Fish Keeping the Thrifty Way

For many people keeping an aquarium turns out to be an expensive hobby. With the wealth of information freely available it does not have to be this way any longer. There are a number of ways to minimize the expenses encountered by those setting up a new fish tank.

Starting with the aquarium itself is the best place to cut costs. Second hand units are plentiful in a number of size from places like newspaper classifieds and weekend yard sales. Just be sure the tank is still watertight. If in doubt ask if the seller is willing to fill the tank with water as a test.

When it comes to gravel, many aquarium substrates at your local pet shop will also be sold from landscape suppliers at a fraction of the cost. River gravel is especially suitable because of it's rounded edges and low solubility. You should wash the gravel over thoroughly to remove as much dust as possible. This may mean rinsing it in a bucket many times until the water stays clear.

The place to buy aquarium products has traditionally been from pet shops. In the past decades more people have been seeking their fish equipment from weekend markets and online sellers. Most fish keepers will be amazed at the price difference between these sources and typical pet shops.

When setting up the aquarium it is best not to pay for additives to help spawn biological filtration. These bacterial starter cultures are not mandatory for a successful fish tank. Follow a water cycling process using small quantities of hardy fish. Alternately you can add tiny amounts of ammonia to the water as a replacement for fish waste. This method is known as fishless water cycling and can be achieved using any pure ammonia product from a grocery store.

The aquarium ornaments you use do not have to be straight off the shelf. A little imagination costs nothing. Any dinnerware safe ceramic piece is suitable as decoration. Teapots are one such ceramic example that can make your tank a unique fish home Driftwood that you can collect at a beach outing is another way to furnish your aquarium is cheaply. Alternately a few scattered rocks and terracotta pots are just what makes a lot of cichlids feel at home.

These are just a few ideas to explore but there are a range of other money saving ideas available for your aquarium.

Andrew Fuller writes for e-Aquarium on topics such as buying a cheap fish tank [http://www.e-aquarium.com.au/discount_aquariums.htm] and the many aquarium designs [http://www.e-aquarium.com.au/aquarium-design.htm] you can choose from.