Aquariums 100 liters in the interior. How to create an original aquarium design? Planting and caring for live aquarium plants

An aquarium with a volume of 100 liters is exactly the “golden mean” of the aqua world, which allows you to realize any ideas of the designer, enjoy beautiful view big fish, and caring for it is not as time-consuming as for an aquarium of 200-400 liters. Plus, this aquarium does not require the purchase of powerful expensive equipment.

So, where does the design of an aquarium of 100 liters start?

The design of a 100 liter aquarium starts with determining what kind of fish you want to house in it. According to this, you will continue to plan the ground, decorations and plants.

If these are schooling small fish, then the vegetation should be rich, and the decorations (amphoras, driftwood, stones) should provide the necessary place for shelter. If these are catfish, then you can not be zealous with vegetation, but you should take care of protection in the form of large stones and snags. Such fish as golden ones do not need to hide, and they quickly deal with vegetation. Therefore, for such fish, you create a design to your liking.

So, to design a 100 liter aquarium, you need: soil, decorations, plants. For their functional distribution, it is worthwhile to first draw a bottom design scheme or peep it from professionals. In our aquaMegaService, you will be prompted how to beautifully decorate a 100-liter aquarium, they will advise you on the best options for designing the bottom of an aquarium for a particular style.

We proceed to the design of a 100 liter aquarium. We choose the soil.

What soil to choose?

It is possible to use sand, small pebbles, gravel, granite or large stones as a soil. The choice depends only on what overall design you will prefer: pseudo-marine - small pebbles and large stones, shells, corals; Japanese - small pebbles or sand with a nutrient substrate, seated ground cover plants with prominent large stones and snags; dutch style- nutritious soil with rich vegetation, fading smoothly from the background tall plants to the front from low; mixed style, where everything is combined - a variety of plants and all kinds of snags, stones.

What should be remembered when choosing a soil?

Exceeding the standard amount of calcium in water affects its hardness. Calcium is obtained from the decomposition of corals, shells. Limit their number in the aquarium. Marble, limestone and tuff are not suitable for use in an aquarium. You will be pleasantly surprised by special aquastones. They are ready to use, they are varied in color palette and shape, they are eco-friendly and produced directly for aquariums.

We distribute the soil and distribute the scenery correctly according to the laws of composition. First, the scenery is set, then the soil is filled up, and only after that the plants are planted. If you decide to use large stones or ceramic products (castles, amphoras) in your aquarium design, then it is recommended to put plastic under them, which will protect the bottom of the aquarium from scratches and possible damage.

Driftwood of different plans looks beautiful. They can be bought at ready-made in an aquarium store, or you can prepare it yourself.

Having arranged the scenery, we fill the substrate under the ground about 5 cm in order to keep it longer nutrients in him. Next is the ground itself. You can distribute it horizontally evenly (if there are stones, snags in the background - they will create the effect of depth), you can tilt it up to back wall aquarium (this is how perspective and depth are achieved).

The wall of the aquarium, located in the background, can be decorated with a decorative aquarium film, which is glued to the aquarium from the outside. But, a plastic mesh with moss or weaving plants fixed on it will look much more profitable. They are attached to the net with a fishing line. The grid with plants is installed at the back wall of the aquarium inside. Another of the masterpiece options for decorating the background of an aquarium is an artificial “stone wall”. You can ask about it in our store when buying or ordering an aquarium.

Now you can move on to decorating an aquarium of 100 liters with vegetation.

We fill the tank a few centimeters above the ground with water and plant the plants. Periodically it is worth spraying them with water to prevent drying out. Once done, add water to the desired level. It is worth filling the aquarium with water gradually, along the wall of the aquarium, so as not to displace all the decorations and plants.

The launch of a 100 liter aquarium will be completed after the installation of equipment in it and the settlement of fish. Learn about these nuances from our aquarium specialists. Good luck to you.

As well as several dozen articles in this feed:

Aquariums are different, but still most people keep them in order to decorate their home or office with a corner of nature. And then the main task of the aquarium is to be beautiful. It’s good if you have the opportunity to turn to professional aqua designers to design a home or office pond. And if not? Then you have to act on your own, but how, we will now tell.

Of course, aquascaping is in fashion now - decorating an aquarium in the form of a beautiful natural (but not necessarily underwater) landscape. However, it is unlikely that everyone needs to chase fashion. If you want, you can create an urban picture in your pond or a psychedelic landscape with a bright pink bottom, ultraviolet lighting and phosphorescent fish.

You can buy ready-made driftwood (for example, mangrove). Its preparation is much easier and takes less time: it is boiled for a couple of hours and soaked for one or two days.

Driftwood in an aquarium must be of the same type.

They are often decorated with plants: mosses, ferns, anubias. To grow plants to them, it is usually enough to tie them with fishing line or secure with a plastic clip for several weeks.

The function of driftwood in an aquarium is not only aesthetic. They zone the space and create shelters for fish, and in addition, they release humic substances into the water, which acidify and soften it and have a beneficial effect on the well-being of many species of fish and shrimps.

In an aquarium with aggressive cichlids, they often do this: they take several long branched snags and place them against the back wall, crossing and interlacing them. Thus, a whole system of grottoes, caves, cracks, passages is obtained, in which several fish can hide.

Other types of decorations and shelters

As such, clay shards, ceramic pipes can be used. different diameter(large ones like to occupy catfish and loaches, small ones like shrimp), halves of a coconut shell. Moss or fern can be grown on coconut.

All kinds of bubbling crocodiles and turtlenecks in aqua design are considered signs of bad taste, but, in my opinion, their presence is quite justified if the aquarium is designed for a child.

Back wall of the aquarium

Of course, the simplest thing here is to stick a film behind the back wall from the outside. dark color or with a discreet natural pattern, and plant tall plants in the background.

If the aquarium is without plants, then they often resort to the help of embossed backgrounds fixed inside the aquarium. It can be a ready-made sheet background made of expanded polystyrene or fiberglass.

