Aquariums for 30 liters: sizes, number of fish and their selection

An experienced aquarist is familiar with the axiom that there is no extra space inside a glass jar. Its inhabitants are only happy with the expanse and the opportunity to frolic. However, a place not always prepared for placing an aquarium has large dimensions. Then universal options for glass structures with a volume of 30 liters come to the rescue.

Before acquiring a 30-liter aquarium, a person needs to weigh the pros and cons, analyze its advantages and disadvantages. Maintaining large aquariums is not difficult, but designs with a small volume require special discipline from the owner.

To begin with, it is suggested to consider the merits of a 30-liter aquarium.

• Small weight and dimensions allow you to install the glass container in the most convenient place. For example, on a nightstand, a coffee table, and even on a desktop.
• The cost of an aquarium with a volume of 30 liters will not hit the family budget. The same goes for additional equipment.
• Buying essential vitamin complexes and mineral supplements will be very expensive for owners.
• Ease of maintenance.

As for the disadvantages, things are quite difficult with small aquariums.

• A small volume quickly becomes dirty, which requires a weekly water change. Even one missed week can negatively affect the health of your fish.
• Feed the aquarium inhabitants within reason. In no case should you overfeed scaly creatures. The ideal regimen would be two meals a day in small portions.
• To maintain the purity of the water, food debris must be removed immediately after feeding.
• In the summer season, you will have to constantly top up the evaporated water.
• In aquariums with a small volume, it is difficult to maintain a temperature regime and a high-quality filtration process.
• Even with the ideal maintenance of a 30-liter aquarium, there is a high probability of an increase in the concentration of nitrogen compounds in the water.

The rectangular shape of the aquarium is considered a classic. The necessary equipment is conveniently placed on the straight walls. Most importantly, it is very easy to maintain. The main advantage of rectangular aquariums is in a large area of ​​surface water, which guarantees the fastest possible saturation of the liquid with oxygen.

Round aquariums are not in great demand, although they are quite common on sale. Of course, their appearance is very attractive, but it is not always possible to place them correctly. The structure must be viewable from any side of the room. And to ensure a comprehensive view, it is very important that the glass of the aquarium is always clean. A perceptible disadvantage of round aquariums is the refraction of forms, which distorts the view of the inhabitants of the glass jar.

Today, in wide demand are cubic aquariums. They have the same advantages as rectangular designs, only they take up much less space. An important advantage of cubic tanks are straight walls, on which filters and additional devices are easily fixed.

The shape of aquariums in the form of a tower or column is extremely rare at home. Mostly they are placed in reception offices. They take up little space, but they conquer the hearts of those around them with their height, which can be 100 cm or even more.

It may seem like choosing the perfect aquarium is extremely difficult. But if you follow the rules of experienced aquarists, you can easily cope with the task.

Initially, you need to decide on the size of the aquarium. Even a 30-liter design can vary in size, for example, be narrow in length and width, but high. Or have a great length, but a small depth. Moreover, depth is the main parameter of the ideal design of a glass house for fish. For a correct perception of the internal space, the depth indicator should not differ greatly from the height parameters.

The next selection factor is the shape of the structure.

It is very important to pay attention to the material from which the walls of the aquarium are made. It can be acrylic or glass. Acrylic material is not inferior in transparency to perfectly washed glass, in addition, it is distinguished by increased strength and resistance to stress, but, unfortunately, it cannot boast of good thermal conductivity. And with improper care, scratches remain on its surface, which can only be removed by polishing. It is very difficult to scratch glass, but it is not easy to clean it from dirt, especially from the inside.In addition, structures made of glass weigh significantly more, which is why many manufacturers refuse to make large-volume glass-walled aquariums.

It is very important to determine in advance the location of the glass structure.... The material of the frame that can withstand heavy weight depends on this. For large models, a metal base is required, and a 30-liter aquarium needs a bedside table made of chipboard or MDF.

It is important for novice aquarists to know that a glass jar with scaly inhabitants should not be conspicuous in the household, but at the same time be located in a conspicuous place. In principle, you can put a container with fish in any room, the main thing is that it does not come into contact with direct sunlight. It is best to place the product in a shaded niche away from the window. Of course, fish need bright light, but only during the period of vitamin deficiency and spawning. A lamp is used as a light source, which does not harm living creatures.

Fish lovers should remember that these babies do not like overheating or cold. They need uniform warmth. That's why do not place the aquarium near heating appliances.

Choosing the right shape for the aquarium, you need to think about the equipment.

