How to Choose the Correct Fish Tank

Some people when they purchase an aquarium, look upon it only as a decoration, a piece of living art, or furniture. But if you plan on having fish live in the aquarium, and if you love animals, you should want them to have the best environment possible. This means trying to create an ecosystem as close to their natural environment as you can. After all, fishes do have personalities as you’ll discover once they have had a chance to acclimatize to their new aquarium surroundings.

If this is your first time buying a fish tank, there 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 example, when filled with water a small 10 gallon tank is usually not a problem as it will weigh between 85 and 95 pounds depending on the weight of the tank. However, a much bigger tank could weigh over a thousand pounds and be unsafe for your current flooring. Be wary also of placing 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.

The third consideration in your purchasing of a tank should be that it’s of a standardized size. A non-standard tank is much harder to find accessories for. For example, aquarium filters come in various standard sizes. If you have an odd sized tank, it can be very difficult to find the right filter for it, as your local pet store will likely only carry standard sizes. In addition, 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.

James Fraley writes articles on aquarium related subjects. You can find more of his articles regarding tips for purchasing a fish tank at his website.

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