It has a drawback: if it is not firmly glued and its edge moves away somewhere, fish and shrimps can get under it, and it can be difficult to get them out of there.

Once, for several hours, I tried to pull out or lure a freshwater stingray teenager out from under such a background. As a result, almost the entire aquarium decor and equipment had to be destroyed and then rebuilt.

Instead of a finished embossed background, you can independently glue stones to the back wall on silicone various shapes or ceramic tiles. It will be beautiful, but this is a time-consuming procedure, and such a background will greatly burden the aquarium and reduce its internal space.

Decorating an aquarium with plants

This is a separate huge topic, but the basic principles are quite simple:

• low plants are planted in the foreground,
• at the back and side walls - high long-stemmed,
• sprawling bushes are usually placed in the middle ground on the sides.

The sequence of actions when decorating an aquarium

The sequence is:

1. Preparation of stones and snags.
2. Setting the background.
3. Equipment installation.
4. Placement of stones, snags and grottoes in the tank.
5. Soil filling.
6. Planting plants. Sometimes this is done with a small amount of water (according to the launch rules, plants are planted a few days after pouring water, but if there are a lot of them and there are small and ground covers among them, it is very difficult to plant them in an aquarium full of water).
7. Filling with water.

These are the basic principles of aquarium design. Of course, it is not easy to make your own aquarium a masterpiece of aqua design, but this is not the main thing. It is important that you like it and enjoy looking at it.

The decoration of this 100 liter aquarium is built around a combination of light green Eleocharis parvula, Hottonia and Nymphoides with contrasting dark green Microsorum "Trident" and Spiky moss on small rocks. A dense, dark green wall of moss in the background gives the impression of tranquility.

The moss wall also works as a filter in the aquarium, as thanks to high speed growth, actively absorbs nutrients from the water and thereby inhibits the development of algae. I recommend using from nurseries, this will allow you to avoid introducing algae into the aquarium at the very beginning.

Advice: Eleocharis rugs provide a visual link between plant islands and the surrounding substrate.

Applied plants

A) Micororum pteropus "Trident" (2 bushes)

E) (8 bundles)

Aquarium equipment and materials:

Complexity: Light

Dimensions: 65 x 40 x 45 cm, 100 liters

: River sand, grain size 1.2–2 mm

Scenery: Dark textured rocks and driftwood

Lighting: 2 T5 bulbs daylight 24 W

CO2: 25 mg/l

Water temperatures: 24°C

: with a productivity of 300 l/hour

Fertilizers: up to 50 ml of liquid fertilizer per week

Service time: about 30 minutes per week

Starting a 100 liter aquarium aquarium:

Since large stones are used in the design of the aquarium, we lay flooring under them. We lay out the stones and branches according to your taste. In places where plants will be planted, we pour about 1 cm of a nutrient substrate under the sand.

We pour some water into the aquarium, a few centimeters above the ground level, and begin to plant plants. We fix the moss on the grid with a fishing line, and install such a structure along the back wall. Remember to spray the plants regularly with water.

Aquascaping is a long-studied art form that allows you to create an underwater landscape. The inspiration for many works comes from underwater locations, as well as natural landscapes such as mountains, jungles, deserts, waterfalls and many others. Before you create a beautiful DIY aquarium design, you will need a functional component of the aquarium environment. Some aquatic plants require that they be supplied with rich lighting and nutrients.

The low operating costs of the aquascape allow a low amount of carbon dioxide, less fertilizer and lighting. Diffused or dim lighting can be just as stunning as the plants will create beautiful highlights. For aquarium design, plants, stones and wooden driftwood are usually used.

Types of aquascapes

Iwagumi style is stone design aquarium that came from Japan. All décor elements are thin and pointed but supported smooth elements. large stones with an uneven surface are placed in the central part of the tank. To create an analogy with the natural environment, the stones have slopes that water can hit.

Admire the iwagumi-style aquarium.

"Iwagumi" aquascapes are often used for low plants that are planted in the foreground. The emphasis is on the rocks, not the plants. Dark and cool stones are in demand in this type of design.

Dutch style is an aquascape of many plant species. In the traditional Dutch style, there is minimal emphasis on stones and driftwood. The choice of plants, their color and location are key factors to create a style. Dutch aquascapes visually look like dense thickets of underwater rivers. Here you can often see bright red, orange, green plants that are planted in large quantities in the foreground, center and background. This type of design involves the use of the most unusual and whimsical forms of plants. It takes a lot of time, skill and patience to prepare an aquascape.

Natural style - recreates natural landscapes. Plants, driftwood and stones are arranged in such a way that they resemble a lake or river from the natural environment. This style is characterized by randomness of forms, simplicity. It uses only natural materials. The arrangement of plants, snags and stones is of key importance. Pisces are just an addition to beautiful design. Modeling natural environment requires careful planning. Plants for this aquascape require low height, and are attached to snags, stones or planted in the ground. Fish for him are chosen such that they can revive the landscape - barbs, swordsmen, tetras, neons, scalars (schooling species).

Symmetry

To make an aquarium design with your own hands, you need to know some rules for arranging parts.

The form

1. Avoid straight lines and fenced plants. Tall seedlings in the background that stretch are not recommended. Natural views often have very few straight lines and little continuity. The best shapes are those that look like a smooth curve, or chaotic.
2. Natural curves and concavities are a plus - plants can be trimmed to create height at the edges, and lowered in the central plan, making the visual fall. This will help create more open space for the fish to swim.
3. Beveled shapes can be very attractive - triangular shapes and islands can look natural and aesthetically pleasing. Mowed dark plants look like a riverbed, which gradually becomes deep.

See how you can arrange an aquarium for 100 liters.

Foreground, middle ground and background (background)

It is important to distinguish each background of the aquarium. Each background should have both high and low plant bushes. The medium ground should consist of snags, rocks and medium sized plants. The foreground should have beautiful broadleaf seedlings such as anubias, cryptocoryne, arrowhead, aponogeton, and others.

