| When preparing for your new aquarium, you need | | | | and other sea-life you'd like to keep in your tank. |
| to not only determine what size tank you want, | | | | You'll want to calculate the surface area of the |
| but how big of a space in your home you have | | | | tank to determine the number of fish you can |
| to place it. You might like the 200 gallon reef tank | | | | store in that tank. Let's say you're interested in a |
| that they have in the local fish store, but if you | | | | standard-size 55 gallon rectangular tank. These |
| don't have the space (and probably the | | | | sizes are typically about 14" wide and about 48" |
| experience to maintain it), and then you should | | | | long. So that's 672 square inches (14" wide x 48" |
| keep on looking. | | | | long). A rule of thumb is 1" of a freshwater |
| Typically, you'll want to get the biggest tank that | | | | coldwater per 30 square inches. So let say you |
| you can afford and keep in your home. Contrary | | | | have 10 adult swordtail fish, which are usually |
| to belief, having a larger tank is actually easier to | | | | about 2" long. So that's 20 inches of fish (10 fish x |
| maintain than a smaller tank for two reasons. | | | | 2" long). So take that 20" of fish x 30" square |
| First, fish need lots of room to swim and lots of | | | | inches that they each require = 600 squire inches. |
| oxygen in the water to breath. The larger water | | | | So you have enough and then some. Sounds a bit |
| surface in the tank, then the larger the amount of | | | | complicated, but believe me, if you overcrowd |
| oxygen can enter the tank. Second, the hardware | | | | your tank, you're headed for disastrous results. |
| to maintain a larger tank has a bit more power to | | | | As you can see, having a longer, rectangular tank |
| clean and maintain the water quality. The small | | | | (which provides lots of surface area) is much |
| tanks typically come with very cheap filters and | | | | better than some of those taller tanks with less |
| water pumps. The larger tanks require more | | | | surface area. So don't just shop for a tank based |
| advanced and heavy duty tools to work. Their | | | | on the gallons it can hold. The amount of surface |
| filtration methods are typically much more | | | | area is very important as well. |
| advanced, and hence, do a much better job of | | | | Remember, choosing the correct size of your |
| keeping the water quality good for the fish. | | | | tank is the most important first step you'll take in |
| Another important factor to determine which size | | | | your path towards maintaining a healthy aquarium. |
| tank you'd like is to estimate the number of fish | | | | Good luck! |