Aquarium Decorations

Spice up your tank with some aquarium decorations! A great way to give your aquarium some personality while providing your fishes with the shelter they need to feel safe, these fish tank decorations are non-toxic and reduce fish stress - you can't lose! We have all the classic decor like shipwrecks and air stone powered action aquarium decorations, as well as some eye-catching new approaches like old west ghost towns and Asian architecture.

Artificial Aquarium Plants

Plastic aquarium plants and silk aquarium plants offer realistic, attractive aquascaping without the hassle of keeping live plants, which fishes can eat or uproot. (AquaVase plants are meant to be eaten!) Artificial aquarium plants can be used to hide air stones or other in-tank equipment; simply secure them in place with your gravel, and easily remove them for cleaning when they get dirty. Create color themes or a natural look, arrange with other ornaments - every fish tank should have at least one of these beauties.

Aquarium Ornaments and Artificial Plants

Aquarium ornaments and artificial aquarium plants are not just fun to look at - an empty tank can cause stress, as fishes like to know they have some place to hide if anything should chase or threaten them. Aquarium ornaments, artificial plants and driftwood can also be used to hide in-tank equipment or airstones. They are cheap and low maintenance, and we offer hundreds of choices for a huge variety of decorating options to reflect your tastes and personality.

Aquarium Testing Equipment

You will need some combination of aquarium testing equipment to make sure conditions in your aquarium stay healthy and stable. Every aquarium needs a thermometer. Saltwater aquariums need a hydrometer or refractometer. And different aquariums need different combinations of test kits to monitor alkalinity, naturally occurring toxins (like ammonia), and vital elements (like oxygen). Make sure you have the appropriate testing equipment for your aquarium.

Aquarium Pest Control & Pest Traps

Aquarium pest control may seem like an odd concept, but aquariums can get infested by organisms that live in newly acquired corals, live rock, even on new fish (which is why you should quarantine everything for a period before introducing it to your main tank - live rock needs to be cured as well). Aquarium pest control products and traps get rid of these invaders before they can cause major damage to your aquarium by depleting resources and causing illness.

Aquarium Putty & Sealants

Keep aquarium sealants around in case a quick repair is needed - a crack in your tank, for example. Use aquarium putty to situate coral fragments on coral mounts or live rock. Or, apply to the base of heavy rocks for no-slip protection against cracks and scrapes. Aquarium putty and sealants have as many uses as you can think of!

Never use a glue, putty or sealant that isn't specified for aquarium use, as they can be toxic.

Aquarium Nets and Brine Shrimp Nets

There's no question about it: if you own an aquarium you must have aquarium nets. Nets are the safe way to move fish - whether introducing new fish, quarantining sick fish, transferring fish to breeders, refugiums or isolation units, or removing fish for in-depth cleaning. We recommend at least 2 aquarium nets so you can reserve one for handling sick fishes, keeping your other nets free from contamination. Remember to clean your nets after using them!

Aquarium Cleaning Supplies

Regular cleaning is critical to successful aquarium-keeping - we recommend a weekly routine including partial (10-20%) water changes, and we have the aquarium cleaning supplies you need to do it right. Gravel gets funky, tanks get scratched and dirty, and algae gets on everything, even ornaments. A dirty aquarium is not just ugly, it leads to fish stress and illness.

Aquarium Hoods and Aquarium Canopies

Aquarium hoods and glass canopies cut down on water evaporation, prevent fishes from jumping out (and things from getting in), and support your lighting fixtures, while providing convenient access for feeding, maintenance and equipment cables. Check out the sections below if you are undecided about which type of cover to use. Both hoods and canopies will give a sleek, finished look - combine with an aquarium stand for ultimate sophistication!

Aquarium Lighting Fixtures

Aquarium lighting fixtures aim to recreate natural lighting conditions in your freshwater or saltwater aquariums. The type and intensity of lighting you need will depend on the kinds of organisms you keep and the depth of your aquarium. We carry the best aquarium lighting fixtures from the top manufacturers; if you're installing in a hood or canopy, make sure they will fit!

