An aquarium is a diverse collection of plant and fish. Aquarists, as aquarium enthusiasts call themselves aim to reconstruct a specific geographical location. Some, on the other hand tend to concentrate on a single group of fish or aquatic plant. Whatever their choice, all aquarists have one goal, to create a well balance and attractive habitat in order that its inhabitants can thrive and survive.
Different types of aquariums are available in the market today. Each kind caters to the level of enthusiasm one has for keeping fishes and maintaining aquariums. Some aquariums are even specialized for aquatic plants alone. Aquariums also come in different shapes such as hexagons, cylinders, rectangles and many more depending on what one prefers. Fish tanks can be made out of glass or acrylic and typical sizes are 10, 20, 29, 30, 40, 50, 55 gallons and larger. Some are tall, some are short.
The simplest and most basic form of an aquarium is that of a fishbowl. It usually contains at least a gallon of not distilled or de ionized drinking water and can be commonly seen as part of a table arrangement.
For individuals who consider aquariums as part of their hobby, two types of aquariums are available, the saltwater aquarium and the freshwater aquarium. These two cannot be combined into one because the types of fish that can be taken care of vary in each type.
A saltwater aquarium or marine aquarium is a type of aquarium that nee slits of work, patience and money especially in the maintenance process. It is considers a marine laboratory since it is a miniature ocean and can house different kinds of saltwater fish, corals, rocks and other living creatures. The type of tank that can be used in this type can be divided into three, Fish-Only tanks, FOWLR tanks (Fish Only with Live Rock) and Reef Tanks. As mentioned earlier, this type is a bit complicated to maintain. The plants and types of fish that can be kept in this type are mostly difficult to find and are quite expensive. Regular monitoring of water salinity, temperature, filtration and lighting is also required in order that all the fish and plants in the aquarium are kept healthy and alive.
Freshwater aquariums on the other hand is a miniature habitat mimicking the ecosystem of ponds, lakes, rivers, and any other water pool that exist on land. It requires lesser work than the saltwater type. With its simplicity, the freshwater type aquarium is highly advised for beginners as their first aquarium. This type of aquarium can house different kinds of freshwater fish and plants. Some of the types that can be taken care of include goldfish, guppies, neon tetra, swordtails, platies, archer fish and leopard danios. Compared to the types that can be housed in salt water aquariums, these types of fish have lesser complicated shapes and colors. This type can also be cold water or tropical depending on the aquarist but cannot be combined. As mentioned earlier, a freshwater aquarium is easier to maintain since water pool is not easily affected by changes in temperature, lighting and salinity.
In summary, we can say that maintaining an aquarium especially a saltwater aquarium can be very expensive and tedious. However, always remember that after the hard work, you can make sure that all of it is worth it once the aquarium is finished. If you have the desire and the necessary fortitude, than by all means go for it.
Sophia Sherbrooke does research and studies about anything under the sea. She is fond of scuba diving and always looks forward to seeing various sea creatures. She also keeps an Aquarium Kaufen in her home that reminds her of the feeling of being underwater.