Megaquarium/Equipment

Equipment is used by tanks to maintain their climate and water quality, and are a must for every fish tank in your aquarium. Most fish require at least either heating or cooling, and some water treatment. Additionally, pumps are used to help your equipment reach far-off tanks, or to network multiple tanks together to the same water treatment system.

With the exception of lights, all of these items should remain out of view from guests. Guests that view these items will deduct prestige. Use walls and other guest services to block line of sight to the equipment.

Over time, equipment breaks down. When it does, it begins falling in efficiency until a staff member with the Fixing skill is able to retrieve a toolkit and bring it to the equipment. The stronger the equipment, the more often it requires maintenance. By the endgame, you should have a fleet of maintenance workers so that even the most demanding equipment can be in best condition.

Failing equipment gradually stops performing until it is repaired. Having excess heaters, filters, or chillers can help create a grace period in which the staff can repair the equipment before the fish's health declines too sharply. Losing fish to failing equipment reduces your base prestige.

Water Quality
All items in this category are designed for one thing: to maintain the water quality. Water quality is maintained by four factors, from weakest to strongest: filter power, protein skimming, nitrate reactions, and UV sterilization. It is currently not known exactly how strong one is relative to the other, and some filters provide a combination.

Protein Skimmer
In the Freshwater Frenzy DLC, protein skimmers cannot work with freshwater tanks.

Mega Filter
Requires the Freshwater Frenzy DLC.

Combis
Combis are early-game units that combine standard filtration with heating or chilling. There are only two combis in the base game. Combis fall off in productivity fairly quickly.

Power Combi Chiller
Requires the Deep Freeze DLC.

Large Combi Chiller
Requires the Deep Freeze DLC.

Heaters
Heaters heat the water for tropical fish. It is not possible to over-heat a fish tank, so placing extra heaters can provide a redundancy for when some fail.

Chillers
Chillers work the same way as heaters do, but in the opposite direction - chilling the water for coldwater fish.

Lights
Corals oftentimes require lighting to flourish, while some fish types demand no light at all. Light comes in only a few different strengths, though most fish do not care about how much light is provided.

Lights do not require maintenance, and only one set of lights can be installed on any given tank.

Pumps
Pumps are used to connect equipment to a tank from a distance. Their use is mandatory for the basic, lagoon, and U tanks, as otherwise guests will see the equipment tied to them. The pump itself also counts as equipment, so ensure it remains hidden away as well.

Larger pumps not only increase the range at which it can connect to a tank and the number of tanks it can connect to, but also the physical size of the pump. A larger pump can support more equipment.

RO Machines
Reverse Osmosis (RO) Machines increase the acidity of the tank, which is necessary for certain freshwater fish species. RO machines cannot be maintained by a toolbox, instead requiring RO membranes. The Fixing skill is still used to maintain these machines. They are incompatible with saltwater tanks. All RO machines require the Freshwater Frenzy DLC.

Compressors
Compressors act identically to pumps, but connect to air conditioning instead of water. Requires the Deep Freeze DLC.

Air Conditioners
Air Conditioners cool the air for surface-level arctic fauna, such as penguins and seals. A sufficiently strong level of air conditioning can also cause ice to form in the tank, which is necessary for some species. All air conditioners require the Deep Freeze DLC.