How to build your own aquarium

by Daniel Ruperto M. Gaerlan / September 18, 2019

Have you ever thought about putting together your own aquarium?

Colorful fish. Gently swaying plants. Cool and clear water. Aquariums can be objects of beauty. Watching the fish swimming along can be calming and therapeutic. But have you ever thought about putting together your own aquarium? 

Of course, it’s one thing to want an aquarium in your home, and another thing to actually do it. There’s more to it than buying a tank, filling it with water, and getting a bunch of fish. 

So what do you need for your own aquarium anyway? Here’s a handy and in-depth guide for the beginning aquarist.

1. The Tank

When most people think of aquariums, they think aquariums are rectangular, with banded rims of varying colors. But nowadays there are a lot more options. Curved-front aquariums offer a more panoramic view of an aquarium. Paludariums are shallower, allowing for a closer and more tactile view of an aquascape. Cubes can add to the illusion of a contained ecosystem.

2. Water

One thing that many starting aquarists forget to take into account is the volume of water the aquarium will need. Most aquariums will require weekly water changes; some will require more frequent changes. You need a reliable source of water, and reliable ways to dispose of used water. Siphons (specially-designed tubes that use gravity to pump water out of an aquarium) and buckets go a long way.

3. Aeration

You can’t just put fish in the water and expect them to survive. You need to add oxygen to the water.

The most common method of oxygenation used in aquariums is an air pump, attached to some kind of bubbler (usually an airstone). Contrary to popular belief, aquatic animals don’t actually derive oxygen from the bubbles. What happens is that the bubbles agitate the surface of the water; it is the surface agitation that causes air to enrich the water. 

Other methods of oxygenation include specialized pumps or wavemakers (devices that recreate a wave motion in water). Used properly, any of these can create sufficient oxygen for fish, shrimp, and other livestock, and sufficient carbon dioxide for plants.

4. Filtration

Crystal-clear water is the key to a beautiful aquarium, and the key to crystal-clear water is good filtration. 

There are many types of filters—sponge filters, canister filters—but most function the same way: water is pumped through the filter, which removes sediments from the water, and clean water is returned to the tank. 

What most people don’t know is that there are actually three types of filtration: mechanical, biological, and chemical. 

• Mechanical filtration removes solid sediments from the tank. 
• Biological filtration uses a population of beneficial bacteria to convert toxic ammonia from fish waste to less toxic nitrites, which is then converted to nitrates. Nitrates are generally harmless in low numbers, but very beneficial to plants. 
• Chemical filtration removes other chemicals, like excess acids and heavy metals, from the water.

5. Lighting

Most people think that they can keep a tank lit 24/7 as a decorative ornament. Definitely not! 

The creatures and plants in your aquarium still need a balanced day-and-night cycle, to make sure they’re not overly stressed. Too much light will cause excessive algae growth in a tank, and too little light will cause plants to wilt, melt, and die. 

6. Aesthetics

Aquariums are often meant to be decorative. Many aquarists are forever searching for the perfect arrangement of substrate (the type of soil or gravel at the bottom of the tank), rocks, driftwood, and plants. Whether you just want a funny set of aquarium decorations that make your aquarium look like Bikini Bottom, or you want to recreate a small piece of nature, choosing the right look for your tank is important—especially if you’re going to look at it every day.

7. Livestock and plants

These are often the most prized aspects of any tank. You could have entire schools of tiny Cardinal Tetras, Red Cherry Shrimps, or a single Arowana. It could be a beautiful combination of hardscape and plants―often called an aquascape, housing only plants and moss. It could be a careful mix of both. 

What is important to remember that all the living beings in the same tank should get along without killing each other, and that they should share the same water parameters―the pH level, temperature, nitrate levels, etc. For example, tropical fish, like Discus fish and bettas, can’t live with livestock from a temperate climate, like golden barbs and zebrafish.

8. Tools

These are the parts you don’t see in the tank. Some are optional, like carbon dioxide tanks and liquid fertilizers. Others are absolutely necessary, like water treatment chemicals, fish medicines, and water chemistry test kits. Some—like quarantine tanks, hospital tanks, and algae scrubbers—are only necessary when the tank is hit with a crisis. Whatever level of difficulty you decide to go with in your tank, all of these can contribute to its longevity and beauty, and to the lives of whatever livestock or plants you choose. 

Have you ever tried to put together your own aquarium before? What livestock and plants did you have? Let us know in the comments!