The Seapets basic guide to aquariums

Basic because there are hundreds of books written about fish keeping which are readily available, however there is not enough time to read a book before we start, so let's get going and we will keep fish successfully by staying with the basics, then you can become an expert later on, from experience, as well as from books.

Why do we want an aquarium, because it is a great indoor hobby that teaches so many things, about nature, water, fish behaviour, plants and decoration, plus when you create a nice display it looks fantastic as well.

There is a little work involved in setting up and keeping a nice display, but what good is a hobby with nothing to do and without doubt, aquariums are a very enjoyable and satisfying hobby.

Remember too, that you are creating an underwater world, your aquarium is a micro system of living creatures that will react to each other and so there is no exact science or instructions, but a gradual building of the understanding of your creation.

There are three different types of environment that you can create depending on the types of fish that you want to keep, here mentioned with a little detail to help you choose, but in greater depth later, so you only have to read about the type of environment you have selected.                                                                                                                     

Coldwater Aquariums Contain ornamental goldfish, a small number of other species and a range of plants that can thrive indoors, but in water that is not heated. Good for quick bright displays, but as much work as tropical fish to keep looking nice, often because the more efficient filters and equipment are not considered as important as with the other environments.

Tropical Aquariums have the advantage of a wide range of fish from the warmer parts of the world, the varieties available are amazing, but a little care in selection is essential to ensure they will get on well with each other. A community aquarium offers a variety of fish with an excellent selection of water plants to really make an outstanding display. As your aquarium develops the Tropical aquarium also offers the advantage of being able to breed and raise your own fish, if you want to. The tropical aquarium has a thermostatically controlled heater to maintain the warmer temperature.

Marine Aquariums are defined by the remarkable shapes and stunning colours of the coral reef fish, from the relatively low cost damsel fish and clowns to the higher priced rarities, no other types of fish can possibly compete with the amazing display that can be created. Essentially the addition of a synthetic sea salt mix and different décor is the only difference to the freshwater tropical aquarium. Although there is no question that it is the more expensive of the different environments to set up and keep. 

Your Aquarium Now that we have an idea of what type of display we want to create we need to select a suitable aquarium. The first understanding of any environment is that changes occur more quickly in small areas. Pollution, temperature changes, bacteria and parasites will all have a faster effect in a smaller aquarium than in a larger area. Choose the largest reasonable size aquarium that will fit into the part of your home you want to keep your display, aquariums are more expensive the larger you choose, however the results are always worth the initial additional cost. 

The Aquarium Location Whilst mentioning the area in your home where you are going to site your aquarium, modern lighting systems are much more controllable than daylight so to keep your plants looking healthy and reduce the growth of algae try and keep the aquarium away from natural light and certainly direct sunlight. Use the aquarium to brighten a dark area rather than compete with a bright window.

Aquarium Construction Aquariums available today are either made from acrylic, normally the smaller ones, or are all glass with silicone rubber adhesives. Glass is harder to scratch and will last for years so it is more popular, especially now that bow fronted, hexagonal and a variety of other shapes are all commonly available. Leaks are extremely rare as the silicone sealer that joins the glass is well tried and tested. It is important that the aquarium is placed on a rigid, flat support as the weight of the water could crack the base glass if any movement or distortion occurs, so ensure that the stand or cabinet used is designed for the purpose.There are sometimes surprises when obtaining quotes for special size aquariums to be made. The longer, wider or deeper the aquarium, the greater the weight, or water pressure. Therefore the glass has to be thicker. The thickness can double between one metre long and one and a half metres long, therefore the price is likely to do the same. 

Aquarium Delivery

We carefully arrange every delivery individually to suit our customer, on the most suitable working day, our carriers are careful and our packaging is thorough and well tested. Larger aquariums travel on a pallet for safety, so when the aquarium arrives preparations to unpack it and place it in the home must be made by the customer.

Next step, choose your aquarium.

Jerry Arnold - Seapets

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