When selecting a cover, a tighter fit means less water evaporation and reduces the chance of fish jumping out of the tank. To save money, you can buy a light without a canopy and straddle it over the top of your tank (providing you don't have jumping fish). It is advisable to choose your light fixture before selecting the cover in order that they are the same color and fit together properly.
Gravel
Should you buy gravel? It does make your tank look nice and it provides a source of bacteria in order to make your fish thrive. If you decide to keep live bearers or egg layers (like guppies or angelfish), you should not buy gravel that is designed for African cichlids. This gravel contains coral and is designed to keep your tank at a high PH. Discus need extremely clean tanks and gravel is not recommended.
Heater
You must buy a heater and the size of heater is dependent on the size of tank. The strength of the heater is quoted in watts. There are submersible heaters that can be totally immersed in the water. The other types of heaters are attached to the top of the tank and the dial cannot be immersed. The coil is in a glass cylinder and operated by a thermostat. The glass gets hot to the touch and cannot be removed from the tank until it has been unplugged and allowed to cool down in the tank. Use a thermometer to monitor water temperature. The inexpensive stick-on ones are very economical.
Filter
You will also need a filter. There are many choices and the size of tank and type of fish will dictate your needs. Your budget will also determine what you buy. The more expensive power head filters are all in one so you just plug them in. They are very powerful and can suck in tiny fish, but they are very good at keeping your tank clean. Sponge filters and corner filters need a pump and airline. They are safer for tiny fish and are good for smaller tanks, though there are big sponges that can handle tanks up to 75 gallons. When selecting a filter, a good guideline is to have one that will run all the water through your tank approximately four times per hour.
Test Kit and Chemicals
You will also need a net and PH test kit. Another good thing to have is a liquid water conditioner that will help make your water soft and acts as a skin moisturizer for your fish. Depending on the PH of your tank and the fish you keep, you may need a chemical that will raise or lower your PH.
| Here's the follow-up discussion on this article: | View all related messages |
For a complete listing of article comments, questions, and other discussions related to Douglas DuHamel's Aquarium Fish topic, please visit the Discussions page.