Remember that natural conditions mean daylight and night; pick up a lighting timer to ensure that your fish are getting consistent cycles.

Aquarium Lighting

Improper or insufficient aquarium lighting causes fish stress, lessened activity and coloration, and poor growth and health in fish and invertebrates. The goal of fish tank lights is to replicate the natural conditions of light in natural habitats. Most aquarium fishes need up to 12 hours a day of the appropriate level of daylight, and it's up to you to give them normal days and nights as they don't have any other way to normalize behavioral cycles (like spawning or even feeding).

Aquarium Filter Heaters

Aquarium filter heaters are a relatively new player on the market, so there are fewer choices and they are somewhat pricey. But they offer distinct benefits. Aquarium filter heaters install into your filter or sump, so all the water in your tank gets circulated through, providing even heating not always possible with other heaters. They are the most aesthetic choice since they're completely external. And your filter protects against any damage that might occur in the open aquarium.

Submersible Aquarium Heaters

Submersible Aquarium Heaters are fully submersible within your aquarium and their slim, discreet design can be concealed with aquarium decorations. Submersible aquarium heaters can be pricier (though not by much) than immersible heaters, but it's worth it to the aquarist going for a natural, uncluttered aesthetic.

Aquarium Heaters

Most aquarium fish come from warm waters and need to be above room temperature. Aquarium heaters are inexpensive and keep temperatures stable no matter what it's like outside - vital since fish don't produce their own body heat (and hate fluctuating conditions).

Aquarium Dosing Equipment

Aquarium dosing equipment is used to automatically minister the right amount of fish medications, vitamins and supplements, or other additives to your aquarium water. You can also use aquarium dosing equipment to replace evaporated water, and sometimes even for water changes. A hassle-free way to maintain your aquarium's optimal health - just set it and forget it!

Aquarium Fish Stress Relievers

Aquarium stress is caused by overcrowding, improper water conditions and transitions to new environments; it weakens fish immunity, slows healing, and is a main cause of aquarium illness. Aquarium fish stress relievers are crucial when preparing your aquarium water, adding new fish, and in times of fish illness. (Aquarium salt, vitamin & supplements, and places to hide help prevent stress too.)

Aquarium fish stress relievers usually remove chlorine and other chemicals/metals in tapwater, but they differ from many conditioners by focusing on the healthy growth of a "slime coat", the first defense in your fishes' immune system. Stress relievers also repair damage to the slime coat caused by handling or external wounds.

Aquarium Vitamins and Supplements

Conditioning your water only makes it non-toxic; it does not make natural water conditions. Aquarium vitamins and supplements are crucial in a closed environment, where the plentiful nutrients and trace elements of rivers, lakes and oceans have to be added (and replaced, as they are removed from your tank via filters, protein skimmers and normal biological processes).

Aquarium Medications

Unfortunately, aquarium fish and organisms can get sick or injured too. Aquarium medications help you nurse your them back to health. We carry the most reliable aquarium medicines for bacterial, fungal, and parasitic infections, as well as topical treatments for wounds. Aquarium stress (from overcrowding or improper water conditions) weakens fish immunity, slows healing, and is a main cause of illness, so make sure you are also managing stress in your aquarium.

We strongly recommend medicating sick fish in a quarantine tank, while performing water changes and thorough cleaning of your main tank. If you have to treat your main tank, stop carbon filtration first, then resume afterwards to remove the medicines from your water.

Aquarium Health

Aquarium health sometimes takes a little effort. Our fish medications will arm you to fight parasitic, bacterial and fungal infections, even flesh wounds. Take steps to prevent poor aquarium health - vitamins and supplements will keep your fishes and inverts strong and hearty, stress relievers boost immunity and rapid healing by promoting slime coat growth, and dosing equipment makes treatment regimens easy to implement.

