Article by Peter Tone
An Aquarium Guide for Newbies – Hobbies
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Starting out with your first marine tank can be one of the most fun experiences you may ever have. But you must think it through thoroughly before you start. Some things that must be considered a priority to ensure your success would be tank selection. A big mistake that many rookies make is selecting the wrong size of tank before they have even thought about the type of fish they are going to put in it.
Too often people new to the marine tank hobby will buy an aquarium because it looks cool. big mistake, you need to slow down a notch and do some research. By understanding the kind or kinds of fish you plan on keeping you can now make more informed choices when it comes to purchasing specific equipment that you may need for your tank. This research that you do will also direct you in maintaining the correct conditions inside the tank so that your pets stay healthy.
You can decide to have a saltwater tank with tropical and marine fish or a freshwater tank. Each type of fish has specific demands in terms of diet, compatibility, breeding and maintenance. Freshwater fish are generally collected from streams, rivers, lakes and ponds while saltwater fish are found in seas and oceans. Of the two, it is the saltwater fish that cannot easily adapt to the changes in water chemistry and temperature. Hence, beginners are recommended to start with easier to maintain freshwater fish such as anabantoids, catfish, livebearers, rainbow fish, and loaches.
The variety of aquarium tank set ups is almost endless and each one provides the perfect conditions unique to the pet within it. The reason a freshwater set up is recommended for a newbie is because the equipment is usually less expensive and because freshwater fish are known to be highly adaptable they are cheaper to buy also.
Now when it comes to saltwater tanks they are usually prepared with live rock that acts as a natural biological filter. Protein skimmers along with specialized equipment that control and monitor the environment of the tank are also required.
You can see that a saltwater tank is the more expensive route, but it is considered the ultimate experience. The reason for this is because the tanks are often larger and they are better equipt to accommodate a large variety of aquatic life like jelly fish, coral reefs and anemones.
Marine tanks come in all shapes and sizes as well as materials. The most common materials being glass or acrylic. Available sizes can range from as low as 10 gallons up to 500 gallon or more. Rectangular shaped tanks are generally the most common but other shapes such as flat back hexagon and bow front are also available. Generally speaking acrylic tanks are stronger and lighter as well as more durable but the can be scratched easily and more difficult to buff. For newbies starting out with a larger tank can be a good idea simply because it is less likely to promote sharp temperature changes keeping the water conditions more stable and healthy for your pets.
On a final note if you do choose to get a larger tank or any fish tank for that matter you should also be thinking about a stand for it. Don’t cheap out here as your stand needs to be able to support the full weight of a filled tank plus accessories. Lastly remember to keep your marine tank away from direct sunlight to prevent rapid temperature changes as well as unwanted algal growth.
About the Author
Peter Tone is a biorb fan with 15 years of experience in setting up various aquariums tanks of all shapes and sizes for enthusiasts all over the country.
Use and distribution of this article is subject to our Publisher Guidelines
whereby the original author’s information and copyright must be included.
Peter Tone
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