If you are new to the aquarium world or just need a refresher, this page will provide some important and not so important facts you should consider before jumping head first into owning an aquarium. To begin this section we need to make it clear that the content in this section is basic and not focused on those with zero experience with aquariums.

There are few questions asked more often than"What would be a good first aquarium?". You could spend an afternoon or longer reading countless opinions from those who want to sell you an aquarium or like seeing their own words in print. For the purpose of this website we will skip the obvious considerations, i. e. .budget, location, time etc.

With aquariums, saltwater in particular, it's better to go with the largest aquarium you can afford, and despite what you may have heard, size does matter. Without going into boring facts and terminology the reason is simple, volume, with a larger aquarium you have a greater margin for error. Should a disease be added to your aquarium, the more gallons you have the greater chance of salvaging a portion of your aquarium.

Unfortunately, as aquarium fish keeping is one of the most challenging and rewarding hobbies you can start, owning a large aquarium is not always financially possible or practical. For those who can not for one reason or another own a large aquarium we suggest a starter aquarium, one that is already outfitted with the proper filtration and lighting. One such aquarium is the Nano Cube by JBJ, this complete aquarium is perfect for the beginner and advanced aquarist alike. The Nano Cube comes complete with filter and lights for both saltwater and freshwater fish, the Nano Cube can even be used for a reef set up.

If you have the means and space for a large aquarium we suggest you start with an aquarium one hundred gallons and up. Your first aquarium should be well thought out and planned for, think about what you are buying before jumping head first into this hobby.

Beginners - Step 1

Some may think that the first step to owning an aquarium is deciding on the aquarium style, saltwater, freshwater, large or small. Before making those decisions, you must first decide whether you have the necessary time to commit to this hobby.

Large or small you will need to devote a minimum of two hours per month increasing as you increase the size of your aquarium. Most hobbyists will spend thirty to sixty minutes a day with their aquarium, but in general, aside from feeding, you will need to devote “X” amount of hours per month with your aquarium.

Beginners - Step 2

Location location location, sound familiar? However redundant this may sound, take heed on what we say here as it will save you much grief in the long run. Here are the “Do’s and Don’ts” on aquarium placement.

Do’s:

• Make sure your floor can support the weight; water weighs 8Lbs a gallon.

• Locate near electrical (GFI) outlets, above and below.

• Locate near or close to water source.

• Locate away from direct sunlight.

• Adequate clearance above and below aquarium

• Ventilated room

Don’ts

• Place in direct sunlight

• Place in path of doorway or other moving objects

• Place directly in front of AC/heating duct.

• Cramped spaces

• Extremely hot or cold locations

• Exposure to industrial air

• Near heavy machinery use

Beginners - Step 3

Do I want a freshwater or saltwater aquarium? However short this step might be, you should consider it closely before going on. Saltwater aquariums are by far the more attractive of the two, but all things considered, are too the most difficult and expensive to maintain. The process in which both aquariums use to survive are identical but the components needed for a healthy and thriving saltwater aquarium will be slightly different than freshwater.

Beginners - Step 4

What shape of aquarium would you like and would that be glass or an acrylic aquarium? This question has plagued the consumer for decades well maybe not that long, but at least a couple years.

The basic differences are, glass is heavier, gives a green tint to the water on taller aquariums and is limited to certain configurations, but is more immune to scratches; whereas acrylic is very light, configurations are limitless, optically superior and stronger, but scratches easily. Recently there has been a new type of aquarium added to the mix. Starphire Glass! Starphire Glass refers to glass that has had its iron content taken out. The green tinge that pervades most glass is caused by the iron content. Taking the iron out makes a much clearer glass thus making it perfect for viewing the aquarium inhabitants true colors.

If you have had fish tanks in the past and you think that you are ready for an aquarium, then you need to read this information. Fish tanks are not very comparable to aquariums. Aquariums are an intricate ecosystem that you are charged with maintaining whereas a fish tank is a bowl of water with a fish in it. Most fish bowls don’t have filters and lights, while aquariums have sophisticated filtration systems and advanced lighting systems.

Learning proper aquarium maintenance is a major hurdle to running a healthy aquarium. There is a lot to learn when it comes to aquarium maintenance. Aquarium maintenance is probably one of the most important aspects to running a healthy aquarium. The term “aquarium maintenance” is a broad term that covers a wide range of tasks such as: proper lighting, proper filtration, cleaning the aquarium, and what to do if you have a sick fish.

Acrylic aquariums are unique in that they afford a wide variety of shape options and the strength one would expect in a product designed to last for decades!

Acrylic aquariums are ten times stronger than glass and are not prone to shatter; while we do not suggest testing our theory I suppose you could take a hammer to that old glass aquarium in your garage and watch what happens!

Take note of the seam work on acrylic aquariums vs. glass fish tanks; no silicon “goop” holding the corners together. Acrylic seams are stronger, bonded, weld-like, far clearer and cleaner than glass. In fact a virtually invisible museum quality seam is available when purchasing an acrylic aquarium, however, make sure you deal with a quality manufacturer and not the guy spending weekends in his garage in his garage attempting to build a quality system without the proper tools or forming oven to get the work just right.

It is true that acrylic can scratch easily. Glass also can scratch and when it does what can you do to fix it? With acrylic a simple buff kit is all that is required to remove the scratch. Over the years these kits have evolved from really difficult to use to so simple you can even use them when the aquarium is full of water!

It would seem that an acrylic aquarium purchase is the most sensible purchase for a majority of aquarium keepers due to the strength, clarity, clearer seams, half the weight, variety of shapes, and classier look.

Another aspect of running healthy aquariums is having hospital tanks. Hospital tanks are separate fish tanks with just a basic set up. Hospital tanks are used when a fish in your main aquarium gets sick. You transplant the sick fish into the hospital tank and quarantine him from the other fish.