How to arrange an aquarium. Decorating an aquarium with plants Beautiful do-it-yourself aquarium

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, driftwood, 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 of natural conditions for keeping 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. The natural habitat of most African cichlids is 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 about the decorative properties of the 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. An 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 emit harmful substances into the water. 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 "useful 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 - the seabed. 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. The aquarium is imbued with a marine 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 design 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 the maximum amount of 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 an aquarium, do-it-yourself decoration is carried out only after preliminary processing of all previously collected material in order to disinfect 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 aquarium bottom soil, but pre-treatment of 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 treated driftwood and, after rinsing it with clean water, place it in the purchased tank for fish.

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 large-sized elements, such as stones, grottoes, etc., as 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 an important element of 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 materials at hand: small pebbles, driftwood and branches, polystyrene foam and polyurethane 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 the inside of the rear wall. If you want to get 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 the right lighting, because not only the appearance of the tank, but also the health of its inhabitants depends on it, since the strength of the luminous 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 plant world of 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 given in this article will help you get a clear idea of ​​​​the future interior decoration of the 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.

How to decorate an aquarium?

After buying an aquarium, the first question that arises is how best to decorate the aquarium. It takes imagination, careful planning, diligence and, of course, the desire to create a miracle to create a stunning design. I will give examples of aquarium design, talk about styles, materials and give useful tips that can help you in the future. I wish that your beautifully decorated aquarium will become the center of everyone's attention!

Back in the early days of aquarism, there was no suitable equipment and no specific information about aquarium design. Most kept their fish in ordinary jars, not even dreaming of more. But time passed and everything changed. The world of modern technology has brought automation and new trends in fashion. There was a whole direction in the design of aquariums, called aquascape. Now in the container you can recreate any natural environment, landscape, even fantastic. It all depends on the idea and the right material.

Design styles

Let's talk a little about styling. There are many of them in the world of decoration art, and each one is unique in some way. Let's consider only the main ones.

dutch style

The basis of the Dutch style is lush and dense thickets. About 12 plant species are involved in its formation. For depth perception, stem plants matched in color, texture and growth rate are planted in groups from the back wall to the front. A Dutch-style aquarium needs careful maintenance: periodic trimming of plants, supply of carbon dioxide, proper selection of fish and abundant bait for plants.

Nature style

Everything is clear here, nature and everything connected with it. It can be a mountain landscape, forest, field, lake or ocean. In creating a natural style, special emphasis is placed on the asymmetry of the forms of only natural materials and living plants (about 5 species).

Iwagumi Style (Rock Garden)

Pretty hard to play style. Its main features are correctly placed stones of similar textures and shapes in a large open space.

Pseudo-natural style

Pseudo-natural design of the aquarium is available even to a beginner. Quickly and without special financial costs. The aquarium contains ordinary soil, plants and fish. Lighting is either sunlight or weak fluorescent lamps. No carbon dioxide supply.

Pseudo-sea aquariums were invented by lovers of seascapes. The design is as close as possible to the seabed (corals, shells and other attributes), but freshwater fish live in a pseudo-marine aquarium.

Collector style

This style is also suitable for beginner aquarists. Its essence lies in the combination of a large number of different types of plants, from 15 or more. If in the Dutch style plants are planted in groups, then in the collector style everything is possible. All sizes and shapes are welcome.

Materials used in the design of aquariums

So, before proceeding with the design, decide which fish will live in it. After all, each needs its own individual features of the content. And it is precisely with this that we must reckon, and from here we should start. It is better to once again get acquainted with the habitat and preferences of future residents than to redo everything later. Materials for home improvement can be varied. The main technical nuance of all materials is non-toxicity. Let's look at some of them.

stones

Quite a significant element in decorating an aquarium are stones. They not only decorate, hide from prying eyes the installed technical means, but also serve as a shelter and substrate for some spawning fish. For aquariums, such stones are suitable: granite, basalt, gneiss, porphyry. In the design, it is better not to use dolomite, limestone, sandstone. They are only suitable for hard water aquariums. Good samples of stones can be found on the banks of lakes and rivers.

Before laying, the stones must be thoroughly washed and boiled. Be sure to check for lime and metal inclusions. To check the stone, just drop vinegar on it. If it sizzles, it means that the composition contains calcium carbonate contained in limestone. After checking, the stones are thoroughly washed again. If there is no time and desire to mess with the processing of stones, you can purchase them at a pet store.

Sharp-edged rocks should not be placed in the aquarium. This can cause your fish to get hurt.

All large stones, structures are placed on the bottom before filling the soil. To avoid damage to the bottom, it is recommended to lay sheets of plastic under large stones. Large decorative elements are best placed in the background or on the sides. You should not put a cobblestone in the center, which will only take away precious space. Vertical stone slabs can be stabilized with a silicone rubber based adhesive.

If the stones are small, they can be placed on the ground itself. But at the same time, it is worth remembering that a fish, undermining the ground, can be crushed by this stone. Basically, this type of decor is placed close to the walls of the aquarium or at a sufficient distance from them, so that the inhabitants of the aquarium do not get stuck. With the help of stone sealant, you can create various stepped compositions, bizarre caves.

Priming

Laying the soil is the next step in the design of the aquarium. Ground is an important element of decor. In addition to the aesthetic function, it serves as a substrate for plants, spawning and life of fish. Having chosen the necessary fraction, volume, you can proceed to the choice of color. Here, as your heart desires.

The soil can either fully match the color scheme of the aquarium, or radically differ. When buying at a pet store, pay attention to what it is painted with. After all, paint can dissolve in water over time.

