| It's tempting, when you're just starting out in the | | | | buy. Start with glass, because acrylic has its own |
| aquarium-keeping hobby, to keep things small. It | | | | tricky issues to master. Check the glass or packaging |
| seems logical that a goldfish bowl or a small tank will | | | | for a safety symbol, certifying the strength of the |
| be easier to maintain than one of those wall-sized | | | | silicone caulking used to hold the panes of glass |
| monsters, but in fact it's just the opposite. | | | | together. Also be sure to get a snug-fitting cover |
| The bigger the tank, the easier it is to care for. A | | | | that's easy to clean – you'll need that to keep |
| larger volume of water helps minimize the effect of | | | | both feisty fish and evaporating water in the tank, |
| temperature changes, pH swings, and the biological | | | | and it's inevitably going to get filmed or crusty over |
| toxins that come from decaying plant and fish | | | | time. |
| wastes. With toxins more widely dispersed in the | | | | Buy a stand that's sufficient to support your tank's |
| water, your filters have more time to do their job, | | | | weight – remember that a 40 gallon tank can |
| while your fish stay healthier. All of this means that | | | | weigh up to five hundred pounds when it's full of |
| beginning aquarium hobbyists don't have so much to | | | | water and gravel! Choose the location of your tank |
| fear from common early mistakes. | | | | carefully, to make sure the floor is level and strong |
| Also remember that small fish are generally more | | | | and, that direct sunlight doesn't fall on the tank during |
| active than bigger fish, and are much happier with | | | | certain parts of day (this will throw your temperature |
| more room to swim around in, so don't get a small | | | | maintenance off). |
| tank just because you like small fish! | | | | Set up the stand, and do anything you need to in |
| In my opinion, the best size to get you started is a | | | | order to make sure it's absolutely level – |
| standard 40 or 55 gallon rectangular tank. These are | | | | anything out of kilter will put pressure on your tank's |
| easy to find, have lots of standard accessories, are | | | | glass or joints, and they WILL give eventually. Not a |
| relatively inexpensive, and they're easy to take care | | | | pretty picture! |
| of. It doesn't take too long to change the water or | | | | Speaking of which, most modern fish tanks are |
| do other standard maintenance, all parts of the tank | | | | never going to leak, break, or fall, but accidents do |
| are easy to reach, and you're less likely to have | | | | happen, and it wouldn't hurt to add a rider on your |
| problems with algae growth than in a smaller, | | | | homeowner's or renter's insurance to cover potential |
| narrower tank. | | | | water damage to your carpet or floorboards. |
| Do yourself a few favors when looking at tanks to | | | | |