Top 6 Things to Add to Your Aquarium

Fishkeeping is an extremely popular hobby, practiced by many aquarists around the world. It is also a fairly easy hobby to learn, and is usually very rewarding. The biggest problem with fish-keeping is getting started, and doing the necessary research in order for your aquarium to flourish. Many people aren’t even sure what they need to buy with their aquarium; today, we’ll go over some things that you’ll need when setting it up. 

1. Air Pump

An air pump is an essential part of any fish tank or home aquarium system. The air pump is responsible for a couple of things in your aquarium, beginning with water movement. Water movement is extremely important, because it helps keep your water quality high. It also helps get rid of unwanted debris, and controls your aquarium’s temperature by evenly distributing hot and cold water.

Another reason why an air pump is important is that it forces air into your water. All fish need oxygen to survive, so you have to find a way to pump the oxygen that is in our air into your tank’s water; this is where the pump comes in. Without fresh air being introduced to your aquarium, your fish would die due to a lack of oxygen.

2. Gravel

Many people think gravel is used simply to decorate the aquarium. However, this is not true.
One of the ways in which gravel benefits your aquarium the most is by serving as a shelter for millions of bacteria, which need to live in your tank in order to have a healthy ecosystem. This bacterium is responsible for consuming your fish’s waste, food that wasn’t eaten and plant waste. It will aid you in keeping your tank nice and clean.

Another benefit of gravel is that it will help to anchor any plants which you might have in your aquarium. It will keep them from floating away, and give them a life source to extract nutrients from.
There are several more benefits of substrate; if you want to learn what these are, you can find out more here.

3. Lighting

 Lighting is needed for visibility, and it highlights your fish’s natural colors. It is also essential for all sources of life; this includes any fish or plant that you might have living in your aquarium. The fish depends on lighting for its health, and you need to choose well; if not then the bulb can heat up your water, making your aquarium an unhealthy environment for your fish.

If you have plants, you are definitely going to need a good light source to make sure they are living healthy and can properly engage in photosynthesis. Some plants are known to need intensive amounts of light to photosynthesize. However, having too much light can hurt your fish, so you need to do your research properly before making a purchase.

4. Water Conditioner

One of the biggest rookie mistakes is using tap water for your aquarium. There are several different reasons why tap water is not safe for an aquatic environment. Although tap water is safe for human consumption, it is not safe for fish to live in for many reasons. One of the main reasons is that tap water is treated with chemicals to kill bacteria; although these chemicals aren’t harmful to humans, they can be toxic to your fish and affect their health. These chemicals can also kill all the good bacteria which is supposed to help your fish thrive in their environment. If you want to use tap water, you have to make sure you condition the water before introducing your fish into it.

Water conditioners have many benefits. Some of these benefits include removing dangerous toxins from the water and adding necessary minerals. Some of the minerals your fish need in their water include calcium for their bones and scales, magnesium for their muscle development and growth, manganese to help with fertility and iodine to help prevent disease.

5. Plants

Plants are an important source of life in every ecosystem. Without plants, almost all other living organisms would cease to exist. Putting plants in your aquarium has several benefits. The main benefit is that your plants will help manage gases in the water. Everyone knows that plants provide oxygen, which is necessary to live, and consume carbon dioxide, which can be lethal to your fish. Having too much carbon dioxide in your water will make them lethargic, and they will not want to eat; this which will eventually lead to their death.

Another benefit of having plants is that they help you by consuming the ammonia that your fish produces. Having too much ammonia in your water can cause its PH levels to become unbalanced. If this happens, then your aquarium’s nitrogen content will go up, upsetting the Nitrogen Cycle.

6. Housing For Your Fish

One thing you should have in your tank is housing for your fish, in which they can stay for a while and rest. Try to use natural elements for this, if possible. Natural elements will help your fish to feel at home, and reduce the amount of stress that they endure. Rocks are a good form of housing, and can remind your fish of the ocean floor; another option is to use things like drift-wood. This can be easily obtained, and will add a natural housing element for your fish to live in.

Having an aquarium in your home can bring a sense of life into any decorative space, and can really tie a room together. The wonderful thing about aquariums is how versatile they are; they come in various shapes and sizes, so you can fit one almost anywhere. An aquarium will also bring color into your room, and maintaining it will be a great hobby for kids and families alike.

Providing an adequate aquatic ecosystem for your fish can seem daunting, but if you have the above mentioned things then you’re already off to a great start.