The best primer is natural, not painted by anything. Before filling the soil, heaters or bottom filters should be installed. In places where plants will grow, a nutrient substrate is covered. High bottom relief can be created using terraces.

snags

Natural borders for the inhabitants of the aquarium can be created by placing wooden elements on the bottom. The specific texture of the wood will fit beautifully into the underwater landscape of the aquarium. Moss or other plants can be attached to the snags.

Can be used:

• dead tree roots;
• lying for many years in flowing waters;
• from firm breeds of a tree (a beech, an ash-tree, an alder, a willow, a maple).

Can not use:

• with rot and mold;
• tree roots from muddy places;
• contaminated with industrial and agricultural waste.

The tree is cleaned of dirt and bark. To reduce the buoyancy of driftwood, boil with salt for more than an hour, rinse and leave to lie in cold water. Water is periodically changed to fresh. After that, you can start designing.

Decorating an aquarium with shells

River and sea shells, of course, look natural and beautiful. But before you put them in the aquarium, they need to be processed. Small shells are thoroughly washed with water, and large shells are boiled for at least 30 minutes. It is not necessary to put a shell treated with varnish or other protective material in the aquarium. To avoid injury to fish, it is better not to choose specimens with sharp edges. Remember that shells and corals increase the hardness of the water.

Other subjects

The bottom of the aquarium can be decorated with an old castle, a sunken ship or a chest with colorful stones. Decorations can be very diverse. Glass vessels, ceramic or clay pots, or any other design. Plants growing in pots look original. You can diversify the color scheme of the aquarium by installing bottom aquarium lighting in the form of a volcano.

Artificial plants for aquariums

Pet stores are full of abundance and variety of artificial plants for the aquarium. Here you can buy everything. In terms of biological properties, artificial plants, of course, are inferior to natural ones. But with the help of them, even a beginner can decorate the aquarium quite quickly and in an original way. In addition, artificial plants have many advantages:

• quickly and easily cleared of algae;
• will never be eaten by the inhabitants;
• always look new;
• tolerant to the composition of water.

You can combine artificial and natural plants. So you visually expand, enrich the landscape, make it more vivid in perception, and at the same time maintain the biological balance in the aquarium.

Aquarium background

The first thing to do is decorate the background. This is usually the back wall. Two side walls can also be decorated. It all depends on the desire and the initial idea.

To create a background, you can use sheet backgrounds printed on a durable film. Photo wallpapers of different themes, colors, shades are sold by footage of different widths. It is better to take with a margin of several centimeters.

Attached, as a rule, from the outside. If the base is thin, then you can simply moisten it with water and carefully level it. If you plan to change the background often, then it is better to use tape. If desired, photo wallpapers for an aquarium can also be glued on the inside with a special sealant designed for this. But here certain inconveniences arise - the film, no matter how you glue it hermetically, will peel off in water.

You can add volume to the back wall using a relief background. It has gained a lot of popularity lately. The price for it is quite high, but still it is in considerable demand among aquarists. Attaches inside the aquarium with silicone adhesive.

As a background, you can lay out stones or put cork tiles.

The easiest way is to paint with paint. And anyone can. Since you will be painting the outside of the tank, the quality of the water and the health of the fish will not be affected in any way. But this method has its drawback. If you decide to redo something in the background design, then after coloring it will be more difficult to do.

What else you need to know about the aquarium:

Do-it-yourself aquarium decorations: underwater waterfall

A beautiful and mesmerizing sight will be the highlight of any aquarium. Before decorating, it is better to immediately write down all your wishes on a piece of paper, draw a detailed drawing, decide how high and where the underwater waterfall will be.

The role of falling water will be played by sand. Only very small and clean will do for a good visual effect. Here you will need to experiment with the selection. You will also need a tube with a sprayer. The waterfall will work on the principle of injection. Air bubbles rise up. From pressure, small grains of sand are drawn into the tube and, having risen up, fall. In order not to form a hill of crumbling sand, it is necessary to experimentally select the amount of material, air pressure and the diameter of the holes of the underwater waterfall.

Summing up

Whatever theme and style of aquarium design you choose, the main thing is that the reservoir should be comfortable for the life of its future inhabitants. All decorations must be made from durable and non-toxic materials. It is the fish that will be in the spotlight, and all other decorative attributes are only a harmonious addition to the interior, which should fade into the background. I wish you success in the design and creation of your individual underwater kingdom!

Do-it-yourself aquarium design with photo and video examples

AQUARIUM DESIGN - ORDER IN CHAOS!
aquascaping rules when designing an aquarium composition:
golden ratio, Fibonacci series, fractality of nature.

Many regular readers and forum users of FanFishka.ru know that recently I finally launched my Aman herbalist.
The motivation for creating such a beauty at home was the desire to prove that the Amano aquarium is “too tough” for everyone and everyone, that it is real, that it is not so difficult ...

And what is important is only a burning desire, zeal, patience, fanaticism, if you like ... And of course, a thirst for knowledge, experience, and most importantly, as Sensei Takashi Amano says, an idea!

At the moment, the created herbalist is "ripening", it will be corrected and corrected for errors. This will take 1-2 months, and in order not to waste precious time, I am starting a series of articles in which I will share my experience, knowledge and emotions. I really want to believe that my fuse and the burning flame of love for aquarism will be picked up by other guys, because this, in fact, is the ultimate goal of FF - to instill love for the world of aquarium fish.

At the same time, I want to say that I do not pretend to be sen-sei Amano. Like any person, I am mistaken, I am constantly learning and getting to know the world of aquarism. There is no perfection in aquarism, as, in fact, in life in general. The experience and opinion of everyone is important, the consolidation of aquarists is important. Both beginners and pros. In general, ask questions, criticize, advise!

So, it took me four months to create the herbalist. During this time, I shoveled so much information!!! I ran so much shopping !!! ... They probably don’t prepare for the wedding as much as I do for my herbalist))). And do you know what the main problem I'm having? The lack of clear, complete information on creating an ala`Amano style aquarium. Information is either scattered, or abrupt, or too abstruse. No tutorial, no examples, no step by step instructions. Let's fill this gap together!

