Making a 100 liter aquarium with your own hands. Aquarium: DIY decoration. Aquarium design styles and options. What is needed to decorate aquariums

Aquariums come in different varieties, but most people keep them 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 can turn to professional aquatic designers to design a home or office pond. And if not? Then you’ll have to act on your own, and we’ll tell you how now.

Of course, aquascaping is now in fashion - designing an aquarium in the form of a beautiful natural (not necessarily underwater) landscape. However, it is unlikely that everyone needs to chase fashion. If you want, you can create an urban picture or a psychedelic landscape in your pond with a bright pink bottom, ultraviolet lighting and phosphorescent fish.

You can buy ready-made driftwood (for example, mangrove). Its preparation is much simpler and takes less time: it is boiled for a couple of hours and soaked for one or two days.

The driftwood in the aquarium must be of the same type.

They are often decorated with plants: mosses, ferns, anubias. To add plants to them, it is usually enough to tie them with fishing line or secure them with a plastic clamp for several weeks.

The function of driftwood in an aquarium is not only aesthetic. They zone space and create shelter 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 shrimp.

In an aquarium with aggressive cichlids, they often do this: they take several long branched snags and place them near back wall, crossing and intertwining with each other. This creates a whole system of grottoes, caves, crevices, and passages in which several fish can hide.

Other types of decorations and coverings

As such, clay shards, ceramic tubes of different diameters can be used (catfish and loaches like to occupy large ones, shrimp like small ones), halves of a coconut shell. You can grow moss or fern onto the coconut.

All kinds of bubble-blowing crocodiles and divers in aquadesign 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 film on the outside of the back wall dark color or with a discreet natural pattern, and plant tall plants in the background.

If the aquarium is without plants, then they often resort to the help of relief backgrounds fixed inside the aquarium. This can be a ready-made sheet background made of polystyrene foam or fiberglass.

It has a drawback: if it is not glued firmly and its edge comes off somewhere, fish and shrimp can get caught under it, and it can be difficult to get them out of there.

Once I spent several hours trying to pull out or lure a teenage freshwater stingray from under such a background. As a result, almost all of the aquarium decor and equipment had to be destroyed and then rebuilt.

Instead of a ready-made relief background, you can glue stones to the back wall using silicone yourself. various shapes or ceramic tiles. It will be beautiful, but this is a labor-intensive procedure, and such a background will greatly weigh down 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 - tall, long-stemmed,
Spreading bushes are usually placed on the sides in the middle ground.

Sequence of actions when decorating an aquarium

The sequence is:

Preparing stones and driftwood.
Setting the background.
Equipment installation.
Placing stones, driftwood and grottoes in the tank.
Backfilling of soil.
Planting. Sometimes this is done with a small amount of water (according to the rules for starting plants, they are planted a few days after pouring water, but if there are a lot of them and among them there are small ones and ground cover, it is very difficult to plant them in an aquarium full of water).
Filling with water.

These are the basic principles of designing an aquarium. Of course, it’s not easy to make your aquarium a masterpiece of aquadesign on your own, but that’s not the main thing. It is important that you like him and enjoy looking at him.

Aquarium design. It would seem, what to do with that decor? especially my 100 liter jar. I took some pebbles, threw them in, planted some grass, like, and off we go. But no. There are many nuances that are worth talking about. I'm a noob in this matter, so I turned to a specialist. The closest specialist in aquarium design is Anatoly Motrich. Recently we changed everything and this is what happened:

It turns out there is also a concept about the view of the aquarium. Which side to look at it from and what should be observed in the design. On the one hand I look like this:

From the second side of the aquarium, the design looks completely different. Question of viewing angle and decor:

We also recently mined an interesting stone on one of our hikes. We will also carefully integrate it into the design of the aquarium. Later

So how can you create this same aquarium design with your own hands? Several principles and concepts from the Internet are further in the article.

For starters, a Zen video about designing a 100-liter aquarium with your own hands:

The website myaqua.com.ua distinguishes the following types of aquarium design.

