The first decision you must make when you buy an aquarium is whether you plan to keep freshwater fish or saltwater fish. It’s up to you whether you want to keep saltwater or freshwater, but if this is your first aquarium, you may want to start with a freshwater aquarium.

Salt water fish is more costly and a bit harder to care for. You have to worry about the salinity of water, water conditioning and temperature. Fresh water fish are much easier to care for.

There are other considerations that apply as well.

Where is the aquarium going to be? You need to keep your aquarium away from sunlight and from other sources of heat or cold air that could affect the temperature of the water.

And don’t forget that once you fill it with water, the aquarium is going to be heavy. Just to give you an idea, a filled 20-gallon glass tank weighs around 225 pounds. Because of this reason, you need to be sure of the location before you fill the tank with water.

Level floor

Pick a leveled floor to minimize the possibility of cracks developing in the tank from being on an uneven floor.

Electrical outlet

Keep your tank near an outlet to have easy access to electricity for your lighting, heaters and pumps.

Accessibility

Access to the tank should be easy, in order to properly manipulate heater controls and air valves. You should also be able to have enough space for a net and to move decorations.

Shape

When you’re choosing the shape of your aquarium choose short, longer shapes over tall, thinner shapes. This way there will be more surface area at the top of the water, which is much better for your fish.

Size

The aquarium should be at least ten gallons. Why? Because it’s just easier to take care of a fish in a larger tank than a smaller one. No matter what type of aquarium you choose, waste will build up in it with time. These materials tend to be diluted more in a larger tank. The water will be clean for longer and it will require less maintenance.

Material

Aquariums are typically made from glass or acrylic. Both materials are good, but glass is best for beginners. Glass is less expensive, it is less likely to scratch and only needs to be supported at the edges.

All of these tips must be kept in mind when you set up an aquarium. All of these factors are essential in making the right decision.

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