In any fine art (painting, sculpture, architecture) there are many rules that are used to build a composition. Aquarium design is also an art! An artist creates with a brush, a sculptor with plaster… an aquarist with plants, soil, stones and driftwood! Many rules and principles for constructing a composition cannot be described in detail in one article. Therefore, I propose to talk only about the most important ones: the "Golden Ratio", "Fibonacci Numbers" and "Fractals of Nature".
I knew all the above rules before, like many of you. When you first get acquainted with these rules, you get the feeling that you are close to unraveling the question of being and the divine principle. You feel, so to speak, that you “touched God by the little finger”! This is not surprising, because everything that exists (living and not living, visible and not visible) is subject to these DIVINE RULES.

In this article I will try to explain in an accessible way the application of these rules when building an aquarium composition. And, of course, give examples. But, I ask you not to stop only on my article! On the Internet you will find a lot of mind-boggling worthy photos, videos and text materials on this topic!

The golden ratio in the aquarium

People distinguish objects around them by shape. Interest in the form of any object can be dictated by vital necessity, or it can also be caused by the beauty of the form. The form, which is based on a combination of symmetry and the golden section, contributes to the best visual perception and the appearance of a sense of beauty and harmony. The whole always consists of parts, parts of different sizes are in a certain relationship to each other and to the whole. The rule of the golden section is the highest manifestation of the structural and functional perfection of the whole and its parts in art, science, technology and nature. The golden ratio is a harmonic proportion!
I deliberately do not include all mathematical formulas and geometric constructions in the article in order to simplify the material as much as possible. However, it is impossible to do without them completely. Let's try to get the point.

golden ratio- this is such a proportional division of a segment into unequal parts, in which the entire segment relates to the larger part in the same way as the largest part relates to the smaller one. Or, in other words, the smaller segment is related to the larger one as the larger one is to the entire segment.

golden ratio(golden "divine" proportion, division in the extreme and average ratio) - the ratio of two quantities, equal to the ratio of their sum to the larger of these quantities. The approximate value of the golden ratio is 1.6180339887. In a percentage rounded value, this is the division of the value by 62% and 38%, respectively.

Golden ratio (proportion) - 1,618 they call it divine, because it is the “measurement” of everything that exists, from a worm to a person, from a snail to an elephant, from DNA to the structure of the Universe! On the net you can find many fascinating popular science films and programs on this topic. Take a look, you won't regret it.
In our (aquarium) article I will give only one example of the golden proportions in the human body.

Golden proportions in the face and hand,
lower in the body

I write and remember entertainment from my childhood. Once, I found out that the size of the foot is approximately equal to 1/8 of a person's height. When I said this in class, everyone grabbed the rulers like crazy and let's measure each other! But this is a simplified example of the golden ratio. The most interesting thing is that forensic experts, archaeologists and paleontologists work on the same principle when they restore a picture of the whole from parts and remains. Of course, everything is more serious there than “1.8 feet”, but the principle is the same - the “Golden Ratio” !!!
Now a little history. A person who has at least once heard of the golden ratio associates it with the name of Leonardo da Vinci. Leonardo really made a huge contribution to the world of art and to the knowledge of the Universal Rules. But, in fairness, it is worth noting that the golden ratio was already known in ancient Greece and in the time of the pharaohs.

Thousands of the best minds have worked on this issue! It is worth mentioning the name of the German professor Zeising (1855), who did a colossal job. He measured about two thousand human bodies and came to the conclusion that the golden ratio expresses the average statistical law. The division of the body by the navel point is the most important indicator of the golden section. The proportions of the male body fluctuate within the average ratio of 13: 8 = 1.625 and approach the golden ratio somewhat closer than the proportions of the female body, in relation to which the average value of the proportion is expressed in the ratio 8: 5 = 1.6. In a newborn, the proportion is 1: 1, by the age of 13 it is 1.6, and by the age of 21 it is equal to the male. The proportions of the golden section are also manifested in relation to other parts of the body - the length of the shoulder, forearm and hand, hand and fingers, etc. Curious! Fundamentally! Awesome!

SERIES OR FIBONACCI NUMBERS

The name of the Italian mathematician monk Leonardo from Pisa, better known as Fibonacci, is indirectly connected with the history of the golden section. He traveled a lot in the East, introduced Europe to Indian (Arabic) numerals. In 1202, his mathematical work "The Book of the Abacus" was published, in which all the problems known at that time were collected. One of the tasks read "How many pairs of rabbits in one year from one pair will be born." Reflecting on this topic, Fibonacci built the following series of numbers:

Months 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 etc.

Pairs of rabbits 0 1 1 2 3 5 8 13 21 34 55 89 144 etc.

A series of numbers 0, 1, 1, 2, 3, 5, 8, 13, 21, 34, 55, etc. known as the Fibonacci series. The peculiarity of the sequence of numbers is that each of its members, starting from the third, is equal to the sum of the previous two 2 + 3 = 5; 3 + 5 = 8; 5 + 8 = 13, 8 + 13 = 21; 13 + 21 \u003d 34, etc., and the ratio of adjacent numbers of the series approaches the ratio of the golden division. So, 21:34 = 0.617, and 34:55 = 0.618. This ratio is denoted by the symbol Ф. Only this ratio - 0.618: 0.382 - gives a continuous division of a straight line segment in the golden ratio, increasing it or decreasing it to infinity, when the smaller segment is related to the larger one as the larger one is to everything.

The Fibonacci series could have remained only a mathematical incident if it were not for the fact that all researchers of the golden division in the plant and animal world, not to mention art, invariably came to this series as an arithmetic expression of the golden division law.

