Thinking to get animals in your house, you can pay attention not only to the usual kitties and dogs. You can choose such pets, which, maybe, are not so contact, but have no less impact on health. Now we are talking about aquarium fish.
Scientists have proved the fact of their positive impact on the physical and emotional state of a person. The maximum effect of the presence of an aquarium with fish in the room can be achieved if you choose it correctly, equip it and populate the inhabitants. Then it will positively influence the microclimate in the house.
Very often, not only algae are used to give beauty, but also various objects, such as sunken boats or dilapidated castles. Recently, however, a return to natural objects in aquariums has led to the popularity of snags, bamboo and stones. It is these elements that create a special charm.
In order for natural objects to decorate the aquarium, especially when it is a tree, it is very important to choose and prepare it correctly. Then the snag will only be in harmony with the general idea, without harming rotting or flowering. It is also very important to choose the right accessories and equipment for your desired aquarium.
Choose an aquarium
It is very important to choose the right place and, based on this, choose the shape, volume and model. Equipment to maintain the correct flora and accessories for the aquarium will depend on the same parameters. Today, the following models are distinguished:
- A wall-mounted aquarium for which not all fish are suitable, and their care is rather complicated. Although today, manufacturers have been able to achieve good results as a care equipment.
- A corner aquarium can be arranged even in tight spaces. The ability to create depth on a par with the large surface of the facade will turn it into a real decoration of any interior.
- Rectangular classic aquariums provide great opportunities for imagination and placement of accessories.
- Aquariums are survey. They give the opportunity to enjoy the created underwater world in great detail.
Accessories for the aquarium must be selected based on the quality of the water, the number of future residents and, of course, the volume. That is, before choosing a feeder, water purifier, lamp, compressor and heater, all data must be determined in advance. After all the parameters have been taken into account, you can begin to place other accessories for the aquarium, which will create a general atmosphere. Some of them can be made independently. For example, you can make a snag for the aquarium. The most interesting thing is that this process is not as complicated as it might seem.
Which snag to choose?
Before choosing aquarium driftwood, it should be noted that there are different types. We will consider them further. There are two types:
- Artificial driftwood for an aquarium - are created from environmentally friendly materials with increased resistance to external influences. As a rule, they can last a long time. The only thing to observe is the rules of care, washing them and cleaning them of plaque.
- Natural driftwood for the aquarium - differ in that they are created from different species of trees that have undergone special processing. In order for it to last a long time, it is very important to choose the right tree and prepare it. If these events do not have enough time or courage, then you can just buy ready-made goods at a pet store.
Driftwood for an aquarium made of natural wood can not only become an ornament, but also improve the microclimate and flora. At the same time, it is equally important to correctly determine the species of wood that will be used for the product. Of course, such recommendations are unnecessary when the choice falls on artificial driftwood for the aquarium. The thing is that although they do not emit toxins, they do not give anything useful either. For this reason, it is necessary to monitor some characteristics of the water in the aquarium independently or with the help of special devices. In addition, you need to add additives to fish food, which they could receive if they had real wood in their aquarium.
However, the introduction of this snag is also associated with some problems regarding the level of CO 2 and fertilizers. Nevertheless, the choice always remains with those who get their own fish.
What is driftwood for?
It is not clear what benefit the snag brings in the aquarium. Now we will examine in more detail this issue. So how is it useful:
- By isolating special substances, it improves the quality of water by softening it and creating conditions as close as possible to natural ones.
- The immunity of the inhabitants is strengthened, as the wood begins to produce the necessary bacteria.
- Digestion improves, due to the fact that fish in the process of feeding consume microparticles secreted by snags.
- Often driftwood is a place for breeding fish. That is, they can spawn in it.
Given all these important aspects, driftwood for the aquarium becomes a necessary object for the normal existence of the inhabitants. And it remains only to choose the right accessory.
Which snag is better for the aquarium?
It should be selected from such tree species that are able to withstand immersion in water. However, they will not collapse and decompose. So how to choose a snag for an aquarium? Which tree is right? It is worth paying attention to hardwood. That is, such as oak and willow. These species are particularly durable.
For driftwood, you can use more exotic tree species. In the pet store there is also a mangrove snag or snag made of iron wood. The thing is that these elements very well tolerate the effects of water. However, they do not swell and do not collapse. True mangrove driftwood has one drawback, which is associated with the fact that it stains water in the aquarium. Moreover, no method of processing can get rid of this.
It is very important to know that the selected material for driftwood must be completely dry. That is, a living tree is not suitable for this. It is important to choose wood that can withstand external influences. The roots of trees that lie in peat or running water are very suitable. Only in the latter case is it important that the pond is not contaminated. It should be noted that it is better to refuse the choice of coniferous and soft tree species. In the first case, the replacement will have to be found very soon, and in the second, the processing and preparation process will be more complicated and longer. In general, you can prepare snags for the aquarium yourself. And you can find it almost everywhere, but if there is no time to search, then you can simply contact a specialized store.