You can make a synthesis - stones and driftwood can be planted in the foreground, and plants can be planted on any plane to improve the appearance of the aquascape. If you can afford an open top tank, then you have more options to use rocks and driftwood that will stick out of the water.

Plants are best planted like this: starting from the foreground and ending with the background, visually "going down" down. Long-stemmed species weigh less, and are easily entangled in low plants that are in the foreground. To install rocks, stones and attach them to each other, use silicone aquarium glue. It is more secure and allows you to keep mosses, ferns and all wires in place. Also, mosses, ferns and creeping plants should be attached to a solid surface - wood or stone. Do this with aquarium glue or fishing line.

Aquarium design 200 liters with description and photo

Increasingly, most people around the world are beginning to get involved in aquarism. And this is not at all surprising, because thanks to this hobby and the implementation of several simple actions you can create in your room a real corner of wildlife that will bring joy and give great mood both to its owner and to its guests. And in today's article, we will consider in detail how you can design an artificial reservoir for 200 liters.

Choosing a 200 liter aquarium

As a rule, before thinking about creating a magnificent and intriguing underwater world in your room, you need to decide in advance on its shape. After all, it largely depends on her how harmoniously it will be combined with the interior of the room. So, an aquarium of 200 liters can be:

1. Angular. Ideal for office space. Due to their structure, these vessels allow you to build incredible underwater harbors or a coral lagoon in them, the photo of which is presented below.
2. Wall mounted. Making it this way is enough long time caused fear even among experienced aquarists. But today this option is increasingly beginning to occur both in office and in home premises.
3. Panoramic. Such vessels are distinguished by concave glass, which allows, due to this, to consider in great detail the events taking place inside the aquarium.
4. Rectangular. Standard option, which is perfect for keeping all kinds of fish, for example, such as discus, barbs, angelfish, gourami. In addition, such a vessel allows you to embody any design of the underwater landscape. And that's not to mention its high quality and fairly affordable price.

It is also worth considering that an artificial reservoir of 200 liters has an impressive weight. Therefore, it is advisable to purchase a special stand for it.

We select the design for the aquarium

First of all, I would like to note that the design of the aquarium should largely take into account not only interior premises, but certain features its inhabitants. So, discus prefer the presence of pebbles as soil and the presence of small snags. Others need dense vegetation and living stones. Therefore, we will consider several ways to decorate a vessel designed for 200 liters.

Pseudo-sea design

This design is perfect for aquarists who want to recreate a piece of the seascape in their premises. In addition, the pseudo-sea style is ideal for calm and peaceful fish. So what does it take to make it? First of all, a pleasant and calm background is selected in an aquarium of 200 liters. For this purpose, both photos with corals and drawings depicting water can be suitable. After that, the turn comes to the choice of lighting.

For this purpose, you can use:

• neon lamp;
• cold light;
• standard light bulb.

Important! Many aquarium inhabitants, such as discus and guar, react differently to light intensity.

The bottom is recommended to be decorated with stones. Tuff stones are best suited for this style. Also, one should not forget about the indispensable attribute of such a design as corals. Of course, you can use the design in the pseudo-sea style and without stones, as shown in the photo, but then you can forget about creating such beautiful decorative structures as coral slides.

As for the fish, as mentioned above, mostly peaceful and calm species are populated. For example, discus, panaki, cichlids.

But before populating 200 liters of its future inhabitants in an aquarium, it is necessary to take into account the ratio equal to 7 liters per individual. This is necessary in order to avoid territorial overpopulation.

Artificial Vegetation Vessel Design

In most cases, such a design, the photo of which can be seen below, is distinguished by non-standard decorative elements that bring brightness to the under water world aquarium. So, first of all, the advantages of this style include:

1. High lifespan of used decorations.
2. The possibility of keeping various types of fish, which under standard conditions would cause irreparable damage to vegetation.
3. Lightness and ease of care.

So, the first step is to add aquarium gravel. This choice is due to the fact that not only cichlids, but also other fish feel more comfortable with such soil. After that, you can add artificial plants, such as driftwood with imitation Javanese moss. Next, decorate the back. For this purpose, large plants are perfect, forming the viewer's understanding of the height of the vessel, but without imposing the depth of perception. Further, if desired, you can again add a little gravel to the sides of the vessel with planting red plants.

Story design

This design allows you to maximize your imagination and turn any idea into reality. So, if you wish, you can create a fabulous meadow, the gloomy castle of Count Dracula, or even a flooded Atlantis. Various decor options can be seen in the photo below.

So, for this style, you can use ceramics that imitate both various sculptural works and models of sunken vessels. It is worth emphasizing that such decorative elements they will not harm the rest of the inhabitants of the artificial reservoir, but rather serve as good shelters. For example, discus, in case of danger, will be able to hide their fry in them.

But it is worth noting that before creating such a design, it is necessary to determine the size of the decorative elements of vegetation and, of course, the fish.

biotope design

As a rule, discus, gourami, angelfish and other types of fish feel most comfortable in artificial reservoirs with conditions that best correspond to their natural habitat. That is why design in this style is not only a real art, but also vital for all the inhabitants of the vessel . But it is worth noting that in order to create such a design, you will have to work hard.

So, first of all, it is necessary to choose for him both vegetation and fish that will feel comfortable in a reproducible landscape. For example, when planning a vessel in which discus are located, it is necessary not only to constantly maintain the required temperature, but also not to forget about the presence at the bottom of the aquarium of a large number of small branches and leaves, among which discus live in their natural habitat.

Design nuances

In order for the decoration of an artificial reservoir to go as intended, it is necessary to remember some simple rules design. So, it is not recommended to overly overload the aquarium with decor or leave too much empty space. In addition, do not forget about the simplicity and ease of subsequent maintenance of the vessel. That is why the ideal option would be the use of collapsible structures. Also, if there are fish in the aquarium that love to burrow into the ground, then it is forbidden to use large pebbles as it. The best choice would be to use sand or 1-3 mm. soil.

