Aquascaping Supplies: What You Will Need

Aquascaping is an Art and the only major limitation to what you can do is your imagination and the Aquascaping Supplies at your disposal.

Different tanks and aquariums will be best suited for different aquascaping methods, tools and supplies. It is recommended that you first put your idea on paper by sketching the look you intend to achieve.
 
If you are not good at sketches you can search online for a picture of an aquarium which you feel portrays your intended outcome. This will save you time and money as you will be sure to buy only the supplies you need.
 

When you are constructing a freshwater aquarium at home, you need to make sure that you are purchasing the best supplies. However, purchasing these supplies will be an overwhelming job to do as well.

That’s because you can find many different options available out there in the market. This is where we thought of letting you know about some useful tips, which you can keep in mind at the time of the supplies that you need.

How to Select the Aquarium

As the first thing, you need to understand how to select your aquarium. This is one of the most exciting things that you do. Hence, there is a high possibility for you to make incorrect decisions. You need to take a look at the size and shape of the aquarium.

That’s because it should fit your room and it should match your preferences. If you are looking forward to getting the aquarium to a corner of your room, you can get a three-sided tank. Then you can make it fit perfectly well into the corner.

You need to be mindful of the shape of the aquarium that you purchase as well. For example, an aquarium that comes along with a large surface area will provide you with the opportunity to ensure better surface gas exchange. On the other hand, it will also provide the ability for oxygen to get into water easily.

On top of everything, you need to check the ease of aquascaping offered by the tank. Then you will be able to go ahead with all the specific requirements that you have and end up with effective results at the end of the day. For example, if you can go ahead with a wider rank, you will be able to keep more plants and decor.

Vital Aquascaping Supplies to Get the Job Done

The Substrate

Gravel is the most commonly used substrate for aquariums. For the safety of fish and other pets, the gravel should not have sharp edges.

When it comes to aquascaping supplies, substrate holds a prominent place. That’s because the substrate is in a position to contribute to the biological filtration that you have within the tank. Along with that, you will be able to reduce the load of the filter effect.

At the time of buying substrate, you need to understand what you really need to get. For example, you can make the choice from different materials such as gravel, rocks, sand and river stones. Or else, you can even think about going forward with no substrate at all as well.

The substrate that you get to the aquarium should match the fish that you have as well. For example, if you are getting catfish to the home aquarium, you need to purchase a smooth substrate.

This is where you can go ahead with the small rounded pebbles. This substrate will never irritate the skin of the catfish that you have.

Artificial Aquascaping Plants (Fake or Real or a combination of both)

These are great as they have zero maintenance once placed in the tank. When sourcing for artificial plants you are free to choose from a wide range of colors including those not readily available in nature.

These artificial plants also come in handy for those of us who may not have a knack for handling live plants.

Live Plants

Plants help keep your water oxygenated and also provide nooks and crannies for your fish to shelter and play in.

They also greatly enhance the aesthetics of your tank and they will take different forms and shapes as they grow. This is unlike the plastics ones which can get boring after a short while as they remain static.

Choosing the right plants for your aquarium will prevent maintenance headaches later.

Best Plants for your aquarium:

1. Water wisteria

This one plant will give you an easy time maintaining your Aquarium. It will help generate oxygen for your tank and also provides a great playing environment for your pets.

2. Dwarf Aquarium Lily

The Dwarf Tiger Lily is a hardy aquatic plant that will not die off easily. It is also easy to transplant due to its high survival rate.

3. African Water Fern

This is a plant that is widely popular due to its decorative nature and will greatly enhance the look of your aquarium.

4. Java Fern

This is a relatively affordable plant which is also widely available. You will often find it being sold while attached to some deadwood or other aquarium decorations. This makes it easy to add to your tank.

5. Anubias
6. Amazon Sword
7. Dwarf Aquarium Lily.
8. Aponogeton Ulvaceus Bulb

The choice here is almost limitless, but be careful that you don’t go for plants made of material that may rapidly decay when immersed in water. Other materials may be toxic and therefore contaminate the water in your tank.

