Freshwater Fish Aquariums

Setting up your first aquarium requires three things. The first thing is a passion to create a thing of beauty. Fish aquariums can be both beautiful and satisfying.. The second item is that you will need to get your hands on books and reference material so that you can plan out your fish aquarium project. After all you are creating a miniature ecosystem that will have many requirements. The third thing you will need is the fish aquarium itself. These come in many shapes and sizes and some planning must go into your choices.

The Aquarium Itself - The Tank

Aquarium tanks come in many sizes. Size with fish aquariums is not so much the dimensions but deals more with the volume of the tank in relation to the number of fish that will be accommodated within the take. It needs to have the proper filtration system, heater or cooler, lighting and cover. You don't just fill a tank with water and put the fish in. Creating the proper environment for your fish species is paramount.

Environmental Balance

Knowledge of how to balance the aquarium to fit the fish is very important. You need a balance of bacteria, algae, the nitrogen cycle, etc in order to have a successful fish aquarium. Creating the optimum conditions within the aquarium takes education and experience and is vital to the health of your fish. The waste matter from the fish themselves is the biggest challenge to keeping your aquarium "balanced'. The ammonia from the fish waste can crate a toxic environment and must be dealt with correctly. You also need to maintain the proper pH for your aquarium.

Managing The Water And Water Temperature

Changing out the water in the tank must be done on a regular basis. Before you add new water to an aquarium it should be left to sit in a bucket for a day or so. This will help to dissipate any chlorine in the water. Chlorinated water can be damaging to both the fish and the aquarium environment.

You will also need to remove any dirt and debris from the bottom of the tank. It should be suctioned up from the bottom and removed from the tank. In addition the interior of the aquarium should be kept clean for both sanitation and esthetic reasons.

You must keep the water temperature within the ideal range for your fish. Most tropical fish like the temperature between 75 - 85 degrees. This will often require a heater and you should not scrimp on this item. Buy a heater with a good thermostat and keep an eye on it. The temperature is not only critical to the fish but also to the "good" bacteria that occupy your fish aquarium.

Additional Items:

In addition to the previous items it is also important to pay constant attention to your aquarium environment. Put compatible plants and aquarium decorations to highlight your fish. Creating the proper esthetic environment will bring you hours of enjoyment while watching your fish and will also keep them healthy and happy.

Dick Weiss has been hooked on aquariums for many years. The joys and accomplishment of creating successful aquarium environments totally excites him.

To learn more about fish aquariums visit his Blog at [http://www.fishaquariums.qarf.com]