Entering The Aquarium Hobby

Fish fish tanks are an attractive and relaxing addition to any home

. Often a focal point, adults as well as children are drawn to them, and they make great conversation pieces.

When first entering the hobby you must first decide between a salt water or fresh water tank. The salt water aquarium requires more maintenance, but allows you to have beautiful ocean fish as well as live coral. A fresh water aquarium tends to require less equipment, and can be home to a plethora of fresh water fish.

With that decision complete, you will need to decide what size tank you would like to have. Fish fish tanks come in many sizes. The number of fish you would like to have will play a large part in the decision of what size to choose. For just one or two fishes, a ten gallon tank will suffice, but in you are interested in a larger collection, a bigger tank will be required.

When choosing fish do your research, certain fish do not get along and cannot occupy the same tank and you will also need to find out exactly which fish food your fish need. Fish food comes in several varieties, including flake, freeze dried and live.

Some basic equipment will be required to get your tank ready to become a home for your pets beginning with a pump and filter. Used to keep the water fresh and clean, a suitable pump will completely filter the tank water two or more times per hour.

An aerator, or air supply, will be needed as an oxygen supply for your fish. Oxygen will also act as an aid in breaking down the waste products produced by the fish.

To regulate the water temperature, a heater will be required. Most fish do not tolerate temperature fluctuations well, and a water heater will aid in keeping the water in a specific temperature range. An aquarium thermometer is inexpensive and should be used to be certain that the water in the tank is within optimal range.

You will want to purchase a light source for the aquarium. Any live plants you place in the aquarium will need on average, twelve hours of light daily. You will also want a light for personal reasons, so that you and others can see the fish!

Substrate, such as gravel, will be placed at the bottom of the aquarium. Two to three inches is recommended. Gravel is used to anchor any plants, and contains bacteria that will aid in the breakdown of waste. Be sure to wash the gravel well before adding it to the tank.

Other items to consider are a water test kit, and a fish net. Also, decorative items can be purchased to make your tank even more visually attractive.

by: Jack Rackham

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