Choosing the Aquarium

You have read enough guide, and you have decided to have your  very own tank. And you have also spot nice place where the tank will be. Now it's time to pick an aquarium.
Here ear several things need to be considered in choosing a tank.

• Tank size 

 First thing in choosing aquarium is to determine the size. Generally, larger aquarium is better because all water parameters such as temperature, oxygen level etc are much more stable. But if you are just starting your own first aquarium, a medium size aquarium of 50 gallon is sufficient. The aquarium size picking is very much determined by space available. When you pick tanks,  wider and longer tanks are usually better than taller tanks given the same volume. That's because a tank that is wider and longer will provide a larger water surface area. A larger water surface area helps promote oxygen exchange which is good for the fish in your tank. Also if you plan on for massive plants aquarium requring extensive lights , it will be easier for lights to penetrate in the less tall aquarium.

• Tank material

There is two widely used material for aquarium, glass and acrylic. Which one is better? There is no definite answer for this. Well, each one has their own pros and cons.

Pros for glass material are
- Cheaper
Glass aquariums are relatively cheaper than the acrylic aquariums.
- High scratch resistance
This will help keeping the clarity of aquarium
- More stable in color and shape. Unlike acrylic, glass does not change in color over time. Glass aquarium also does not tend to wrap.
- Due to its stability, glass tank does not need as much support as acrylic tank.

Cons for glass material
- Greater risk for leakage
- Glass material is heavier
- Higher crack risk
glass are prone to cracking from some bumps. So if you place the aquarium in public place or high traffic area than acrylic tank might be a better option.
- Less insulation
- Limited shape
- A bit troublesome for making adjustment such as making holes for pipes. This can be done only with special tools so that that glass tank won't crack.
- Glass tanks harder to find online since many shops won't ship them (due to weight considerations and potential for cracking)

Pros for acrylic glass
- less leakage
- high crack resistance
- much lighter
- comes in many cool and fancy shapes and size
- allows  easy adjustments such as making holes for filter pipe

Cons for acrylic glass
- easily scratch.  Acrylic tank will always gets scratches. Its just a matter of time. there have been ideas about removing scratch with sandpaper. But this is a very difficult task to do, and who would even bother to scrub sandpaper all over a 150 gallon tank.
- turn yellowish over time. This makes a nasty looking for your underworld empire.
- sagging” or warping. Acrylic does not hold its shape as wall as glass over long periods of time, with the weight of water pressing on it (water is a heavy substance).

• tank shape

Tank come in rectangular shape, square shape, hexagon, octagon, pentagon, bowl (round), half round.
Unless you are into  certain uncommon tank shapes, then rectangular shape is the best design tank in term of biological and mechanical.

After viewing the pros and cons for each type of material, I am sure by now you have decide which one you will go for. Happy tank hunting...