Watercolor Ed

www.watercolored.com

Buying Your First Aquarium, What To Look For
by Kathy Strander
http://www.rockaquarium.com

If you want to start keeping fish as pets, there are several
things you need to know. Think about the decor, as this will
help determine the type of aquarium you will buy. The size
and variety of fish will also play a part in your decision.
The systems can be costly, but as with everything else you
buy, do some research on finding the best price.

It needs to be understood that starting an aquarium is like
attempting to set up a small ecosystem, which could have
living plants too. It will be required to maintain the
correct pH balance. This is difficult in a small tank. Thus,
you must not attempt to start an aquarium with small tank
with a few fish. It is advisable to start with about
twenty-gallon tank. This will ensure that the fishes are not
cramped.

Don't purchase too many fish in the beginning. Four or five
is a good number. You'll be able to add more later on if you
want to. Another consideration is deciding if you want fresh
water fish or salt water fish. You can't have both in the
same aquarium. Most of the tropicals live in salt water.

When trying to decide which fish to buy you should ask the
advice of an employee at the pet store or do some research
on the Internet. Some fish do not typically get along and
you may find some of your fish eaten by others in the
aquarium if you don't ensure they are compatible.

Then decide what you want to put in the tank for decoration.
Just ensure that the item you put in the aquarium have been
purchased from the pet store. Do not put anything that you
might have picked up from the beach, especially the gravel.
The gravel that you pick up at the beach is not what you
find at the pet store. The items from the store have been
treated and will ensure that the balance inside your
aquarium is maintained.

Okay, you have your fish and you have your tank. Now you
need to add water. Tap water has to be treated before you
can put your fish into it. Most of our drinking water
contains chlorine and is harmful to fish and plants. You
will need to remove it before you add it to your aquarium.

Maintaining the correct water temperature is another
important consideration for your aquarium. It needs to be
between 70 and 80 degrees Fahrenheit, so be sure to purchase
a thermometer. If the temperature isn't just right, your
fish could die.

As for food, once again check with the people at the pet
store. You can feed the fish flakes or pellets, but it's a
good idea to find out if they recommend one type of food
over another. Typically, fish aren't that selective about
what they eat.

Establishing and maintaining an aquarium can bring you
special rewards. Too many people think you just buy a tank,
add some water, and toss in a few goldfish. A true aquarium
is much more than that, so enjoy your new project.

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