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Which style to choose for the aquarium decoration of the room with unusual lines of furniture, contrasting predominance of blue, gray and white tones?
The answer suggests itself: "the sea." But for beginners mastering the intricacies of the marine aquarium is associated with certain difficulties and quite tangible material costs.
It is quite another thing, if the tank is designed in the style of decoration marinistskom spirit, but the water in it is not salty, and the inhabitants, respectively, freshwater.
Many go for the most simple way of decoration - decorate a typical freshwater aquarium corals and shells of exotic shapes and colors, brought from the warm coast. But this option is not the best: mixing very different styles usually does not give a positive effect. Absolutely unacceptable, in my view, a combination of one tank shells with green thickets and snags. Well, how in the fresh waters of the coral? Or, conversely, in the sea - the higher plants ...
However, hobbyists may argue that such a ridiculous look in one pond Amazon angelfish and South Asian gourami ... But this is a particular habitat that has nothing to do with design.
Not professional at first glance may not always distinguish between marine fish from freshwater. For example, "kings" psevdomorskogo aquarium cichlids African Lakes Malawi, Tanganyika, Victoria - brightest dress a little inferior to what the inhabitants of the coral reefs. And the majority of Australian Donaciinae language does not turn called washed-out. Therefore, in style, mood, thematic composition psevdomorskoy aquarium replicates real sea, but more simple in design and content.
In the perception of the type of aquarium psevdomorskoy suggests various options. The formed image can be very motley, contrast, or, on the contrary, calm, cold. Here the choice depends on whether, in what the interior will be an aquarium, but in any case the marine style is not suitable for every room. Sea fits perfectly into a bright child, strict office or even in the bathroom, but among the classic wooden furniture in brown or dark-green colors look better tropical aquarium.
To create a pseudo-fit aquariums of all shapes and sizes - as unusual balls, cylinders, prisms, and traditional rectangular "panorama" or "Delta". There are no specific recommendations as pseudo-surprisingly versatile.
You can use the same materials as for the marine aquarium psevdomorskogo When making. For example, the bottom of the poured natural marble chips, synthetic colored soils and so on. The particle size does not matter because our living plants in the aquarium will not. Most naturally it does not look very fine white marble chips, sprinkled places beige or gray primer. Despite the fact that the aquarium is bright and the contrast is not recommended to use artificial soil unnatural colors - blue, green, red: still we strive to create a picture that is close to nature.
For arrangements using natural materials, including dead corals, stones of porous limestone rock. Acquiring non-living marine attributes best aquarium in specialized stores, because only in this case you can be sure that the decoration is not subjected to unwanted pre-sales (such as etching or painting). Such operations are harmless for souvenirs, may become hazardous when used in the aquarium and cause poisoning of fish.
If you brought the coral from the sea, they need to prepare thoroughly before you put in the tank. The fastest and easiest way - digestion, but then become more fragile corals. after boiling wash them with a brush under a strong jet of water to remove residual soft polyps. Longer, but gentle method - processing a mild bleach solution followed by soaking for two to three weeks in frequent changes of water. Use gorgonian impossible, as in fresh water, they will inevitably rot.
Conch is better not to boil, otherwise fade pearl. organic is not there: -: you can use a non-standard way that does not remain clam tissue inside the shell, and you can be sure, then wash, place them in an ant hill for a few hours. But to get rid of calcium leaching of coral, limestone and shell fails, so that the water in the aquarium with such materials will inevitably be tough, and residents must be chosen on the basis of this feature.
Synthetic materials are inert to water, so the choice of fish for this aquarium more free, until the Apistogramma of soft Brazilian waters. In addition, the wide color range of modern artificial soil and decorations for the aquarium allows you to create a beautiful landscape with fish almost any color.
To make the picturesque relief and the bottom surface, you can use all sorts of caves and terraces. Stones in psevdomorskoy Aquarium pick irregularly shaped, sharp-edged, in harmony with the weave of coral branches. The same applies to the terraces: it is important not so much their height and number of storeys, as the attractiveness of the form. However, this does not mean that you can psevdomorskoy aquarium without hesitation to push everything that is "non-standard" form. Positioning the scenery is desirable so that the basic laws of composition (asymmetric, compliance with the rules of a third, a composition of the visual center, etc.) is still respected. Secondary elements of decoration should be subordinated to the chief, to emphasize its appeal and originality.
