Without a doubt, keeping fish is a fun-filled activity. Whether you are keeping pet fish or want to use an aquarium to spruce up your décor, keeping fish in a fish tank can be quite fulfilling. Some people actually make a ton of money from something they started as a spare-time activity.
Nonetheless, an aquarium is one of the most essential necessities when getting started with small-scale fish tank rearing. However, you don’t just approach the market and pick up the first aquarium you come across. From the kind of fish you intend to keep to the population, the available space, and your budget, there are several things to bear in mind when purchasing a fish tank. These will help ensure you are getting the right unit for your needs as well as your fish’s needs. With this being said, here are a few things you will want to consider before heading to the market for an aquarium.
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The Costs Involved
Getting an aquarium is more or less like starting a business. Your activity will be more fun and rewarding if you start off well prepared with a significant budget. You will need to figure out the kind of aquarium and aquarium equipment you need to determine the actual costs. However, you may need anything from 150 dollars to 250 dollars or more just to get started.
This should cover the cost of purchasing a good fish tank alongside a few decent pieces of equipment, some of which we shall cover below. To find out the best fish tank and equipment for your needs, the reviews at AquariumStoreDepot.com can be helpful. They can also help you approach the market with a wealth of knowledge, so you can make an informed decision without denting your wallet much.
Put Aquarium Size in the Picture
Fish tank sizes are determined by the capacity of water they can hold in gallons. If you are just getting started, anything below 10 gallons can be a nightmare to manage because toxins can build up in the tank at a faster rate than you can possibly eliminate. The same case applies to temperature fluctuations, which occur rapidly in a smaller volume of water.
Although smaller tanks appear cheaper at first, maintaining them can be overly costly and frustrating. Moreover, the aquarium size will also determine the amount of space needed for its installation or placement.
Fish Population
How many fish do you intend to keep in your new aquarium? What species, and how large can a full-grown adult measure. These questions will also help determine the appropriate size of the fish tank needed. All the same, it is more advisable to start with just a few fish that don’t require too much effort to take care of. You can then add more fish as you become more experienced in this interesting hobby.
Aquarium Weight
In most cases, aquariums with a capacity of 15 or more gallons can weigh as much as 250 pounds or more when full. These often require placement on a dedicated stand rather than on a desk or shelf. If you intend to keep your aquarium on top of a delicate surface, be sure that it can sustain your fish tank or everything can turn disastrous at some point when the placement surface collapses.
Aquarium Equipment and Accessories
An aquarium is as good as useless without a list of essential accessories and maintenance equipment. These will help maintain the right conditions for the living environment of your fish. Some essential accessories and equipment for an aquarium include:
Filtration Equipment
As you can tell from the name, filtration equipment helps to filter out unwanted elements from the water in your aquarium. They can get rid of chemical waste, biological waste, particles, debris, and much more. Often used in combination, the main types of aquarium filtration include:
- Biological filters – Used in a Natural process where bacteria are employed to clean water in the nitrogen cycle. They remove particulate and dissolved toxins that can harm your fish.
- Chemical filters – Get rid of dissolved waste elements from the water.
- Mechanical filtration – They get sieve out visible solid particles.
Lighting Equipment
Aquarium lighting is essential to help your fish locate food. It is also crucial if you have live plants in your fish tank. Moreover, well-lit aquariums look more appealing to the eye. Most importantly, proper aquarium lighting can help improve the health of your fish.
Temperature Equipment
For your fish to grow healthy and beautiful, they need just the ideal temperatures in their living environment. Introducing some fish species into an aquarium without proper temperature control is as good as a death sentence. Luckily, there’s a diverse range of temperature control equipment that can help maintain constant temperatures in your fish tank. Most fish will do well in temperatures of between 75 and 80 degrees Fahrenheit. It is wise to learn the temperature requirements of a fish species before introducing it into your fish tank.
And there you have it. Buying an aquarium doesn’t have to be all that stressful, after all. With the few tips above, you will hopefully enjoy the utmost benefits from your new fish-keeping hobby once you choose the right fish tank for your needs.
