Aquarium decor for distinction

Nov 19, 2010

FEW things are more rewarding for a home owner than combining one of their hobbies with home improvement. If you love fish and aquatic life, you should install an aquarium that will help you share this passion with your friends and family.

By Halima Shaban

FEW things are more rewarding for a home owner than combining one of their hobbies with home improvement. If you love fish and aquatic life, you should install an aquarium that will help you share this passion with your friends and family.

Aquariums are popular decorative features in homes, offices and hotels. They can be beautiful facsimiles of exotic underwater environments.

Besides being fascinating to look at, aquariums provide a tranquilising element in a world filled with stress.

Ismail Ssali, an aquarist in Kampala, says while installing an aquarium, an aquarist can give you suggestions on what types of settings match your home.

He says the first thing to consider is the size of the aquarium you want. If you are trying to fill a specific location in your home, you will have to buy what fits best in that spot.

He says the basic equipment for an aquarium includes a cover or hood for the tank, a pump, a heater, a filter, a light source, a thermometer, and various decorative items, such as gravel, plants and rocks.

Maintenance
Ssali says regular aquarium maintenance is very important in order to create a healthy environment for the fish and other plants in the aquarium. “The main objective is to clean waste, check chemical balance, and check the water PH,” he says

Jackson Kasule, an aquarist, says many aquariums require a pump to keep the fish healthy. An aquarium filter will help to keep the water clean and healthy.

“Clean and healthy water will help in keeping fish healthy and it may even extend their life,” he says.

Kasule says avoid over-feeding the fish.

“Feeding twice a day, once in the morning and once in the evening is enough. Although the amount of food depends on the fish type and population, it is advisable to feed only as much as the fish can finish up,” he says.

Ssali says in a home, it is likely that the tank will always stay at or around room temperature. He says some aquariums require heaters. A heater can be used to help keep fish at a comfortable heated water level similar to room temperature.

Kasule says aquarium owners are also likely to purchase lighting fixtures for their tank. These fixtures are often used for decoration or to provide a small amount of light at night.

Ssali cautions against using detergents or chemical soap to clean the aquarium.

“Simple items such as plants or stones can be purchased. There are even decorations that allow fish to swim in or through them,” he says.

Ssali says when buying fish, one should consider its requirements and compatibilities.

He says different types of fish have different requirements. One should check the fish compatibility with the tank environment and other fish in the aquarium. Majority of the fish types cannot be kept together.

Kasule says the aquarium will need to be near an electrical outlet but not too close to external heat sources.

“Too much light can promote the growth of too much algae in the tank, turning the water green. It can also raise the water temperature to levels that kill the fish,” he says.

He adds that algae supply oxygen and serve as food for the fish but too much algae becomes an irritant to the fish, plants and other living organisms in the tank.

“If left uncontrolled, it may change the water PH and nutrient composition,” he says.

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