Buying an Aquarium for a Child or Teen in Melbourne Buying an Aquarium for Child or Teen in Melbourne

Buying an Aquarium for a Child or
Teen in Melbourne
By Jennifer Lewis
(Aquarium Enthusiast)
Abstract
Aquariums are a wonderful hobby, providing hours of restful, beautiful entertainment.
They can be a great way for children to learn about ecosystems, and they can help to relieve
the stress of everyday life. They do require some work, thought, and planning, and this pdf
will help you to get started.
1.0 Introduction
Your first consideration should be whether you can give your fish the care, time, and
patience that they will need from you. Fish can be a large time and financial commitment,
because they need special attention and equipment. And, since different fish have different
needs, a trip to the library, book store, or to the book section on a web site or mail order
catalog makes a good starting point. For every kind of fish that you consider, you should
address the following areas of concern.
A good way to determine the size and type of aquarium you need to purchase is to get an
idea of what kind of fish you find attractive. Your choice will be further restricted by where
you can place the tank in your home, and by your budget. But as a general guideline, bigger
is better. If you buy a larger aquarium than you think you need at first, it gives you room to
add more fish later, if you choose to do so. The larger aquarium will also have more water,
which can help thin out chemicals or other substances that may pollute the aquarium and
cause illness in fish. No matter what size aquarium you choose, be sure that you can locate
it somewhere with a level, sturdy, support surface, and where it is not in danger of being
bumped into or knocked over. You should also keep your aquarium away from heater
vents, windows, or doors, as these can produce harmful temperature fluctuations.
Proximity to windows is also dangerous for aquariums, because it can allow too much light
into the tank. Excess light leads to algae build-up, and you will quickly find yourself fighting
a losing battle.
You may think that because your water starts out fine as you begin your setup, that it will
remain that way. Not true. As you add fish to your aquarium, their waste produces harmful