Remember that routine cleaning of your aquarium, water changes after illness, and proper maintenance of equipment (especially filters) are extremely important to aquarium health.

Aquarium Gems & Gels

Aquarium gems & gels make a delightful accent in a fish bowl or small goldfish or betta tank. Durable and brightly colored, aquarium gems & gels please the eye, hide waste and debris at the bottom of your tank, and give you something to anchor your plants and ornaments. No fish bowl is complete without these sparkling little beauties!

Aquarium Sand

Aquarium sand is the substrate you want if you keep soft bellied fish like sharks and sting rays - look for soft, fine sands. If you have sand sifters, look for our live sands, which contain bacteria and microorganisms found in your fishes' natural environment. Live sand can be used alone or mixed 50/50 with inert sand. If you want to maintain your pH & hardness or have a freshwater tank, inert sands will not disrupt your water conditions.

Aquarium Gravel

Aquarium gravel is more than just an easy way to achieve a unique look in your tank - it anchors your ornaments and plants, hides waste and debris, keeps bottom sucking fish happy, and even provides some biological filtration. Some species of fish prefer dark or light colors and may attempt to "blend in" with certain shades of gravel.

Aquarium Fish Feeders

Automatic aquarium fish feeders prevent overfeeding and feed your fish when you're out of town. Even when you're around, they keep your sometimes unpredictable schedule from disrupting your fishes' eating routine!

Manual fish feeders are key to successfully feeding live foods, leafy foods. They also cut down on food waste by keeping food from floating around your tank (and getting in your filter).

Fish Foods by Type

Along with staple fish food for freshwater tropical and marine aquariums, we carry seaweed and algae, brine shrimp for fry, and plankton for corals and filter feeders. You'll also find foods for bottom feeders and pond fish; goldfish, cichlids and other popular species; plus freeze-dried live foods, appetite and color enhancers

Aquarium Filter Media

Aquarium filter media is the material in your aquarium filter that your water passes through. Each kind of aquarium filter media performs an important function. Biological media removes ammonia, nitrites and nitrates from organic waste. Mechanical media removes solid debris and particulates. Chemical media removes pollutants and organic compounds. Using the right filter media is vital to the health and cleanliness of your aquarium, and it comes in many different materials and forms to fit your needs.

Aquarium Filter Bags

Use aquarium filter bags with loose filter media like activated carbon, which can escape your filter and make a mess or even cause damage. If you use filter bags with loose biological media - packing some into several bags - you can change out only a bag at a time, leaving most bacteria undisturbed and preventing harmful spikes in pH and ammonia.

Aquarium filter bags wear down over time; stock up on a few! Micron sizes refer to the mesh; use smaller micron sizes with fine-grain media.

Aquarium Filter Accessories

Your filter is powerless without our aquarium filter accessories! At AquariumGuys.com we stock a variety of media bags for loose filter media, replacement filter cartridges for your filter, and every kind of biological, mechanical and chemical filter media you need to maintain your aquarium.

Aquarium Chillers

Tanks easily overheat, and your fishes can suffer or even die if their water gets too warm. Aquarium chillers come to the rescue in warm summer months, and offset heat from equipment like pumps and lights. Many fish and organisms come from cold waters, and you'll need an aquarium chiller to replicate these conditions. We carry drop-in chillers and flow-through chillers. Make sure you have a reliable aquarium thermometer to avoid fluctuations.

Aquarium Backgrounds

Aquarium backgrounds create instant visual appeal, and create the illusion of more space in a smaller tank. They also hide equipment behind the tank. They look great behind a curtain of shimmering bubbles or with contrasting decorations. Fish tank backgrounds come in different sizes and many exciting designs. Many are self-adhesive, otherwise, simply cut the aquarium background to the proper size and attach with background adhesive.

