Upgrade Your Fish Tank

You might take one look at your tired old living room and think some new doorknobs, fresh carpet or a new couch will freshen it up. Maybe a new floor lamp in the corner or new blinds to let more light in - the options are endless and your aquarium is no different. It’s a home for your fish so why not take the time and spend the extra effort finding the perfect fish tank decorations to enhance the space and give it a new lease of life? You’ll get to watch your fishy friends exploring all of their new surroundings while still leaving it familiar enough to call it home.

If you’ve been running the same tank with the same equipment for a while, you might notice that they don’t work as effectively as they used to. New equipment may have been brought out so it’s good to always keep up with products being released based on new research that might better serve your fish. We used to consider a small bowl the perfect home for a goldfish before we knew they needed nice big tanks to thrive in. The best practices of fish keeping are always being updated, so make sure you’re keeping up to date.

There are two main ways in which you can upgrade your fish tank without getting a whole new tank and starting fresh. Whether it’s some fancy new equipment or a full set of new decorations, you might swear it’s another tank entirely by the time you’re finished.

Sometimes as your fish grow and reach maturity you might feel a bigger tank is called for, but if there’s plenty of space then just giving the inside a makeover can immediately level it up. Fish find any big moves and changes quite stressful so keeping a few things the same while changing others around is important. Water changes should always be done gradually too even if you are making a change that requires you to empty their tank. Make sure you keep your fish in their tank water so they don’t have a shock and refill the aquarium with the same water once you’re done.

Most species of fish will benefit from a good quality air pump like the Marina 200 Air Pump. Not all fish benefit from air pumps. Those whose natural habitat is still water like the Betta fish can become distressed when the current is too strong. Their fancy fins can make it difficult to swim in water that is consistently disturbed by a current. Most other species of fish like goldfish and tropical species like guppies and tetra really benefit from the extra flow of oxygen.

Air pumps draw in air and release it in a stream of bubbles at the bottom of the tank. These bubbles all rise to the surface which keeps the water moving. By constantly disturbing the surface of the tank, there will be a nice flow of oxygen running through the water. Carbon dioxide can escape from the water’s surface while oxygen enters and creates a healthier living environment for your fish. Some fish keepers may rely on a filter alone to trigger the exchange of carbon dioxide and oxygen but an air pump will upgrade any setup. 

If you have a tired old light in your setup or even an aquarium that relies on the ambient light of the room to light it up, sometimes it can struggle to penetrate the water’s surface. A new state of the art light like the GLO Single-Unit Conventional Ballast Lighting System 20W is great for energy saving and will really show off the aquarium’s interior. It mounts easily to the rear of the tank and the bulb is adjustable so you can get it nice and close to the water’s surface to provide the best lighting.

Having a good light that works well in your tank is vital for the growth and development of your fish. If you have a live planted tank, you also need good lighting to support photosynthesis to keep them looking healthy and continuously growing. The lighting you use for your tank will differ depending on the species of fish you house. Any species from rivers, streams or lakes and those who spend a lot of time at the surface will want a nice bright light to mimic the sunlight that they would normally have in their natural environment. Good lighting can really boost their activity.

Maybe you’re tired of looking at the same drab tank interior and you want something a little more fun and fresh. Occasionally changing out the tank substrate can really breathe some fresh life into the environment. Not only does it remove any of the dirt from deep in the tank that could be hiding to start with but changing up what you use can get a whole new look. You might want to brighten up your tank with something a little more fun in which case you can try a substrate like Marina Jelly Bean Decorative Epoxy Aquarium Gravel 2kg. It’s bright, vibrant and if you’re going for a theme with the decor then getting a substrate to match will really make it stand out.

The great thing about tank gravel is that it comes in all different colours so it doesn’t matter what theme you’re going for, you can find something to suit. From natural tones with the Marina Natural Beach Pebbles, Aquarium Gravel to every colour of the rainbow with Marina Rainbow Decorative Aquarium Gravel 2kg. Your fish won’t mind what theme you go for as gravel is all the same to them so you can be as adventurous as you like!

One of the fastest ways to freshen up your tank is with new decorations. Fish are inquisitive little critters and love nothing more than to explore new things you give them. Tank decorations like the Cave Complex, Fish Tank Decoration is great because they get to explore both outside and inside. If you have a community tank or even a mixed sex tank then it’s important to give fish places to hide. Females and smaller fish can sometimes be chased around and tank decorations like caves help to break up any tension between fishy inhabitants.

The new decorations you give your fish will always depend on what sort of feel you’re going to have in your tank. Some fish keepers like funky, brightly coloured decorations while others prefer to set up environments that look more natural. Tank decorations like Aqua Dreams Velvet Grassed Wood Medium Fish Tank Decoration are a great option when you want to mimic your fish’s natural habitat and provide them with ornaments that really look like home. They can still explore all the nooks and crevices of natural logs. Using a wood like bamboo that has already been treated with food safe natural wax makes for a quick and easy installation. It’s perfectly safe and will look amazing in a planted aquarium.

The opportunities to upgrade your tank are endless, from new ornaments right down to the hardware itself. For all of your aquarium essentials, pop in to visit us or take a look online.