A Good Location for Your Aquarium
The way your house is arranged can have a major impact on the best spot to place your aquarium. The spot that you intend to set up your aquarium should be inspected for some easy to spot problems. A little forethought and planning can go a long way in avoiding disaster and inviting success.
Since aquariums are extremely heavy and must be drained before moving, it can be very frustrating to move a running aquarium system because you spotted it in a location that doesn’t work out. Placing your aquarium in the right spot will help limit your future headaches. It is better to wait a few days to carefully consider your new aquariums location than it is to move it after it is established.
Room Temperature
Regardless of the type of system you set up your aquarium will need to remain a relatively stable water temperature. Significant changes in temperature will cause stress to your fish and potentially cause illness or even death.
Your aquarium’s heater can help maintain a constant temperature, but if it fails, or if the room is very cold, you are in trouble. If the room is too warm there are numerous diseases that can arise. Also, warmer water does not hold as much oxygen as cooler water which can cause your fish to gasp at the surface or die from asphyxiation. Ensuring that your aquarium is in a room with appropriate and stable temperatures is essential to assure a long, happy, healthy life for your aquatic pets.
Doors and Windows
Doors can cause problems for aquariums in two ways:
- Drafts- Each time someone opens an exterior door the temperature near it will change. In the winter, it becomes cooler. It the summer, it becomes warmer (Duh!). To make sure that your tank has constant temperatures you should place your aquarium as far from exterior doors as possible.
- Contact- When doors are swung open they can strike an aquarium that is placed too close. Doorknobs are hard and are usually placed at a perfect height to whack and break a tank. If your tank has to be placed near a door make sure the door can be opened and closed fully without contacting the tank.
Windows allow a lot of natural light to come in. All this natural light can cause an explosive growth of algae if the tank is not monitored carefully. While algae is not bad for the tank it is unsightly and you will find yourself spending lots of time to keep your aquarium looking nice and clean. The light coming through the window can also cause your tanks temperature to rise quickly.
Traffic, Commotion and Kids
Lots of action outside of the aquarium will cause your fish to be in a state of alert. They will hide behind decorations constantly, be frequently stressed and as a result, susceptible to disease. Because of this it is best to avoid the high traffic areas of your home.
Children’s play areas can also cause problems for your fish, not just because of the movement, but also due to the risk of breakage. Even if the children living in your household know how to behave and won’t cause a problem, you can’t be so sure when the neighbors, nieces, nephews and cousins come over. bouncing balls, flying blocks and general rough housing can spell disaster.
When your aquarium is placed in an area frequented by children you are going to find fingerprints on the glass and funky items such as peanut butter and jelly sandwiches and action figures swimming in the tank. It is usually best to avoid placing your aquarium in the kid’s playroom.
Water Supply
When placing your tank consider it’s proximity to a water source. Dragging buckets of water down a flight of stairs, through the living room, over the mountains and through the woods is not an enjoyable experience. Water weighs over 8 pounds per gallon. That five gallon bucket is over 40 pounds. That 55 gallon tank will take 11 buckets. See my point?
A great item to help get water to and from your aquarium is an Economy Ultimate Aquarium Gravel Vac - 25 ft. - Boxed Kit. It costs less than thirty bucks, and you will be extremely happy with the investment. There are also 50 foot extension kits available.
Space
The size of your home and the rooms within it will have a significant impact on where you can place your aquarium. The other furnishings of the room will also play a role. Before setting up your aquarium make sure that your have adequate floor space available.
Electrical Outlets
One of the things I am constantly stressing is that you need to have electrical outlets near your aquarium. Your lights, heater, filters, etc, all run on electricity. You want to be able to discreetly run your electrical cords to an outlet. Having extension cords snaking across the carpet is neither safe nor attractive.
I also suggest having Ground Fault Circuit Interrupter (GFCI) outlets installed. These are the outlets that your typically find in bathrooms or in kitchens near sinks. Basically, if a fault occurs in the circuit it turns power off. Having your arm elbow deep in an aquarium is not a fun experience when a fault occurs. My hair is still frizzy from the last time it happened to me!
You should also get a surge protector so that all your items can plug into one outlet. A good one is the
Power Center. It has 8 outlets and a Day/Night timer for your lights.
Space for Cleaning
Your are going to have to perform periodic maintenance to your aquarium. Be sure to leave a little room around the tank so that you can easily reach all surfaces, inside and out. This includes access to the outside of the rear glass panel. It will need to be wiped occasionally.