Aquaristics is a very broad discipline. More and more people are passionate about breeding ornamental fish and setting up marine or freshwater tanks. However, many people, even those who are not aquaristics enthusiasts, wish to have a beautiful aquarium in their apartments or businesses. Such a meticulously arranged aquarium, with rich interiors, vegetation, aquatic life, and decorations, serves as a great, natural decorative element that often attracts observers with its vibrant colors and magical atmosphere.

Aquariums are not just places where you can keep fish. They can also become an interesting addition to interior design. When integrated into a specially prepared space, an aquarium becomes part of the room it is in. Thus, it can be a very interesting and unique decorative element or a source of relaxation, mental repose, and a perfect way to escape daily problems, becoming a soothing part of nature for the senses. If you want your aquarium to look nice, don’t be afraid to add decorations!

Why Use Aquarium Decorations?

The design of decorations seems to be aimed at increasing the attractiveness of the aquarium, making the place where it is located more striking and decorating the interior. However, the functions of aquarium decorations are much broader, as they provide hiding places or spawning spots for fish.

But that’s not all. Using aquarium decorations is also a good way to diversify the substrate. To ensure everything blends together and forms a coherent concept, a well-thought-out freshwater tank arrangement is very important. We can manage this on our own or with the help of experienced professionals.

What Can We Find on the Market?

We must admit that aquarium decoration manufacturers have emerged in response to the demand, as the range of available solutions is impressive. We can choose from a variety of customized aquarium decorations so that everyone can find something suitable - from natural decorations to artificial ones, ready to be placed in the water, as well as those requiring additional preparation.

Natural Decorations

We are fans of natural aquariums, which is why we recommend using decorations proposed by nature. These decorations can certainly be used in different styles of natural or biotope aquariums. Of course, everything depends on personal preference.

Roots

Natural decorations certainly include roots, which are perfect for tanks with fish as well as tanks inhabited by other creatures. It’s worth mentioning that roots may require additional cleaning to remove any contaminants. To prepare roots for our aquarium, steaming them with boiling water or soaking them for a longer period is sufficient. Various forums offer many methods for preparing roots or wood for the aquarium. Remember that different methods may be dedicated to different types of roots or wood, so choose carefully.

Rocks and Stones

Of course, your fish and shrimp will enjoy these accessories, as they are ideal for shelter and resting spots. However, that’s not the end of the recommendations because natural decorations can also include natural rocks and stones, which can mimic the natural bottom of a water reservoir. Here, we also need to be careful. Many stones and rocks affect water chemistry, such as limestone, mainly used in African lake biotopes because it increases the water’s pH, which not many fish can handle. Additionally, avoid rocks with sharp edges that can injure your fish’s fins.

Leaves

Leaves can be used as natural decorations, especially in biotope aquariums. However, we must also remember that they affect water chemistry. For example, due to a large amount of tannins, oak leaves will acidify the water; walnut leaves will slightly change the water’s color. Look around at the trees near you, and you may find a species that will enrich your aquarium decor.

Aquarium Plants

It’s obvious but worth mentioning that choosing different live plants that contrast with fish is the best natural aquarium decoration. Despite using some real plants to fill the space, selecting some live plants to catch the audience’s eye is preferable. Introducing live plants of different colors or flowering plants will undoubtedly enhance your aquarium decor. Check out our recent articles on Madagascar Lace or Ludwigia Mini Super Red, which are very decorative and used in the aquarium trade.

Remember, injecting CO2 is highly beneficial for the growth of live plants and their vibrant colors. Check out our offer of CO2 systems provided by CO2 Art here! Combined with proper lighting, your aquarium plants will grow healthily, quickly, and beautifully.

Other Natural Decorations

Natural aquarium decorations also include items made from bamboo, coconut, natural wood, or clay. For example, in the case of blackwater biotope aquariums, small pieces of wood floating on the surface work very well. An interesting solution is using ceramic decorations, including coral, castles, or tubes, which will undoubtedly enhance the tank’s decor.

Artificial Decorations

Next to natural decorations, many artificial solutions are available. Artificial aquarium decorations also positively impact the appearance of the fish tank or other creatures’ tank. Artificial decorations can be plastic decorations and those made from various materials, especially shipwrecks.

Artificial decorations, such as plastic flowers or other fake plants, are perfect when live plants cannot be grown in the aquarium, i.e., when they are destroyed or eaten by fish.

Decorative backgrounds can also be classified as artificial decorations. These aquarium products are perfect for emphasizing the charm and character of the aquarium. They add depth to the tank, and most importantly, cut off elements behind the rear window – walls or furniture.

Types of Tank Glass and Decorations

When planning the construction of an aquarium, the choice of glass used to make it is very important. When planning to use interesting decorations in our tank, it’s worth considering using Optiwhite glass. Optiwhite aquariums are a good idea when we want to accurately reproduce the colors of plants, decorations, fish, and everything in the tank. Aquariums made from this type of glass are characterized by high transparency and lack the greenish tint typical of float glass, especially visible on the edges of the glass.

What and How to Choose?

Many of us are used to choosing decorations based on what we like visually. However, in the case of aquarium decorations, the choice cannot be random. First, we must consider the aquarium’s inhabitants, i.e., the fish or other animals living in it. But that’s not all, as the environment itself is important.

We need to know that some natural ornaments should not be present in some aquariums due to the adverse effects on water, meaning that freshwater aquariums must have appropriately selected tank decorations and vegetation.

However, this is not the end because if we want the aquarium to look beautiful and provide its inhabitants with suitable living conditions, we should ensure that all chosen elements, such as plants, roots, wood, and lighting, form a cohesive whole. Therefore, when selecting decorations for the aquarium, let’s be very careful.

Each decoration should be coordinated with the vegetation and adapted to the type of fish and water. Remember, some species like dense vegetation, others need more swimming space, and others need to dig in the substrate. Let’s try to create aquarium decorations similar to their natural habitat. If all conditions are met, we will undoubtedly manage to create an aquarium that everyone will appreciate.

Summary

We are confident that many enthusiasts among our audience, at the beginning of their aquarium adventure, say, “Arrangement is easy,” but change their minds after setting up their first freshwater tank. It’s not surprising – there are so many possibilities that we cannot be sure of the final effect. This hobby is exciting – everything depends on imagination (and maintenance).