Aquarium technical equipment plays an important role in creating a sustainable ecological system for your home lake. Here we will briefly review the main types of equipment that are desirable in any aquarium household.
Heaters and thermometers
Aquarium water heaters and thermometer are very closely related to each other. Not all fish need water heating, but a thermometer in the aquarium is a must.
Thermometers come in mercury. These are the most accurate. There are also thermometers – strips (liquid crystal), which are simply glued from the outside to the front wall of the aquarium. These thermometers look more aesthetically pleasing, but can sometimes give inaccurate readings, and they are also afraid of moisture.
Aquarium water heaters are of two types: with and without relay regulator. A heater with a relay should be selected based on the volume of your aquarium. But such heaters themselves regulate the temperature. A heater without a relay is suitable for any aquarium, but it will heat the water until you turn it off.
The heater and thermometer are placed in opposite corners of the aquarium. The thermometer next to it will show exactly this temperature. Heaters are attached either on suction cups or suspended on the edge of the aquarium on special plastic fasteners. The main thing is that the heater should be completely covered with water, otherwise it will simply burn out.
Mercury thermometers are attached to suction cups and strip thermometers are glued to the front wall of the aquarium, closer to the corner.
Water filtration
Water filtration is carried out with aquarium filters. Filters can be external or internal. In the case of an external filter, the working part can be suspended outside the aquarium or retracted into the cabinet on which it stands. Internal filters are completely immersed in the water, hanging on fasteners or suction cups. Internal filters are easier to maintain and cheaper, but with such a unit all the beauty of the artificial pond is lost. External filters are more expensive, but in the aquarium it has only the water intake and the outlet part, through which the filtered water comes out.
Every filter has a filler. In the case of internal filters, this is usually a sponge that traps mechanical particles and removes mechanical turbidity. It can be changed only in case of extreme necessity. Usually it is simply removed, rinsed under the tap and put back in.
In an external filter, the filler can be mechanical, bacteriological or mixed. The mechanical filler can be a sponge or a porous filler. Bacteriological filler is a substrate with bacteria that cleans the water from turbidity, harmful substances and pathogens. Mixed type is a mechanical filler, populated with positive microflora for the aquarium.
Technical equipment of the aquarium Water aeration Water aeration
Aeration is the mixing of the water in the aquarium by pumping air through it. As a result, the water in the aquarium is evenly oxygenated and does not stagnate, and the temperature is equalized throughout the entire volume.
Aeration can also be carried out by means of water flow from a filter equipped with a special nozzle, but there are also special devices for this purpose – aquarium compressors. Compressors are vibration and piston compressors. Piston are very powerful and suitable for very large aquariums and some pools. Vibrating compressors are suitable for all aquariums, because they have regulators of the inflation power.
A vibration compressor is a component of an aeration system, which includes ducting or hoses, and atomizers. All of these can be purchased at any pet store for a small amount of money to suit any taste. The atomizer is a nozzle on the end of the hose in the form of a small porous pebble. The atomizer can also be a long porous tube along the entire length of the aquarium.
There is one very important rule for the installation of the aeration system: the compressor must be installed above the water level in the aquarium, otherwise, in the event of a power outage or stopping the compressor, pressurized water will get inside the device and cause its failure or short circuit.
Lighting
Light plays an important role in the life of fish and aquarium plants. In animals, it determines the daily activity and mode. In the absence of light, as well as in its constant presence, fish become lethargic and sedentary.
Plants in the light produce oxygen, absorb carbon dioxide and some substances harmful to fish from the water. If there is a lack of light, plants grow slowly, which makes their roots weak. If there is too much light and not enough plants, the water in the aquarium quickly becomes cloudy due to actively multiplying microorganisms.
Any good pet store will be able to offer you lighting fixtures and match them to your aquarium. Often the aquarium is sold with a cover with the lamps already built into it.
Additional technical equipment for the aquarium
Necessary accessories
The inventory list includes:
- windshield wiper
- some nets
- siphon hose
- bucket or basin
A glass cleaner is a small plastic handle with a blade or sponge attached to the end. It is intended for cleaning the inside of the aquarium walls from fouling and deposits. For these manipulations can be used and an ordinary stiff sponge. But remember that the use of detergents, e.g. soap, is harmful to all the inhabitants of your aquarium.
The nets are used for removing food residues from the water surface, catching sick or dead fish from the aquarium and other manipulations. It is best to have several nets of different sizes, each for its own purpose. After using the net it should be rinsed under running water, and if you removed dead or sick fish, the net should be rinsed with boiling water, or better – sterilized in a solution of manganese.
A hose with a siphon is needed for regular cleaning of the soil from fish excrement and mixing it. The siphon can also be a cut off neck from a plastic bottle. The hose is put on the end of the neck, and the siphon is ready. It is also desirable to have a separate hose for draining and pouring water into the aquarium.
You will need a bucket or basin when changing the water or cleaning the aquarium.
Hopefully, this article will tell novice aquarists what of the technical equipment of the aquarium should be purchased in the first place.