Types internal filling aquariums:

Pseudo-sea.

A freshwater aquarium that simulates the seabed. As a rule, corals, shells, and ceramics are used in its design. Coral sand or other light-colored soil is used as a primer. In most cases, the pseudo-sea is populated by bright cichlids, which are closest to the color of the marine inhabitants of the coral reef.

Unforced herbalist.

A striking example of this type is the majority of aquariums with live plants for beginner aquarists. The composition uses stones, driftwood and living plants. The unforced herbalist looks very natural, which captivates many lovers. As a rule, such aquariums are quite densely populated with fish; most characins, carp-toothed and cyprinids will be ideal inhabitants.

Forced herbalist.

The use of CO2, regular addition of fertilizers and microelements - all this creates underwater garden incredible beauty. Whether it is the Dutch Aquarium or Takashi Amano's natural aquarium, plants play a major role in its composition. Driftwood and stones are also used as decorations. Fish in such an aquarium play a secondary role or may be absent. As a rule, these are flocks of small characins. Also, the forced herbalist is often populated with shrimp.

Story aquarium.

The internal content of such an aquarium is selected to suit any theme. A pirate ship lying at the bottom, the sunken Atlantis, or Dracula's castle, or maybe even football stadium for fish. It all depends only on your imagination.

Aquarium - "Vanguard".

An explosion of bright colors and unusual shapes. Such an aquarium simply cannot go unnoticed. This bright spot in any interior will simply attract the eye, and correct selection hydrobionts and setting up the biobalance, its inhabitants will not feel any discomfort associated with its unnaturalness.

Biotope aquarium.

An aquarium that imitates any natural biotope. Whether it is the coastal zone of Lake Tanganika, or the Amazon delta, the entire contents of the aquarium, from the soil to the fish and plants, must strictly replicate the biotope you have chosen. Such an aquarium is the most comfortable for its inhabitants and has many admirers.

Aquarium for large show fish.

Large volume and minimalism in decoration are the main motto of such an aquarium. Show fish are always in demand. It amazes with its size and shape, whether it is an arawana, a challenger or a knife, such a fish simply cannot go unnoticed.

Industrial aquarium.

In such an aquarium the decorations and design ideas give way to practicality. As a rule, without soil and decorations, with a convenient water supply and intensive aeration.

Marine aquarium without live corals.

Such an aquarium will delight the eye from contemplating its inhabitants. The decor of such an aquarium is similar to the decor of a pseudo-sea or is absent altogether.

Marine aquarium with live corals "Reef".

Full-fledged seawater aquarium with a very fine biobalance. The reef is truly the king of aquariums; the vibrant colors of its inhabitants make it unforgettable. Contemplating such an aquarium, you get the impression that you are plunging into the deep and mysterious depths of the ocean. Such an aquarium will emphasize the good taste and status of its owner.

When designing an aquarium, it is important to understand the basic principles that come from the iwagumi technique. Each stone used in decoration has its own name and place. You already guessed which country the names came from. So, the main postulates when decorating an aquarium...

Theoretical foundations of competent design

Oyaishi(Oyishi)

This is the main stone used in aquarium design. For it, choose the largest and beautiful stone. By large we mean the stone, the largest of those that you set aside to decorate the aquarium. There is no need to simply take the largest boulder from the road. The height of this stone should be 2/3 of the height of the aquarium.

Fukuishi(Fukuishi)

This is the second largest stone in the composition. It should be placed to the left or right of the main stone, of the oyashi. The stone should be of the same structure as the oyashi to achieve a uniform scene in the aquarium.

Soeishi(Soishi)

This stone is smaller in size, significantly smaller than the previous two. It should be placed to the right of oyishi and to the left of fukuishi. Its task is to emphasize the beauty and splendor of those stones that you have selected for decoration as the main ones.

Suteishi(Syuteishi)

This small stone is practically lost in the overall design of the aquarium; it can be completely hidden by plants. But its presence is necessary to emphasize sophistication and simple elegance.