Coral Mounts and Coral Tools

Starting a reef aquarium takes some work, some patience and the right tools and supplies. Coral mounts and mounting tools are the first step to situating your coral fragments in their new home. Corals need supplemental calcium and other trace elements to grow strong, colorful skeletons. We also carry vitamin supplements, premium coral food, and metal halide lighting to get your corals off to a healthy start!

Fish Breeders and Fish Hatcheries

If you wish to breed fish, use a fish breeder to control the environment and make sure tiny, defenseless fry don't get eaten by other fish. (Larger refugiums and isolation units are also available for multi-purpose isolation.) Consider a sponge filter for tanks where you'll raise your fry, as they can get sucked up into other filters. You'll also find brine shrimp hatcheries here to raise your own for premium fry food. Don't forget brine shrimp eggs and fry-friendly fish food!

Aquarium Refugiums

An aquarium refugium is an isolated compartment kept either inside or outside your tank, with shared water flow so that it shares the water conditions as your main tank. Aquarium refugiums allow you to keep delicate species separate from aggressive species in the same tank, to culture your own live foods, or provide a safe place for damaged corals and fish to heal. We also carry aquarium dividers and traps for fish isolation, and hatcheries for fish breeding.

Aquarium Stands and Furniture

Don't let your aquarium become an eyesore with messy accessories and products all over the place! These handsome aquarium stands and matching canopies coordinate with your other furniture while safely supporting the considerable weight of your tank, with storage space to keep equipment and supplies out of sight. Your fish tank is beautiful and compelling to look at - frame it for a breathtaking effect with our aquarium stands and furniture.

Plastic & Glass Fish Bowls/Betta Fish Bowls

Want to spruce up the corner of your desk with a dynamic piece of natural art? Or maybe you're attracted to a low maintenance aquatic set up? We have an assortment of sizes and styles of plastic and glass fish bowls for your betta or other tiny fish like tetras. If you're looking for something a little more colorful, check out our decorative fish bowl section. Aquarium gravel and an aquarium plant or two will really make your fish bowl stylish and keep your fish entertained!

Aquarium Airline Tubing

Airline tubing is used to connect accessories such as air stones and filters to your air pump, and enough tubing allows you to place these accessories wherever you want in your tank no matter how large it is.

Make sure you also grab the valves you need to control your air flow. For general tubing needs see our plumbing and tubing parts.

Aquarium Air Stones

Air stones, bubble wands and other diffusers add mesmerizing displays of bubbles to your aquarium. Not only are air stones great for decorating your tank, they are used in some kinds of filters, like undergravel filters, and some types of protein skimmers. They also keep those fun, whimsical action ornaments running to amuse you and your fishes.

Aquarium Air Pumps

Aquarium air pumps increase your water circulation and surface area for proper gas exchange. Air pumps are used to power aquarium equipment, such as undergravel filters, corner (box) filters, sponge filters and protein skimmers. Plus they create a dynamic look when used with bubbling air stones and action ornaments. Choose a fish tank air pump that's a bit more powerful than you think you need - this way you're covered if you add more tank accessories later.

Aquarium filter

What is the purpose of an aquarium filter?

To clean the water of debris and suspended particles, remove ammonia and nitrites and aerate the water.

How does it work?

Most filters are divided into three sections: Biological, Mechanical and Chemical.

Biological. An aquarium filter is a breeding ground for two main types of bacteria. This is not something to worry about, quite the opposite. The type of bacteria that filters culture is specifically to work on the chemicals that fish produce through waste. The first type of bacteria breaks down the potentially very poisonous ammonia that fish produce into less harmful nitrites, and then a second type of bacteria breaks down the nitrites into even less harmful nitrates.


Mechanical. The filters will also remove large suspended particles of debris from the water.

Chemical. Some filters allow the addition of Active Carbon in the form of balls, sheets, wadding or crystals. The purpose of this is to remove medications and heavy metal traces from the water.

