How to Choose the Correct Fish Tank
Posted on 16. Sep, 2009 by admin in Aquariums, Fishtanks
A lot of people when they buy a glass fish tank aren’t thinking of the welfare of the fish. They are mostly thinking of what it will do for them. Or how great a conversation piece it will make. But if you are thinking of raising fish live in the aquarium, and if you love animals, you should wish for them to have the best environment possible. This means attempting to create a biological environment as close to their natural habitat as you can. After all, fishes do have personalities as you’ll discover once they’ve had a chance to acclimatize to their new aquarium environs.
Have you ever purchased a fish tank before? If not, here are a few guidelines that you should follow to give your fish the best chance at both survival and of having a happy life.
First you have to consider where you will place your new aquarium. Ideally it should be a place without too many extreme temperature changes. Even though aquarium heaters can, to a degree, help to control the water temperature, they are not built to regulate between extreme temperature ranges. The place should also have strong enough flooring to easily withstand the weight of the aquarium.
For instance, when filled up with water a ten gallon tank is generally not a problem. It’ll probably weight somewhere between 85 and 95 pounds depending on the weight of the tank. On the other hand, a huge fish tank could very well weigh over a thousand pounds and, as a result, not be safe for your current flooring. Be careful also of positioning the tank in the path of direct sunlight which can possibly cause the water to overheat. Finally, your tank should be placed in an area where it will be easy to maintain. If not, it’s very likely that the difficulty of maintaining it will, unfortunately, cause it to be maintained very little or not at all.
The second most important thing to consider when buying a fish tank is its size. Buying a size too small will not only cramp the area that your fish have to grow and live, but will also necessitate your having to clean it more often. The absolute smallest sized tank that you should even consider is a ten gallon tank. And if you plan on having your fish breed, probably a twenty gallon or greater tank would be best. Probably the best rule of thumb is to buy the largest sized tank that you can reasonably afford and that will fit into the room where you will keep the tank.
Thirdly, when you buy a fish tank, buy one with standardized dimensions. You’ll find it much easier to find accessories for. For instance, aquarium filters come in a variety of standard sizes. However, if you have an odd sized or custom tank, it may be very difficult to find the right filter for it, because your local pet store will most likely carry standard sizes only. Additionally, if the company has gone out of business, it may be impossible. And Even if you do find the filter, odds are that you’ll pay more for it than you would a standard filter. You’ll have similar problems with accessories such as aquarium pumps, plants, backgrounds, and so on.
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