Aquarium design styles. Sanzon Iwagumi

This is a basic composition where a large stone is in the center of the scene of our design, with two smaller ones on the right and left respectively.

How many stones should there be: seven, five or three?

The main postulate when designing an aquarium, through the Iwagumi technique, it is believed that it is better to have an odd number of stones. An even number of stones leads to symmetry, which creates a split in the perception of design.

The design of the aquarium looks more attractive if the balance of the center is shifted slightly to the side.

What the pictures actually easily demonstrate:

Why is Oyishi's stone tilted?

Without going into Buddhist and other philosophies, the oyishi stone is tilted to the side to symbolize the flow of water.

It looks very effective as a design element.

DIY aquarium design model

1. Place a thin and even layer of substrate or soil. This is one of the differences between the Iwagumi technique and others, where the soil is poured all at once.

2. Place main stone oyishi according to the golden ratio. A beautiful design can be created by placing the main stone in golden ratio 1:1.618. roughly speaking, two to three.

3. Place the remaining stones, respecting the direction of their angles and orientation.

4. Fill in the soil, distributing it from the back wall of the aquarium to the front.

Key points of planting

Visually aquatic plants soften hardness rocks, and are used to create balance in the power of the stones. But, low growing plants This very power of the stones will be emphasized. Also, planting plants next to or between stones enhances the natural feel of your design.

I saw 45 on the website pozitiv-news.ru best views aquarium design. This is a breathtaking sight! Look at the photo! Of course, there is room for improvement...

IAPLC 2009 competition entries
1. “Moment in time” (Short moment)
Author: GRAND PRIX winner - Nnguyen Tien Dung (Nguyen Tien Dung), Vietnam

2. "Magic Forest"
Author: Gold Prize Winner - Chan Shih Hsien, Taiwan

3. "Time of Eternity"

4. "Awakening"
Author: Silver Prize Winner - Josh Sim KH, Malaysia

5. “Looking for Mystery”
Author: Bronze Prize Winner - Wang Chao, China

6. "Towering Peaks"
Author: Bronze Prize Winner - Chow Wai Sun, Hong Kong

7. “Forest-Breath”
Author: Bronze Prize Winner - Lin Tin Chuan, Taiwan

8. "Ups and Downs"
Author: Nguyenthi Xuanthuy (Nguyenhi Xuantu), Vietnam

10. "Rainforest"
Posted by AJ Judy Prajitno Putra, Indonesia

11. "Rain Forest"
Author: Hsu Yung Lin, Taiwan

IAPLC 2010 competition entries
1. “Forest Scent”
Author: GRAND PRIX winner - Pavel Bautin (Russia)

2. “Loess plateau” (“Loess plateau”)
Author: Gold Award Winner - Zhang Jian Feng (Macau)

3. “Color of life”
Author: Silver Prize Winner – Xuan Thuy Nguyen Thi (Vietnam)

4. “The view”
Author: Silver Prize Winner - Yutaka Kanno (Japan)

5. "Karst"
Author: Bronze Prize Winner – Zeng Qing Jun (China)

6. “A day when walk on a jungle trail”
Author: Bronze Prize Winner - Chen I Sheng (Taiwan)

7. “Forest silent”
Author: bronze prize winner – Grigory Polishchuk (Ukraine)

9. "Infinite Wonder"
Author: K.P.Wong (Hong Kong)

12. "Shou Stone Ridge"
Author: May Kwan (Hong Kong)

13. "Mountain of Imagine"
Author: Chonladar Rattanawichien (Thailand)

