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23 May 2014

Aquascaping For Beginners

Posted By : Guest

Filed Under : Aquatics | Tropical Aquariums | Fish | Aquascaping | Aquael

So you’re new to the art of aquascaping and want to delve deeper into this beautiful new world, but have no idea where to start. It can be very intimidating and confusing for someone who knows nothing about how to keep fish. There’s a lot to think about, more than you expect and the biggest advice to anyone starting out would be to do your research first before rushing into any decision making.

When thinking about your setup, the choices you make in certain areas will influence what choices you should be making in others. For example, certain types of fish will require a certain size tank to give them the freedom they need. If you plan on keeping live plants too, this will effect what substrate you choose. Your choice of plants may depend on whether the fish you’ve chosen are shy and need shelter under larger leaves. Depending on what plants you’ve chosen, you may need strong lighting and so on. Balance is the key and it may take awhile before you come up with something in your head that not only works, but you’re happy with. The following is a basic rundown of things you’ll need to consider before starting out.

Aquarium size

I’d recommend you start off with a smaller fish tank. This will keep costs down. Anything up to 72 litres would be considered small. If you go larger than this, the cost of your setup is going to increase also. You need to take into account where the tank itself will be sitting in your home. It is very easy to underestimate the weight of your tank after it has been filled with water and rocks. The recommended option is to buy an aquarium stand that is purpose built for the task at hand. A stand like this can seem pricey for what you’re getting, but they’re made to take the weight. You can do without one if you own a strong enough piece of furniture, but this is a choice you must make before you think about buying your first tank.

We recommend to start off with an AquaEl Brillux 60 which is a 72 litre tank and measures 60cm x 30cm x 40cm (length, depth, height) It’s considered small, but it’s large enough to create a beautiful aquascape with room for rocks, plants and small fish like Tetras. The AquaEl Brillux is sold as a kit which comes complete with filtration, correct lighting and heater as well as other small goodies in the form of food and water treatment sachets as pictured below.

Fish

Whether they be tropical or coldwater, it’s fun reading and learning about fish you’ve never heard of before. It’s just as easy to fall in love with several species only to discover they won’t all get along with each other in the same tank. Large fish may pick on smaller ones. Some may even eat others. Redtail sharks for example are best kept in larger tanks where they can mark a territory for themselves and are best kept singularly. Other fish that may have lived happily together for several months, may begin attacking one another once they’re older and their attitudes have developed. There are so many varieties that it would be impossible to list all of the options. Visit your local pet store and see what types they have. The internet, fishkeeping forums and books are useful too. Forums are especially helpful because members can give you first hand advice and experience they’ve had themselves. You'll spend a long time reading about fish, their environments, behaviour and their compatibility so you can create a safe and well balanced world in which they can live. It pays in the end. Your fish will love you for it.

How many fish can you keep in your tank? This depends on your tank size and depends on how big your fish are going to be once they’re adult. Fish can outgrow their tank so this needs to be taken into account if you don’t have another tank to move them into. There are guidelines out there for deciding how many fish can fit in your aquarium and many conflicting reports on what you can and can’t do. My advice on this topic would be to seek someone that has kept fish themselves for many years and take their advice. Start small. One trap that many people fall into is buying too many fish in the beginning. It’s better to start with too few, because you can add more later if you want to. There’s always a limit so make sure you understand your own particular setup.

Oto catfish (Otocinclus) and some types of shrimp are great algae eaters. They do a good job of cleaning your tank and are fascinating to watch.

Aquascaping: Plants

Live plants provide natural beauty when given the time they need to establish. There’s no substitute to live planting. They are simply stunning and again there are so many species to choose from. Be aware that some need strong lighting to thrive properly while some plants prefer low lighting and are considered low maintenance. If your tank is deep, you need to think about whether the lighting in your tank is strong enough to penetrate right to the bottom for smaller plants. When starting out, choose beginner plants that are slow growing and don’t require a lot of attention.

Planting tools such as pincers and scissors will help greatly when adding and maintaining plants in your aquarium.

Aquascaping: Substrate

Substrate is the term used for the material laying in the bottom of your tank, for example, gravel or sand. Basic gravel can be used in aquariums that have no live planting and is widely available, but you’ll need something that packs a bigger punch if you’re intending to keep live plants. Fertilizer substrate includes nutrients that plants need to sustain growth and thrive in the aquarium. It’s not a case of sand or gravel. You can use both if you wish to have a planted tank with a sandy beach area too.

A gravel cleaner is a must have tool for the aquarium. Not only does it provide a way of removing water from the tank during a water change, but it cleans the substrate at the same time.

Aquascaping: Decor

Hardscape can be anything from fake plants and ornaments, to real rocks and wood. They’re mainly for decorative purposes, but can also provide shelter for your fish too. You cannot put anything in your tank to decorate it. It must be safe for the aquarium. Real materials like rocks and wood can be used, but if you’re using materials you’ve found outside in your local area, please do your research first before adding them to your tank as they could pollute the water. Some types of rock and wood can be made safe by boiling them first to remove any harmful toxins. Even hardscape bought from specialist dealers can still affect the quality of your water. Seiryu stone is a popular choice, but it can raise the pH and hardness of the water, which may be harmful to fish and plants. On the other hand, Yamaya stone, will not have an effect on the water and can safely be added to the aquarium without having to worry.