Aquarium decoration: photos, video examples, styles and options

AQUARIUM DECORATION

Decorating an aquarium is a worthy and fertile topic for conversation. This is not surprising, because this is a paramount question that people who have just bought an aquarium ask themselves.
Unfortunately, on the Internet this issue, surprisingly, is covered poorly, briefly or fragmentarily. We hope this article will reveal all the aspects and nuances of aquarium design and help you create your own aquarium kingdom.

Due to the volume of this issue, let's divide the article into two sections:
1. MATERIALS REQUIRED FOR DESIGNING AQUARIUM: soil, stones, grottoes, snags, the background, artificial and live aquarium plants, aquarium lighting, shells, castles, ships.
2. MAIN DIRECTIONS, TYPES AND EXAMPLES OF DESIGN OF AQUARIUMS.

Materials needed for decorating an aquarium

And so, as you know, in order for fish to appear in your house, you need a vessel and water. However, aquarium keeping is not just a banal keeping of fish, it is the creation of a closed ecosystem, imitation natural conditions content of hydrobionts. Trite, but aquarism begins with fish. Before you think about the design of the aquarium, first of all you need to decide on your desires and those fish that will swim in your pond. And this is very important! Each individual fish needs its own conditions of detention, its own water parameters, and other conditions. And it is under them that you need to build an “aquarium house”, it is from this that you need to build on. For example, if you decide to get African cichlids and at the same time want to see a garden of live aquarium plants in your aquarium ... You initially doom yourself to an actual impossible task. natural area habitats of most African cichlids are the rocky banks of the river. Nyasa and r. Tanganiki, there are no plants, no algae - this is a "stone desert". If plants are placed in an aquarium with cichlids, they will pull them out and destroy them.
Based on the foregoing, we advise you to first decide on the fish that will live in your aquarium, study their characteristics and habits, read and find out the conditions for their maintenance. And then proceed and think about the design of the aquarium.
DECORATION OF AQUARIUM WITH GROUND The soil is one of the most important elements of the aquarium, it is its mood. It is very important to approach the issue of its choice with special attention, because in addition to decorative functions, the soil plays the role of: a substrate for plants, for spawning and the life of fish. It is important to choose the right soil fraction, it is important to choose the required volume of soil, and only then the color of the soil. On our website there is a good article on the selection and selection of soil, we suggest that you read - HERE.

Speaking of decorative properties soil, it is recommended to choose a soil of darker tones, so that the bright and light colors of the aquarium bottom do not overshadow the charm and beauty of the “main heroes of the occasion” - fish. DECORATION OF AQUARIUM WITH STONES AND GROTS. Important technical nuance when decorating an aquarium with stones, grottoes, caves, etc. is to use non-toxic, non-poisonous materials. If stones, driftwood are selected and made independently, you need to do everything according to the rules and make sure that they do not release into the water harmful substances. Certainly the scenery should not be made of limestone, rubber and metal, no paints and enamels!!!
Speaking about the aesthetic part of the framed reservoir, you should always remember that stones, grottoes, driftwood take away the "usable area" in the aquarium - living space. The amount of such decor is calculated based on the volume of the aquarium and the needs of the fish themselves. In addition, it should be borne in mind that large decorative elements are installed at the edges of the aquarium or in the background. Do not put a huge castle in the middle!!! This is the same as if people put the refrigerator in the middle of the kitchen, and not in the corner. The aquarium is the amphitheater of life!
DECORATION OF AQUARIUM BACKGROUND. The background of the aquarium for the aquarium inhabitants themselves is not so important. In fact, fish can live without it. The background is more important for a person, one might say - these are the "curtains of the aquarium", which play more of an aesthetic role than a technical one.
About what aquarium backgrounds are, how to make and attach them, see HERE.

DECORATION OF AQUARIUM WITH LIVING AND ARTIFICIAL PLANTS.
Continuing to use metaphors, we can say that if the background of the aquarium is “curtains”, then the plants are “indoor flowers on the windowsill”. It depends on what they will be, how many of them there will be, how your aquarium “window” will look like. Check out this great article on the subject - HERE.
LIGHT DECORATION OF AQUARIUM

The power and spectrum of light is important for aquarium plants - it is their source of life. When it comes to decorating an aquarium, the color of the light is important. To date, there is a huge variety of colors for aquarium lamps. Choose according to your taste! Moreover, there are various bottom aquarium lights in the form of volcanoes, lanterns and LED aerators. Here they are.




DECORATION OF THE AQUARIUM WITH A DIFFERENT DECOR. Aquariums can be decorated with shells, castles, ships, divers, skulls, etc. At the same time, it is not necessary to buy all this in a pet store at a crazy price. Using such decorations, you need to follow only two rules: non-toxicity and safety. Shells should not be sharp, but divers should be made of rubber. See also article Shells in the aquarium.
MAIN DIRECTIONS, TYPES AND EXAMPLES OF AQUARIUM DESIGN
The classic options for decorating an aquarium for fish are:
biotope- such an aquarium is designed for a specific water landscape of a lake or stream.
Dutch- an aquarium, the main place in which is reserved for plants. Such an aquarium is popularly called a "herbalist". The most famous Dutch aquariums are created by a mega-aquarist Takashi Amano, here are his works:
Geographical- such an aquarium is designed for a specific region, it contains fish only from this region.
In the vastness of our Motherland, most often you can meet "domestic aquarium"- where the above principles are not respected. In such aquariums, you can often find castles, amphoras, the same divers, skulls, and so on, so on, so on. In addition, there is an entire industry children's aquariums. Here is an example:


There are other directions in the design of the aquarium.
As the saying goes, how many people have so many opinions.
Next, let's clearly see the design options for the aquarium.
Pseudo-sea aquariums Such aquariums are designed and imitate marine aquariums - sea ​​bottom. The prefix "pseudo" indicates that such a reservoir does not contain marine fish. Only entourage is created!
As a rule, brightly colored fish are selected in such an aquarium, which cichlids often have, for example, elo, demanos, parrots, etc. The aquarium itself is decorated with corals, artificial polyps and sea shells.