The process makes a strong ejection into space, stops, releases a leaf, but is already shorter than the first one, again makes an ejection into space, but of lesser force, releases a leaf of an even smaller size and ejection again. If the first outlier is taken as 100 units, then the second is equal to 62 units, the third is 38, the fourth is 24, and so on. The length of the petals is also subject to the golden ratio. In growth, the conquest of space, the plant retained certain proportions. Its growth impulses gradually decreased in proportion to the golden ratio.

FRACTALITY OF NATURE AND AQUARIUM

The concept of fractality is more related to the geometry and visual display of the golden ratio and the Fibonacci series.

fractal(lat. fractus - crushed, broken, broken) - a mathematical set that has the property of self-similarity, that is, homogeneity in various measurement scales (any part of a fractal is similar to the entire set as a whole).

Well, and now "human language". Around every cell, every molecule of physical bodies there is an “endless space” of other cells and molecules. And in everything there is complete harmony - the harmony of fractal geometry.

Fractals are infinitely self-similar figures, each fragment of which is repeated when the scale is reduced. The term fractal means the presence of a subtle, repeating structure, both on the macro and micro scales of an object.
Fractality is manifested in everything! In galaxies and cells, in the structure of every bush and tree, snowflake and cloud. Even lightning is fractal. What can we say about the bending of the coastlines of the sea, lakes, mountains, fields, etc... After all, the rhythm of our heartbeat (cardiogram) is also a fractal!

Everything in space is fractal! And guess who's to blame? Of course, Fibonacci and his series 1, 1, 2, 3, 5, 8, 13, 21, 34, 55, 89, 144, 233, 377, 610, 987, 1597 ....))) Wherever you look in nature , a number series is viewed everywhere, where each subsequent number is the sum of the two previous ones.

You can watch how any plant sprouts from the ground, and you will be surprised to find that first one leaf appears, then two, a little later - three, then five ... eight ... thirteen. And never the other way!

Here is an elementary visual display of fractality

Here is a fractal in broccoli


But in the tree



I will give another example, take a single tree,

based on its single fractal structure, it is possible to determine how many and what kind of trees will be in the forest, where it stands.

The same is true in the aquarium trade - bush, to bush, pebble to pebble. In a word, there must be harmony! In the aquarium there should not be stones of different colors and textures, there should not be different snags. The decor elements themselves should not be the same in size, they should be installed in the right place, and not anyhow!

For a better understanding and visualization, below I propose to watch short videos about the golden ratio, the Fibonacci series and the fractal

ON THIS I OFFER TO FINISH THE THEORETICAL PART AND SMOOTHLY GO TO THE PRACTICE OF APPLICATION OF THE GAINED KNOWLEDGE IN AQUARIUMISTICS

From all of the above, we can conclude that everything in the world is subject to the above-described "divine rules". The design of an aquarium is an artificial recreation of a corner of wildlife. From this we can conclude: “In order for the artificial to be as close as possible to the divine, it is necessary to use these unshakable rules when designing an aquarium!”.

Take any work of art.

For example, a picture of I.I. Shishkin "Morning in a pine forest"

The author strictly followed the principles of the golden section. The main object is in a strong point, and all objects are located in golden triangles.

An aquarium is the same picture, which means that its design is directly dependent on the same rules as in the fine arts.

Let's look at how to find the golden ratio and strong points in the aquarium. After all, it is very important to decide where, in what place of the composition its center should be located.

So, back to the Fibonacci numbers 1,1,2,3,5,8,13…
To begin with, we divide the view glass of the aquarium into 3, 5 or 8 equal parts horizontally and vertically.
Note: My scape was made in an aquarium with panoramic glass. The process of finding strong points in this case becomes more complicated. I took a picture of my aquarium and determined the points from the photo. Do not forget that all schemes and techniques refer to the picture that the viewer sees, and not to the geometric dimensions of the can. First of all, it's about projection.

1:2 2:3 3:5

Then we select the axes dividing the whole into 3 and 5 equal parts.

And at the intersection of the axes we get a “strong point”.

There can be four such points in total. But, we must have one center! We choose any of them, and forget about the rest.
Below is a photo of Takashi Amano's design, in which the author skillfully places a contrasting, expressive center at the "strong point" of the aquarium

Here is another easy way to draw the golden ratio in an aquarium.
Measure the length of the aquarium and divide by 2.61803.
Example: Length = 800mm / 2.61803 = 305.57322mm (round off 305mm). The second segment, respectively, is 800mm - 305mm = 495mm.

We make marks, we draw a line. We carry out the same operation with the height of the aquarium.

Please note that the height does not need to be measured "to the very cover." Remember, there should be a picture - this is what a person sees. After that, you can draw other lines of intersection - "golden triangles".

Well, what next? And then ... the flight of your imagination, the flight of thoughts about placing your idea in the golden section of the aquarium ... First mentally, then twirling the extracted decor (stones, driftwood) in your hands, while imagining their combination with plants. And only then - in the aquarium itself))).

So let's sum it up! We have learned how to find a strong point in an aquarium composition, as well as how to draw golden lines and triangles. They will help us bring our idea to life. The knowledge gained will allow us to build the correct, harmonious design in our reservoir. An aquarium that will be based on the above principles will be natural, natural, beautiful and pleasing to the eye.
When building an aquarium composition, there are others, " lesser rules": the selection of plants, decorations, the order of placement of stones, the perspective and volume of the aquarium ... but, in fact, all of them are somehow connected with the fundamental "divine proportions" and the Fibonacci series.
I will definitely tell about these "less significant", but very important rules in the following articles.

