DIY Finding The Right Size Home Aquarium

There are three primary goals that you should keep in mind when it comes to finding the right size home aquarium.

The first goal that should be met is that it should be visually appealing and coordinate well with the décor of your home.

The second goal is that it should be functional.

Finally, the third goal is that it should work well both for your own needs and the needs of the fish and other sea life that you are housing within it. The main factors that you need to put consideration into then are the size, shape, location, materials and the type of water that you intend to use in your fish tank. All of these factors are essential in finding the right home aquarium and will be based on your needs and the needs of the fish that you buy.

When it comes to finding the right size home aquarium, it is important that you understand first and foremost that bigger is always better. Larger tanks are going to have more suitable filtration systems and filtration systems mean fewer requirements for maintenance. Smaller aquariums that do not have their own filtration systems can get dirty much quicker and will require a lot more cleaning and maintenance over time with no real end in sight. Fish are going to live longer and healthier lives in larger tanks with efficient filtration systems than fish housed in smaller tanks. You also need to put consideration into the size of the fish and the number of the fish living in the tank. Larger is always better here because the more space you have for your fish, the happier and healthier they will tend to be. The general rule of thumb is one inch of fish per gallon of water. So if you are housing 3" tropical fish, you can safely house about 8 fish in a 26 gallon tank.

The shape of an aquarium is another consideration to make, as it has an impact on the size of the aquarium and where in the home it can be placed. Larger aquariums are rectangle and this limits the places that they can be housed because they take up quite a bit of wall space. On the other hand, some larger aquariums are made to fit into corners, or to be taller rather than wider and these are ideal for tight spaces and places where there is not much horizontal space, but where corner space or vertical space is in abundance.

If wall space is scarce, there are plenty of aquarium options for you to choose from. Consider opting for a smaller aquarium that spans a counter or the top of an entertainment centre. Aquariums can be built into headboards, coffee tables, kitchen cabinets, and even into the tops of bars or other furniture, so there is no reason why you cannot find an aquarium that suits you. If you want an aquarium that fits perfectly with your home décor, there is absolutely no reason why you cannot find one.

Derek Rogers is a freelance writer who represents a number of UK businesses. For information on home aquariums, he recommends Seapets, one of the UK's leading suppliers of aquariums.

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