Aquarium size

The smallest commercially available tanks have a water capacity of 4.5 liters. These aquaria are also known as nano-aquariums and are not intended for rearing fish. Aquatic plants are maintained in these and – if this is at sea – this also includes soft corals, anemones, crustaceans, tiny crustaceans or echinoderms.

These aquariums require very precise control over water levels and hence a very careful design is important. They are therefore recommended for only experienced aquarists.

Smaller still are the so-called ecospheres, covered under the concept of the aquarium, though many aquarists are of the opinion ecospheres are not aquariums. Ecospheres are enclosed glass bodies, and in them one can find dead coral, green alga and shrimp of the species Halocaridina rubra.

This shrimp is so frugal that they have survived in these spheres without supplementary feeding up to two years (normal life expectancy of 10-20 years). An intervention or feeding through the aquarium is not possible. For this reason, many aquarists are opposed to this form of fish- keeping.

The best-selling aquarium has the dimensions of 60×30×30 cm and holds 54 liters of water. This aquarium, considered to be a small Aquarium, can maintain a number of fish species. These small size aquariums have maintenance errors including not only a high ratio of livestock, but also absence of water changes and incorrect feeding. Such errors occur much faster and more drastically than in larger aquariums.

Maintenance errors causing a rapid change in pH can lead to death of the animals kept therein. Aquariums that can hold more than 100 liters require less nurturing and are less demanding, and therefore suitable for the fish commonly used in aquariums. Therefore, they are a sensible size for the less experienced aquarist.

Ready-made aquariums are offered from retailers that hold up to approximately 700 liters. Customized aquariums can be privately obtained that significantly exceed this size. But such an aquarium will have a considerable weight, and the statistics of a house should be considered to assess its impact.

The largest aquariums can be found in public aquariums. A number of public aquariums, such as the Shedd Aquarium, the Monterey Bay Aquarium and have the Okinawa Churaumi Aquarium, take in 7.5 million liters of water. Europe’s largest mobile aquarium holds approximately 60,000 gallons of water and is shown in the context of conferences or exhibitions, but private operators can also rent it.

Mobile aquariums are difficult not only because of the changing water quality at various locations, but also because for each case there must be a completely viable plan and substrate must exist, so as not to usurp the inch-thick walls.