Driftwood do it yourself
After the material for the decor is selected, it must be prepared. Accordingly, if driftwood is made for the aquarium with your own hands, then you need to arm yourself with certain knowledge. They will be discussed later. So, how to prepare driftwood for the aquarium:
- First of all, you need to determine the size. That is, driftwood should be placed in the aquarium easily and freely.
- It is necessary to carefully examine the wood for rot and bark. It is very important to clean it from such defects. Since they can further ruin the water and kill the fish.
- The last stage of preparation is boiling driftwood.
Boiling water
And how to handle driftwood for an aquarium in boiling water? There are several ways. Let's consider each of them in detail:
- If the snag was found in nature, and it is in such a state that it is completely dry, then you need to boil it in a saline solution, which is prepared at the rate of three kilograms of salt per ten liters of water. The cooking process takes up to ten hours. However, if after this time the snag does not want to sink in fresh water, then the process must be continued.
- For material found in water, the boiling process will be shorter. It takes only six hours.
- Purchased driftwood also needs to be treated with brine, the process is comparable in time to the previous version.
Snag check
When the driftwood is prepared for the aquarium with your own hands, it is important, before placing it in a permanent place, to make sure that it does not stain water. To do this, put the prepared tree in plain water for several hours. If the color of the liquid has changed slightly, then there is no cause for concern.
Therefore, you can safely put your product in the aquarium. If the color of the water has changed so much that the liquid has turned dark, it is very important to place the tree in running fresh water and keep it there until it becomes as transparent as possible. In order for the process to go faster, you can additionally boil your snag. After everything is prepared, you must install the product in the aquarium. You can also do this yourself.
Setting driftwood
Driftwood is installed in the aquarium by drowning and fixing it. If the tree was prepared correctly, then it will drown by itself, but if this effect was not achieved, you can use the advice of specialists who recommend the following:
- Apply a heavy stone, namely, fix the snag on the stone with a fishing line or wedge it in branches.
- You can prikupat soil, if it is provided in the aquarium.
- Use vacuum suction cups, although this option is less reliable.
It is very important to know that it is impossible to set the snag tightly to the walls of the aquarium. After all, wood has the property to swell in water.
Follow-up care
After immersing driftwood in water, it is very important to observe it for the first time to take action if necessary. So, if snag or mucus appeared on the snag immediately after being placed in the aquarium, then there is no need to be afraid, now many people settle on fish that feed on such formations. If they are not there, then just rinse the snag.
If there is an unpleasant smell of rot and the water becomes cloudy, it is very important to remove the snags from the aquarium. Since this is a sign that poorly dried wood was used.
Sometimes a tree in the water gets dark. This fact should not cause concern, as this is a natural process. But if the snag began to turn green and bloom, it is very important to reduce the length of the day, and clean the tree. After all, the resulting algae can simply spoil all the water.
Additionally, we say that, choosing a snag for fish in the store, you need to clarify whether it is designed specifically for them or is it for reptiles. The thing is that the last product is processed in a special way, more precisely, with the use of other components that can harm aquarium fish.
If the snag is big ...
If it happened that the driftwood you were planning to use turned out to be large, then what should I do? It can be cut. After that, you can either fasten it back, or alternatively boil different parts in boiling water. If your snag is very large for cooking, then just pour boiling water over it. After that, send to the aquarium, flood with the help of cargo. But when using the latter method, remember that this is how you risk so much. After all, bacterial outbreaks can occur due to such treatment, which can affect the inhabitants.
How to make an aquarium with snags?
If we talk about design, then everything is for your personal taste. Usually the most noticeable snags are large, textured. Aqua designers typically use tree roots. Since they have a rich texture. In this case, there is a single point from which the roots come out.
Sometimes, when you first pick up a snag, it’s not very clear which side this thing looks more beautiful from. But if you supplement it with plants, bamboo and stones, then it will generally sparkle in a new way. If you do not have experience in this field, then you can turn to some aquarist for help.
Little conclusion
If you plan to buy an aquarium, then the use of wood elements and other natural accessories in it can significantly enrich the decor of not only the underwater world, but also the interior as a whole. Moreover, the main part of the decor can be created by yourself and save. Anyway, when creating something with your own hands, you can always pay more attention to different elements and make them to your own taste. Moreover, such an aquarium will be completely individual, not like any other.
You can realize any ideas and fantasies: from creating a drowned city to a flooded jungle or forest, in which the outlandish inhabitants of the underwater world swim. It is an established fact that the smooth movements of fish act on the irritated nervous system as a sedative. And it is checked both on adults, and on children. Yes, and it’s more useful to consider fish than to take medication. Moreover, many diseases are from nerves, and if you are in a calm mood, you can avoid many problems.
Even in the case when you really want an aquarium, but do not want problems, the choice can be made in favor of the so-called dry version. And here you definitely can not do without driftwood. Since it can become a real, and sometimes the only worthwhile decoration.