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 passion and a few simple steps, you can create a real corner of wildlife in your room that will bring joy and give a great mood to both its owner and 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 spaces. 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. Registration in this way for quite a long time caused concern 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. The 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 the interior of the room, but also certain features of 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 underwater world of the 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 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, you need to remember some simple design rules. 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 pseudo-sea: decoration

The most beautiful seascapes and the vibrant underwater world of the seas and oceans are always exciting, they attract special attention and encourage some aquarists to create marine artificial aqua systems. However, a real marine aquarium is quite expensive, both in price and in terms of maintenance. That is why a special style of aquarism, the pseudo-sea, was created and is gaining more and more popularity in recent years.

Aquarium pseudo-sea - imitation of marine reality

First of all, it should be noted that we do not mean some separate aquariums, but a whole trend or style in aquarism, the main feature of which is the creation of the illusion of a marine aquatic environment with its living inhabitants and appropriate decorations.

Why illusion? Yes, because instead of real salty sea water in such a system there is fresh water, respectively, the inhabitants of this aqua house are freshwater. But thanks to special techniques, it is possible to achieve such a strong correspondence with the natural seascape that only specialists can calculate the illusion. An ordinary viewer can hardly distinguish a pseudo-sea aquarium from a real sea.

The pseudo-sea is free from all these conditions. This style allows you to create and diversify the interior of the aquarium according to your own imagination. But some general rules for the design of pseudo-marine aquatic systems, developed empirically, still exist.

The pseudo-sea aquarium can be implemented in two versions: in cold colors or in a warm tropical style. The choice of one or another option directly depends on the situation, the interior of the room.

The sea is well suited, for example, for a room where blue, red tones predominate. It can be a children's room, a living room that is not cluttered with furniture, or even a large bathroom. In a room furnished with massive brown (classic) furniture, a nautical theme is unlikely to fit in.

If you need to create a pseudo-sea in the office, then you should not install it in the manager’s office: such a conspicuous interior detail does not correspond to the business style and in a sense distracts visitors or subordinates. But in the reception room or in the general hall of the company, the seascape will be more appropriate, because it will create a benevolent emotional background.

There are no special requirements for the shape of the pseudo-sea: it can be round or oval, rectangular or in the form of a prism, flat or voluminous.

But experts advise choosing a larger capacity, from 100 liters and above. This is due to several circumstances.

• Firstly, African cichlids are often placed in a pseudo-marine aquarium (because of their bright colors), they need their own section of underwater territory.

• And secondly, the seascape provides for the presence of coral decorations, the size of which is far from small. However, in aquarism there is experience in organizing a small-volume pseudo-sea aquarium.

Lighting features

Unlike an ordinary aquarium, where the lighting serves mainly for the vital activity of plants, the light in the pseudo-sea plays an exclusively decorative role.

They try to make the lighting system such that the interior decorations look in the most advantageous way. That is why the main lamp is installed closer to the front glass panel.

There are no exact recommendations on the type of lamps, here each person chooses his own option, but in this particular case, fluorescent lamps that give cold light are more suitable. As an option: imported Power-Glo, Hagen LifeGlo, Sylvania Coralstar or Marine-Glo lamps, which are designed for both the sea and ordinary aquariums.

Currently on sale there are also special lamps exclusively for marine aquariums with the appropriate emission spectrum.

A pseudo-sea aquarium looks much more spectacular when using halogen lamps, which give a directional light. Some additionally install a neon lamp, when using which white decorative elements (corals, for example) visually become even whiter.

As a rule, two lamps located at the front panel and above the center are quite enough for a pseudo-sea. Lighting should not be too intense to prevent the development of algae and overgrowth of the walls. Some experienced owners of such an aquarium generally advise turning on the light for no longer than 5-6 hours a day.

Pseudomore: decoration

Perhaps this is the basis of aquariums of this type.

Background. The first thing to think about is the background with which the back wall is decorated (photographic film, photo wallpaper). As a rule, it is selected in blue. Of course, there are various variations - sea water with corals, sea fish, algae, scenes of underwater life, etc. Do not overload the background too much, because the main thing is the interior decoration in combination with fish.

As a ground most often natural marble chips are used, there are options for using artificial colored soil (glass beads, for example). But such a commercial substitute for natural soil has more disadvantages than advantages: most often it is toxic and does not perform the function of biofiltration of aquarium water, since bacteria do not settle in it. So, experts advise: either marble chips, or coarse sand.

scenery pseudo-seas are most often large sea shells, corals (natural or artificial), large stones, stone grottoes, caves, terraces. This does not mean, however, that the interior space should be cluttered. On the contrary, the overall composition should emphasize the central element around which the details are concentrated.

Plants. As a rule, in pseudo-marine aquariums there is no natural aquatic vegetation. Its decorative functions are performed by synthetic artificial plants, which are now produced by many companies specializing in aquarium accessories. For example, the German company Hagen produces original plastic plants specifically for marine aqua systems, as well as coral and shell simulators made of synthetic material - stadont.

What kind of fish is better to have?

Most often in such cases, African cichlids are planted. A logical question: why these cichlids? The thing is that the natural habitat of these fish is water with an alkaline pH balance, and in the pseudo-sea house for fish, a similar balance is created due to the limestone corals and shells located there.

Feel good in such an aquatic environment as red satin, mollies, swordtails. The beautiful cornflower blue haplochromis will fit perfectly into the pseudo-marine environment with a black background and bright lighting.

Simply put, they breed such fish that tolerate hard, slightly alkaline water well. Of course, the brighter the color of the living creature, the better.

The technical equipment of such a system is identical to a conventional aquarium: aquafilter, aerator, thermometer and other auxiliary equipment. But it should be borne in mind that natural vegetation does not participate in the processes occurring in the pseudo-sea. Therefore, it is necessary to install a powerful filter with all types and degrees of water purification - mechanical, biological, chemical.