Dutch aquarium "light version" An aquarium close to the natural habitat of fish. It contains live aquarium plants, driftwood, stones, but "in a lightweight form." Such aquariums do not require special knowledge of plant life from the aquarist. Elementary care for them is the key to success and achieving your goals.






Truly Dutch aquarium - "herbalist" These are densely planted aquariums. Completely imitating all the beauty of freshwater reservoirs. To create such an aquarium, you need knowledge about plants, you need to study the issue of feeding aquarium plants and the use of a CO2 system for an aquarium.






Household, children's, thematic aquarium Such aquariums are designed according to a certain idea. As a rule, this is a fiction and fantasy of a person.






Futuristic Aquariums or Aquariums Glo Relatively recently, the fashion for the creation of Glo-reservoirs has entered the aquarist. Where everything glows with neon and plays with phosphorus. There are even live fluorescent fish. Such aquariums look beautiful in the evening and at night. More about Glo-fish is here.






marine aquariums These are aquariums that contain marine, saltwater fish. Aquarium pierced maritime theme. The disadvantage of such reservoirs is the price and the huge cost of maintenance.






cichlid A species aquarium that contains only fish of the cichlid family.
See CYCHLID - cichlids in the aquarium





There are also industrial and show aquariums.


We wish you success in the design and creation of your individual aquarium kingdom, below are additionally presented photos that clearly show all the diversity and flight of aquarium thought in the lighted issue.







Video about the design of the aquarium

Aquarium: do-it-yourself decoration. Styles and design options for the aquarium

Nowadays, the beautiful and fashionable design of an aquarium for a person who keeps and breeds fish is not just entertainment, but a matter of prestige and simply aesthetic pleasure from contemplating the results of their labors.

Psychologists say that an aquarium with fish in an apartment can calm the nerves and normalize the mental state of a person. To do this, it is enough just to organize a recreation area with an aquarium and watch the fish for at least 30-60 minutes. in a day.

Aquarium: do-it-yourself decoration

The most exciting and time-consuming task for all of us in the process of installing and filling an aquarium tank is its correct and beautiful decoration in the same style as the design of the room.

To date, there are a huge number of accessories that can be placed in the aquarium. Do-it-yourself decoration will allow you to accurately recreate in it exactly the situation that you want to see there. Just do not forget that the main inhabitants of the aquarium are fish. And they need maximum amount free space in order to be able to swim freely.

The main components that allow you to design an aquarium (200 liters and all others) are:

• stones;
• natural and artificial algae;
• pebbles;
• various wooden elements;
• artificial decorative elements, such as locks, chests, etc.

Examples

Let's look at the following steps and examples of aquarium design:

• laying the bottom with soil;
• decoration of the aquarium with stones and grottoes;
• decorating the aquarium with the right background;
• the use of various types of plants;
• correct selection of lighting;
• decoration of the aquarium with decorative elements.

Each of them has its own specific rules, which will be described below.

Covering the bottom with soil

The soil for the aquarium bottom is one of the main and essential attributes. Before purchasing it from a specialized store, decide what kind of aquarium you want to have, since this natural material must be purchased according to a specific purpose. Yes, yes, you heard right: a certain type of soil is taken for each target.

So, if small fish will live in your aquarium, then it is best to buy a small type of soil, and coarse-grained or mixed is suitable for large inhabitants of the tank. A similar approach is acceptable when you decide to equip your home with a Dutch-style aquarium, that is, a tank dominated by plants, not fish.

In addition, when choosing a bottom cover, you must take into account the individual habits of the exotic aquarium fish you have chosen. If you have purchased goldfish or certain types of catfish, then you must remember that they are very fond of digging in the ground. Therefore, you cannot buy shallow soil for them, otherwise there will always be fog in the aquarium. To avoid this, it is necessary to purchase a bottom cover of such a size that they cannot dig it.

It is best to buy a monophonic coating for the aquarium. It is best to choose a dark-colored bottom base, as it will highlight the inhabitants of your fish house.

Before placing the purchased soil in the aquarium, it must be thoroughly rinsed or, ideally, poured over with boiling water.

Stones and grottoes

How is the decoration of the aquarium with stones and grottoes? These details, chosen for decoration, should be made only from natural, natural materials. They should not contain harmful or toxic impurities that, if released into the water, can lead to the death of the inhabitants of the aquarium.

In the case of self-collection of decorative elements in the aquarium, do-it-yourself decoration is carried out only after preliminary processing of everything before collected material in order to decontaminate and check for the absence of all elements harmful to the health of the inhabitants of this tank.

Processing of stones and snags

Stones can be treated in the same way as the soil for the bottom of the aquarium, and Preliminary processing driftwood is somewhat more complicated. To do this, place the selected wooden decor in a container with water (so that the liquid completely covers it) and add salt there until it stops dissolving, then remove the processed snag and rinse it clean water, place in the purchased fish tank.

Do not forget that in no case should the aquarium contain elements made of limestone, rubber, various types of metals, as well as elements coated with paint or enamel.

Also, do not oversaturate the aquarium with decor, especially elements. large sizes, such as stones, grottoes, etc., since this leads to a decrease in the useful internal space necessary for underwater inhabitants for their vital movement.

Do not forget that large decorative elements should be placed in the corners of the container or in the background so as not to spoil the whole appearance.

Decorating your aquarium with the right backdrop

The so-called background is important element aquarium decor. Since the background coating sets the mood for your entire brainchild, you should not choose dark and gloomy tones that carry the spirit of despondency and sadness.

