How to choose and set up an aquarium?
To be continued…
Do you prefer large or small fish? The fact is that some people prefer keeping large fish at least 15-20 cm in size and simply do not appreciate smaller ones. Others, on the contrary, prefer small fish, such as small schooling and bright characins. Large fish can be perceived as aggressive and unattractive, and watching them may cause anxiety. Naturally, large fish require a more spacious aquarium, and this must be considered when purchasing.
Most large fish are incompatible with live plants. They undermine them, break them, and tear their leaves. In addition, large fish need swimming space, and their aquarium should not be overly cluttered. Some fish are kept in groups, others in pairs. Do you prefer active or sluggish fish? If you choose the wrong fish, the aquarium might annoy you. The required aquarium volume is calculated based on the number of fish. Try observing an aquarium at friends’ houses or at a pet store and decide which fish you like best.
Do you want to have an underwater garden or will you be satisfied with an aquarium decorated only with stones, driftwood, and plastic fake plants? By choosing fish, you also choose the type of aquarium decoration, which must meet the requirements of its future inhabitants. If you want to decorate your aquarium with live plants, you will have to give up certain species of fish, for example, most large cichlids (Cichlidae), and herbivorous species like the dollar fish. However, most species of aquarium fish are compatible with live plants, and you can always find suitable ones among them. Some herbivorous fish species can be kept with certain types of plants.
Aquarium or paludarium? If your family wants not only an aquarium, but also a greenhouse for interesting indoor plants, you should get a paludarium. Its lower aquatic part is filled with water, decorated with aquatic plants, driftwood, and stones, and stocked with fish — just like in a regular aquarium. The upper submersed/emerged part is decorated with various indoor plants suited to paludarium conditions. Small pots with plants are installed on shelves or attached to the back wall of the paludarium, which is covered with bark or a special artificial background. For maintenance access, glass doors are made in the upper part of the paludarium, or the upper part of the front (side) glass is made removable.
To decorate the upper part of the paludarium, small plants are used, most often various species of bromeliads, orchids, ferns, and small-leaved vines. Being a kind of hybrid between an aquarium and a greenhouse, a paludarium must be quite tall. Together with a standard stand cabinet (60-70 cm) and a light fixture (10-20 cm), it usually reaches a height of 170-180 cm. If you need a high decorative partition for interior design, a paludarium will fit best.
A floor-standing aquarium is the most common due to its relative simplicity of design and ease of maintenance. It usually includes a transparent water container, a stand, and a light hood. Rectangular aquariums are the most common and are usually installed along a wall. But you can also place an aquarium perpendicular to the wall or in the middle of the room. In this case, it will separate, say, a workspace from a recreation area, etc. A decorative rectangular aquarium can be of various lengths.
An aquarium where the width and height are equal is considered standard. The best proportions are when the height and width are equal, with a length 1.5-2 times greater. From the point of view of creating favorable conditions for fish, especially regarding the oxygen regime, the more the width exceeds the height, the better. The width should be no more than 40-45 cm. If you have an empty corner, a corner aquarium with a triangular projection and cut front corners is ideal. Such an aquarium does not take up much space and, thanks to the relative depth of the space between the front viewing glass and the opposite (back) corner, allows for interesting multi-level compositions during decoration.
A built-in aquarium can be part of a niche or an interior partition, so its depth usually does not exceed 350 mm, while its width often reaches 3 m. Such an object looks equally elegant from both rooms it separates, often taking on the functions of a night light. A diorama aquarium is essentially a variation of the first two, with the only difference that its front glass is curved with a small radius of curvature. As a result, the observer gets a feeling of “immersion” in the underwater world — a great visual effect.
Aquariums where the height significantly exceeds the width, so-called high-rise or portrait tanks, look very beautiful, especially when they contain tall plants and high-bodied fish (e.g., angelfish). The water depth to the substrate should not exceed 50 cm. Greater height reduces the light intensity needed to illuminate the entire aquarium and, accordingly, reduces problems with algae overgrowth on glass, plants, and decorations. In tall aquariums, the lower water layers are poorly oxygenated, which makes water aeration by a compressor mandatory. The higher the aquarium, the more powerful the compressor needed to create higher pressure. For aquariums taller than 60 cm, it is difficult, and for those taller than 70 cm, impossible to reach objects at the bottom by hand. This leads to great difficulties in maintenance.
If there is nowhere to put an aquarium (e.g. on a cabinet), it can be hung on the wall. A wall-mounted aquarium saves space, but is limited in weight. For safety reasons, cantilever-mounted aquariums should not weigh more than 70-100 kg and have a thickness of more than 15-18 cm. Portrait-style or picture aquariums are suitable for this. The portrait aquarium is more comfortable for the inhabitants and easier to maintain, while the picture aquarium looks more aesthetic on the wall. The former has a uniform thickness and is usually quite flat — no more than 15-20 cm, while the latter features a top section wider than the bottom.
A picture aquarium is hung on the wall, so its volume is not particularly large — from 30 to 80 liters. The viewing glass is usually framed with molding. Only small fish (characins, barbs) are kept in such containers, using a combination of live and artificial plants. Like a regular painting, a picture aquarium is hung at the eye level of a standing person. The disadvantage of these aquariums is obvious — due to the small thickness, the aquarium looks flat, it is difficult to create a beautiful landscape in it, mask life support equipment, and not all species of fish and plants can live here.
An exclusive aquarium can be of either complex or simple design. For example, a hexagonal floor-standing “tower” aquarium about 2 m high with a clock on top and corals at the bottom looks very effective. Equally attractive is a design in the form of a glass coffee table with special illumination of the underwater realm. A table aquarium is best stocked with fish that are decorative from a top-down view (goldfish, small koi carp, freshwater rays). Not to mention building it into a home bar counter.
Aquarium shapes. Standard, Trough, Portrait, How many liters in an aquarium?
How to choose and set up an aquarium? Shapes and sizes of aquariums. 