Competition works ROAPLC 2011

1. Anticipation of the sea
Author: Grand Prix winner - Dmitry Parshin (Russia) / Dmitriy Parshin (Russia)

2. Frog Mountain
Author: Gold Award Winner - Chung Wei Cheong (Malaysia)

3. The old grove awakening
Author: silver prize winner - Grigory Polishchuk (Ukraine) / Polishchuk Grigoriy (Ukraine)

4. Escapade in Nature
Author: Bronze Prize Winner - Kevin Teoh (Malaysia)

5. Spirit of the Wind
Author: Konstantin Kucherenko (Russia) / Konstantin Kucherenko (Russia)

7. Bosc Humit
Author: Jordi Pelegrí (Spain)

8. Lost
Author: Alexander Grebenyuk (Ukraine) / Alexander Grebenyuk (Ukraine)

9. Return
Author: Thanh Tran Hung (Vietnam) / Thanh Tran Hung (Vietnam)

10. Jurassic Jungle
Author: Adriano Montoro Nicacio (Brazil)

11. Forgotten grove
Author: Hunor Orban (Hungary) / Hunor Orban (Hungary)

12. Secret shore
Author: Enrico Serena (Italy) / Enrico Serena (Italy)

13. Blossom Hills
Author: Illarion Makarikhin (Ukraine) / Makarikhin Illarion (Ukraine)

15. Login / Enter
Author: Dmitry Grishanov (Belarus) / Grishanov Dmitry (Belarus)

An aquarium with a volume of 100 liters is exactly the “golden mean” of the aqua world, which allows you to realize any designer’s ideas and enjoy beautiful view large fish, and caring for it is not as labor-intensive as caring for an aquarium of 200-400 liters. Plus, this aquarium does not yet require the purchase of powerful, expensive equipment.

So, where does the design of a 100-liter aquarium start?

The design of a 100-liter aquarium starts with determining what kind of fish you want to put in it. According to this, you will further plan the soil, decorations and plants.

If these are schooling small fish, then the vegetation should be rich, and the decorations (amphoras, driftwood, stones) should provide the necessary place for shelter. If these are catfish, then you don’t have to worry about vegetation, but you should take care of protection in the form of large stones and snags. Fish like golden ones do not need to hide, and they quickly deal with vegetation. Therefore, for such fish you create a design to your liking.

So, for registration 100 liter aquarium, required: soil, decorations, plants. For their functional distribution, it is worth first drawing a bottom design diagram or looking at it from professionals. In our AquaMegaService they will tell you how to beautifully decorate a 100 liter aquarium, they will advise best options aquarium bottom design for a specific style.

Let's move on to setting up a 100 liter aquarium. We choose the soil.

Which soil should I choose?

It is possible to use sand, small pebbles, gravel, granite or large stones as soil. The choice depends only on what overall design you prefer: pseudo-marine - small pebbles and large stones, shells, corals; Japanese - small pebbles or sand with nutrient support, planted with ground cover plants with prominent large stones and driftwood; Dutch style - nutrient soil with rich vegetation, transitioning smoothly from the background of tall plants to the foreground of low plants; mixed style, where everything is combined - a variety of plants and all kinds of driftwood and stones.

What should you remember when choosing soil?

Exceeding the standard amount of calcium in water affects its hardness. Calcium is obtained from the decomposition of corals and shells. Limit their number in the aquarium. Marble, limestone and tuff are not suitable for use in an aquarium. You will be pleasantly surprised by special aqua stones. They are already ready to use, they are varied in color palette and shape, they are environmentally friendly and are produced directly for aquariums.

We distribute the soil and arrange the decorations correctly according to the laws of composition. First, the decorations are installed, then the soil is filled in, and only after that the plants are planted. If you decide to use large stones or ceramic products(locks, amphorae), it is recommended to place plastic under them, which will protect the bottom of the aquarium from scratches and possible damage.

Various types of driftwood look beautiful. They can be purchased at finished form at the aquarium store, or you can prepare it yourself.

Having placed the decorations, we pour about 5 cm of substrate under the soil to preserve them longer. nutrients in him. Next is the soil itself. It can be distributed horizontally evenly (if there are stones or driftwood in the background, they will create the effect of depth), or it can be tilted upward towards the back wall of the aquarium (this is how perspective and depth are achieved).

