Saltwater Fish and Aquariums

Owning a tropical fish aquarium can be a very rewarding and fulfilling hobby that can last a lifetime. There are many factors to consider when building and operating a saltwater aquarium. Questions to ask are; what type of fish do I want? Do I want to include coral? Do I have the funds to provide the upkeep needed? With a little planning and hard work, you can own and enjoy the fruits of your labor with a few helpful tips.

Your local pet store or aquarium store can usually assist you with the details of the sizing and how to set-up the equipment that you need to get up and going. You want to do your research (I can't stress that enough) about what fish you want. There are some fish that do not co-exist well with others and by making the mistake of inserting these two in your waters will make for a huge headache real soon. The internet has plenty of great sources to look and see which fish are able to live together.

Now that you have found what fish you want to include and verified that these species get along together, you now want to look into creating the perfect environment for your fish. Keep in mind that a lot of that work is already done, as the pet store should have advised you to purchase the tools that simulate the movement of ocean water as well as correcting the salt and bacteria levels. In my personal experience, I chose to go with Australian sand. I did this because it provides the necessary bacteria needed to provide an "authentic" environment for the fish and coral. The coral also feeds off of the bacteria and so on thus creating the kind of environment that I wanted. The beauty of this is that you can modify this to fit your desires, just be sure to consult with your local tropical fish store to ensure that your desire won't kill your fish or coral.

Starting cost can run into the thousands of dollars, so be prepared to spend. Keep in mind, however, that this will be a lifetime investment. Also keep in mind, the continuous cost to keep the tank healthy and the fish living. This varies greatly between tanks because of size and type of fish in the tank. Don't attempt this unless you know that you can afford it. The last thing you want is to go in and buy the equipment and find you can't commit to taking care of the fish and then your investments have gone to waste.

The average time from setting up your tank and putting water in it, to putting the fish in, is about three weeks. This is because you need to create that environment the fish need to survive. Your tropical fish store can provide in depth information regarding the pH levels, bacteria levels, movement of the water among other things. You can also read further about this online with e-books and tropical fish websites.

I hope this article has provided a small glimpse into a very rewarding hobby and I hope that you and your family can enjoy the beauty of a tropical fish aquarium.

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