The lack of natural vegetation can also negatively affect the condition of the soil, so this substrate should be siphoned more often. Periodically, it should be cleaned of the slightest hint of green algae and all decorative elements.

Don't forget to do water changes as well. This operation should be carried out weekly, replacing 15-20% of the total volume.

Aquarium - a thing motionless, he will not run away. Therefore, there is no need to rush to shoot it, you should carefully prepare, carefully look at the pseudo-sea through the camera display.

First of all, it would be useful to clean the front wall of green algae, adhering organic particles. Thus, the purity of the glass must be close to ideal, otherwise the picture will glare.

The same thing happens when taking pictures with a flash. It is best to shoot with off or subdued ambient lighting with maximum use of aquarium lighting. If there are light home furnishings next to the aquarium, then it is advisable to drape them with some dark material.

The conclusion suggests itself: it is better to photograph a pseudo-marine aquarium in the dark. And indeed it is.

Of course, the beauty and attractiveness of the pseudo-sea cannot be compared with a real marine reef aquarium. However, attempts to recreate a natural seascape can lead to brilliant results.

Video from professional aquarists: how to arrange a pseudo-sea.

The aquarium can rightfully be considered one of the most interesting elements of the interior. The design of the premises with its help allows not only to effectively decorate the room and emphasize individuality, but also to change the overall design. When creating works of art, quite affordable materials and simple techniques are most often used. In order to start decorating an aquarium with your own hands, you need to choose the main style that you should adhere to throughout the entire work.

General rules for decorating an aquarium with your own hands

In decorating, as in any other activity, there are certain well-established execution techniques. When creating decorations for an aquarium with your own hands, you should follow the simplest rules that will make the work easier and safer. These should include:

• before performing work, move the fish to another vessel filled with water. Subsequently it is preferable to use the same water, for this, pour half the contents to where the fish will wait, and after completion of the work, return the water back;
• the aquarium is completely cleaned, including all parts that cannot be replaced;
• items for installation inside should also be processed;
• after installing all the elements, make sure everything is securely fastened.

The main styles of aquarium design

Whatever the chosen style, the basics of decorating can be reduced to several ways:

• decoration with the help of natural and artificial objects;
• background work;
• use of backlight.

These three tools represent opportunities for a wide scope of imagination and the implementation of the most daring ideas with your own hands. Making an aquarium can be a very inexpensive process if you use items found or made on your own. In addition, different stylistic trends require different accessibility interior items.

In our country, the Dutch style is often used in the design. The direction that came to us from the Netherlands immediately fell in love with fans of keeping fish. The decoration is based on groups of plants planted throughout the aquarium in groups, from large to small. To create such an interior inside the water world with your own hands, you need to plant plants at a distance of 10 cm from each other, this will allow them to grow and not interfere with each other. You can give brightness to the aquarium by use of algae of various colors by combining them at your discretion.

No less beautiful can be called a Japanese style called "Rock Garden". Such an aquarium will ideally fit into minimalist or high-tech interiors, giving them a special atmosphere of comfort. The basis here is the feeling of spaciousness, achieved through the use of a minimum of details. Most often, bright soil and 3-4 large stones are used for decoration, located in the center and creating a feeling of rock fragments. Also, figures of ships or statues in a single copy are often used.

Marine style is full of shells, corals, reef fragments, everything that is often found in the real ocean. Right here perfect sunken schooner, treasure chest or sea monster cave. It is better to choose cold tones as lighting here, and make the background darker, this will give a complete sense of immersion.

The most interesting is the antique style of the aquarium. Small copies of monuments and architectural elements of the ancient world are used here as decorations. When designing an aquarium that meets the latest trends, Greek motifs are often used, however, you can also use ancient Slavic objects, something related to the Maya or Egypt. Such decorations will emphasize individuality and make the aquarium unique.

When designing the interior of the aquarium, you need to pay attention to the following points:

Interesting Aquarium Decoration Ideas

Making an aquarium with your own hands, it is possible to make it unique, for example, by creating a mini-waterfall inside. This effect can be achieved by drawing a light stripe on a dark stone with a porous sponge. For more complex falsification, sand is used. With the help of a compressor, it is blown out, simulating the movement of water flows. The precipitated sand is collected in a tank and the process is repeated.

A voluminous background will look advantageous. Decoration is easy to do by yourself, material can be foam, which effortlessly takes the form of stones and rocks. You can make the result smooth by firing, in the process the ornament will fuse and get a smooth outline. The product is processed with cement grade 500, then it is sprinkled with sand and tinted with a collector. It is best to fix the decoration with a sealant.

Thematic decorations for the holidays will make a huge variety, for example, a Christmas tree for the New Year or a small cupid for Valentine's Day will surprise your guests and make the design unique. These elements are installed in the aquarium with their own hands quite simply and bring a lot of joy, creating a festive atmosphere.

An aquarium, designed independently, will bring many pleasant moments of joy and tranquility. With the proper approach, do-it-yourself decoration will leave only positive emotions and a long memory of a pleasant pastime. You can change the interior inside a small water world quite often, the main thing is do not forget about the quality of materials and safety its inhabitants.

Making an aquarium with your own hands will not only give additional comfort to the fish, but will also be able to decorate the interior of your home. In order for the decor not to be too mediocre, we have prepared the most stylish ideas, photos and videos for your inspiration.

Choosing the Right Style

There are many styles for decorating an aquarium. The most popular are Dutch, Japanese and marine. Let's consider each of them in a little more detail.

Dutch

It implies decoration with a variety of aquarium plants, which are planted from the back of the tank to the front. Aquariums decorated in the Dutch style look really impressive and for good reason this option is very popular. You can choose any underwater plants, most often they are planted in small groups every 10-12 cm 2 (depending on the volume of the aquarium).