There are several options for backgrounds for aquariums:

• You can simply paint the back wall of the tank in a color of your choice. This path has its pros and cons. An indisputable advantage is the uniqueness and 100% originality of your brainchild. The list of disadvantages includes certain difficulties with changing the existing background (removing it with a solvent).
• Background in the form of a colored plastic film, which has an unlimited number of different variations, among which everyone can choose the most suitable for him. In addition, the price of such a film will be almost imperceptible to your pocket, and it can also be installed or removed very quickly.
• Panels and dioramas in the aquarium. Do-it-yourself decoration in this case is an ideal option, since these parts can not only be purchased at the store, but also made independently using the following available materials: small pebbles, driftwood and branches, foam and mounting foam. But we must not forget about the environmental friendliness and natural origin of the selected materials, so as not to harm the fish. Such decorative elements will always be one of a kind.

Film sticking rules

A similar film can be attached both from the outside and from inside back wall. If you want more saturated colors, then, of course, it is better to stick it from the inside.

Before sticking the film, make sure that the surface of the inner wall of the back of the aquarium is completely dry (to avoid the appearance of bumps). Treat the purchased film around the entire perimeter with a special transparent silicone sealant purchased in advance at the pet store. Never use a conventional sealant, as the consequences of its use may be irreparable for aquarium inhabitants.

If you decide to stick the film inside the aquarium, then you should not feel sorry for the silicone: it is better to coat the film very carefully, especially its upper edge, in order to avoid the possibility of peeling it off. After fixing, wait for the material to dry completely, and only then fill the tank with water.

Decoration of the aquarium with various types of plants: live or artificial

If you have purchased an aquarium and are engaged in its design, then do not forget about the purchase and planting of various types of algae. You don’t need to oversaturate the container with them, but you can’t do without them either, since they saturate the water with oxygen and are food for some fish species.

They also act as a "crèche" for newly born fish, because only by hiding in the algae can they survive, because eating their fry is common among many fish species. Those species of fish that spawn hide it on sheets of algae or under them.

Planting and caring for live aquarium plants

Before purchasing aquarium plants, it is best to consult with the seller in the pet store, he will help you choose the perfect plants, and also tell you how to properly plant them in the aquarium so that they please your eye for a long time.

In any case, there are varieties of aquatic vegetation that do not require landing in the ground. For all others, the thickness of the soil should not exceed 3-5 cm, and it is recommended to choose grains of medium or large sizes. It is this size of the soil that will speed up the process of full rooting of plants. A newly planted plant can be lightly pressed with pebbles or other decorative element. At the same time, its roots should be in a straightened state.

Choosing the right backlight

If you decide to decorate the purchased aquarium with your own hands, then do not forget about correct backlight, because not only the appearance of the tank depends on it, but also the health of its inhabitants, since the strength of the light flux and its spectrum are vital for plants.

To date, there are a huge number of different lights, both external and fully adapted for working underwater, so that everyone can find the option that suits him. To help the novice aquarist, many different manuals have been published that help to properly and quickly design an aquarium. The photos below will help make this process as simple and easy as possible.

Making an aquarium with decorative elements

When designing an aquarium with decor elements, it must be remembered that they must be environmentally friendly and not have harmful impurities, and in no case should the aquarium be oversaturated with them.

You can use both purchased and self-made decor.

Styles

To date, there are various styles of aquarium design. All of them are very richly represented in the pictures and photographs posted in our article and in various books on the aquarium business. Also in Russia they can be seen in dolphinariums. Among them, the following options for decorating an aquarium stand out:

• Biotope, which is the landscape of a single reservoir.
• Dutch design style, focusing on the richness of the underwater flora, and not on the fish.
• Geographic - an aquarium with representatives of the animal and flora a particular region.
• The pseudo-sea aquarium is stylized as a seabed without plants, and its inhabitants are fish of bright colors. Since such a tank is decorated with large decorations, such as stones, corals, artificial polyps, shells, and there is almost no vegetation, it is excellent for cichlids. After all, this design of the aquarium for cichlids is ideal.
• Children's aquariums are designed in accordance with the child's favorite theme (games, cartoons, book plots, etc.).
• Marine aquarium with inhabitants living in salt water.
• Futuristic aquariums filled with luminous elements, including special hybrid fluorescent fish.
• Household and thematic containers created on the basis of human imagination.

The design of the corner aquarium is made according to the same principles as all the others. A variety of types and styles of work by experts in the aquarium business, known throughout the world, will help you in this difficult task. We hope that the recommendations in this article will help you get a clear idea of ​​​​the future. interior decoration fish house. In addition, the photos offered by us will help to correctly and beautifully design the aquarium. They will serve as excellent visual aids.

Aquarium: do-it-yourself design (photo)

Today is easy to implement design solutions interior and exterior design of turnkey aquariums. Modern studios offer the most unusual variations of the artistic design of hidden depths. However, if you wish, you can create your own author's project, making a truly unique aquarium. Design, carried out with your own hands, will make it possible to realize any idea, making the created underwater world the main element of the interior of the room.

Aquadesign

It is best to keep aquarium fish for those people who see this as a pleasant activity and relaxation, and not troubles and problems. After all, it is not enough just to buy an aquarium and let the inhabitants into it. It is also important to be able to take care of him so that he not only likes, but delivers aesthetic pleasure.

The underwater world at home or in the office is a kind of living picture, this is a way to emphasize the individuality of the interior. Aquadesign is an integral part of the aquarium hobby. His own vision of the design of the underwater world guarantees him a special uniqueness. Thinking through their art project, real aquarists approach it with all their hearts. Their main goal is to create an original landscape and a comfortable environment for the life of aquatic inhabitants. Such artistic design allows you to most harmoniously pour an aquarium into the interior of the room. The design, made with your own hands, allows you to embody the most incredible design options for compositions, from which it is simply impossible to take your eyes off in the future. It can be fabulously beautiful sea, rocky scenes, mountain valleys, mangrove forests.

