Undecided - "very" Newbie - Kinds Of Aquariums

[PetraW]

Hi all,

just a quick question from a complete and utter Newbie (the only "contact" I have had with fish so far is when hubby has taken the kids out to fishing!).

I am considering getting an aquarium, as my kids love to look at the fish (and they are beautiful!), and I am just wondering how many different "types" of aquarium there are.
Meaning, I know there is a Saltwater Aquarium, and I think a Sweetwater Aquarium. Are there any other types?

And I love the tropical fish, they are so nice and colorful, what sort of aquarium should they be kept in?

And which one's (aquariums) are easier to maintain?

I know this sounds probably all stupid, but I have to start somewhere! And I think should i really go ahead, this forum will prove invaluable...

Petra

 

[Rooster]

Best advice is to read ... then read some more ! No doubt you will be given loads of links, but I find a book easier to digest... library might be worth a visit.

As for "types" there are 3 main catagories:
COLDWATER gold fish etc... everyone had goldfish as a kid ? As it say, COLDwater (no heater)
TROPICAL As above, but heated to around 75F to accomodate fish from the tropics
MARINE Heated, sea water (ish) to house animals from warm, salt areas...

Now the hard part... all three are subdivided into specific areas, you may choose to specialise in fish from a certain breed, or geographical area.

As for difficulty, I would rank them Tropical as best for starters, cold water then marine for increased involvement (maintenence)

One golden rule is that the larger the tank, the easier it is (I know it sounds odd !) the point in all cases is STABILITY, life in an aquarium is in a closed biological loop, and WILL go out of balance eventually... but with regular maintenance will be kept in check, so the bigger the tank, the longer it takes to go "wrong"

You have to decide what you would like to keep... a few fish, plants, "Nemo" etc... and take it from there.

 

[waterdrop]

Petra,

IMO you've found a really good forum and a great place to read. Rooster gave a great intro to your questions, so I'll just chime in as more of a newbie myself.

I completely agree with his difficulty rankings of the types. It also bears mentioning that tropical and coldwater types share similar lesser expense and generally there is a larger jump in the expense of the equipment involved in saltwater aquaria.

The easy answer for a newcomer to the hobby and a parent who wants the kids to experience a fish tank is that freshwater tropical tanks are often the best choice by a large margin. The very small extra expense of a heater is worth the greatly expanded choice of fish and fish personalities! (A first choice of coldwater tank would really be for someone really wild about goldfish I would think. A choice to start with saltwater would really be for someone with previous fishkeeping skills or exceptional determination and resources I would generalize.)

I'm a parent myself, helping my son set up a tropical tank. I don't think your questions are stupid at all -- when I was small my father started a tropical tank for us and it added immensely to my childhood and after being out of touch with the hobby for decades it has wrapped around and is proving to be a lot of fun once again. It does require a lot of patience though, so its good to be prepared for that.

As a parent, don't underestimate the cerebral part, the reading and learning can be very satisfying for you as an adult and presents challanges and opportunities for sharing bits of this knowledge with your kids, depending on their ages. Meanwhile the end result of a beautiful, healthy tank is relaxing for everyone involved.

Most newcomers who post here are asking why their fish are dying, having previously purchased everything and put in fish. As the rare person asking before all that, I'd say you can start reading up and asking about tanks and filters, then purchasing them. Meanwhile you can be closely studying about water test kits and fishless cycling and you will be off and going in the best way possible!

~~waterdrop~~

 

[murphyk32]

Hi, the above 2 replies are dead on. Ill warn you, it is going to sound difficult and complex, it is in a way i suppose, but im 16, and on the odd bored night i just read up on things on here, and in general about the hobbie. ask questions, take it slowly, be patient, and have fun of course Next, this forum makes it easy for you, ask everything and you will most likely get an answer. theres no dumb questions because ive heard of the 3 types of aquarium being combined before, resulting in death obviously.. First word of advice, the local fish stores (lfs's) are looking for a sale normally, and have been known to screw people over (mines not bad thank god), so be careful and research before you buy. It is true, larger aquariums are easier to keep stable, and that leads to my second last point. Its all about being stable, and once it is, this hard confusing stuff is all done with and worth the trouble. Trust me, i love the hobbie to death and nvr wouldve thought i would untill my ex bought me a betta. well worth the time.

My last point is an easy one, never forget it is your tank. u make the decision of what you want, and you personalize it to ur tastes (while keeping the fish in mind of course). Tropicals ur best bet, and have fun with it eh..

Gdluck and congrats on gettin into the hobbie..

Murph

 

[PetraW]

Thanks for all the good advice!

I am glad to hear that it seems a tropical tank might be good to start, as I really like the diversity and color of the tropical fish...
I will keep reading and educating myself though before finally committing. I want to do this right from the start!

Thanks again for helping a newcomer...

Petra

 

[Rooster]

Good choice ! I would recommend at least a 2 foot tank for a "virgin" .... there are a lot of very helpfull people on this forum, so dont be afraid to ask away ! We would rather you ask "silly" questions before you start, than help after fish have died

Please PLEASE consider doing a "fishless" cycle... this is to setup the tank ready to accept fish into a healthy environment - see "stickies" on how to...

Welcome to the forum, hope you stick around.



PS There are NO silly questions.... !

 

[Faythee]

I would start by taking a trip to the fish store and writing down which ones appeal to you. Then do some research and ask on here which would be good "starter" fish as some are more hardy while others are sensitive and need a well established tank.

 

[OldMan47]

You may want to look at the prices of the various sizes of tank but be aware that some sizes are much more popular than others. What that means in a practical sense is that they are easy to find, easy to add to, etc. Another practical factor is that you can often find a used one for very little compared to new equipment if you look around. In the US, a 55, a 29 or a 10 gallon are the easiest to find and cost the least for their size. A few years ago 20 gallon tanks were popular but lately the 29 has taken their place. As others have been saying, larger is easier to care for if you do the minimal needed maintenance. Pet stores often give great deals on 10 gallon kits as a way to get you interested then they will admit that a 29 would have been a better choice once you have it set up.