Aquarium filters come in several different forms, from Under-gravel filter trays, through Hang-on-back (HOB) filters and internal power-head filters to external "Sump" filters. All of them do very similar jobs and all work well. The main criterion for choosing which filter is best is the size of the tank and the load you are going to put it under. Let's take them one at a time and explain the benefits and drawbacks for each. I'll start with the cheapest and work upwards in cost:

Simple Air powered Filters:

Air-box and foam filters, which sucker onto the sides of the tank or just stand on the bottom and contain a filter media, foam or wadding to hold the bacteria and filter out the large debris. These filters are very cheap, often costing just a couple of pounds. The principle of filtration is very simple, using an air stream to force the water through the filter. The principle use for these is in fry breeding, where you need a filter that doesn't cause strong currents and that won't pull the small fry into the internal workings. They also make ideal backup filters for other types and can be setup in minutes. You can even make your own filter like this out of bits and pieces you have laying around! If you have an air pump, you can use this type of filter.

Dis-advantages:

Regular maintenance is a must. These filters can clog up with debris very quickly in heavy load situations.

Not able to handle heavy filtration. These filters are not suitable for tanks where you have diggers, as they clog up very quickly and are limited on the amount of bacteria they can support. You need an air pump to run them.

Under-gravel Filter:

Out of all of the above, this is my personal favorite. Apart from anything else, it is the cheapest and simplest to maintain. Over the years, these have become less popular, mainly due to commercialism, not in-effectiveness. (Retailers make more money by selling more expensive options)

The filter works as follows: It draws water down through the gravel across the entire bottom of the tank through small slots in the tray and forces the cleaned water back to the top through riser pipes in the corner of the tank using either an air stone or a power-head. The filtration is done by the gravel removing the larger particles and the bactreria that lives in the gravel and under the tray removing the harmful ammonia and nitrites. With the Active Carbon filter attachment fitted to the top of the risers, it will also remove heavy metals and medications from the water.

Advantages:

It aerates the water by means of the air stone which draws the water up the riser or simply by the disturbance of the surface in the case of power-heads.

It regulates the water temperature throughout the whole tank, simply by drawing the colder water from the bottom and pushing it out at the top. With the heater placed beside the riser pipe, this water is heated back up straight away, giving more even temperatures.

It is flexible. By the addition of another riser pipe, the filter is capable of carrying a much larger bio-load, which is very helpful for over-stocked tanks. Most trays come with spare riser sockets to add more risers if required.

It is a low-maintenance system. If you are pushed for time, this filter is very forgiving. It won't stop working over a short period of time and can be left for weeks without any concern. It is safe to use with very small fish. So long as the riser pipe is above water level this filter is very safe for smaller inhabitants.

It is good in planted tanks. Plants can root through the gravel and into the slots in the tray to get a good hold.

The cost is minimal. these filter trays are by far the cheapest alternative of all the filtration systems.

Dis-advantages:

Cleaning: Can be difficult if not carried out regularly. (See the article on UGF cleaning for effective and quick ways to clean these filters.)

Air Pump: You need an air pump powerful enough to run this filter effectively. It pays to buy a good air pump as if the pump stops, the filtration stops too.

Substrate: You are restricted with the types of substrate you can use. Gravel is the only effective type of substrate for this filter. If you want to use sand, don't use this filter!

Efficiency: The filter becomes less effective if not cleaned regularly. By regular, I mean at least every six months, which is a lot less than other filter types.

Noise: The filter itself is silent, but sometimes the air pump the runs it can be noisy, so and the sound of bubbles bursting on the surface all the time can get annoying. Careful selection of the pump is very important.

Internal Power-head filters:

By far the most common system used today, these filters come in a range of sizes and shapes to suit most small to medium sizes tanks. They simply sucker onto the side or back of the tank and connect to mains power. The filter works through an impeller drawing the water through the filter media and forcing it back into the tank.

