Personally, I find that a 10 gallon tank is the best to start off your fish fetish with. It's not too big, nor too small. All in all, a great way to begin. There are starter kits on the market, complete with thermometer, heater, filter, food, net, basic manual and chlorine remover. All your basic necessities, not including gravel and plants of course! (that fun part comes later!). First off, no matter what size aquarium you buy, it's parts should be rinsed thoroughly in hot water. DO NOT CLEAN YOUR NEW TANK WITH ANY SOAP PRODUCTS! They leave a residue that will kill your fish! The rinsing is basically to rid your tank of manufacturing dust & what not. The same method goes for whatever type of filter you will be using. On a side note, here's the way I grade filter systems:
Low grade: those old submersible filters, with loose carbon & filter cotton. Not the best in my books, messy to clean, and you have to clean them OFTEN!
Medium grade: undergravel filters..supposed to create a healthy little ecosystem & such, but I've found that the water qualtity isn't the greatest..
High grade: power filters, that hang over the back of your tank, with filter cartridges that slide into the back. Examples are AquaTech, Aqua Clear, Dynaflo, and so forth. Personally, all my aquariums have AquaTech filters, and my water quality is spectacular! I've never had a problem with algae blooms, they are quiet-running filters, and there is no muss & fuss about changing the filter pads!
Very high grade: Canister filters..For bigger tanks, these buggers are AMAZING!
Super High Grade: *will get to that!* |
