| When you head over to your local pet shop looking | | | | rings true. The bigger the better! Many aquariums will |
| to setup tank, you may be overwhelmed. The pet | | | | come with a small filter in a kit. Its usually not enough. |
| industry is massive and there are more aquatics | | | | I suggest spending the extra money and getting a |
| products than you can shake a stick at. Honestly, not | | | | bigger filter than suggested. This will prevent a |
| too much has changed in the world of aquarium | | | | common problem in your aquarium: cloudy water, and |
| hobbyists though. | | | | reduce the amount of maintenance you will have to |
| You're still going to need the same 4 things. | | | | do on your tank. Trust me, its worth the extra few |
| - Aquarium | | | | dollars. |
| - Filter | | | | Aquarium gravel is actually pretty important. The |
| - Gravel | | | | more gravel you have, the more room for beneficial |
| - Heater | | | | bacteria you will have. This bacteria eats your fishes |
| With only these 4 things, you can build a successful | | | | waste and makes it non-toxic. They keep your |
| and healthy fish tank quickly and easily. Don't let your | | | | water clean for you! I suggest about two pounds of |
| local pet retailer scare you. This is really all you need. | | | | gravel per gallon of water your aquarium holds. |
| When selecting your aquarium, keep in mind that | | | | A heater is the last and possibly optional thing. A |
| bigger is better. I realize that many new hobbyists | | | | heater is used for a tank with tropical fish ONLY. |
| don't want to spend a huge wad of cash on a giant | | | | Most fish are tropical fish at your local pet store. |
| tank. Not to mention the space its going to take up. | | | | Goldfish however, don't need this heater. |
| The reality is, however, that the more water in the | | | | When buying a heater, go with 5 watts per gallon. |
| tank, the more room for error you have in taking | | | | This will keep your tank nice and warm. |
| care of your tank. The higher water content lowers | | | | Aim for 78-82 degrees and your fish will be happy |
| the amount of toxins via dilution. Go big! | | | | and healthy! |
| When you go to pick out your filter, the same rule | | | | |