…then you too may have been surprised to learn that the art of fish keeping is far more complex and intricate than what meets the eye. There are so many different things to consider when setting up an aquarium. What sort of fish should you keep if any at all? Should you set up a tropical or cold water tank? The possibilities are endless! One of the biggest decisions you’ll make, and probably the most expensive, is deciding which tank to buy in the first place. With such a wide selection of tanks available, each with endless design features, it’s important that you choose the right aquarium. This however, is something much easier said than done. With that in mind, we’ve highlighted our top five aquariums we think are suitable for any beginner embarking upon their very first aquatic journey.

  1) Baby BiOrb 

The first recommendation on our list is the sleek looking Baby BiOrb 15 Litre aquarium. It is a new take on the classic “Goldfish Ball” with some upgraded modern features. Firstly, it is made of acrylic, which is sturdier and more reliable than the traditional glass in aquariums. Designed to be compact, it is perfect for even the smallest of spaces, which also makes it easier to clean and maintain. Everything runs on low voltage making it eco-friendly and above all safe. If you are a complete novice to fish keeping, this starter kit is ideal as it comes with everything you need to get you started. Complete with an air pump, filter media and water conditioners, along with other added necessities, all you really need to do is decide how to decorate your new tank. Simple.

2) Newa – More

Next, we have the Newa More 18 litre corner aquarium. This tank comes highly recommended for its sturdy manufacturing and nifty corner design that makes it compact and slick, allowing you to conceal any unsightly cables. It has inbuilt compartments for heating and lighting giving you the option of turning your tank into a tropical environment. Perhaps the most appealing part of the design is the filtering system. Not only does it have an overflow safety feature, but it sits to the rear of the tank, making maintenance and cleaning stress free. The starter pack comes with all the basics needed to get you started, including filter media and lights and detailed instructions on how to get the most out of your tank; it really could be as simple as adding water and fish!

3) BiOrb Life

For those ready to step up to the challenge of tropical fish keeping, the BiOrb Life 30 litre is an excellent choice for a first tank. This is mainly down to the very cleverly designed intelligent light unit that has day light and moon light capabilities. It can be used for 24 hours a day and can be set on a timer cycle to create a natural light environment for your fish. It has a beautiful rounded compact design, which is available in black or white, making it very pleasing to the eye. Rather than the use of traditional glass, BiOrb use acrylic on their tanks making them sturdy and more resistant to cracks. This is especially useful for moving your tank about. The starter kit also comes complete with an air pump, water conditioner, and various other additions needed to get your tropical tank up and running.

4) Juwel Rekord 800

Another one for those that want to try their hand at tropical fish keeping; the Juwel Rekord (110 Litre) is an ideal choice for a first tank. The rectangular design gives it a traditional “old school” aquarium feel. The appearance, however, can be deceiving; everything about the modest looking tank is expertly crafted with high quality materials. It has an integrated Bio-filter and lighting system which are easily accessible for maintenance and cleaning. The filter system in particular is designed to allow the use of filter media with a large surface area, which is essential in growing beneficial bacteria. The larger volume of water gives way for a more stable environment for fish and plants. Adding a heater is simple too, so upgrading to a tropical tank isn’t difficult. The starter pack again comes with all the necessities needed to get you started.

5) Juwel Rio 125

The ultimate starter aquarium has to be the Juwel Rio 125 Litres. Like the Rekord 800, it displays the same traditional design features as most Juwel-produced Aquariums. It is available in four different colours, and they have also manufactured a customized cabinet to house the aquarium. The mid-range tank is fully kitted out with lots of modern fixtures and fittings which are all designed around safety and efficiency. The lighting system uses T5 bulbs to help promote plant growth and development, giving you the option of growing aquatic plants should you wish in the future. The tank has so many features it is apparent that this is manufactured and built to last as well as make your hobby as stress free as possible. This is a relatively large starter tank, which is useful for creating a stable environment for any plants or fish and housing a greater variety of them. The question is Cold-water or Tropical?

Of course, choosing a tank is the very first part of the journey. The road of discovery in the world of fish keeping is still ahead. We would like to know if you are interested in fish keeping or indeed if you are already an aquatics enthusiast, do you have any advice on tanks for beginners?

The post Top 5 Freshwater Aquariums for beginners appeared first on Warehouse Aquatics.