Advantages:

Availability: There is a filter for most common sizes of tank.

Simple to install: They can be fitted into a tank in seconds.

Cleaning: The filters simply slide onto a bracket inside the tank, so removal for cleaning is easy. The media is contained in a removable section of the unit and can be made up of several elements, each one to do specific tasks. They can contain wadding, foam or crystals or a combination of any of the above. If they use foam pads, then you simply rinse them out and replace them when necessary, if they contain wadding, this can be rinsed a few times, but mostly requires replacement each time. Crystals will last for around 4 weeks at a time, then need replacing.

Noise: Most of these filters run quietly.

Dis-advantages:

Looks: The physical size of the filter unit can be a problem if you want to hide it away. As it hangs inside the tank, it also takes up room and in a small tank, this could be a real nuisance. You need to take care when trying to hide it behind plants etc, as there must be clear passage for the water, otherwise it just won’t work!

Cleaning: These filters must be cleaned regularly. They will clog up very quickly in high demand areas and become ineffective very quickly.

Cost: They can be expensive to buy initially, especially the larger ones. The cost of maintenance can be high. Depending on the type of media used in the filter, it can get expensive to keep replacing media all the time.

Water Currents: The current they create can be a problem. Some fish don’t like strong currents, and these fish do not do well in tanks with this type of filter. On the other hand, some fish love it! They also create a strong current at the intake, which can trap or even kill small fish and fry.

HOB or Canister Filters:

Hang on Back or Canister filters are becoming more common these days. I have prouped these two together since they are essentially very similar in performance and operation. They use two pipes that hang or clip over the back of the tank and water is pumped through the filter which can be on the back or anywhere away from the tank. Usually installed in a cupboard under the tank, but also wall-mountable. This type of filter contains lots of different types of media, depending on the manufacturer. Usually fairly expandable too, so individual choices of media can be made according to need. The recommendation for this type of filter is that it should be large enough to circulate ten times the volume of water per hour, which means that a 100 gallon tank requires a filter capable of moving 1000 gallons per hour!

Advantages:

Power: These filters tend to be very powerful and move a great deal of water, capable of handling high demands on medium and larger tanks. Some are also adjustable so you control the power it uses. Effectiveness: For diggers and bottom dwellers they are very effective, since they clean large amounts of water very quickly. On most tanks where these filters are fitted, they give crystal-clear water all the time.

Visability: They are easy to hide away, since it is only the two pipes that enter the tank, and these are easy to disguise.

Current: These units create a really strong current from both ends. The intake needs a good pre-filter fitted to stop the inhabitants being drawn in and the outlet creates a very strong circulation in the tank which is perfect for some fish, but not so good for others.

Dis-advantages:

Cleaning: Can be difficult to clean and some need to be primed before they work. There have also been reports of flooding during the cleaning process, as when installed below the tank water level they can act as a siphon if the valves are not closed properly. Not so prone to clogging as they use lots of media.

Cost: These are very expensive units, and maintenance costs can be high too, depending on the type you buy. The recommendations tend to insist on a much larger unit than you would expect to need. Noise: They can be quite noisy, the HOB filters especially, but canister filters can be installed away from the tank, this means that they can be put in another room if necessary.

Sumps:

Although these are not necessarily the most expensive to buy, I have put them last because they are by far the most adaptable, but need a lot of skill and patience to set up, and the cost is totally dependant on what you use.

A sump is a separate tank, usually a small 20 - 30 gallon fish tank, split into compartments for various uses. A sump is completely adaptable to suit individual requirements, and there are no real guidelines for this. Examples can range from a simple multi-stage filter, through internal heaters, live plants, biological additives, the list is almost endless.

Mainly fitted to the larger tanks, care needs to be taken in the planning, location, building and use intended. Most sumps are purely DIY and usually only attempted by experienced aquarists. Unless you have a real need for this type of filter, stay away from it!