See also: Are BiOrb tanks good for fish?

Hardscape

Hardscape Supplies consist of:

Natural Stones/Pebbles

This is another great addition to your aquarium. But ensure that you get smooth ones to avoid injury to your fish.

See also: Is seiryu stone good for aquarium?

Wood

This is great as decorative pieces. If they contain hollowed-out parts they are also great for the fish to play hide and seek in.

Rocks

This is great for your tank and no tank seems complete without some pieces. There is a wide variety available to achieve the look you want for your tank.

Aquarium Backgrounds

These are great for enhancing the aesthetics of your tank. You need to consider the background that will give your tank the best aesthetics. The choices range from 3D, Plain and backlit backgrounds.

When you have a background in the aquarium, you will have the opportunity to make fish and other elements of the tank stand out. It is better if you can go ahead and purchase a vinyl background for the aquarium.

See also: In-depth review of discus fish tank

You can easily glue this background to the back glass of the tank. However, people who look to get hold of a permanent and smoother look can go ahead with painting the back glass as well. This will help you to get the most out of the artistic skills that you have.

Aquatic Decorations

These are decorations and you can put in anything you wish as long as it won’t corrode in the water or is harmful to your fish in any other way.

Lighting

Led lights are currently popular due to their low purchase cost, do not consume much power, have a great lifespan and also produce minimal heat and will therefore not bake your fish alive.

Bubblers

These are great for keeping the tank oxygenated and also greatly improve the aesthetics of the tank.

CO2 Generators

Carbon fertilization units also referred to as CO2 generators, are highly recommended for densely planted tanks.

Lighting

Lighting will provide you with the opportunity to gain better visibility of the fish that you have inside the aquarium. However, you need to make sure that your lights are not in a position to create an impact on the plants that you grow.

Along with lights, you can think about purchasing a timer as well. Then you will be able to keep the lights switched on for around 10 hours per day. This will help you to deliver a consistent day and night cycle to your fish.

When you are growing plants, you need to make sure that you are using T5 fluorescent lights. Or else, you can think about using metal halide pendants as well.

See also: Battery-operated stock tank heater

Powerheads

Powerheads are another prominent option among the aquascaping supplies that you should get. They are positioned within the aquarium against the side glass. They come along with a propeller, which will blow water throughout the tank.

Along with that, you can effectively enhance the circulation of water within the tank as well. This will help you to refrain from the accumulation of debris within the tank. On the other hand, it will help you to grow plants in an effective manner.

Heaters

Depending on the fish that you have in the aquarium, you will need to think about purchasing heaters as well. If you have cold water fish such as goldfish, you don’t need to worry too much about getting heaters.

Different types of heaters are also available for you to get. Out of them, you can take a look at the inline heaters. Then you will be able to ensure proper heat distribution throughout your aquarium as well.  You can check out some heaters for goldfish.

UV Clarifier

A UV clarifier is a chamber, which has a UV bulb. It is possible to plumb this bulb along with the canister filter for the aquarium. Or else, you can attach it to a separate filter as well.

When water is passing through the chamber, it will be exposed to UV light. As a result, algae, bacteria and other waterborne parasites and pathogens will be removed. This can provide a cleaner source of water for you at the end of the day.

Hence, you can make sure that your fish can spend their time in a worry-free environment.

Vital aquascaping tools | Considered as minimum required tools.

• Steel Planting Tongs
• Maintenance Tweezers
• Stainless Steel Trimming Scissors
• Aquarium Aquascaping Kit (Comes bundled with several tools)

See also: How do you attach pothos to aquarium ?

These are the most basic and readily available supplies that are available for you to purchase and use. You can go through the requirements and do some background research on your own to figure out what is available.

Then you will be able to go ahead and create the most outstanding aquarium that you can ever think of. For those with an artistic flair, aquascaping can be a lucrative business. You can design tanks and offer them for sale.

Reference

Seven Ports: Aquascaping Tanks