By virtue of your violent imagination, you can create the most incredible projects. decoration. However, they all require a clear concept - from their development to implementation. First of all, you need to decide on the style of the aquarium and its features. It is also important to take into account the size of the aquarium and its shape, so that the chosen style is appropriate for a particular area. Selection of the internal filling of the aquarium and its appearance at the same time, they should blend harmoniously into the environment.

Fish are also important. The design is developed for them, with the obligatory consideration of their habitual habitat. Compositions are made depending on the type of fish. For many of them, shelters are needed, without which they can die. Some of them like to hide in the sandy bottom, some prefer small thickets. The role of shelters is excellently performed by snags and grottoes. These decorations with special lighting give a special charm and mystery to the underwater world. Allow to create unique compositions and a real paradise for exotic inhabitants, for which your aquarium has become a new habitat. Design, made by hand, makes it possible to carry out any creative ideas, there would be a desire.

Types of aquariums

scenery for subject environment of the underwater world serve as a win-win decoration of the aquarium. But the main component of the interior design is its thriving biosystem.

According to their purpose, aquariums are divided into decorative and special (spawning, breeding, nursery, quarantine and others). The most popular of them are species and biotope.

Species aquarium will not only decorate the interior of the house, but also give unique opportunity observe a certain type of fish or their closely related species. Its inhabitants have a significant impact on the design of the aquarium. It’s not difficult to arrange it with your own hands, but before implementing the idea, you should seriously familiarize yourself with the habits of the selected fish in their natural habitat.

Biotope aquariums reproduce an imitation of any natural biotope with characteristic view fish, plants and certain parameters of their habitual habitat.

Design styles

There is no single qualification for aquarium design. Usually the design of the project is carried out according to the established stylistic trends. The main ones are:

• decorative;
• natural;
• Dutch;
• Japanese;
• pseudomarine;
• plot;
• vanguard;
• collection;
• seawater aquarium.

For newbies

For beginner naturalists the best option decoration of the aquarium will become a collector's style. This is perfect option, allowing you to "fill your hand." Everything is allowed here. You can mix plants, use their artificial imitations, choose any aquarium. Design, brought to life with your own hands, allows you to create interesting compositions from plants different texture and decorative items. It is possible to experiment with different storylines. The choice of plants should depend on the subject. To begin with, it is recommended to give preference to unpretentious and hardy plants.

natural style

In 1980, Takashi Amano, a well-known Japanese aquatic designer, introduced a new trend in aquarium decoration - nature style. The philosophy of these aquarium paintings lies in the understanding and feeling of nature, recreated according to the principle of "Wabi - Sabi" ("modest beauty").

This style draws inspiration from mountain and forest landscapes, water streams. With the help of various decorative elements (snags, stones) that set the focal points of design, small architectural forms are created. Their asymmetric placement, based on the rule of the "golden section", makes it possible to set the direction of the natural (natural) sense of perception of the entire composition.

Schooling fish will effectively emphasize the recreated landscapes, add variety to the underwater world and literally make you pay attention to the aquarium. Do-it-yourself design (100 liters of volume, no less) of a miniature version in a natural style is better to start with the use of no more than 5 types of plants.

underwater garden

One of the most beautiful trends in creating the underwater world is the Dutch style. It is quite exciting to make a similar aquarium design with your own hands. 250 liters for creating an underwater garden is quite the best option.

The basis of this style are aquarium plants of various textures, shapes, sizes and colors. Paths of greenery, occupying almost the entire main area of ​​the bottom, allows you to create an amazing effect of depth. architectural forms in the form of decorative snags and stones are present in limited quantities. The well-groomed underwater garden is visually perfect and interesting.

Seawater aquarium

Many people today are passionate about breeding marine fish. It is more difficult to prepare a biological environment for them, especially with the use of living corals, which are quite demanding on water parameters. But experienced naturalists are quite capable of creating such an aquarium design with their own hands. 200 liters is the optimal average volume for enjoying the contemplation of the marine underwater world. It should not be overpopulated with living creatures, since such a reservoir has a limited life support system.

It is necessary to design the design of a marine aquarium taking into account its type, which, last but not least, depends on the inhabitants. These can be predators (sharks, rays, moray eels), non-predatory fish (zebrasoma, angelfish and other species) or corals and invertebrate sea anemones. Predatory fish are considered the most unpretentious, invertebrates are more difficult to care for, which can die from minor deviations in the chemical parameters of water.

For the life support of such aquariums, it is worth purchasing expensive equipment. It will need to be decoded, this is worth considering when designing an aquarium with your own hands. The photo shows how well you can hide all the wires, hoses and tubes, decorating the background with picturesque coral reefs, stones and shelters for fish in the form of mysterious grottoes and caves.

Aquascape

Having acquired practical skills and based on the experience gained over time, you can try to master such special kind art, a kind of analogue of landscape design for parks and gardens, like an aquascaping.

This is landscape design a do-it-yourself aquarium that more experienced aquarists can create. The underwater world is organized by them with the help of certain rules aquascape. This direction in aqua design implies a composition thought out to the smallest detail. To create an underwater landscape, decorative elements, plants and inhabitants are selected that can not only coexist peacefully, but also express the main idea contained in the landscape.

Aquarium background

A beautiful background for decorating the rear wall of the aquarium is easily created using special films on which images of the underwater world are applied. They can have and just saturated blue color, which creates the effect of depth and contrast. But it is much more interesting, including fantasy, to think over the background, the size and volume of the tank, the decorations used and include everything in the developed design of the aquarium with your own hands: 250 liters, there is a stone background, spectacular driftwood, stones, moss, various plants- all these elements will be most welcome.

