| For many people keeping an aquarium turns out to | | | | keepers will be amazed at the price difference |
| be an expensive hobby. With the wealth of | | | | between these sources and typical pet shops. |
| information freely available it does not have to be | | | | When setting up the aquarium it is best not to pay |
| this way any longer. There are a number of ways to | | | | for additives to help spawn biological filtration. These |
| minimize the expenses encountered by those setting | | | | bacterial starter cultures are not mandatory for a |
| up a new fish tank. | | | | successful fish tank. Follow a water cycling process |
| Starting with the aquarium itself is the best place to | | | | using small quantities of hardy fish. Alternately you |
| cut costs. Second hand units are plentiful in a number | | | | can add tiny amounts of ammonia to the water as a |
| of size from places like newspaper classifieds and | | | | replacement for fish waste. This method is known as |
| weekend yard sales. Just be sure the tank is still | | | | fishless water cycling and can be achieved using any |
| watertight. If in doubt ask if the seller is willing to fill | | | | pure ammonia product from a grocery store. |
| the tank with water as a test. | | | | The aquarium ornaments you use do not have to be |
| When it comes to gravel, many aquarium substrates | | | | straight off the shelf. A little imagination costs |
| at your local pet shop will also be sold from landscape | | | | nothing. Any dinnerware safe ceramic piece is suitable |
| suppliers at a fraction of the cost. River gravel is | | | | as decoration. Teapots are one such ceramic |
| especially suitable because of it's rounded edges and | | | | example that can make your tank a unique fish home |
| low solubility. You should wash the gravel over | | | | Driftwood that you can collect at a beach outing is |
| thoroughly to remove as much dust as possible. This | | | | another way to furnish your aquarium is cheaply. |
| may mean rinsing it in a bucket many times until the | | | | Alternately a few scattered rocks and terracotta |
| water stays clear. | | | | pots are just what makes a lot of cichlids feel at |
| The place to buy aquarium products has traditionally | | | | home. |
| been from pet shops. In the past decades more | | | | These are just a few ideas to explore but there are |
| people have been seeking their fish equipment from | | | | a range of other money saving ideas available for |
| weekend markets and online sellers. Most fish | | | | your aquarium. |