Fish and Aquariums
Aquariums are a great addition to any home or office for decoration or as a hobby, and they allow you to be creative and put a personal touch on the tank for your fish. Keeping and caring for fish can be fun, educational, and entertaining, and having the proper fish tank for your aquatic pets is critical for ensuring a pleasant environment for the fish and for you as well. Assembling the perfect aquarium may seem like a daunting task, but the many designs and styles of filters, lights, sizes, heaters, and more make it easy to design the perfect fish tank that your fish can call home.
How large of an aquarium do you need?- Type of Fish: In order to determine the size of tank that you need, it is first critical to decide which type of fish you want to have as pets, such as goldfish, betta fish, tropical fish, and others. In general, a larger tank is better than a smaller one if you have multiple fish. If you decide to place larger fish in your tank, a larger aquarium will be necessary. Large tanks allow you to add more fish to your aquarium in the future, and it can also keep the tank cleaner as there is a larger amount of water to dilute any polluting substances.
- Location: Fish tank size is also dependent on the size of the space you intend to store the tank. Be sure that you have a flat surface that is large enough to fit your tank. This surface should be well supported and should be in a location where your fish tank will be stable.
- Biological: Some systems work through the nitrogen cycle by encouraging helpful bacteria to grow within the filter, which are able to help filter out pathogens and other harmful substances, such as ammonia and nitrite.
- Mechanical: Mechanical filtration uses a filter media to strain the water in the tank and collect and trap various particles that float around the fish tank, including fish excrement, extra food, dust, and others.
- Chemical: Chemical systems utilize activated carbon to rid the water in the tank of even the smallest particles. The carbon in these systems is able to chemically bond to certain molecules in the water, trapping them and preventing them from reentering the fish tank.
- Canister: Canister filters are pressurized systems that utilize all three different filtering mechanisms. The water is forced through these systems, ensuring that all of the harmful particles are extracted from the tank to keep the fish healthy.
- Power: Power filters are hung from the back of the fish tank, and these systems are ideal for smaller aquariums. These filters are easy to change, making for simple maintenance.
- Wet/Dry: These filters are designed for optimal biological filtration, and these systems generally include a mechanical filter and can also be equipped with a chemical one.