Fish Tank and Supplies for Tropical Freshwater Aquariums

Getting a fish tank and supplies at once is a huge bonus. By buying an aquarium kit, you usually are able to get a fish tank in any of the major sizes, plus all the supplies you need to get yourself started with a new fish tank. Aquarium kits usually come with a canopy (lid) with basic light bulbs, a hang-on-back filter, an appropriately sized heater, some water treatment samples, and a few week's worth of fish food. There are some pros and cons to buying your setup this way.

For the new hobbyist, an aquarium kit that includes a fish tank and supplies all in one is a bonus. You don't need to spend countless hours figuring out what accessories you will need. The price of such kits is usually much cheaper than what you'd pay if you bought the exact same contents separately. They are conveniently packaged with all the supplies right in the aquarium - for easy transport to your home. Plus, you usually get a few fun ornaments or decorations and fake plants to spruce up the look of your new fish tank! Finally, these kits can often come with matching stands to really turn your aquarium into a show tank.

If you are a more advanced hobbyist, then an aquarium kit is not always the best choice for you. You might be at the point where you have more specific products in mind for filters, lights, and heating of the tank. If this is so, then the basic products included with the fish tank and supplies might not be just what you were looking to add to your new aquarium. You might be better off spending a bit more money and buying your accessories separately to get the exact models you are interested in. It still might be cheaper overall to buy an aquarium kit and replace the supplied items with those of your own choosing over time as money permits.

Whether you are new to the hobby, or and advanced aquatic enthusiast, aquarium kits can be great bargains. Best of all, aquarium kits come in a huge range of sizes - from as small as 5 to 10 gallons and all the way up to 150 gallon tanks! This type of setup is definitely something you should carefully consider before going out and buying your aquarium.

There are some freshwater aquarium supplies your fish just cannot live without. The two most important supplies are and the heater. Quality products can make the difference between just having fish and starting a breath-taking show tank full of amazing tropical fish!

An aquarium filter serves three purposes including mechanical filtration, biological filtration, and chemical filtration. Mechanical filtration involves physically trapping the visible wastes within the filter, making the water clean. Biological filtration relies on 'beneficial bacteria' to change the toxic compounds ammonia and nitrite (in fish wastes and decaying/uneaten food) to less harmful nitrate which helps live aquarium plants grow. This helps give your aquarium that crystal-clear look! Chemical filtration relies on activated carbon to absorb odors and chemicals from the water column.

Tropical fish originated from locations where the water temperature is within the range of 75 to 82 in most cases. If you are keeping tropical fish, you need to make sure the water stays within the appropriate temperature range for the fish in your aquarium. A good heater will usually have 5 watts per gallon of water. The total wattage required can be made up from multiple smaller heaters. By properly heating your fish tank, your fish will have the best chance of fighting off any potential infections!

Aquarium backgrounds are not an entirely necessary fish tank supply for maintaining your aquarium. However, they are a great way to make an instant improvement to the look of your fish tank! If you just setup your tank and it is looking a little bare, a background can give it a more 'full' appearance and it will be more pleasing to look at.

Such backgrounds have a secondary benefit to the inhabitants of the aquarium as well. They make the fish and invertebrates feel like they are in a more natural environment. Most backgrounds are full of bright images of aquarium plants, rocks, and driftwood. If you have not yet incorporated these into your aquarium yet, then by adding a background, your fish will at least be able to see this decor. Who knows...they just might think they are actually swimming amongst those plants. To use an aquarium background, just tape it onto the outside of the back of the fish tank.

When you are ready later on, you can try your hand at growing real aquarium plants in your fish tank. This will require proper lighting and nutrient supplementation, but once you have the plants for a few weeks, caring for them becomes second nature to you. Adding real rocks and driftwood is a great way to add to the appearance of any aquarium background!