When selecting option arrangement of the reservoir should be noted that the vast majority are used in this style of fish - moving, quite large, requiring sufficient space for swimming, so it is not necessary to clutter up the aquarium. Generally, psevdomorskie aquariums less loaded scenery, tropical odd, "Equator", etc. In the wilds of coral, synthetic plants, rubble stone fish will simply invisible.
The back wall of the aquarium decorate the background. In the simplest case, the one-color (blue, black, etc.) film or a picture with a sea story. Maximum the attractiveness of the reservoir can be achieved by relief backgrounds specifically designed for marine aquariums (note that this decoration is expensive).
More picturesque body of water gives to the use of synthetic plant. Corporation "Hagen" produces plastic plants specifically for marine aquariums, detail simulating algae (Caulerpa), and better to stop the choice on them. Do not use pseudo-artificial arrangements preamble, Ludwig, broadleaf Echinodorus and Cryptocoryne.
Now we talk a little about technical support. Basically requirements for it are determined contained in the reservoir fish and some of the features of this type of design the aquarium.
Malawians and Donaciinae love running and fresh warm water: they need a fairly powerful pump and thermostat to maintain the temperature at 25 - 27 degrees C. Swordtails, platies and certain other viviparous more tolerable to the parameters of the water, however without a good filtration aquarium-style "of pseudo" can not be dispensed. Firstly, the absence of live plants dispose of fish waste products, is not conducive to the establishment of biological equilibrium. Secondly, and perhaps more significantly, the use of natural limestone and coral in the aquarium we have an abundance of rough, porous surfaces, serving the ideal substrate for the settlement and development of all kinds of algae. To prevent algal bloom, it is necessary to take care of biochemical and efficient mechanical filtration using as fillers in addition to the foam or sponge at least activated carbon. Performance filter - 1.5 - 2.0 vessel volumes per hour.
As for the lighting, the choice of lamps in an aquarium, not pseudo-determined needs of plants, but only a decorative purpose. fluorescent lamps cold tones (such as domestic or imported LHB like PowerGlo) There are more suitable. An interesting effect allows the use of halogen lamps: the fact that their powerful directional light forms a distinct shade of fish and decoration at the bottom of the tank, resulting in a large body of water acquires a visible prominence and dynamism. Again, avoid excessive lighting, which triggers the development of green algae. Clear them from the natural coral and limestone is almost impossible.
It should be noted that even with ideal filtering and optimal selection of lighting to maintain blinding snow-corals in the aquarium is not possible. To comfort you can only by the fact that in the sea completely white they are. It is possible to subject them to periodic bleached or boiled, although in this case with the time they come into complete disrepair - cracked, crumbling. Unfortunately, with all the abundance of currently available at pet stores ceramics, artificial coral with a smooth surface, similar to the real, yet.
With synthetic decorations in this regard are simpler, their surface is smooth and well cleaned from bacterial plaque and algal fouling. In addition, they can withstand repeated boiling.
In principle, the selection of fish for the aquarium psevdomorskogo we talked. Once again I remind you that if the arrangement were used materials with calcareous inclusions, preference should be given to species that like hard water: pseudotropheus, lamprologusy, haplohromisy and other Malawians, tanganiktsy, Victorians and tkzhe platypus, mollies and other petsilidy. Their elegant colors perfectly contrasts with the gray coral and light background.
If fish is not enough color to form a bright image, the colors deficit offset by the use of a motley decoration. For example, the above mentioned Apistogramma colored less intensely compared with cornflower haplohromisami, but if you put them in an aquarium with artificial white ground, bright seashells, blue or black decorations in the background and red plastic plants, you get a very picturesque scene.
It can be kept in an aquarium psevdomorskom atheriniformes - melanoteny, silverside, glossolepisov. When using only synthetic decorations in pseudo-can be contained and some of the larger cichlids, such as parrots or hybrid diamond tsihlazomy as sufficiently bright and unpretentious.
Since the pseudo-tank created primarily for decorative rather than cognitive purposes, reproduced in detail in it habitat attributes required. For example, if in an aquarium with Malawians we'll have a lot of hiding places, the fish will feel more comfortable, but the decorative value of the reservoir will drop significantly, as part of the fish is bound to be hiding in them.
With regard to care, the basic requirements for the prevention of the accumulation of organic matter in water: no overfeeding, weekly replacement of at least 10% of water with simultaneous cleaning siphon soil. Light is best to include only the time when you are at home and watch the fish. The shorter the duration of the illumination, the less overgrown with corals and algae lower scenery. Furthermore, in this tank, unlike the reservoirs with living plants, can be safely used chemical drugs for combating weeds.


E. Stankiewicz Moscow