You will find a wide variety of tank sizes and shapes. The standard rectangle fish tank starts at 10 gallons, then 20 gallons and up. For your first tank, you might want to choose the standard rectangle shape which will be easy to clean and manage. If you would like to start small, a ten gallon tank is a good size and pretty to look at.
How Many Fish Can My Tank Hold
The standard rule is one fish per gallon of water. You will need to take into consideration the size of your fish, the age of your fish and the shape of your tank. You may be purchasing a small fish, but remember that he will be growing as time goes on. Because there is a greater exchange of oxygen, the larger the surface area of water, the more fish your tank can hold.
Gravel
There are a number of gravels available at local pet stores in many different shapes and sizes. After you have made your selection, take it home and place some in a cup with household vinegar. If it bubbles, the gravel is calciferous and will raise your PH level. It would be wise to purchase a different brand of gravel if you find this to be the case.
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Plants
Plants are a beautiful and healthy addition to your tank. Just about any plant you find at your pet store should work well with your tank. Plants provide oxygen to the fish, as well as natural hiding places.
After you bring your plant home, place it in a bucket of water and let it sit for a day. If your plant has "surprise snails" on it, they will crawl off the plant and on to the edges of the bucket. This will give you a better chance of keeping your tank free of snails.
Surface Area
Rule
Multiply the width times the length of the tank. Under the water surface area rule, the tank can be stocked with one inch of fish for each twelve square inches of surface area. Keep in mind the estimated adult size of your fish with this rule. If you are choosing wide-bodied fish, the calculation should be changed to one inch of fish for each twenty inches of surface area.
You will find a wide variety of tank sizes and shapes. The standard rectangle fish tank starts at 10 gallons, then 20 gallons and up. For your first tank, you might want to choose the standard rectangle shape which will be easy to clean and manage. If you would like to start small, a ten gallon tank is a good size and pretty to look at.