Picking the type and size of your aquarium
Before deciding which size tank you want, their are two main types. Each type has advantages and disadvantages to it.
Acrylic
Advantages:
-Acrylic is much lighter than glass.
-There are much less problems with acrylic since its connected at a molecular level.
-Acrylic is the most clearest material known.
-Acrylic is a much better insulator.
-Very nice for shaping custom aquariums.
Glass
Advantages:
-Glass is very hard to scratch.
-Glass is generally cheaper then acrylic.
-Glass holds it's shape better than acyrlic.
-Glass aquariums age better than acrylic.
-Glass doesn't need a bottom support and fit great with most stands.
-Glass tanks are easier to find than acrylic.
Picking the size of your tank.
Picking the size of your tank depends on many different things. A beginners myth is that they should start out with a smaller tank. Bigger fish tanks are a lot more forgiving, and its much easier to maintain the right water parameters. So before you think about being cheap on your first aquarium, remember that if you want more help, spend the money and get a bigger aquarium.
Different fish require different sized tanks. For instance a tang requires a much bigger tank than an ocellaris clownfish. For more information on different fish sizes and their necessary tank size, check out the Fish section.
Different fish require different sized tanks. For instance a tang requires a much bigger tank than an ocellaris clownfish. For more information on different fish sizes and their necessary tank size, check out the Fish section.
The location of your fish tank
The location of your fish tank is also important. A suggestion is to buy or create your own stand for your fish tank. but keep in mind for Acrylic fish tanks it needs a bottom support.The best place for a fish tank is in a dark room. The reason for this is because you don't want the sunlight going into your tank. This is important because sunlight creates algae inside of your tank, which will require extra work to get rid of.