The wall of the aquarium, located in the background, can be decorated with decorative aquarium film, which is glued to the outside of the aquarium. But it will look much more profitable plastic mesh with moss or climbing plants attached to it. They are attached to the mesh using fishing line. A net with plants is installed at the back wall of the aquarium inside. Another of the masterpiece options for decorating the background of an aquarium is an artificial “stone wall”. You can ask about it in our store when purchasing or ordering an aquarium.

Now you can move on to decorating a 100 liter aquarium with vegetation.

We fill the tank a few centimeters above the ground with water and plant the plants. It is worth sprinkling them with water periodically to prevent drying out. Having completed this, add water to our desired level. Fill the aquarium with water gradually, along the wall of the aquarium, so as not to displace all the decorations and plants.

The launch of a 100 liter aquarium will be completed after the installation of equipment and the settlement of fish. Find out about these nuances from our aquarium specialists. Good luck to you.

And also several dozen articles in this feed:

The design of this 100 liter aquarium is based on a combination of light green Eleocharis parvula, Hottonia and Nymphoides with dark green contrast Microsorum "Trident" and Spiky moss on small stones. A dense, dark green wall of moss, on background, create an impression of calm.

Walls of moss also work as a filter in an aquarium because thanks to high speed growth, actively absorbs nutrients from the water and thereby suppresses the development of algae. I recommend using from nurseries, this will allow you to avoid introducing algae into the aquarium at the very beginning.

Advice: Carpets of Eleocharis provide a visual connection between plant islands and the surrounding substrate.

Plants used

A) Micororum pteropus "Trident" (2 bushes)

E) (8 bundles)

Equipment and materials for decorating an aquarium:

Complexity: Lightweight

Dimensions: 65 x 40 x 45 cm, volume 100 liters

: River sand, grain size 1.2–2 mm

Scenery: Dark textured stones and driftwood

Lighting: 2 T5 lamps daylight 24 W

CO 2: 25 mg/l

Water temperatures: 24°C

: capacity 300 l/hour

Fertilizers: up to 50 ml of liquid fertilizer per week

Service time: about 30 minutes per week

Starting a 100 liter aquarium aquarium:

Since large stones are used in the design of the aquarium, we lay a flooring under them. We arrange stones and branches according to your taste. In the places where the plants will be planted, pour about 1 cm of nutrient substrate under the sand.

We pour some water into the aquarium, a few centimeters above the ground level, and begin to plant the plants. We fix the moss to the mesh using fishing line, and install this structure along the back wall. Don't forget to regularly spray the plants with water.

People who decide to purchase aquarium fish cannot help but be interested in such a question as aquarium design. It is important that this item is in harmony with the interior of the room where it will stand. I would like to create a real underwater kingdom. This material is devoted to various aspects of aquarium design, all the nuances are covered.

Necessary materials

Look at the photo beautiful design aquarium, you will need to additionally purchase lighting and special device to enrich water with oxygen. To make the inhabitants of the deep sea feel as if they were in their familiar environment, aquarium plants are needed.

Pour soil with small pebbles at the bottom, put driftwood with shells, install castles with ships, create grottoes and make a background.

If you are just planning to get into aquarium keeping, then take your time to make purchases. First, decide what kind of fish you need. Also focus on your own taste preferences when choosing a vessel for keeping fish.

Each inhabitant of the “aquarium house” requires special conditions of detention. If desired, a 100-liter aquarium can be turned into the Kingdom of Neptune.

Study the habits of the fish you like, especially if you want to take several species. Predator fish should not be placed in the same vessel with herbivores. Consult the seller, he will tell you which species coexist peacefully.

Priming

It is believed that the mood in the aquarium is set by the soil. It is multifunctional: it is used as a substrate for algae, a natural biofilter. Soil is required for fish to live. When choosing it, you should take into account the fraction, volume and color.

Give preference to a darker tone, then the aquarium fish will not merge with the ground.

