Aquariums beautify the environment they are put in, it is a way to bring aquatic animals into our homes. Individuals who keep aquariums have a variety of choices to pick from when they want to purchase aquarium supplies. A person who has just been introduced to fish care may not know what choice to make from the amazing equipment available.
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How to Choose The Right Fish Tank Equipment
The different aquatic equipment to buy depends on the size and style of the aquarium. Also, the type of fish in an aquarium is dependent on the type of aquarium. Buyers also have to know the size of their aquarium stand to enable them to buy equipment that will be better for their aquarium and keep the aquarium useful for a long period of time.
Aquarium Options
Buyers need to know the number of fish they want to buy, they also need to buy a tank with the right size that will fit into the part of their home where the aquarium will be. Knowing all these beforehand will help them decide on the material, size, and shape of the aquarium they should purchase.
Aquarium Material
Aquariums are made from glass or acrylic; glass is the most ideal option for home use. Each of the aquarium materials has their own advantages and disadvantages, so a buyer also has to consider this before deciding on what to buy and can be made from either glass or acrylic.
| Materials | Pros | Cons |
|---|---|---|
| Glass | It is easy to clean and cannot be easily scratched. It needs support only on outside edges. | It is heavy and can break or crack. |
| Acrylic | It is very light in weight and easy to carry. It does not crack, and the view is not distorted. | It can easily get scratched; a strong support is needed beneath the tank to prevent the plastic from bowing or bending. |
Buyers who are worried about scratches or maybe want to put the aquarium in a place where people might touch it should choose the glass material for the aquarium. If the aquarium is going to be moved around regularly, then the buyer should pick the acrylic because of its lightweight and even if it mistakenly dropped, it won’t crack. Making the right choice of material is mostly dependent on what the buyer needs.
Aquarium Size
There are various sizes of aquariums ranging from small five-gallon tanks to 300-gallon spaces. A buyer has to know the number of fish they want before picking the aquarium size. According to the general thumb rule, one should buy a fish per gallon of water so that the fish will have enough space.
New aquarium owners should buy a large tank, it should not be one that is too large for them to manage. Small tanks are harder to maintain because they need a lot of care and get dirty faster. Any errors could adversely affect the fish. 20 gallon aquarium tanks are perfect for starting your first aquarium. A larger tank is better for a learner as it is easier to manage.
Aquarium Shape
Aquariums come in many shapes, from rectangles to squares, pentagons, hexagons, bow front, and corner tank. The place where the aquarium will be installed determines the shape of the aquarium. The shape also has an effect on the fish because the oxygen that gets into the tank is dependent on the size of the surface and oxygen is very important to the survival of the fish. Tanks with longer horizontal length will give the fish enough space to move around.
Buying an Aquarium Kit
Aquarium kits contain a lot of items like filter, hood, conditioner, light, substrate, and others. Since beginners may not possess this equipment, it is advisable and more economical for them to buy the aquariums that come with complete kits. They may later need to upgrade the basic items, like upgrading the simple filter, this could become costly. Please read our reviews about the best saltwater aquarium kit.
Choosing The Right Aquarium Stand
Fish tank stands used to support the aquarium and also hide the equipment underneath. Choosing the right Aquarium stand is important because it serves to hold your aquarium tank, so you have to correct in selecting the material used.
Three types of aquarium stands are commonly available in the market today:
- Metal
- Wood
- Coated particleboard
The metal stand is not costly but has no compartment for hiding aquarium equipment. It is also not very strong and rusts easily when saltwater touches it.
There are different styles and finishes of wood stands; one can easily pick a matching finishing for home or office furniture. When choosing a style of best aquarium stand, first test the stability on a flat surface.
Tips for choosing the right aquarium stands
- Sturdiness – strong material that can support the weight of your aquarium.
- Functionality – If you plan to keep all the equipment aquarium then you need a standing cabinet like something with internal storage.