• Filter. It can be both internal and external. For a small aquarium with a capacity of 30 liters, an indoor unit with a capacity of 25-40 W is ideal. A more powerful filter will create large fluctuations in the water, which can stress the aquarium inhabitants. The unit is installed according to the instructions from the manufacturer. The filter should be rinsed once a week with water from the aquarium in order not to disturb the created balance of bacteria.
• Lighting... A lamp holder is already installed in factory aquariums. It remains only to buy a lighting element. When choosing a lamp, the needs of the plants should be taken into account. For unpretentious vegetation, 0.3 W / liter of lighting power is sufficient. The aquarium space requires LED and metal halide lamps. Unlike incandescent bulbs, they do not heat the water and produce diffused light.
• Thermometer. An irreplaceable item in any aquarium. The owner of the fish house should be able to know the temperature of the water at any time.
• Heater. The unit is used mainly in winter, as well as in aquariums where fish that require heat live.
• Compressor. This is the most important piece of equipment in any aquarium. It is he who contributes to the rapid saturation of water with oxygen, necessary for plants and living things.
• Feeders. With their help, it will turn out to keep the aquarium water clean, since all the food will be in one place.

The future life of the aquarium depends on the correct start-up. If you make even one mistake, there is a high probability that beneficial bacteria will not be produced in the aquatic environment.

First you need to prepare the ground. It is one of the important elements in the arrangement of the aquarium, as it contributes to the creation of a special microclimate. The primer coats contain 90% of the important bacteria. The gravel soil must be boiled in salt water, and the sandy soil must be calcined in a frying pan. Then they need to be sieved. After the aquarium is filled with water by 1/3, the prepared soil is laid out in the water. Immediately, you can create a bumpy composition or make an even layer.

The next step in starting up is decorating the aquarium. This is the very moment when its owner can connect imagination and make an unusual composition. Then you can fill the remaining empty space in the aquarium.

In this case, the water is taken the most common, but before pouring it into the fish house, several tests should be carried out to check the parameters of the liquid... If at least one indicator does not correspond to the norm, water is needed defend for 12 hours... This is enough for all the chlorine to evaporate. And the already settled water can be poured, and then leave the aquarium filled to the top alone.

After 3-4 days, the water inside the structure will acquire a cloudy hue. This indicates the beginning of the process of bacterial reproduction. After another couple of days, the liquid will become transparent.

After the water has become clear, you can install the equipment, filter, compressor and heater. All of them are firmly fixed with suction cups on the inside of the glass structure. The last piece of equipment to install is a thermometer. It should be located in a visible place for the owner. The heater is installed at around 24-25 degrees, and the thermometer will already show the process of heating the liquid. In this case, the lamp cannot be turned on. The aquarium with the equipment installed is left alone for one week.

Running your aquarium properly is just the beginning. It is important for the owner of the container pre-set yourself for weekly maintenance of the contents of the structure. It may seem that taking care of the aquarium is very difficult, but if you get used to it, you can even enjoy the process.

To carry out cleaning inside the aquarium, you will need to acquire special equipment, namely a net for catching fish, a siphon that allows you to clean the soil, and a high-quality scraper for cleaning the inner surface of the glass.

The process of cleaning the aquarium itself consists of 4 stages:

• cleaning the soil layer;
• partial water change;
• rinsing aquarium equipment;
• cleaning glasses.

To prevent the fish from getting stress from the cleaning process, you need to transfer them to another aquarium. Just for these purposes a landing net is required. The additional aquarium does not need to be large. The fish will have to sit in it for quite a bit of time. In addition, the additional tank will serve as a temporary shelter for brand new fish.

The most interesting stage of launching an aquarium is considered to be the colonization of the water space with living creatures. In large containers there are no problems with this issue, but with constructions of 30 liters you will have to think a little. The main difference between small reservoirs is the impossibility of settling large fish in large numbers and other living creatures in them. Therefore, preference should be given to small scaly creatures.

In a 30-liter aquarium, you can populate a school of molyneses or swordtails, consisting of 10 representatives. It is best to have catfish in an amount of up to 5 pieces, because of the sufficient free space, they will be able to feel comfortable. Bright thorns feel coziness and tranquility, living in one aquatic environment in a flock of 10 individuals.

However, most aquarists prefer to mix and match different members of the aquarium environment. And so that conflicts do not arise between living creatures, it is important to know the rules for combining different types of fish. So, for example, 5 barbs, 3 catfish and 10 mossy barbs will take root well in a 30-liter aquarium. By a similar example, 4 zebrafish, 10 guppies and 3 catfish are suitable for each other.

The features of the 30 liter aquarium are shown in the following video.