Tropical Fish : Tank Basics

Aquarium fish are like pets and you have to know what you're doing and this article will cover one of the basics : what to look for when buying tropical fish, this article will cover the tank. Look for a tank that is big enough to store the tropical fish you want (keep note that some fish need bigger tanks as they need more place, so do your homework !) I'd suggest to go for a bigger tank because having some extra room for your tropical fish always a good idea. When you're in the store make sure to take some extra equipment with you cause you'll need it. I suggest getting the following equipment for your tank:
1. Heater
The heater is the most important part of a tropical tank. For most tropical fish, 25C is a good average. 4 watts per gallon is ok, but each heater will state the size aquaria it accommodate for. For the larger aquaria, it is often best to have two smaller heaters for a couple of reasons, one because should one break, u still have one to keep your tank going until u can replace it, and two should you have 1 big heater, and the thermostat got stuck on, it would raise the temperature of the tank far more and in less time than a smaller one would. All heaters now have a built in thermostat which turns the heater on and off when needed to keep the tank at a stable temperature, the heater should never be un-plugged.
2. Filter.
Best to check if the filter fits your tank. this is very important !.The size of the filter depends upon 3 factors :
- The tank size
- Number of aquarium fish
- Plants planted in the tank
There are lots of different types of filters available : internal filters, external filters, gravel filters and box filters (I advise to skip this one cause they only work for small tanks).
3. Gravel
The gravel is mainly for aesthetic purposes, but it also is vital if you are keeping live plants as they need a substrate of some sort to anchor them selves down with.
If you have a planted tank, then 2-3inches of gravel is advised, but if u have an unplanted tank, then u may use ½ - 2inches of gravel.
The gravel also holds some of the bacteria in the tank, and if the tank has an under gravel filter, then the gravel will contain nearly all of the bacteria in the tank.
These last 3 points are the basic equipment parts you’ll need to keep your fish healthy in your new tank. In my following articles I will cover the fish themselves and their basics.
I hope you learned something here and I will see you in my next article or on my weblog.