The combination of green, red and brown colors of algae looks beautiful. In the Dutch style, the emphasis is on flora, so a large number of plant species is only welcome. The main thing is that all of them are appropriate, and the decor does not look tasteless. You can see successful examples of do-it-yourself design in this style in the photo below:

Japanese

Unlike the previous version, the Japanese aquarium style does not require a large number of plants. The emphasis in the design of the aquarium is placed on large stones, low-growing algae and the use of moss. This option is suitable for lovers of minimalism in the interior.

Japanese-style decoration looks very unusual and attracts the admiring glances of most people. It seems that you are looking at a real landscape in miniature, only instead of birds in the "sky" fish swim. Some experts add spectacular bonsai made from driftwood and moss to underwater decor. Such a realistic direction even received a special name - aquascaping.

Nautical

In the design of the aquarium, the marine style is the most common, but far from the most boring. It is here that you can show your imagination in full force, because you can make the so-called "pseudo-sea". Artificial corals, shells, pebbles and various algae remain the most popular decorative elements.

For decoration in a marine style, it is also advisable to use a variety of props from a pet store. A sunken ship, a treasure chest and even a miniature scuba diver in a suit - all this will undoubtedly look advantageous in a large-volume aquarium of 200-300 liters.

Some nautical style fans are also setting up the sunken island of Atlantis in the fish house. The decor elements in this case are a castle with towers, a grotto and statues. It turns out very effectively, beautifully and not at all corny. You can verify this after viewing the photo of the “pseudo-sea” design in the aquarium:

Decor elements

Remember that an aquarium can both emphasize the unique interior of your home and make it tasteless. To prevent this from happening, you need to carefully consider all the elements of underwater decor with your own hands.

Priming

Sand, pebbles, granite and some other volcanic rocks can be used as soil for an aquarium tank. After filling the base with a thickness of 4-5 cm, you can start decorating the bottom with various stones and shells as you wish. Please note that decorative elements found on your own need heat treatment (boiling or calcining on an oven).

The color of the soil should be combined with the overall style of the aquarium. A good choice for decoration is the choice of a white shade, as it reflects artificial light and puts a favorable accent on the entire composition. However, if you want to recreate the underwater world in miniature, then black, brown or dark gray colors are more suitable.

Decorations

You can decorate the aquarium beautifully with the help of ordinary driftwood. You can purchase a suitable piece of wood from a pet store or find one yourself. If you like the second option more, then be sure to consider some features:

1. The driftwood should be strong and without coloring properties.
2. To kill pests, place the wood in a salt solution for several hours.
3. After disinfection, be sure to boil the snag in fresh water several times.
4. Soak a piece of wood in water for two to three days, while periodically changing this water to fresh.

In this way, you can make the driftwood safe for fish and other inhabitants of the aquarium. DIY decor also uses real and artificial plants, stones, Javanese moss or figurines. Choosing the right decorations will be much easier once you've decided on your aquarium style.

An interesting idea is to decorate the background of the aquarium. This is done using double-sided tape and a special film from the pet store. The image can be anything: from the standard underwater world to realistic mountain landscapes. This decision helps to make the decor the most complete.

Making an aquarium with your own hands brings unforgettable pleasure, because it's so nice to feel like a real landscape designer. We hope that we were able to surprise you with colorful photos and inspire you to new achievements!

Finally, we suggest watching a video with step-by-step instructions for decorating an aquarium from improvised means:

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

Clay shards, ceramic tubes of different diameters can be used as such (large ones like to be occupied by catfish and loaches, small ones - 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 dark-colored film or with a discreet natural pattern behind the back wall from the outside, 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 of various shapes or ceramic tiles to the back wall on silicone. 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.

Besides the fact that a beautifully designed aquarium is the dream of every pet fish lover, it is also an original way to decorate the room. It can act both as a room decoration and serve as a stylish partition for zoning space. To turn this interior element into a real work of art, you need to familiarize yourself with the principles and styles of decorating an aquarium with your own hands.

Modern aquariums are not only a corner of wildlife, but a full-fledged work of art in your home.

Basic aquarium design styles

dutch style

This trend originated in the Netherlands in the thirties of the last century, and since then has managed to acquire a large number of followers. Usually a large number of different types of plants (10-12) are used, which are planted in groups from the back of the aquarium to the front.

In the Dutch style, plants are usually divided into three groups: plants of the foreground, middle and background.

A certain plant should grow on every ten square centimeters of the bottom - this makes it possible for the plants not to shade or cover each other. The Dutch direction in aquarism implies an emphasis on green, brown and red algae.

The combination of green and pink plants creates a wonderfully soothing contrast.

Japanese rock garden

An aquarium in this style fits perfectly into minimalist and high-tech interiors. The emphasis is on spaciousness and the feeling of free space. Stones of unusual shapes and not too lush algae are used. Usually there are four stones in the aquarium, each of which has a symbolic meaning: the main one, two additional ones and the so-called sacrificial stone. It is recommended to use stones that are similar in shape and texture.

A flock of small fish swimming above the fragments of rocks creates a feeling of freedom and spaciousness.

Sea style

Corals, shells, reef fragments come from the sea or ocean. You can also use decor in the form of miniature sunken schooners and treasure chests. The use of cold fluorescent lamps is encouraged, giving a pale blue light.

Marine aquariums are considered to be the most picturesque of all types of aquariums.

Collector style

It is supposed to use a large number of different types of plants (from fifteen), which can grow not only in groups, but also in a chaotic manner. Unlike its Dutch counterpart, the collector style involves the use of any, not just stem plants.

Among freshwater aquariums, the collector style is the most common.

The main elements of the design of the aquarium

Priming

Most often, sand, crushed volcanic rock, basalt, gravel, gneiss, granite, porphyry act as a substrate for an aquarium. The choice of one or another type of soil should be based on the properties of its composition: the more stones containing calcium in it, the harder the water will be as a result.