- Water Resistance – as mentioned above the materials used in the tank stand must strong to keep and protected from damage.
- Style – the design of the stand or cabinet that works for you and meshes with your other furniture.
Aquariums are heavy and if they are hit or pushed it could cause serious damage to people around, hence the need for stable stands. Stay away from fish tank stands made with particle board because particle board gets spoilt when it has regular contact with water.
If you are looking for a metal stand, you can try Petco Brooklyn metal stand. Read the detail here Petco aquarium stand.
Other Essentials for an Aquarium
There are other things to put into mind when buying an aquarium like a heater, air pump, aquarium chiller, a filtration system, lighting, and the decorations inside the tank. These components are really necessary to keep the fish healthy and happy.
Aquarium Heater
The heater produces heat to keep the fish tank warm since fish do not produce any body heat. There are various sizes and designs of fish tank heaters, each of them with their own specific use.
– Heater Size
Making the right choice of heater size depends mainly on the aquarium size and the room temperature. A cool room requires a bigger heater and a large tank also needs a bigger heater.
– Heater Design
There are different heater designs like the immersible heater, which is the least expensive. It is hanged on the side of the tank. There is also the submersible heater which is sunk completely into the tank. This design easily keeps the heat constant. The Substrate heaters are fixed at the bottom of the tank under the substrate (the material on the bottom of the tank). They distribute heat equally around the tank. Individuals who plan on growing plants in their aquarium should use this substrate heater. A filter heater is fixed inside the filter and as the water passes through it, it gets heated.
Read our guide on buying best aquarium heaters
Filtration System
There are three common filter types, and a buyer needs to know their function before choosing which one to use. They also need to know the amount of care and maintenance that the filter would require.
The filters are:
- The UGF, also known as under gravel filtration which is at the bottom of the tank, beneath the gravel. It is hidden and a lot of time has to be put into maintaining it frequently.
- The Power filter is seen at the side of the tank. It is hanged there and can be easily reached to change the pad inside. It doesn’t need so much maintenance like the UGF.
- The canister filter like Penn Plax Cascade 1000 doesn’t need much maintenance as the water doesn’t need frequent refills because it has a high carbon to keep the water clean. But filter could become blocked when the water is dirty, and this will cause a reduction in the amount of water that flows through.
Do you want to buy a filter now? Read this first before you buy: Best Aquarium Filter
Top 3 Picks: Best Canister Filter 2023
Fish tank filter comes in various models, and you have to choose it not only based on the model but also the capacity of your aquarium. The ideal aquarium is with 70 to 100-gallon and what perfect canister filter to buy for your aquarium? So, we will share the most recommended options for the best canister filter to choose.
1. Penn-Plax Cascade 1000 Canister
Cascade 1000 also can be considered as one of the best canister filter 2023. Based on the design, it is very ideal. It also looks attractive. However, the durability becomes the plus point of this item.
Besides easy to install, it is also easy to use because it applies quick & easy push-button self-primer. Many people are interested in this canister aquarium filter because of the flow rate of cut-off valves. With better water flow, the water quality will also be better, and it is safe for your fish in the aquarium. More reviews here: cascade 1000 canister filter.
2. Fluval 306
Fluval 306 canister filter can be one of the nice choices for you. Fluval is one of the best manufacturers of external filter for the aquarium. You will have the superior canister with the right material and performance.
Some equipment of it is also available in the package. Inside the box, the manufacturer will give you some kinds of cable and pipe to maximize the use of it. This product is excellent with multi-stage filtration. It is the new development from the manufacturer for you. By the utilization of the multi-stage filtration, this external aquarium filter will be nice to provide the healthy fresh, especially for the saltwater aquarium. Read more reviews here: Fluval 306 canister filter.
