| Having a beautiful aquarium filled with freshwater | | | | found a good home for it, now is the time to put |
| tropical fish can be a real feature in any home, | | | | the filter, light and heater in place, and fill it with |
| and if set up and maintained correctly, can give | | | | water and gravel in preparation for your |
| countless hours of pleasure for not too much | | | | freshwater tropical fish. Do not be in a hurry here, |
| time or effort. | | | | as tempting as it is to rush and get a huge |
| The key is all in the planning - firstly, where will | | | | assortment of fish as soon as possible. Plan the |
| the aquarium live in your home? Once it is filled | | | | fish you would like to have in your aquarium |
| with water it's not moving anywhere, so choosing | | | | before you start. |
| the right place the first time is critical. It should be | | | | Would you like a species tank, where you have |
| placed out of direct sunlight, and not in any | | | | only one type of fish? This is usually because the |
| draughts, which will disturb the water. Don't forget | | | | fish you have chosen does not live happily with |
| also to have an electric supply handy nearby, so | | | | other breeds of fish. I would suggest that if this is |
| you can plug in the light, filter and heater that you | | | | your first aquarium you look at getting a |
| will almost certainly need. | | | | community tank, where you get a variety of |
| Secondly, what size aquarium should you buy? I | | | | different fish, which live happily together. There |
| would always recommend buying as large an | | | | are many types of community fish which are |
| aquarium as you can afford, both financially and | | | | relatively easy to keep, and will look stunning |
| space-wise. Keeping freshwater tropical fish is | | | | together in an aquarium. |
| addictive, and you will never wish you had bought | | | | Some freshwater tropical fish like to spend most |
| a smaller aquarium. Also, the larger the aquarium | | | | of their time near the surface of the water, |
| the easier it is to maintain optimum water quality, | | | | some prefer the middle of the aquarium, and |
| so it will save on maintenance as well. I would also | | | | others are happiest down at the bottom, so it is |
| recommend buying an aquarium, which is wider | | | | advisable to get a mixture so you get a balanced |
| than it is tall, as the size of the water surface is | | | | aquarium. You must also ensure you do not |
| also important for your tropical fish, so a tall, thin | | | | over-fill your aquarium, putting too many fish in is |
| aquarium is far from ideal. | | | | a very easy thing to do, but is a sure way to |
| If you are planning on placing your new aquarium | | | | lose some of your fish. When calculating how |
| on a piece of furniture, do check it is strong | | | | many freshwater tropical fish your aquarium can |
| enough to hold the weight of the aquarium and all | | | | hold, remember that when you buy them from |
| the water, the last thing you want is your | | | | the pet store they are young, and could well have |
| beautiful aquarium crashing to the floor with your | | | | a lot of growing to do. |
| precious tropical fish inside. | | | | Get this right, and you will get many years of |
| Once you have purchased your aquarium and | | | | pleasure from your freshwater tropical fish. |