| You've been to the pet store and noticed the fish | | | | lighting system and you may have to add |
| tanks and thought "maybe I could do that". Guess | | | | supplements to your tank water. Freshwater |
| what, you can "do that" and it's not nearly as difficult | | | | aquarium plants add another dimension of beauty to |
| as you may think. | | | | a freshwater tank. |
| The tropical fish keeping hobby has come a long way | | | | Saltwater Aquarium |
| over the past decade thanks in part to advances in | | | | Saltwater tanks are perceived to be more difficult |
| aquarium equipment and the plethora of readily | | | | than freshwater tanks. In times past, that statement |
| available information. There are many outstanding fish | | | | may have been true but I don't think that is |
| and aquarium books available as well as an abundant | | | | necessarily the case today. With the increasing use |
| amount of information on the internet, forums and | | | | of live rock as the primary biological filter in a |
| discussion groups. Running your own tank is way | | | | saltwater tank setup, the chances of successfully |
| easier than it was just 10 years ago. | | | | running this type of aquarium have dramatically |
| In the past, folks would go to the pet store and buy | | | | improved. A fish only saltwater tank equipped with |
| the tank, equipment and fish all at once not knowing | | | | live rock will be more expensive than a freshwater |
| they were setting themselves up for failure. They | | | | tank because you'll need to purchase live rock and a |
| would get the aquarium set up and running, put some | | | | protein skimmer. Marine fish are also more expensive |
| fish in and everything would be fine for a couple of | | | | than their freshwater counterparts. |
| days but then the fish would start to die. Now we | | | | Saltwater Reef Tank |
| know better. We know about the crucial aquarium | | | | The ultimate tank setup in this hobby has to be the |
| nitrogen cycle that must take place in all new tanks. | | | | reef tank. It's like having a small piece of the coral |
| We know how to properly acclimate tropical fish to | | | | reef in your living room. The emphasis is on the corals |
| our tank water and how to periodically use our | | | | and invertebrates with a limited amount of fish. |
| aquarium test kits to test the tank water to make | | | | These tanks are however, more expensive to setup |
| sure nothing is out of whack. We have better access | | | | and maintain. Equipment such as metal halide lighting, |
| to fish behavior and can determine which fishes | | | | protein skimmers, live rock, testing equipment, |
| shouldn't be kept together in the same tank. The | | | | supplements, water purification units (reverse |
| information is out there, at our fingertips, at libraries, | | | | osmosis and deionization) and sumps drive the cost |
| book stores and the search engines. | | | | of this setup. Don't forget about the ongoing |
| So, with all this available information we can quickly | | | | maintenance costs (electricity) as well. The livestock |
| come up to speed with running a tank in our home. | | | | costs for live corals, fish and invertebrates are also |
| There are many different types of aquarium setups | | | | very expensive. This type of tank can be very |
| but the most common types are freshwater, | | | | demanding when first set up because you'll need to |
| saltwater fish only and saltwater reef tanks. Here is a | | | | monitor the water parameters periodically and take |
| very brief intro: | | | | corrective action when necessary. Even though this is |
| Freshwater Aquarium | | | | the most expensive type of setup, it can also be the |
| The mainstay of the hobby and the most popular | | | | most breathtaking. You should to do your homework |
| setup, a freshwater tank setup can be a great first | | | | (research) and figure out exactly what you want to |
| tank and it will give you the necessary experience | | | | accomplish before buying your first piece of reef |
| needed for branching out into other types of tanks. | | | | equipment. |
| This setup is the least expensive in terms of | | | | No matter what type of tank setup you choose, as |
| equipment and livestock and is not usually as | | | | long as you do your homework beforehand you'll |
| demanding as the other types. There are literally | | | | enjoy this hobby. Research the equipment and |
| hundreds of different types of fish available so | | | | livestock before purchasing them and you will |
| finding a species you'll like shouldn't pose a problem. | | | | prevent many headaches and keep some of that |
| You can keep live aquarium plants in your tank as | | | | hard earned money in your wallet! |
| well. Keeping plants may require an upgrade to your | | | | |