3. EHEIM Classic Series
EHEIM Classic Series has accessorized with some exciting features, one of them is the Permo-elastic silicon of fixed sealing ring that can apply to the pump head of the filter for functions to ease you to close it after cleaning. Eheim 320-2215 external filter completed with sponges that keep the quality of the filtration. Then, you should also have to benefit from loose filter media for the better filtration system. Therefore, it is reasonable to be considered as the best fish tank filter. Read more reviews here: Eheim canister filter.
Protein skimmers
Protein skimmers also known as foam fractionators, provide the fish with a healthy environment, and it is very important equipment for a saltwater aquarium. These saltwater aquarium equipment use air bubbles to eliminate hydrophilic substances in the collection cup from the water. Before you purchase a skimmer, check the amount of maintenance that would be needed and the maintenance method.
Each skimmer comes with its own benefits and setbacks, but the main thing is to know the area to put the skimmer. In-tank skimmers less expensive but don’t have so many features. The in sump models are the most expensive but have a lot of features. The Hang On Tank models like Aquamaxx hob-1 is the easiest to install and have fair prices. They are the most common as hob protein skimmer.
AquaMaxx HOB-1 – This nano protein skimmer featured with high-quality parts, highly responsive collection cup that needs less maintenance and an amazingly powerful submersible pump. It is a compact design and is suitable for tanks with the capacity of up to 75 gallons.
AquaMaxx HOB 1 is easy to be placed on nano tanks. If you need a protein skimmer that is pretty cheap and has more power to gets rid of the most gunk from your aquarium, the AquaMaxx HOB-1 actually the best choice for this. Read the reviews here: Aquamaxx hob-1.
Need more advice for a protein skimmer? Please read Best Protein Skimmer.
You also have to decide whether it’s wet skimming you want or dry skimming. Skimming wet is done by lowering the collection cup and/or increasing the air flow to enable more skimmate, although it will be less dense and lighter colored organics from the system. When skimming dry, you raising the collection cup and remove only the most disgusting stuff from the system. With wet skimming, you need to refill fresh water more frequently, do a lot of salinity checks with the refractometer and also do more tests for depleted iodine levels while with dry skimming you need less water and less regular check-ups, but it will leave more dissolved organics in the system.
Aquarium Decorations
One may think decorations would be easier to select since we would choose based on what we like or what matches the home. But the fish need to be considered when choosing tank decorations because the fish use these decorations to rest or hide from other fish or people. Rocks can be used because their bacteria and microorganisms help maintain the water quality. Live plants can also be used, but they need regular care.
Aquarium Light
The aquarium light depends on the content of the aquarium. Fluorescent lights can be used if the freshwater and saltwater tanks contain only fish but for tanks that also have live plants and coral reefs, better lighting will have to be used. The fluorescent tubes are the most common type used, it comes in various sizes T5 and T8, and you also need to know the length and diameter used in case you need replacement in the future.
LED aquarium lights are the most ideal because they use up less energy than other lights. They also now come at cheaper prices with interesting packages attached.
Where to Buy an Aquarium Equipment and Supplies
Fish tank supplies can be found at the nearest pet shop or online store, most pet stores upload their products online. Buyers can check their sites for larger selections. Bigger stores where there is only one section for fish equipment will not offer a wide variety of accessories so the pet stores are better. Buyers will start their search based on the aquarium they need, they can also find a wide variety of options at Amazon.com.
Conclusion
There are many designs and shapes of aquariums we could use to style our homes and also give the fish a conducive habitat. Proper researchers have to be made before investing our time and money into aquarium equipment as there are advantages and disadvantages that accompany any choice made. Buyers have to select their aquarium based on their personal needs so that they’ll make the right choice in size and shape of the aquarium. Picking the right aquarium will make your room more stylish and beautiful for a really long time.
Our reviews are just to help you make the right choice of aquarium equipment. We may use a five-star rating system to review the products. As there are reviews about bad products, there should also be reviews about good products, and that’s what we are doing with these aquarium reviews to share with aquarium interested individuals.