Although it is not discussed very much, there are health and emotional benefits that come from having a fish tank or aquarium. Perhaps this is something that pushed me to start having a fish as a pet and from there I began to be an enthusiast.
My enthusiasm for fishes turned to something else as I understand that one of the environmental stimuli that people find very soothing is the sound of running water. There is a type of music that includes the sounds of ocean waves, rainstorms and running streams that are mesmerizing as well as relaxing. There is nothing more soothing than going to the beach and both watching the waves roll onshore and listening to the sound of the rolling surf pounding the beach hence I got my first nano paludarium.
I love the benefits of flowing water to my psyche. This is why many people go fishing in local streams and lakes. Many people have told me that, more than catching fish, the benefit they get from fishing is standing in a lake, taking in the sounds of nature and taking in the beauty of the lake and surrounding area.
In our hectic daily lives filled with work, family, paying bills it is important for all of us to have ways of relieving the pressure all of this creates. An aquarium provides a way for the entire family to participate in its benefits. Also, along with exercise, meditation and yoga, fish tanks are a wonderful way to further reduce anxiety and stress.
An aquarium need not be large. There are now mini aquariums that sit on the desktop aquarium kit and have the same effect as the large ones. Also, this need not be expensive and, when you think about it, is a good investment in emotional well being.
Are you the type of person that appreciates a real challenge every now and then? If so, I suggest you look into designing and building a paludarium. A paludarium is an “aquarium with above and below water aquascaping.” This is not to be construed, as is explained on the AGA web site, as a “terrarium with water in the bottom.” In other words, as much attention should be paid to designing and planting the underwater portion as is given to creating the terrestrial portion of the display.
Having been an aquarium enthusiast for decades, I have attempted a paludarium on a few occasions, and have never been really happy with the results. In thinking about the reasons for this, one of the biggest problems is the difficulty of building a display in a smaller tank. What is required is a tank approximately twice as tall as the desired final aquatic portion, or taller. Most aquarium hobbyists would consider a tank much less than 12 inches deep to be pretty confining, so a paludarium needs to be about 24 inches tall (or taller) in order to accommodate both water- and air-dwelling plants.
What owning and caring for an aquarium offers is the chance to bring the calming effects of nature right into the home. Once an aquarium is established and decorated with rocks and plants, watching fish swim back is stress and anxiety-reducing. The gurgling sound of the bubbles adds to the therapeutic effect of looking at the tank. Also relaxing are the colours of both the fish and background inside the tank. Studies show that it can reduce blood pressure and emotional agitation. That is why they are displayed in such diverse places as dentist offices to nursing homes, restaurants and doctor offices.
If there is any stress connected with owning an aquarium it is on the initial set up. The chemistry of the water must be balanced and the temperature regulated. For the beginners, there are manuals that provide easy to follow instructions for the establishment and maintenance of a fish tank. With saltwater aquariums, the process is more complex but there are companies that will come to the house and set up the tank and even maintain it if that is what is wished for. However, many people find maintenance of either type of aquarium very relaxing.
The aquatic portion of the paludarium will require filtration and, possibly, carbon dioxide supplementation, just as if it were a free-standing aquarium holding the same quantity of water. Substrate selection and hardscape should complement the planned terrestrial portion of the display.
Which brings us to the most important consideration of all: make a plan! More than any other aquarium project, a paludarium will benefit from preparing a detailed plan, preferably to scale. Make your mistakes on paper before you make them during construction.
A paludarium can involve considerable expense and effort. Save both with a carefully laid out plan.
If you are looking for a desktop terrarium kit, go to the website of Bokkusu Kei where I purchased all of my tanks. They have helped me with everything that I needed to know, from simple fish enthusiast to a tank owner today.
