How to build an aquarium

Last verified 2026-10-14

Guides

A staff gate fills a completed aquarium with Freshwater by default. Configure Saltwater or Brackish water through its filtration network.

Source-based instructions checked on 14 October 2026, not a hands-on play report. Menu names follow Frontier's English guides; custom bindings and platform layouts may differ.

1. Build and fill the enclosure

Open Habitat Barrier, choose Aquarium and draw the barrier with Line or Curve. Add an Aquarium Staff Gate to fill it. Check the planned population's water-space requirements before adding tunnels or decorations.

2. Connect a powered filter

Open Facilities, then Utilities and place a Water Filter. Provide power and a path to its maintenance panel. In its Info Panel select Edit Filtration Network and construct a pipe between the filter node and the node on the Aquarium Staff Gate.

The network's filtration rate must exceed demand. Water volume and animal population increase demand; connect additional filters as needed. A Water Pump serves natural habitat water, rather than replacing the aquarium staff-gate connection.

3. Set salinity and temperature

While editing the filtration network, set Freshwater, Brackish or Saltwater according to every planned species' Zoopedia. Changing the network affects all connected water bodies; separate incompatible salinity requirements.

Power the Aquarium Staff Gate. Open Aquarium Info Panel, then Environment to set temperature within the species' allowed range. Brown Trout requires Freshwater at 12-19 C; Javanese Cownose Ray accepts Brackish or Saltwater at 24-30 C. These are different environments, not a shared-tank recommendation.

4. Stock and maintain the tank

Add suitable feeders, nests and enrichment from Aquarium, then transport animals from storage into the valid enclosure. Keepers clean and feed; Mechanics maintain barriers and filters. Filtration does not replace tank cleaning.

To edit the barrier later, box the animals first, then select Drain Water below the aquarium Info Panel. Edit the empty tank and refill before returning animals.

Questions people ask

How do I change salinity?

Use Edit Filtration Network. The change affects every water body connected to that network.

Why is temperature unavailable?

Frontier requires power at the Aquarium Staff Gate before temperature can be configured in Environment.

Sources

Related pages