| Before buying your freshwater aquarium tank, one of | | | | Preparing the Aquarium Tank |
| the first considerations is how much available space | | | | The freshwater aquarium tank must be prepared |
| you have. The size of your tank will also determine | | | | before fish can be placed inside. First, fill the tank |
| the number and size of fish you can keep. It is my | | | | with freshwater. Setup all accessories that you would |
| experience that larger aquarium tanks are easier to | | | | like to see in your aquarium such as aquarium gravel |
| maintain once they are up and running for a few | | | | or sand, background paper on the back of the fish |
| months. Now that you have considered how much | | | | tank, set up the filter system and aquarium heater, |
| space you have, it is now time to secure your | | | | and place any other habitat you provide such as |
| freshwater aquarium. | | | | rocks or plants. Get everything up and running and let |
| Buying the Tank | | | | every run for 3 days to a week. This allows the |
| When you go to a pet store, or a preferably a | | | | water chemistry to stabilize and give time for |
| retailer that specializes in fish tanks, choose among | | | | important micro-organisms to grow in your tank. |
| the available tanks that will fit in the space you | | | | Stabilizing the aquarium before placing the fish inside it |
| allocated in your home. Another decision is whether | | | | is a must. The pH level should come to an acceptable |
| you want a fish tank made of glass or acrylic material | | | | level, the temperature should be normal for all the |
| for your home freshwater aquarium tank. | | | | fish in the tank. Everything inside the tank contributes |
| If you have children at home, the best choice might | | | | to the general well-being of the fish, and therefore, |
| be an acrylic fish tank because they are more durable | | | | everything must be in place when the tank would be |
| and much more difficult to break. However, this | | | | set to run for stabilization. |
| material is also prone to scratches, and is more | | | | Time to Buy the Fish |
| expensive. Nonetheless, it is a good material for a fish | | | | Now that your tank has stabilized since it has been |
| tank. A fish tank that is made from glass is less | | | | running for a couple of days, you now can go back |
| prone to scratches, although it does scratch, costs | | | | to the pet store and buy your fish. |
| less, but the event of a breakage cannot be | | | | Once you have purchased all the fish that you will be |
| dismissed. I usually keep aquariums made of glass and | | | | placing inside the aquarium, let them acclimatize first |
| just exercise caution so that breakage does not | | | | to their new home. Float your fish, which should be in |
| occur. | | | | plastic bags, in the water so that the water |
| One more thing that you have to consider is the | | | | temperatures normalize, so they won't get shocked |
| number of fish that you will be placing inside the tank. | | | | by being submerged immediately into water that |
| A general rule is to load the tank at 1 inch of fish per | | | | they are not used to. |
| gallon. It is my experience that this can be somewhat | | | | The freshwater aquarium tank is the home for your |
| excessive. I am usually more conservative loading my | | | | fish and must be maintained with care. With the |
| tank as low as 1 inch of fish per 2 gallons of water. | | | | appropriate care, freshwater aquarium keeping can |
| This combined with an aquarium filter that is more | | | | be fun, easy, and be a low maintenance hobby. If |
| than adequate for a fish tank can reduce the | | | | done wrong, you could have a lot of maintenance on |
| frequency of tank cleaning and aquarium maintenance | | | | your hands by learning the hard way, as I have many |
| activities. | | | | times in the past. |