Fish can make excellent first pets for your kids. They still require looking after, which is ideal for testing their levels of responsibility. They're also lots of fun to watch, and they can be interesting to learn about too. Some fish even need a lot more care than you might think, so there will be more to do than simply feeding them and cleaning the tank now and then. If you want to start an aquarium, you have to begin somewhere. Setting up your first setup can be a little confusing if you're not sure what you need. Follow these steps and get your kids to help you out.
Choose Your Fish
Before you buy anything, you should think about what sort of fish you want. They are all different and have a variety of needs. You can't just get any old fish and toss them into any tank you pick up at your nearest pet store. Do you want to keep tropical fish? Are you going to have a freshwater or saltwater tank? It's important to do your research about different species. Some are challenging and expensive to look after, while others are unethical to buy due to their status in the wild. You need to consider these issues very carefully before choosing fish.
Get the Right Equipment
Once you know what sort of fish you want, you can start looking at equipment. Obviously, a tank is your first requirement. You need to start by working out how much volume you need for your fish to be comfortable. If you need a bigger aquarium than you're comfortable buying, get fewer fish or choose different fish. Along with your aquarium, you need several other pieces of equipment. Check out this site to find out about some of the essentials of setting up an aquarium. You're going to need a filter, heater and vacuum. Focus on keeping your fish healthy and the aquarium clean.
Find a Place for Your Aquarium
You need to make sure you have a place to set up your aquarium, and it must be safe. There's a lot of water in the tank, making it pretty heavy. It's made of glass, and you need to use some electrical equipment too. If it fell or broke, you could have a disaster ranging from dead fish to an electrical fire. Your aquarium needs to be on a hard and flat surface to ensure it's stable. Heavy tanks might need cabinets; smaller ones could be stable on a table. Try to have as few wires as possible too.
Set Everything Up
Once you have everything, you need to put it all together. Before you put gravel into your tank, make sure you wash it. This will stop dust and other particles polluting the water. After gently placing the gravel in the aquarium, you can fill it up and use a dechlorinator to keep it clean. Don't forget to include your heater, lighting and filter to keep your fish healthy.
If you need help setting up an aquarium, speak to someone at the store when you buy your fish. They can help to make sure you have everything you need.
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