How to Arrange Your Aquarium Decorations (The Basics)

By: Dan Galen

Create an environment mix in your aquarium decor for maximum flexibility in the types of fish species you may decide to keep. That means setup your rocks, plants, sand, or gravel, so that there are caves, nooks, and tunnels, that fish can explore, inhabit, and seek refuge in when feeling threatened, while still leaving lots of free swimming space for those fish that prefer wide open spaces.

Position the rocks, aquarium plants, etc., away from the sides of the fish tank so that you can clean off any algae that may grow there, without interference from rocks, plants, or decorations. Leave sufficient space between fish tank plants, and aquarium ornaments to permit vacuuming up any debris that will accumulate on the bottom.

Be sure to use only decorations, rocks, and plants, specifically made for fish aquariums as they are made of specific materials free from toxins that harm fish and corals. Using a uniquely shaped rock, or branch out of your garden, or roadside, desert, forest, or camping area, or the Ocean, or a nearby Lake, may introduce chemicals such as fertilizers, pesticides, gasoline, oil, detergents, or parasites, and fungus, that will wreck havoc in your aquarium, and could kill most fish species, after spending lots of time and money trying to find, and eliminate, the cause.

Don't use metals in your fish tanks. Don't use wire to secure aquarium decorations such as Live Rock or Driftwood. Use glues, or plastic ties designed for an aquarium environment to secure your rock walls, driftwood, or tank decorations, as metal is toxic to fish and will slowly kill them.

You should consider the habitats of the types of pet fish species that you will be keeping in your fish tank before beginning the aquarium design. These suggestions apply for saltwater fish tanks or freshwater fish tanks alike.

Dan Galen is an author and enthusiast on aquarium decorations, aquascaping, and all things aquatic and the owner of FishTankShop.com. To learn more about how to setup your fish tank's environment please visit the site.