FISH TANK ACCESSORY LIST: THE BASICS

Once you’ve decided on your fish tank, the next step is acquiring the support accessories. Remember: an aquarium is an alien environment, and a very complex one. The large bodies of water your fishes come from – big lakes, or in the case of saltwater fish, the oceans – have very stable environments. Changes take place slowly, so the fish born there are unable to cope with drastic changes in temperature, PH levels, nitrate levels and dietary changes. Your job as an aquarist is to keep your fish tank as stable as possible. Fish tank accessories will make that job easier.

The matter of choosing a fish tank accessory is in fact an incredibly important one, as choosing the right kind of aquarium, equipment, plants, decorations, and optional accessories, you will then be laying the basis for healthy and proper conditions in your fish tank overall. There are many types of a fish tank accessory that you can purchase, including that of: heaters, thermometers, air pumps, air pump valves, air stones, power heads, and more.





An Even Temperature
In regards to heaters, there are three basic types, which are: rod type heaters, bottom heaters, and thermofilters. The rod type heaters usually attach vertically to the wall of the aquarium, and they can either be submersible or not. The bottom heaters are attached to the bottom of the tank before the substrate is added, and they have the advantage of being invisible and are thus excellent for plant tanks. The thermofilters are filters that have a built in heating element, and they too are invisible but they are very expensive. Thermometers are a fish tank accessory which is truly essential to every aquarium, so that you can keep track of the actual temperature inside of the tank.

Plenty Of Air
Air pumps were in fact one of the first accessories ever made for a fish tank, and they are used as a source of supplemental water circulation and oxygen supply, and there are also battery operated air pumps that are available which can be used in the case of a power failure or on long collecting trips.





Moving Water
Power heads are also incredibly important, as they are small and versatile water pumps that were designed for use with the underwater gravel. They actually replace the air stone at the bottom of each lift tube and then mount to the top, thus greatly increasing the water flow through the gravel.

Where To Find Your Fish Tank Accessories…
You can find all fish tank accessories at basically any store that deals fully or partially in aquatics, and you can generally find all fish tank accessories at reasonable prices. The best idea is to make a list of the items when you need, so that when you enter the store you will not be overwhelmed with the multitude of options that are available for you.