Types of home aquariums

Recently, designers have begun to seriously consider the aquarium as a full-fledged component of the home. In addition to the fact that the aquarium is a kind of leisure activity, a pleasant hobby, it also becomes an adornment of modern premises, be it an apartment, an office or a trading floor. From this point of view, the “piece of nature” is good because in the interior of immovable things it pleases the eye, breaks the static.

By design, a home aquarium can be of completely different shapes. Each has its own advantages and disadvantages.

Floor aquarium is the most common due to its relative simplicity of design and ease of maintenance. It usually includes a container made of transparent material for water, a stand and a lamp cover..

Built-in aquarium can be part of a niche or interior partition, so its depth usually does not exceed 350 mm, but its width often reaches 3 m.This object looks equally elegant from both rooms shared by it, often taking on the functions of a night lamp.

Aquarium-diorama, in fact, it is a variation of one of the first two, with the only difference that its front wall is concave with a small radius of curvature. As a result, the observer has a feeling of “immersion” in the underwater world – a good visual effect.

Hanging aquarium allows you to save space, but is limited in weight (most often up to 100 kg) and dimensions. Its variety, which has been very popular lately, is the “picture” aquarium. It is so named because it is no more than 18 cm deep. Its sight glass is usually framed by a baguette. A well-lit corner of the underwater world, a panoramic image of ships, the harbor, the sky and even figurines of fishermen can be placed in such a “picture”.

Aquarium-pool not so effective and lacking in mobility. True, you can arrange a fountain in it. Such an aquarium is usually populated with goldfish..

Exclusive aquarium can be both complex and simple design. For example, a six-sided floor aquarium looks very impressive – a “tower” about 2 m high with a clock with a clock at the top and corals at the bottom. No less attractive is the design in the form of a glass coffee table with special illumination of the underwater kingdom. Not to mention incorporating into a home bar.

The most commonly used materials for making aquariums are silicate (window) or acrylic glass. Silicate glass is a hard material that is not afraid of scratches and lasts a long time without losing its transparency. Easily cleaned from plaque. But on the other hand, it is fragile and does not tolerate shock loads worse. Sometimes a multilayer triplex is used. Several sheets of ordinary glass, glued with a polymer film, make it possible to manufacture impact-resistant structures. But, on the other hand, triplex can delaminate under the pressure of a mass of water. Complex shaped aquariums are made of plexiglass, because it is a fairly elastic, unbreakable material. Compared to silicate glass, it is more durable, has less weight and thermal insulation properties, and is less afraid of uneven loads and various distortions. But at the same time, this soft material is easily damaged. Initially, the optical qualities of glass and plexiglass are equal. But the transparency of the latter may decrease over time due to scratches..

There are three types of aquariums according to the style of the underwater landscape.. Biotypic imitates the underwater landscape of a fragment of the area – a stream, bank, river, rocky lake, the nature of a particular geographical latitude or a separate sea, for example, the Red Sea, can be reproduced. From the point of view of biological content, aquariums are also freshwater (for keeping fish, animals and plants living in rivers and lakes) and marine (for keeping marine fish, other underwater inhabitants, corals).

With species, all attention is paid to one type of swimming inhabitants, more often with a bright color (only goldfish or only predators – piranhas or pikes, or even sharks).

With a mixed design style, the volume is inhabited by various types of fish and plants. Such an aquarium is an imitation of a freshwater tropical reservoir with a predominance of green and golden brown tones. In Russia, by the way, it is the most popular. This style is most compatible with classic interiors and natural materials. The mixed style also includes aquariums that contain only exotic plants. These are the so-called Dutch landscape aquariums – magnificent underwater gardens.

The more imagination you show when decorating an underwater landscape, the more interesting the aquarium will be. There may be no living inhabitants in the water at all. And there is some kind of panorama with a castle, a sunken ship, rocks. Aquariums often have very unusual shapes, such as tall and oddly curved columns. This is such a gorgeous column of water with a bright fountain of air bubbles. Most bubble panels and waterfalls are avant-garde solutions. We have already touched upon such aqua systems in the article “Living Water”. The main thing here is the perfect combination with the design of the room. As a rule, such aquariums fill unclaimed niches, often formed during construction work, perform the function of interior partitions, are a kind of sconce that creates a pleasant twilight, or simply emphasize some kind of designer’s intention.

For the overall interior of the apartment, the illumination of the aquarium is of great importance. The color of the water is set using spectral lamps mounted in the cover: red, yellow, green, blue, violet. The colors are selected those that fit better into the overall range of furniture, wallpaper, curtains, floor coverings. But we must remember that this is not just entertainment or interior decoration. Any decisions on placement, lighting, decoration must be made based on the interests of its inhabitants. The aquarium will become a real decoration at home if you correctly organize the living space for the fish and provide them with regular care..

Of course, the aquarium must harmoniously fit into the interior of the room. A variety of aquarium shapes – showcases, columns, corner, shelves – provides ample design and interior design possibilities. Different models are intended for classic and minimalist interiors, for children’s rooms and offices. If the buyer is not satisfied with the finished form, aquariums of any shape and size will be made to order. The following parameters are considered optimal: length – 1 m, width – 40 cm, height – 50 cm, and volumes – up to 600 liters of water. The most running ones are 100-200 liters. The base for the aquarium can also be made in any style, lined with various materials. For example, solid wood covered with fine wood veneer. But experts still recommend using moisture-resistant materials, such as plastic. Aquariums in bathrooms are often tiled with ceramic tiles..

The issue of leaving is resolved in different ways. There are aquarium design firms that can take care of the fish themselves, and then the order will be cheaper. You can install so many automation that you only need to periodically look at the scoreboard and consoles. However, the cost of the order will increase by an order of magnitude. Finally, your right to generally turn into a passive contemplator of beauty, putting the aquarium for warranty service in the company that installed it.

Of course, those who love and understand the beauty of the underwater kingdom, start an aquarium not only “for the setting”, say the professionals. He gives a reason to relax after work, to rest. Observing swimming fish is a healing process for the nervous system. Hustle and bustle recede when you observe the swaying of algae, the movement of air bubbles, the smooth movements of exotic creatures. A world of peace and silence, which is unknown to our passions and problems. The picture in it changes every minute. It’s like a live TV, and most importantly – only good news.