Wood is another form of hardscape and comes in several varieties. Even here, care is needed. Some wood types, such as Bogwood, can release tannins which turn the water murky and unclear. The release of tannins into the water can be avoided by boiling the wood for long periods of time and soaking for several days before adding to your tank.

Let your imagination shine. Rocks and wood can be used to create stunning aquascapes that mimic the natural habitats of fish. Look at images online to guide you.

CO2

If you’ve chosen a tank with high lighting and intend to keep live plants, you may want to consider giving plant growth an added boost by using CO2. All plant life need carbon. Having strong lighting without CO2 can result in high algae growth which you don’t want. Add an extra source of carbon and your plants will grow more rapidly and algae growth will be reduced. There are two ways to introduce more carbon to your tank. Gas CO2 and liquid carbon. Liquid carbon fertilizers are less efficient. Plant growth will be slower, but it costs less than using gas injection and can still reduce the growth of algae. Having a gas injected source of CO2 is more expensive, but plant growth will be much quicker. This means your plants will need regular pruning to keep them maintained. In smaller tanks you can do without the added source of CO2 in some cases. I’d recommend looking more into it before spending a lot of money on something you may be able to do without.

If you’re on a low budget, CO2 is probably not an option for you. You can still create a beautiful aquascape without it by choosing the right plants and correct lighting.

Filtration

Having an aquarium filter installed is an essential part of keeping an aquarium. Water is sucked into the filter via the inlet and then pushed back out into the tank via the outlet, thus creating a constant cycle of water. This movement of water creates oxygen. It also creates the biological filtration that a tank needs to keep a stable water chemistry. Fish should only be added to a tank once a fishless cycle has been completed. This process allows the filter system to build up a source of good bacteria that eats up nitrates and ammonia in the water when it passes through the filter. Nitrates and ammonia can prove to be fatal for your fish if left unchecked.

You can buy an internal or an external filter. Internal filters can take up more space in your tank and can look a little bulky and invasive if you’re trying to create a natural, clean setup. External filters are more expensive and need to sit somewhere outside of the tank, either on the floor or tucked away in a cabinet. They do the same job but are more efficient and in my opinion are easier to clean out and can make less noise than some internal filters. Internal filters are perfectly capable of doing their job and are probably recommended for the beginner. The Aquael Brillux tanks come with high quality internal filter as shown in photo below.

Extension leads and socket timers can be useful for anyone wishing to set up an aquarium. The timers can be used for turning the lights on and off at regular intervals so your fish can get into a routine.

Heater

Heaters are needed when keeping tropical fish. The heater sits inside the tank under the surface of the water and will heat the aquarium to a certain temperature. This temperature will depend on the fish you have and is something to consider before mixing different types of fish. Heaters are usually placed in an upright position, though some are designed to lay horizontally in the tank.

Some filters have a heater built into the system, but I’d recommend buying one seperately. They’re far cheaper and it can easily be replaced if something goes wrong.

Maintenance

Water changes are essential. You’ll be doing them more frequently in the early going to help establish a safe environment inside your tank. Once everything is balanced correctly you may only need to change around 30% of the water on a weekly basis. This can take ten minutes of your time depending on the size of your tank and the equipment you use. You can use tap water to fill your tank, but not directly. The tap water must first be treated to make it safe for the fish and plants. Water conditioners remove any chlorine or traces of copper from the water. Tap water must also be the correct temperature for your fish before adding it to the tank as slight changes in water temperature can stress or even kill your fish. Water changes are essential to remove harmful toxins that build up in the tank and help reduce algae growth. They keep the water looking crystal clear and provide a better quality of life for your fish.

Water test kits are a way of monitoring things like ammonia, nitrates and pH and are vital when starting out. Thermometers will help you keep your temperature in check.
Internal filters come supplied with bioballs. Replace the bioballs with better quality bio filter media with larger surface area such as MarinePure balls. This will reduce tank maintenance by improving the nitrogen cycle in your tank and your fish will be more healthy.

Aquascape hobbyists trade plants, conduct contests, and share photographs and information via the Internet. Before starting your aquascape it is best to look at other aquascapes that have been created, the video below should provide some great inspiration.

All of this may seem daunting, but it’s worth looking into further before you rush out and make a purchase of any kind. A well balanced aquarium will be easier to maintain and your fish will be much happier. It takes a lot of effort, but the end result is worth the time you spend researching. Aquascaping is a beautiful hobby, the variations you can have are endless and creating a natural looking habitat for fish is truly rewarding.

Good luck!

Tags : Aquascaping For Beginners in South Africa , Aquael Brillux , Fish Tank , Planted Tropical Aquarium Tank