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How to Buy The Right Aquarium

By: Kathy Strander

Aquariums are expensive and you may end up spending a lot of money for it. A smart buying exercise will help you get a good aquarium within reasonable price. Before you start looking for an aquarium it will be wise to know a few things. You should be clear as to the number of fish, type of fish and the kind of decor you would like to have.

If this is your first aquarium you may be thinking that you should start off with a small tank and just a couple of fish. However, this may not be the way to go. When you are setting up an aquarium you are essentially trying to setup a mini ecosystem with the proper pH balance and even living plant life. The smaller the tank the harder this is to accomplish. Twenty gallons is a good size to start with. This may seem like a lot but you certainly don't want your fish to be cramped.

Don't purchase too many fish in the beginning. Four or five is a good number. You'll be able to add more later on if you want to. Another consideration is deciding if you want fresh water fish or salt water fish. You can't have both in the same aquarium. Most of the tropicals live in salt water.

When trying to decide which fish to buy you should ask the advice of an employee at the pet store or do some research on the Internet. Some fish do not typically get along and you may find some of your fish eaten by others in the aquarium if you don't ensure they are compatible.

The next step is determining what you would like to go into the tank for decorations. Anything from the pet store is fine; it's really up to your own taste. However, you should never put anything you have found at the beach into the aquarium, especially gravel. The gravel you buy at a pet store is not the same gravel you find at the beach or in nature. You can jeopardize the integrity of your aquarium's balance by adding objects which haven't been treated for an aquarium.

Okay, you have your fish and you have your tank. Now you need to add water. Tap water has to be treated before you can put your fish into it. Most of our drinking water contains chlorine and is harmful to fish and plants. You will need to remove it before you add it to your aquarium.

Maintaining the correct water temperature is another important consideration for your aquarium. It needs to be between 70 and 80 degrees Fahrenheit, so be sure to purchase a thermometer. If the temperature isn't just right, your fish could die.

As for food, once again check with the people at the pet store. You can feed the fish flakes or pellets, but it's a good idea to find out if they recommend one type of food over another. Typically, fish aren't that selective about what they eat.

Establishing and maintaining an aquarium can bring you special rewards. Too many people think you just buy a tank, add some water, and toss in a few goldfish. A true aquarium is much more than that, so enjoy your new project.

Article Source: http://www.simplepetcare.com/pet-articles

Kathy Strander is the chief writer for, and editor of Rock Aquarium, there's a wealth of knowledge on the website, plus while you're there sign up for the free newsletter. Want to read more Aquarium articles?, just go to: www.rockaquarium.com/articles
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