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What To Look For When You Buy An 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.

It needs to be understood that starting an aquarium is like attempting to set up a small ecosystem, which could have living plants too. It will be required to maintain the correct pH balance. This is difficult in a small tank. Thus, you must not attempt to start an aquarium with small tank with a few fish. It is advisable to start with about twenty-gallon tank. This will ensure that the fishes are not 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.

It is essential to understand the compatibility of the fish with each other. Some fish do not get along with others and eat the smaller fish. Take the advice of the employee at the pet store or you can look for this information on the Internet.

Now that you know the tank and the fish you want, it's time to think about decorations. There are a lot of choices at the pet store, and the right ones depend only on what you like. That doesn't mean however, that you can just put anything in the water. Gravel especially must come from a pet store, since it won't have an adverse affect on your aquarium system, like beach gravel would. You don't want to upset the balance you've worked so hard to establish.

After having your fish and decided upon the aquarium you would like, next you will have to bring in the water. The chlorine in the normal tap water is harmful for the plants and the fish. This is the most important factor. You will have to treat the tap water to remove the chlorine content. Use a chlorine remover before adding the water to the aquarium.

The water temperature in your aquarium should be between 70 and 80 degrees Fahrenheit. You will need to have a thermometer to ensure that your tank is never too hot or too cold. Fish are very sensitive to water temperature and it can prove to be fatal if the temperature isn't correct.

You should also consider what type of food you intend to feed your fish. There are fish flakes and pellets that are available, both of which should be fine for most fish. You can check with the pet store if they recommend any special food but most fish aren't fussy.

Successfully setting up and maintaining your own aquarium can be very rewarding and enjoyable. Many people think it's as easy as throwing a couple of gold fish into a bowl and the fish will be fine. However, aquariums take much more work and can be much more rewarding than a fish bowl.

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About the author: Kathy Strander writes exclusively for Rock Aquarium, there's a wealth of knowledge on the website, plus their free newsletter is well worth signing up for too. Read many more interesting articles on Aquarium at: www.rockaquarium.com/articles
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