Choosing Aquarium Supplies

As a fish enthusiast, one of the biggest thrills for me is when I get to setup a new fish tank. Nothing is quite as exciting as creating an ecosystem, right in your home. Now if you are like me you want to have that aquarium running perfectly. Hopefully the tips and suggestions in this article can help you to do just that.

One of the most important things to consider before making any purchases is what kind of fish you will have in your aquarium. The type of fish you choose will determine how big your aquarium needs to be, what type of supplies you'll need, and what other fish you can have as roommates. If this is your first foray into the aquarium world, then the best choice of fish for you are community fish. Community fish are labeled as such because these types of fish are friendly to other fish. Community fish are a good choice because they don't get very big and can be kept with a wide range of other community fish. If this isn't your first aquarium or you are a little bit adventurous, you may want to try a more aggressive type of fish such as the cichlid. The Cichlid family of fish is well known for its aggressive nature. Generally speaking, if you choose to have cichlids, you will want a tank of at least 30 gallons. Some cichlids will need more space, some less, but the average cichlid will be well suited in a 30 gallon aquarium.

Once you have decided on what type of fish you are going to keep, you will need to choose a filter type which best meets your needs. There are two common types of filtration systems available at your local fish store. The first type of filter is the undergravel filter. This filtration system creates a flow of water through your substrate and thus uses the substrate as the filter medium. The advantages of this type of filtration are that it is cheap and readily available. If you do choose undergravel filtration be advised that this type is meant for smaller fish. If you have larger fish their waste products will pile up underneath the gravel and slowly kill your fish. The second form of filtration that you will find is the side-hanging filtration unit. This type of filtration sucks the water into a separate section which hangs outside of the aquarium. The water is filtered twice, first by getting pushed through activated carbon, and then it trickles over a live bacterial culture which filters the water again. The side-hanging filters reduce waste buildup inside the aquarium and thus can handle the waste loads of larger fish.

After choosing fish, tank size, and filter type, you are left with choosing lighting, a heater, and substrate type. When picking out lights, your choices generally will come down to bulbs which are good for growing live plants, and regular fluorescent bulbs. If your aquarium is going to house live plants, then buy lights which are made for that. If you are just keeping fish, then go with whichever light keeps you are your wallet happy. Heaters are also fairly simple, keep in mind that as your aquarium size increases, so will the size and or quantity of your heater. The store employee will be able to direct you to the proper heater size for whichever aquarium size you choose. Your final choice is what type of substrate to use. The two most common types of substrate are gravel and sand. If you choose sand, the waste from the fish will sit right on top of the sand. In aquariums with a gravel substrate, the waste will sink through the rocks and will not be noticed as easily. Choose a gravel type that is appealing to you and your aquarium cleaning habits.

Hopefully you will now have all of the necessary items for the perfect aquarium. Keep in mind that the types of fish you choose to have are the biggest influence on what type of equipment you will need for your aquarium. The beauty of keeping fish is that each aquarium is a little bit different.