Underwater rocks with grottoes

When decorating an aquarium with your own hands, remember that you can only use safe materials that do not release toxins. If you plan to select driftwood rocks yourself, make sure they do not release toxic toxins.

The background

For fish, the background does not play any role; this element is of great importance to the owner. You can make any aquarium background yourself and attach it. The easiest way is to paint with outside back wall of the container.

Vegetation

Living plants are “lungs”; they release oxygen through the process of photosynthesis. Many fish eat plant foods. And during spawning, algae become a temporary home for the eggs. Artificial vegetation of rich flowers looks beautiful.

Backlight

Light in an aquarium is the source of life. Good lighting is a must. Manufacturers produce backlights in various colors. Models are fixed at the bottom and at the top.

Decorative elements

If you haven’t decided yet how to decorate a round aquarium, take a look at ready-made solutions. Shells, castles, and ships are often used as decorative elements. You don't have to buy them from pet stores.

You can choose the diver figures yourself. The main thing is that they are not made from toxic materials. It is not recommended to use broken shells: the fish may be injured.

Directions of decorative design

If we consider classic variations, pay attention to:

Biotope aquarium. A body of water that actually exists in nature is recreated.
Dutch aquarium. It is also called natural. Here plants take center stage.
Geographic aquarium. Registration is carried out for a specific region.

Many beginners in the aquarium hobby prefer amateur design options. They use skulls, amphorae and other elements as decoration. The principles stated above are not followed.

You can buy a colorful children's aquarium for your child. It should not be placed in the nursery; filtration and aeration make noise during operation and can therefore wake up the baby.

Pseudo-Sea

The special prefix “pseudo” makes it clear that the surroundings are created to imitate a marine aquarium, where brightly colored fish are stocked. Corals, large shells and polyps are placed in the aquarium.

Aquarium in modern interior can be designed taking into account the natural habitat of the fish. This is the so-called “light version” of the Dutch aquarium. Algae, stones and driftwood are placed in the vessel. An aquarist does not need to know everything about plants. It is enough if he provides them with simple care.

As for the natural aquarium, it main feature consists of densely planted vegetation. To create an aquascape, you will need to study the life of underwater plants. The algae needs to be fed and it is important to use the CO2 system correctly.

A themed aquarium gives you the opportunity to realize your dreams or fantasies. Create undersea world against the backdrop of a sunken ship or Neptune's underwater palace.

Glo Aquarium is fashionable novelty. Everything shimmers in the pond; it looks great at any time of the day. They contain fluorescent live fish.

Most expensive option

A marine aquarium is designed for keeping saltwater fish. The marine theme always looks advantageous. However, the reservoir itself and its arrangement are expensive.

Cichlid

This aquarium contains exclusively fish from the cichlid family. Peaceful cichdids include angelfish, Pelmatochromis parrots, and Labidochromis yellow. But basically, cichlids are capricious predators, and we should not forget about this. You should not buy too many fish for one aquarium. Cichlids grow quickly, and adult angelfish have a wingspan of up to 15 cm.

The aquarium for African cichlids is a stone desert where they place artificial plants. This arrangement resembles a natural habitat.

If you want to create an underwater garden where cichlids live, choose apistogram or parrots. When angelfish live in an aquarium, zoning the territory is simply necessary: the fish often fight.

What to pay attention to

If you want to place vegetation in a vessel, then first choose unpretentious algae. Place tall plants at the back wall, and short ones at the front.
After planting living plants, we must not forget about spraying in the future. You should pour water into the aquarium without haste. It is better to use a small ladle or watering can for this purpose.
There is no such thing as symmetry in nature, so avoid it when decorating. A chaotic order of placement of decorative elements is what is needed.
Creating a balanced ecosystem with your own hands will require certain knowledge. This includes a number important stages. It all starts with planning. When the vessel is ready and filled with soil and decorative elements, you can add water.
To prevent the composition from deteriorating due to water pressure, place it under the stream. plastic bag. Filtration, aeration and lighting are installed. After this, the inhabitants of the underwater depths are released into the aquarium.