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Something fishy

By Zarina Patel
Tue, 02, 16

Want to add some nature to the decor of your abode? You! takes a look...

Decor

Want to add some nature to the decor of your abode? You! takes a look...

The New Year has brought with it a new style of decor. Wondering what we are talking about? Well, in today’s day and age of technology and modern decor, many miss the presence of nature in one’s abode. The typical approach would be to add plants in the house. However, nowadays the trend that has caught on is adding an aquarium to the interior. A fish aquarium is a natural, cheerful, and stylish home accessory that can become the focal point of your room or any other area of the house. It is also affordable and is colourful and attractive. Read on to find out why you might need a fish aquarium in your house.

The aquarium way:

Adding an aquarium to your house will not just add nature to your abode but will also enhance the beauty of the house. Since water is a symbol of life and growth, the bubbling water of the aquarium activates and increases the positive energy of the area. Therefore, placing it in a house generates adequate positive energy and eliminates negative energy from your home.

But most importantly it helps to resolve many health related issues. How, you ask? Observing fish in the aquarium eliminates stress, reduces blood pressure, and anxiety as it relaxes and calms a human mind. As far as myths and omens are concerned, many people believe that healthy, and active fish attract good fortune, wealth, and harmony. It is also believed that at least one of your problem ends permanently with the natural death of a fish in an aquarium.

Choose the right spot:

Once you have decided to add an aquarium to your abode, the next step is to choose the right spot to place it. For the placement, you need to consider an appropriate space and the proper furniture that surrounds the aquarium. Make sure to choose a quiet and spacious space of your home to set it in. The most suitable place for a big aquarium is the guest room or family hall. A medium size fish aquarium is ideal for a bedroom and living room. Small aquariums may look sophisticated but they aren’t always the best choice as the equipment required to maintain an aquarium won’t fit into a small sized one. Also, fish have little space to move around in a small tank hence, the mortality rate increases.

Aquarium decor

Decorating your aquarium is essential to create the desired naturalistic feel, otherwise you will just be putting fish in a glass tank. The decoration of a fish aquarium should be such that it complements the visual effects of your room. For a natural look, such as a sand-bed appearance or under-water garden, add natural coloured gravel and sand, as well as live plants to provide natural habitat to the fish. Adding live plants facilitate oxygen in the tank and improve the water quality.

You can also opt for fake green and red plants. Remember that these fake plants should not have sharp edges and thick parts or else the fish can harm themselves or tangle in it. Select the decoration pieces made up of non-toxic materials such as decorative marbles, decorative rocks, and plastic toys. Last but not least is the aquarium lighting that can affect the room’s colour scheme or decor. Experiment with the lights before you make a decision. So, make sure that you choose fluorescent lighting keeping all that in mind before placing an aquarium in the room.

Aquarium care:

For those who have never had an aquarium or feel it is too challenging a task, here are some tips and precautionary measures for managing an aquarium.

  • Care and maintenance include water change, removal of unwanted algae, gravel, or substrate, and fallen leaves of plants.
  • Never overcrowd it with accessories such as toys, bogwood, fish hideaways, or other internal furniture.
  • Feed the fish daily but be cautious of overfeeding because fish do not require huge amounts of food. Add variety and nutrition to their diet. Never give them stale or  discarded flakes. Daily remove the remains of food particles, otherwise, it looks dirty.
  • Never put any oil, detergent, or soap into the tank, as it is fatal for fish.
  • Avoid fish overcrowding because every fish in the aquarium needs free space to move.
  • Regular water change and good filtration is important for a healthy aquarium. No fish can survive for long in a closed system if there is no filter.
  • A proper lighting system can induce fish health. Medium bright fluorescent light is the ideal choice. 
  • Fish need stable and moderate water temperature to survive and fluctuation of water temperature is fatal. Therefore make sure to place the tank away from the heater and A.C.
  • Keep the fish tank away from any power source like a wall plug or some other electrical wires to avoid short circuits in case of a water leakage or spill.
  • Set the aquarium at the distance from the door. Frequent opening and closing of the door is a reason of shock for fish inside the aquarium. Also, fish do not like noises and should be placed away from television, stereo, radio, and any other noise-making sources.
  • It is important to select a place with sufficient space around the aquarium for cleaning and maintenance.