How to Automate an Aquarium

Automation is everywhere these days and aquariums are no exception. We don’t need to turn on or off lights, feed our fish or even change the water. It’s possible to automate everything.

The question remains – what we need an aquarium for if we do not a thing. Should we automate a viewing of it if that would be possible? Here’s a short list of thing you could, should or must automate in your aquarium.

• Lights. It’s one of the easiest automations in aquarium. Plug in timers are sold very cheap in every hardware store. Besides that, if you ask me, automation of lights is a must in every aquarium. Having lights go on and off at a specific time will lower fish stress and make sure plants receive constant amount of  light every day (which is what they need, btw).
• Feeding. Automatic fish feeders are not that costly either, and there are tons to choose from. However, most aquarium hobbyists consider feeding the most enjoyable part. Why would you need a fish tank if you don’t watch mealtimes of your fish? On the other hand, fish who get fed at constant times suffer from stress less and auto feeder is irreplaceable if you have to go away for some time and make sure your fish get the food necessary.
• Water temperature. Most of us don’t realize, but every modern aquarium water heater is an automation as well. They turn on when temperature drops, and turn off when it climbs back to normal. Heaters are must for tropical aquariums, and they are very affordable. Water coolers, however, are very pricey and should be purchased if you need specific water parameters. If you just need to cool down water in a summer day, better consider air conditioner (which is one more automated process in our lives) in the room where aquarium is located. Good for fish, and good for you!
• Air pump. Not all aquariums need an air pump. But if it needs, automation of turning on and off times should be considered. It is achieved again with a simple plug in timer. If you have live plants, timer for air pumps is a must as you have to turn it on at night when plants require oxygen. If your aquarium does not have live plants, then only fish require oxygen, and you can turn air pump during the day at any time. But setting up a timer makes it easier.
• Refill of evaporated water. If your room has a dry climate, water from the tank might disappear rapidly, and refilling is necessary. It is possible to install a sensor which measures water level. If it becomes too low, water automatically refills. It’s not the cheapest type of automation, but with some skills you could apply one of many ‘do-it-yourself’ guides available on the web. In my opinion, it’s not that hard to refill a water just now and then. Remember that refilling evaporated water does not replace regular water changes in your aquarium.
• Aquarium water change. At first it sounds expensive, but in reality, it is not. It may require some planning before setting up aquarium. But all you need is a constant water flow (calculate it to cover weekly water changes) in the tank and overflow system to remove excess water. Overflow system can be installed in existing aquarium or you can buy a fishtank with it already built in. Installing water pipe might require existing pipe nearby or expenses might climb a bit. Automatic aquarium water change is a must for some fish species. They should be kept by advanced owners only, but regular aquariums might benefit from auto water change too as it is one of the hardest and most time consuming tasks.

Technologies nowadays allow every process (not only in aquariums) to be automated. It helps our lives to become less  busy, but, on the other hand, it encourages laziness as well. My suggestion would be automating only processes that must be automated in your aquarium. Like turning lights on or off or feeding fish during your absence. But of course, it’s all up to you.

Have I forgotten to mention a process that should be automated in aquarium?
Photos by: hickr and Clearly Ambiguous.

About Mario Monk

Hello, my name is Mario. I love to share what I've discovered while trying to become a better owner to my pets here on PET-happy.com. Currently I'm broadening my field of expertise in cat behavior, so probably you can expect more posts on the topic soon. Creation of most articles are co authored with a veterinarian Signe, who is also my wife. I'm also a bit active on twitter and would be pleased if you chose to follow me.