Aquarium Fish Tank Selection
The composition of the aquarium water is liable to change with the presence of aquarium fish and aquarium plants. To minimize the effect of any changes a reasonable quantity of water is advisable, at least 20 gallons (91 liters). This amount of water can be contained in many shapes of aquaria but the surface area is very important. The number of fish that a given volume of water can support depends upon the level of dissolved oxygen in the water, how easily it can be replenished and how easily toxic gasses such as carbon dioxide can be expelled. This occurs naturally on the water surface. The depth of the tank should be at least 30cm (12 inches) deep. These sizes are common in starter tanks and are often referred to as a "double cube" tank. If your budget is large enough a larger depth is well worth considering as the final result will be much more pleasing on the eye. The following table shows some common tank sizes and capacities.
| Tank Size | Surface Area | Volume | Weight Of Water | Max Fish Capacity |
| 60*30*30cm (24*12*12in) | 1800cm2(288in2) | 54 litres (12 gallons) | 54kg (120 lb) | 60cm (24in) |
| 60*30*38cm (24*12*15in) | 1800cm2(288in2) | 68 litres (15 gallons) | 68kg (150 lb) | 60cm (24in) |
| 90*30*38cm (36*12*15in) | 2700cm2(432in2) | 104 litres (23 gallons) | 104kg (230 lb) | 90cm (36in) |
| 120*30*38cm (48*12*15in) | 3600cm2(432in2) | 136 litres (30 gallons) | 136kg (300 lb) | 120cm (48in) |
Types Of Tank
If you are planning to keep saltwater marine fish then do not even consider
using an outdated angle-iron putty glazed tank as you will eventually have rusting
problems. Be also very wary of second hand tanks. Due to the obvious damage and
inconvenience of draining and repairing a tank it is often thought as false economy
to use a second hand tank. Modern tanks look a lot smarter then the outdated angle iron
framed ones; there are two types available, plastic (acrylic) and glass. The plastic is formed
in one process and is used in small to medium fish tanks. It does however have a number
of drawbacks. It is not particularly hard, so it scratches easily and tends to lose its
clarity and after time will begin to go slightly yellow.
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