Light soil reflects light well, which greatly enhances the composition.

Freshwater shrimp of different colors look very interesting

Tip: to check the suitability of the substrate, use acetic acid, which must be dropped onto the pebble. If the vinegar foams and hisses, then the stone contains lime - such material is not suitable for decorating an aquarium.

Today you can create a model of almost any body of water in the world at home

Clean, clear water, light soil and goldfish will create an amazing and beautiful picture.

If you want to decorate the home of the fish with stones found by yourself, boil them before lowering the find into the aquarium.

Multi-colored fish look very impressive against the background of driftwood and light soil.

Using well-chosen stones and any carpet plant, you will get a beautiful minimalist design.

Background

The easiest way to decorate the back wall of the aquarium is to use a film that is sold at any pet store and is attached to double-sided tape. You can also use Javanese moss, driftwood, purchased miniature castles or statues to decorate the background.

Thanks to the film applied on the back wall, your underwater design will look completely finished.

The background perfectly imitates a natural sheer cliff.

snags

Wooden elements are needed in the aquarium not only to decorate it, but to create shelters for the fish. Of course, you can buy ready-made driftwood at the pet store, but it is much more interesting to prepare it yourself. And for the inhabitants of your indoor water world, this will be much more useful, since some fish do not feel comfortable in hard water, and natural driftwood can soften it.

A wooden snag can perfectly serve as the central element of the whole composition.

Tip: when designing an aquarium with your own hands, not every piece of wood found in a nearby park can be used. For example, it is better to refuse oak, as its wood produces tannins that strongly stain the water. A rotten or rotten snag is not suitable for decorating an aquarium.

A magnificent imitation of underwater roots is created by well-chosen snags.

Preparing driftwood for immersion in an aquarium boils down to the following:

• you need to peel it off the remnants of the bark;
• saw off or chop loose areas;
• place the snag in a container of water and boil with the addition of a small amount of potassium permanganate. The heat treatment time depends on the size of the driftwood;
• so that the wooden decoration does not float to the surface of the aquarium, it is advised to add a large amount of salt to the water (the salt should stop dissolving) and boil the driftwood for about an hour. After boiling, you need to rinse it from salt and let it cool at room temperature.

When the snag is ready, it is placed in the aquarium. It is advisable to do this before planting the plants and filling the tank with water.

Three elements of the core of the whole composition - soil, stones and driftwood are already waiting for the aquarium to be filled with water.

Red discus look great against the background of white sand and driftwood of juicy woody color.

java moss

This plant is able to give aquarium decor elements a touch of completeness and naturalness. Java moss is easy to care for and easy to grow. The only thing it requires for normal growth is an established carbon dioxide supply system.

Java moss is used to create vegetation on an underwater floating island

As for the degree of illumination of the aquarium, Java moss takes root in any light. If its level is low, the moss has a light shade and an elongated shape. With sufficient lighting, it will have a more accurate shape and dense structure.

Thanks to Javanese moss, numerous crowns of the underwater landscape have been created.

Tip: when planting Javanese moss on stones or driftwood, you can fix it with cotton thread or fishing line: the first will rot over time, the second will remain forever, but will not be visible due to its transparency.

An underwater bonsai is created from a suitable shape of driftwood and a crown of Javanese moss

underwater waterfall

How to arrange an aquarium with your own hands in such a way that it is guaranteed to attract attention? You can use the waterfall effect in it. Of course, this is just an illusion, but the effect of it is simply stunning.

The waterfall effect is created thanks to the contrasting white vein in the dark-colored stone.

To create an underwater waterfall, you will need a tube with a constantly supplied air and fine clean sand. The illusion of falling water is achieved by the movement of grains of sand, which are blown out by the air stream.

The whole composition plays an important role in creating the illusion of a waterfall.

Decoration of the aquarium 200 liters

A two hundred liter aquarium is good because all styles are suitable for its design - due to its large dimensions, such a water tank will not seem too full of decorative details, even if it is a Dutch or collector style design. Microsorum, Anubiasbarterivar, Caladiifolia and Pogostemonhelferi plants look good in a two hundred liter tank.

The large volume of the aquarium is a great help for design experiments.

A two hundred liter aquarium looks great if you arrange it in the minimalist style of a Japanese rock garden, because spacious aquariums are suitable for bringing it to life.

Light stones covered with greenery create the impression of a real mountain landscape.

Decoration of the aquarium 100 liters

It is on such an aquarium that it is easiest for novice lovers of indoor fish to comprehend the basics of aquarism. A 100 liter tank should not be overfilled to keep the water clear longer, so it is better to bet on plants such as Monosolenium, Cladophora and Egeria Densa.

In an aquarium with a volume of 100 liters, it is worth paying special attention not only to design, but also to living inhabitants.

Imitation of the rainforest, created using snags and dense greenery

Green meadow with overhanging thickets

A 100 liter aquarium looks great with a background of dark green Javanese moss, dark gravel and a couple of medium-sized driftwood.

Decoration of the aquarium 50 liters

Since 50 liter tanks are mostly purchased by beginners in the aquarium trade, most pet stores offer such tanks with a ready-made set of accessories. And most often the included lamp for such an aquarium is not powerful enough. That is why slow growing plants that do not need a lot of light are well suited for a small container - in particular, Microsorum.

A small and secluded backwater in your aquarium

Since the volume of a 50 liter aquarium is relatively small, care must be taken to ensure that algae does not grow too much. To do this, you will have to regularly trim them.

Aquariums are an opportunity to create a wonderful world, a world that will delight and soothe you.

conclusions

Making an aquarium with your own hands- a difficult, but very interesting task. A tastefully decorated aquarium can bring a touch of peace, coolness and wildlife to the interior.