50 liter aquariums: sizes, number of fish and their selection

An important part of the aquarium hobby is choosing the right aquarium. The water house should be comfortable for the fish, so you need to choose the best option for keeping them. A 50 liter aquarium is the golden mean, we can say about it that it is small, but at the same time, quite spacious for many types of fish.

When choosing a 50-liter tank, it is important to consider all the pros and cons of such an acquisition. The main advantages are the following:

• there is an opportunity to populate several schools of beautiful fish;
• the size of the tank allows you to place and mask various aquarium equipment, for example, a filter and a heater;
• compactness - such an artificial reservoir will look good in a small room or office;
• the reservoir can be interestingly designed;
• suitable for beginners.

Of the minuses, the following points can be noted:

• large and rare fish should not be kept;
• the volume is too small for the organization of a marine aquarium;
• compared to 100 liter aquariums, the water becomes quickly polluted, therefore careful control over the cleanliness of the environment is required.

In specialized stores, you can buy a 50 liter aquarium of any shape. Classic rectangular considered the most comfortable for keeping different types of fish. It is easy to equip it with various equipment; it is easy to fix filters, a thermometer, a heater on straight walls. Aspect ratios may vary, but the most common aquariums are 510x270x350 mm.

Panoramic aquariums with curved front glass are in demand today. They resemble older TVs in shape. They look gorgeous in the interior, but it is worth noting that they take up more space and distort the look of the aquarium inhabitants. Because of the curved glass, it is not always possible to take high-quality photographs of fish.

The front glass is even more curved for aquariums such as «moon». It looks unusual in the interior. Glass distortion is even stronger than in the aquarium "TV". But sometimes it plays into the hands - you can come up with an unusual design of the water world, place decorative items of the original form.

In offices, such aquariums are recommended to be installed at the entrance. The aspect ratio of a 50-liter aquarium of this type is 700x240x360 mm.

There are also quite extravagant forms, for example, elongated octahedral cylinders. This is a deep tank, the size of which is 330x330x600 mm. The aquarium looks interesting, does not take up much space and provides a good overview.

Those who nevertheless decide to purchase an octahedron are recommended to have such unpretentious fish as guppies, neons and cockerels.

Today manufacturers offer a huge selection of different aquariums. Before purchasing or ordering an aquarium, you need to determine the following points:

• who will live in it;
• where will he stand;
• what additional equipment is required.

Currently, manufacturers offer aquariums already equipped with the necessary equipment. It is convenient as you do not need to buy anything extra. Moreover, separately purchased aquarium equipment may not always fit the aquarium.

Pay attention to what the aquarium is made of.

• Acrylic is a durable and lightweight material. It retains heat, so it is not necessary to equip such an aquarium with a heater. You can easily make holes in it for installing any equipment.

• Organic glass - the most common material for making aquariums. Of the pluses, one can note the cheapness and resistance to scratches, and of the minuses, it is heavy and fragile.

• Float glass Is a glass with a high degree of transparency. Such material accurately conveys the image of aquatic inhabitants, it becomes more interesting to observe them. The only drawback of this material is the price. Float glass aquariums are expensive and often custom made.

The aquarium can be placed in any room. But for those who sleep lightly, it is not recommended to place it in the bedroom, since the filtration and aeration systems operating at night can disrupt sleep. The best place for an artificial reservoir is a living room, but it should be away from direct sunlight and heating appliances. Therefore, you cannot put it near the window; it is better to choose a darkened corner of the room and equip the aquarium with special lighting.

Ideally, the aquarium is placed on a stand that was specially made for it. It will precisely support the weight of the container and will look aesthetically pleasing in the interior. But a 50-liter aquarium can be placed on any other surface, the main thing is that it is stable and durable, because the weight of the tank with water will be about 60 kg. Do not place the tank on the floor or high on top of a cabinet; it should be at eye level with a seated person.

Fish need to create a comfortable water world, therefore, to equip your aquarium you will need the following things:

• priming;
• decor items;
• thermometer;
• lamp;
• aerator;
• filter;
• heater;
• lid.

Before setting up the aquarium, wash it thoroughly with baking soda.

The filter can be internal or external. The latter is more recommended as it does not take up space inside the aquarium. Before buying lamps, you need to correctly calculate the lighting, because excessive brightness or lack of light will be harmful to aquarium fish.

The calculation of the required power is made according to the following formula: the number of liters x 0.5 watts. Thus, for a 50 liter aquarium you will need a 25 watt lamp.

It is better to have small fish in a 50-liter aquarium. It is worth considering the ratio of the required amount of water per 1 fish: 3-5 liters of water are needed for one individual 4-7 cm in size.

The following fish species can be kept in a 50 liter aquarium:

• guppies - 20 pieces;
• neons - 20 pieces;
• swordtails - 10 pieces;
• platies - 10 pieces;
• mollies - 10 pieces;
• cardinals - 10 pieces;
• zebrafish rerio - 10 pieces;
• lalius - 10 pieces;
• thorns - 8 pieces;
• scarlet, cherry and long-striped barbs - 8 pieces;
• speckled catfish - 5 pieces;
• goldfish and telescopes - 3 pieces;
• cockatoo apistograms - 2 pieces.

Many aquarists choose to keep more than one species of fish. Interesting combinations for a 50 liter species aquarium are presented below:

• 10 guppies of different species + 5 zebrafish + 3 speckled catfish + 3 red swordtails;
• 10 neons + 5 any barbs + 3 catfish;
• 5 black mollies + 5 red swordsmen + 7 neons;
• 7 colored glofish thorns + 7 neons;
• 10 neons + 5 lalius + 3 small catfish;
• 10 barbs + 5 swordtails + 3 catfish.

Fish of the same species, but of different colors, will also look beautiful. For example, glofish thorns are striking in their various fluorescent shades. Multiple green, purple, cyan and pink fish can be selected for one aquarium. In a 50-liter container, you can create an amazingly beautiful water world with a variety of inhabitants.

The following video will tell you how to start an aquarium with a capacity of 50 liters.