Selecting Tour Aquarium

Before You Spend Your Money

Far too many people start off on the wrong foot by acquiring an aquarium first and deciding what to do with it afterwards. Sometimes this turns out well enough, but it is equally likely to cause a good deal of difficulty and expense.

Of course, if the tank has been given to you as a present, or you have bought one in a moment of enthusiasm while looking round a store, you must make the best of it; but if you are considering the purchase of an aquarium in the near future, a lot will be gained by giving a little thought to the matter beforehand, aided by a preliminary perusal of this book.

First of all, it should be scarcely necessary to advise you to go to a dealer of repute for your equipment and stock. The best pet shops are really interested in the subject, and can back their advice and sales to you with years of experience.

We suggest you choose one of the standard manufactured aquariums rather than consider a custom installation, first, because manufactured aquariums come in a variety of sizes and many handsome styles to fit any location; second, the cost of these is relatively low and accessories are readily available; third, they allow you to change location or arrangement without excessive fuss or bother. When you become more experienced you can then decide if you want a custom installation.

In selecting your aquarium there are three things you must consider. Where you are going to locate it; what size will be right; and what style you should choose. As there are certain conditions that must be observed in order to have a successful aquarium, we will discuss location, size and style separately.

Location

Naturally you want to look at your fish, so choose a spot that will allow you to view them while you are seated comfortably. You will be watching them for hours.

Keep in mind that the beautiful colors of the fish are due to reflected light from their scales. Viewing them against a spoils the effect, so place your aquarium in a corner or along an inside wall where you have top or front light exclusively.

Although most tropical fish will withstand moderate variations of temperature it is best to avoid sudden or extreme changes. Remember that air circulation is a principal reason for varying temperature. This means that your aquarium should be located in a quiet place away from heaters or draughts or open windows.

Excessive light should be avoided also. Placing an aquarium in front of a window, or having a bright light shining in your aquarium, will cause the growth of disagreeable algae. Many kinds may form—some adhere to the glass, others form in filaments or strings throughout the aquarium, still others float and color the water green. You will then have the trouble of cleaning out your aquarium.

Two final considerations should be given to the location of your aquarium. One is the accessibility of the aquarium for operating a dip net and allowing you to put your hands inside for planting or rearranging the set-up in your aquarium. There should be plenty of room above the aquarium—which rules out a spot like a bookshelf, unless it is the top one.

Of course, your location should be near an electrical outlet. You will have a cover light, heater, and pump to operate, so electricity is a necessity. An extension with a multiple plug will eliminate several wires hanging down behind your aquarium.

Special Locations

Many times, in considering a location, there is a particular spot where a standard-size tank will not fit. So the aquarium must be custom built. This should be avoided because they usually are expensive installations. The above discussion on location should be followed and the special problems of that particular installation must be overcome, such as, with a tall, narrow aquarium, room must be left above equal to the depth of the aquarium. We suggest you consult your dealer if you have such an installation in mind.

Size

There will be a natural inclination to begin by buying a small tank to see how it goes, with the possibility of getting a bigger one later if successful. This may appear wise on the face of it, but experience has shown that the smaller sizes of aquaria are much more liable to have things go wrong than the larger ones, and the chances of the initial cost- being wasted or additional cost being continually incurred are greater with small tanks. So we strongly advise you to get the largest tank you can accommodate or afford. This is simply because a large body of water is not so liable to sudden changes of temperature, and is less likely to be affected by small amounts of harmful matter that may get into the tank; while the added space gives the fish better exercise and a chance to get away from the occasional bully among them.

So a little extra outlay on the larger aquarium at the beginning will be a saving in the long run. The usual way of measuring an aquarium is by the number of gallons it will hold. You can have many different shapes that will hold the same number of gallons. For a successful aquarium for a few small fish you should select an aquarium that holds five gallons or more. The larger the better. Without an aerator or filtering device, the number of fish an aquarium can hold is dependent on the surface area of the water.

Although you cannot see it, there is a constant evaporation of water and an exchange of gases—oxygen into the water and carbon dioxide out of the water. Fishes constantly take the oxygen from the water passing through their gills and give out carbon dioxide at the same time. The carbon dioxide readily passes into the air from the surface of the water, thus the greater the surface area, the more carbon dioxide that will escape. A safe rule to follow is 1 o square inches of surface area to each inch of fish (see Chapter Six for fuller explanation). So you can see that smaller sizes are not for you. They are used by experienced hobbyists for other purposes.

What type of support will the aquarium rest on? Here again your size will be determined by the strength of the support. Listed here are approximate weights of various sizes:

            5 gals. —    50 lb.         20 gals. — 190 lb.
            10 gals. —   95 lb.        25 gals. — 230 lb.
            15 gals. — 140 lb.        50 gals. — 500 lb.

Not only must the support hold your aquarium, but it must be rigid enough to prevent twisting of the frame. If stress is placed on the frame the sealing compound between the frame and glass will be broken and a leak will result. If you have nothing on which you can place your aquarium without strain, you will find that your dealer can furnish you stainless steel or modern style black iron stands at modest cost. Use of such a stand will make you independent of supports you may find in your home. They will allow you to place your aquarium in places that, by standing alone, will add much to the attractiveness of the room. (However, be sure the legs are all bearing on the floor. Level them with wedges before filling the aquarium with water.)

Style

Today you can purchase an aquarium and style it to fit any decor—from traditional to modern, from handsome hardwood to wrought-iron, from knotty pine to polished chrome or plastic. You will find tanks finished so nicely that no other decoration is necessary—rectangular tanks with smooth or stippled stainless steel frames, modernistic flared styles where the top is wider than the bottom and is supported from the top of the tank, even large glass balls some two feet in diameter. Make your choice. Your own taste will dictate the tank you want to fit your location and size.

Nowhere in this book will you find anything about keeping goldfish in small glass bowls. This is a form of cruelty which should be beneath the dignity of all people who call themselves civilized. Goldfish can be kept very successfully indoors in a properly filtered aquarium. They are ideal pets, being among the most colorful and easily cared-for fish, and do not require special heating. They must not be crowded, however.

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