It is worth noting that the background of the aquarium often gives the whole composition (especially voluminous) a unique charm and naturalness of the aquatic environment. It is not difficult to create it with your own hands, using, for example, foam plastic broken in different pieces, which is glued to the back wall of the aquarium and painted over with special paint with intermittent strokes. It turns out an excellent imitation of a stone background. It can be made in a similar way, using pieces of bark from snags.

The composition can be created from dead coral, stones from the sea reef. In the marine aquarium, small invertebrates, polyps and other inhabitants will find shelter here.

The design of the aquarium, designed and executed with your own hands, allows you to implement a considerable number of excellent ideas for plot aquariums using exotic plants, shells, sea pebbles. An incredible number of them can be brought to life by creating your own "rock gardens". And then with pleasure to watch the flashing of bright fish with an unusual color against their background.

The main thing is not to overdo it with decor elements, plants and inhabitants of the aquarium. Everything should be harmoniously combined, give pleasure to its creator and not harm the fish.

Aquarium - interior element

Thanks to unusual beauty, modern aquariums can become a real gem of any interior. The variety of styles and shapes is simply amazing. Aquariums can be suspended, floor, built-in. Diorama aquariums create a stunning effect in the room, their shape seems to contribute to immersion in the breathtaking water world. Personally designed version improves well-being and uplifts the mood. Today, even a dry aquarium is not uncommon. Design, made by hand, allows you to give yourself an unusual creative concept of the seascape. Many solutions can be created thanks to the incredible flight of creativity. It's definitely simple and incredibly fun!

Naturally, your own, how else, you say. And you'll be wrong.

Today you can order a design from firms that now specialize in this.

But, firstly, this service is very expensive, and secondly, additional equipment will be required for the successful implementation of the idea.

In particular, CO2 systems, specialized lighting for plants, nutrient soil, stones, driftwood and, finally, the plants themselves.

Note that the latter are sometimes much more expensive than fish.

It's good to look at the most incredible aquascapes that the pros have worked on in the photo, and dream of something like this in your aquarium. When you look at a painting by a great artist, don't you say that you can draw just as well now? At least you don't even have paints, brushes, canvas and easel. The same thing happens with aquarium design. Not so simple. Here you need a creative approach, artistic taste and knowledge of some rules of aquascaping.

It is best to try to repeat the design of your aquarium using a ready-made idea. No one will accuse you of plagiarism. Let's try to decide what materials (decorative or natural) we need to make our dreams come true.

• Natural soil (substrate) with a fraction of 3 mm;
• Nutrient substrate under the soil for successful plant growth;
• Properly prepared driftwood, how to do it;
• natural stones;
• Aquarium cover with professional lighting for plants, or a branded lamp with the spectrum of lamps that is necessary for successful plant growth;
• Systems for supplying CO2 to the aquarium;
• Powerful filtering equipment internal or external;
• Heater;
• Thermometer;
• Black background film.

Let's decide which design touched our soul the most.

Marine aquarium in the apartment

Aquarium sea - the most difficult and expensive option. Its inhabitants are sea fish. They are not bred, but caught in the seas. The water in such an aquarium, of course, is sea, and the stones and corals are not just natural, but alive. For the design of the marine aquarium is required special light with a predominance of the blue spectrum and equipment for the life support of marine life. Aquascapers claim that a marine aquarium with equipment costs 2 times more than a freshwater one.

Do you want pseudo-sea?

Aquarium pseudo-sea. This option is more affordable for arranging in an apartment. It only imitates the seabed. The water in it is ordinary, ours is from the tap, and the fish are freshwater. Most often, a pseudo-marine aquarium is inhabited by American or African cichlids. Artificial corals are used as decorations. Plants, as a rule, are absent here, since cichlids are not indifferent to them. If they don’t gnaw, they will definitely dig it out. Just be prepared for the fact that they spoil the plants. And there, how lucky. Maybe some plants will survive.

plant aquarium

plant aquarium herbalist (not overclocked) is most often found among amateurs. It is characterized by the absence of a system for supplying CO2 to the aquarium, the absence of powerful light (0.5 watts / 1 liter is enough for most plants in it). Liquid fertilizers are not added to the water, they are needed only under the roots of plants. It is possible to use enriched soil for aquarium plants.

Note that the most unpretentious plants grow here: hornwort, elodea, vallisneria, cryptocarinae, anubius, Thai fern and some others. Light-loving plants, including ground cover plants, will not grow in such a herbalist. They need more exalted conditions: bright light, phyto-lamps, CO2, macro and micro fertilizers.

dutch aquarium

To create an underwater garden (overclocked herbalist), you need soil from ADA or Dennerle, specialized lighting, adding CO2 to the water and professional fertilizers developed by manufacturers specifically for aquarium flora. Here you can already talk about aquarium design seriously! If you are able to purchase all these components, then you can organize Dutch herbalist.

nature aquarium

Perhaps the most popular option to date. The idea of ​​creating such an underwater design belongs to the famous Japanese Takashi Amano (photographer and aquascaper). He became the author of a completely new direction in the design of freshwater aquariums.

natural aquariums Amano are definitely masterpieces, they are unique and unparalleled. Anyone who once encountered the incredible beauty of a natural aquarium will remember with a smile how he almost coveted artificial grottoes and plastic plants in a pet store. "No" - to everything artificial and unnatural! "Yes" - to a natural aquarium!

This is an example of my planted aquariums. There are no shells, corals and other nonsense from ceramics in them. Live plants and driftwood.

If you can't afford a CO2 unit, try doing without it. In this case, we do not need powerful light and daily fertilization. But under the roots of fertilizer - are required. In what form to provide them with plants, you decide. These can be pre-mixed enriched primers from ADA, JBL, Dennerle or Aquael. You will get a stable system and will not know any problems for about a year. After that, the soil will become poorer, the microelements in it will run out, they will have to be added or the soil replaced with a new one.

Story aquariums

And let's leave plot aquariums with sunken ships, broken amformai and painted soil to the children. Although, even babies are best vaccinated initially good taste with early childhood. What do you think?

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