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Where to Buy your Aquarium Tank?
You will have several choices where you can buy your freshwater aquarium:
- Your Aquairum shop: The most common place to find your aquarium tanks and equipment, buying from a pet shop has many advantages and the tanks will generally come with warranties. If your aquarium has any issues you can come back and get a refund or replacement. Here you can get good advice for your aquarium. Disadvantage would be the cost of the aquarium tanks will generally be more expensive.
- Garage sales: Here you can get some good bargains and your aquarium will cost next to nothing compared to any pet shop. Big drawback would be the equipment is used and old and there are no guarantees if the equipment will last. If it’s the aquarium tank this could be fatal.
- Newspaper adverts: Following up to an advert in the newspaper can lead you to find some nice priced aquariums, but again it’s used so there could be question marks to the quality of the equipment. If you’re lucky you can see the aquarium in operation before you buy it.
- Online stores: The internet is the last and becoming the most used way to search for aquariums equipment. Only drawback is your unable to see what your buying before it arrives, so be sure you know what you’re buying.
Tips for Buying Used Aquarium Tanks
Before purchasing any used tank you need to carefully inspect it for three things, inspect for leaks, cracks and worn out silicone. Fill up the tank and look carefully any drips or leaks. Check to see if the silicone seal is worn out, peeling away or missing completely, any small defective silicone can cause a leak which will mean your house floor will be full of water and the aquarium will be dry. Look at every piece of glass to ensure there is no cracks or broken glass.
If in doubt don’t buy it…
Buying an Aquarium Tank
Whether it’s a saltwater aquarium or freshwater aquarium that you are looking at buying you will find many different shapes, styles and sizes available in the market. Even if you have limited space in your house or apartment there is an aquarium tank to suit you.
Considerations when Buying Aquarium Tanks
When buying an aquarium tank you will have the option to buy a stand. Gone are the days of ugly steel stands and they have been replaced by beautiful cabinets or wrought iron stands. Remember if you standing your tank on an existing cabinet, that your tank when filled with water can weigh a lot and your existing cabinet can quite easily collapse.
Think before Purchasing
Your first purchase of any aquarium set up is the tank, as all equipment you buy will depend on the size and volume of the aquarium and generally the bigger the tank the more expensive your other equipment will be. Consider these few parameters which will affect you decision. Your aquarium will be different to another person and will have to suit your environment and space of your house.
What’s the reason or purpose of your aquarium? Are you having a tank in your living room or maybe in your office? Or maybe you want set up a community aquarium or just a species aquarium? These questions can give you ideas on the size and shape of the aquarium tank.
Upon deciding on the purpose you can get an idea of the size of tank that can fit in our chosen space. When measuring allow a good foot either side for you to move around for cleaning and maintenance and 8 inch behind to allow for cables, filters and heaters to be located. After you have filled your aquarium it will be too late to move it for maintenance or cleaning so plan in advance.
How Heavy is Water?
Plus or minus a gallon of water is 10 pounds, so a typical 24×12×20 tank will hold approx 25 gallons, which will weigh n the region of 250 pounds, so take this into consideration when choosing your aquarium tank. By using this we can estimate the weight of your aquarium setup when you include the water, rocks and equipment etc.
Calculating the Volume of Water for Odd Sized Tanks
A good formula for obtaining an easy on-the-spot total for the gallon capacity of any rectangular or square shaped aquarium is as follows:
Multiply the length (inches) x width (inches) x height (inches) and then divide by 231. The result is the capacity of the tank in gallons
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