Fish Tanks

Placing an aquarium fish tank in your home could enhance the design of the room while providing a form of visual pleasure if you adhere to the proper fish keeping rules. However, if you are unsure what size of tank you should be getting, inform the store assistant and let him know about your experience in fish keeping. In most cases, he will be able to recommend you the size of tank you should be getting as well as the necessary equipments and accessories.

Do not purchase any fish yet because you will need to set up your tank and fish tank stand first before putting in any fish. Once you get the tank, you are required to clean the tank thoroughly. I recommend using a mild detergent in warm water to clean the tank. After scrubbing, rinse the tank with water a few times to get rid of all the debris and detergent. At the same time, make sure you clean the rest of the equipments and accessories before placing them into the tank.

One important area you should focus on is the gravel and the plants. Most people will neglect this step because they assume that it is safe to place them immediately into the tank but this is wrong. Rinse it under running water for a few times until you see that the water is clear. A small aquarium tank could be pretty heavy and you should always use a fish tank stand to support it. You could even purchase those that come with in built cabinets so that you can store all the food and equipment in it for easier access. After you have place the aquarium tank on the stand, you can start to fill it with water.

Check to make sure that it is not leaking and the water remains clear before draining the tank. Next, half fill the tank with water. After which, install all the required accessories such as the filter and heater. Ensure that everything is working properly before filling the entire tank with water.

By doing so, you are getting rid of the excess ammonia which is harmful to the fishes. To be on the safe side, I will recommend leaving the setting as it is now for at least 2 weeks before putting in any fishes.

After you are done with setting up the fish tank, it is time to add the fish to the aquarium tank, try doing it a few at a time while you monitor it closely for a few days. Once you are sure that everything is fine, start adding more fish to your new aquarium tank. Remember to take good care of the fish and enjoy the process.

Fish tanks come in all shapes and a multitude of sizes. Everything from the common 55 gallon fish tank, to the half-gallon size. All the way up to whatever your budget and room allows.

Tropical fish tanks include saltwater fish tanks, and freshwater fish tanks. These can be placed on a stand up against the wall, in the corner of any room in the house. Or they can be wall mounted fish tanks, were they are actually inserted into a wall.

Probably the most common fish tank is a 10 gallon fish tank. Fish thanks most commonly come and glass, or acrylic. Both of these types of fish tanks have their pros and cons. Glass fish tanks and can be broken or cracked and care must be taken to prevent this. Plexiglass fish tanks are more durable, but they are prone to scratching, obscuring the view of the fish.

Fish tanks come in just about any shape as well. The most common shape is a rectangle. Although round, and octagon are also easily found. In my opinion both the round and octagon fish tanks, distort the views of the fish.

Freshwater fish tanks are much easier to maintain, then saltwater fish tanks. Whereas a freshwater fish tank can be kept healthy and vibrant with about a half hours worth of work every week. In contrast a saltwater fish tank needs to have daily attention.

To balance out the extra work of a saltwater fish tank, salt water fish, are more exotic and have more vibrant colors.

Some of the easiest fish tanks to take care of are Gold Fish and Beta fish tanks. Better fish are also known as Siamese fighting fish. These fish tanks take the least amount of maintenance of all.

And last but not least, the easiest type of fish tank to own is a virtual fish tank. Instead of being in the room, they are actually a screensaver on your computer.

Determine beforehand where you’re going to put your fish tank. To avoid excess algae growth do not put the fish tank in front of the window or in direct sunlight. You must make sure that the structure that you place your fish tank on will hold the weight of the aquarium. Water weighs approximately 8.5 pounds per gallon. So a 30 gallon fish tank will way in the neighborhood of 250 pounds. Placing a fresh water fish tank in a well used area of the house is best because the fish will acclimate to people entering and leaving the room. Putting the aquarium and a rarely used area will cause the fish to be skittish intended when people approach. Be aware that where fish tanks are placed water spills. So keep this in your decision.

What size of tanks should I get. The general rule of thumb, bigger is better. Fish need adequate space to swim and sufficient oxygen to survive, both our directly related to the size of the fish tank. The number of fish that you can keep in your aquarium is determined by the surface area of your fish tank therefore the larger the surface area of the tank the more fish the tank will support. It is generally agreed that freshwater fish require 1 inch of fish to 12 inches of surface area.

Once you have decided where to place your aquarium and the correct size of your aquarium. Choosing one is fairly simple. There are glass aquariums. They do not scratch like acrylic does. But acrylic aquariums allow for much greater shapes and sizes.

It is best to purchase an aquarium stand that is designed to the fish tank that you are purchasing. Homemade fish tank stands and other types of furniture may look sturdy but can fail under a heavy weight. Understand the collapses are quite costly to both for fish tank owner and the homeowner, so please do not try to save money on your fish tank stand. If you do decide to use a piece of furniture for your fish tank stand place a 5/8 inch sheet of plywood and a 1/2 inch sheet of polystyrene of the fish tank underneath the fish tank. These layers will even out any imperfections in the supporting surface and distribute the load.

The hood is an important item for any fish tank. This piece of equipment performs a variety of functions. First, it prevents unwanted items from falling into the tank. Second it prevents overzealous fish from jumping out of the fish tank. Remember fish cannot breathe air and there’s nothing worse than finding your fish on the floor next to the aquarium when you get home from work. The fish tank hood also prevents water from splashing up on the walls and the floor causing damage. It also slows the rate of water evaporation from the fish tank and last but not least the hood keeps water from damaging the aquarium light and prevents a potentially dangerous electrical problem.

So there you have it the steps to choosing the fish tank for your home.