The type of light required for a coldwater aquarium is normally down to the tastes of the owner more than the requirements of the fish. The best lighting for a coldwater aquarium will show off the colouring of the inhabitants to make them look their best. Although the lighting itself is not hugely important, it should still fall within the correct area of the light spectrum, especially if there are plants within the aquarium. If there are plants present the lamps should be within 5500-6500 Kelvin and reasonably high output, such as T5’s.

T8 lighting is sufficient for most coldwater aqauriums. This means that many ‘Complete’ aquariums on the market today are suitable for keeping coldwater fish without any lighting modifications.

As with coldwater aquariums, the lighting required for a tropical aquarium should show off the colours of your fish. There are several different types of light tube which can be used, all output a slightly different area of the light spectrum. ‘Daylight’ lamps use more of the blue end of the spectrum to recreate, not surprisingly, daylight! Whereas ‘warm’ light tubes utilise the red end of the spectrum to show off the colours on your fish.

If possible, using a combination of these lights gives a good coverage and a pleasing look for your aquarium.

If you wish to set up a planted aquarium, more care will need to be taken when selecting lights in order to ensure that your plants flourish. There are several T5 bulbs on the market designed specifically for planted aquariums such as Arcadia’s Plant Pro range.

In a planted aquarium you should aim for 1 watt of light for every 2 litres of water as a minimum. Obviously there are plants available which will be ok under less intense lighting but 1 watt per 2 litres is a good ratio to aim for when starting out. It is also a good idea to install reflectors on your light tubes to maximise the amount of light reaching the aquarium.

LED lighting is now available aimed specifically at the planted aquarium hobbyist from companies such as TMC who offer the Grobeam range. These offer a full spectrum light output of 6500K and, as it is a point light source they create a natural shimmer effect.

Light tubes should be changed every 8-12 months as the light output diminishes and the spectrum of the light can shift slightly leading to algae issues. This does not apply to LED lighting as bulbs never need to be changed.

A light timer is an essential piece of equipment for any aquarium and allows for consistency in the day to day cycle of light within the aquarium. Aim for 8-10 hours of ‘daylight’ per day. If the tank receives a large amount of direct natural light (something you should aim to avoid when positioning your aquarium) then consider reducing this lighting period, especially if algae problems occur.

The post A guide to freshwater lighting appeared first on Warehouse Aquatics.

All BiOrb aquariums from Warehouse Aquatics come with the following things to get you started:

– Setup guide

– Food sachet

– Water treatment sachet

– Filtration system which includes a bubble tube, air pump and air stone

– A lid or light depending on which BiOrb you choose

Lighting Available

– None just a Perspex lid

– Halogen lighting which is a plain bulb controlled by an on/off switch

– LED Intelligent lighting which can create sunset/sunrise and moonlight in your aquarium

– Moonlight which has a daylight bulb during the day but switches to a moonlight when it gets dark

BiOrbs are suitable for the following types of fish:

– Small goldfish or Coldwater fish

White Cloud Mountain Minnows

Comet Goldfish

– Small tropical fish

Tetras

Danios

Platies

Guppies

– Small Marine Fish

Clownfish

Blennies

Shrimp

Snails

So I’d like a BiOrb Aquarium but what else might I need?

As well as the fantastic equipment supplied with every BiOrb aquarium you may like to add some decor or accessories to help make fish keeping easier:

– BiOrb Aquarium Gravel Cleaner – To syphon out water during regular water changes as well as any detritus

– A BiOrb Timer to help remind you when maintenance tasks are due

– Some additional water treatment – your sachet will run out sooner or later!

– BiOrb Pebble Pack to provide a coloured base

15L Aquarium – 1 Pebble Pack

30L Aquarium – 2 Pebble Packs

60L Aquarium – 2 Pebble Packs

105L Aquarium – 3 Pebble Packs

– Plant Packs

Several Plant packs in an aquarium provide your fish some shelter to help them feel comfortable, the size and number of plants you want to add is entirely upto personal taste

Biorb Bubble Tube disguisers

Bubble tubes ornaments or rings are designed to go around the bubble tubes to hide them and also provide some decoration to your aquarium

The post A beginner’s guide to BiOrbs appeared first on Warehouse Aquatics.