Owning a fish aquarium can be a very relaxing hobby. If you have small children, they will spend many hours mesmerized by brightly colored fish swimming around and frolicking. Aquariums are a great way to bring the family together, especially if you allow each of your children to pick out one special fish (of the breeds you are planning to have in your aquarium) to be his or her very own fish.
Despite the relaxing nature of aquariums they are not a no care item. In fact there are many things that must be considered when choosing the proper aquarium for your specific needs. Aquariums today come in many shapes and sizes, take care when selecting the one that will best suit your needs.
It is always a better idea to know what you are going to be using your aquarium for before purchasing and setting it up. You do not want to have to undo all the work that goes into an aquarium because it won’t sustain the fish and plant life you have planned for it, nor do you want to kill your fish because you have a tank that is improperly set up or proportioned to house them.
Once you’ve decided the basics (saltwater vs. freshwater, reef tank, or live plant tank) then you will want to consider how many fish you want to house in your tank. A good rule of thumb is to plan for one inch of fish per square foot of surface area in freshwater tanks and three inches of fish per square foot in a saltwater tank. Larger tanks require much less maintenance when properly populated than smaller tanks. The trick is to remember it is better to have less than the maximum than to go over.
Having an aquarium can be a great way to relax at the end of a long workday or workweek. These pets do not require daily walking or litter box cleaning but they are an investment and do require some maintenance. Care properly for the animals in your aquarium and it should provide you with a wealth of entertainment over the years.
Introducing The Aquarium
A fish aquarium is designed to offer domesticated marine life with a contained environment that mimics that of their natural habitat. Having first become popular in the 1950s, fish keeping is now widely enjoyed by many as a fun hobby and as a beautiful addition to the home. When maintained properly, fish aquariums can add a decorative touch to any room.
The most effective fish aquariums are those that feature the tank itself, along with lighting, a filter and heating unit. Commonly available in various sizes to accommodate space and different types of marine life, fish aquariums vary in price according to both the size and features of the unit. Everything from the small square aquarium to a large fish tank is up for grabs if you know where to find them. Typical fish aquariums can be found in most retail stores, but larger fish tanks often require a visit to the local pet store or some bargain shopping on the internet.
Fish aquariums are very important to housing domesticated marine life in the home. Small fish bowls, which are widely available, are inexpensive but do little to recreate the natural habitat that a fish would normally have. In order to live a long and happy life, fish need circulating water and movement as they have in the wild. When in captivity, which is the case when you have a fish as a pet, they need to have filtered and regularly cleaned water. While lighting is perhaps not as important, it does provide a sense of night and day and natural light for your pet.
When using fish aquariums to house your marine life, it is important that you regularly test the water using a test kit. In addition to changing the water regularly, it is best to confirm that the water you are using is safe. Regular tap water, for instance, may feature contamination that could prove harmful to fish. The reason is because of the chemicals and purifiers that are often used to treat the water. Instead, using distilled water may be the better option to ensure that it is free of chemicals or any other harmful agents. When changing the water in fish aquariums, you should remove up to 20% of the current water and replace it with the new.
When shopping for fish aquariums, it’s a good idea to check over the unit before you purchase it for cracks or other defects. If you are shopping online, be sure to ask about shipping insurance in case your aquarium is damaged while in route to your home.
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