sealant, which must be updated over time.

Related article Technological support of the aquarium

While acrylic gives us great opportunities. It can be given almost any shape imaginable. And under the condition of a large volume, an acrylic aquarium will cost less than a glass one. In addition to design possibilities, acrylic is cleaner than glass and it is much easier to fix a scratch.

Both types of aquariums have special systems. These systems often include filters on the back or on the lid of the aquarium. In other types of aquariums, such as the "prepared reef", there are sinks at the back of the aquarium to establish filtration. When comparing aquariums it is important to compare not only the price of the individual components, but also the build quality and especially pay attention to the warranty that comes with the aquarium.

Copyright holder: Zooclub portal