Fish have always appeared to be magical creatures to me. They are self contained, don't have to be walked and have enough stamina to stay alive during a seven day vacation ( I know. How could I possibly forget to feed the fish?) Fish have a calming effect especially at night time when the room is dark. They come in so many different varieties, sizes and colors. Fish actually have personalities, at least mine do.

The Gum Ball Bank Tank

I decided to try fish for my son's "first pet" at the age of two. I bought a cute 1 gallon gum ball bank fish tank to put on his dresser. I spent $8.99 at Walmart for the tank. Sometimes, I see them at garage sales for $1.00. The tank came complete with all the supplies needed (except the fish) i.e.: gravel, aerator, light, tank, food even gum balls. Since the tank itself is only the size of a soccer ball, one maybe two fish is all that will live comfortably. I chose to try one fish and let my son pick out his fish. He picked out a gorgeous Japanese Fighting Beta. Beta fish cost approximately $2.99 and are best kept alone. This was a perfect sized fish for a one gallon tank. Then one day, I noticed the fish tank in the toy box and "Harry" (that's what his name was) was no where to be found (neither were the gum balls). And "no one" knew where the fish disappeared to, either. Maybe the "fish fairy took him? So much for that idea - we better get a cat. But that's another story for another time. :)

The 5 Gallon Tank

A friend of mine was moving a year later and couldn't take their 5 gallon fish tank. So, fish and all, we moved her tank into my house. This 5 gallon tank is large enough to hold a few fish and one or two decor pieces i.e.: trees, tunnel, matchbox car (original, huh?), etc. My only problem with a tank this size is the maintenance. I was always cleaning the waste and replacing evaporated water. This was too small of a tank to get creative with. We upgraded to a ten gallon sized tank.

The 10 Gallon Tank

I personally think a 10 gallon tank is a great starter tank for the new fish owner. Learning how to maintenance a tank for the first time is trial and error. It's actually a science project. You need to make the choice over a fresh or a salt water tank. Salt water tanks are more expensive and harder to maintain. But they sure look pretty!

A filter is needed for the tank to prevent cloudy water and filter out poisonous toxins. I purchased a Bio Wheel 110 made by Penguin.The Bio Wheel is a self contained filter. It comes from the factory pre assembled ready for use. The Bio Wheel has a rotating wheel that cultures live bacteria for the tank. Bacteria is necessary for healthy fish. A Bio Wheel also has a carbon filter cartridge that can be rinsed with cold water for extended life. The filter cartridges can be purchased three in a pack for $6.99. The Bio Wheel adds enough oxygen for the fish to breath without the need for an additional aerator.

The bottom of the tank needs to be "vaccumed" weekly of waste and excess uneaten food that settles into the gravel. This also needs to be done to avoid raising the water ammonia levels which can kill the fish. Unfortunately, the Bio Wheel does not have enough "sucking power" to rid the tank of all the waste. I really don't know of one that does by itself unless a bottom filter is installed under the gravel along with the Bio Wheel. This was too much expense for a ten gallon tank so I opted for a "vaccum." A vacuum is a plastic clear flexible tube 3' in length attached to large cylinder shaped scoop. Some come with batteries but most are manually operated.

An aerator is needed to maintain oxygen for the fish to breath. Some filters add oxygen to the tank, like the Bio Wheel, so an aerator may not be necessary. Aerators come in many shapes and sizes. I purchased a 12" bar aerator and buried it under the gravel in the back of the tank. The bar is formed out of sand into a long thin rectangle. The bar is porous. When oxygen is forced through the bar, tiny little bubbles crawl up the back of the tank. Magical! However, since the Bio Wheel provided enough oxygen for my tank, I purchased a regulator to control the bubble quantity and speed for the aerator bar. Too much oxygen can be fatal to the fish.

A thermostat is necessary for most fish to control the temperature of the tank water. The species of fish and the
temperature the pet store has raised them with determines the water temperature. A thermostat can be purchased anywhere between $5.99 and $15.99 depending on the brand. A thermometer is also required to visually see what the water temperature is. I purchased two. One is a strip that sticks (like the kind we put on our forehead) on the outside of the tank glass. The other is a glass thermometer placed inside the tank attached with a suction cup on the inside wall. Only one is necessary, however. Both are equally effective.

Certain chemical additives need to be purchased for many different occasions. I needed to purchase Chlor Out by Wardley. This rids your city tap water of chlorine. Stress Zyme is also helpful if you have a Bio Wheel filter. It helps develop the filter. It also helps clean the aquarium. Invest in an ammonia or nitrate test kit, also. For $9.00 this is a worthwhile purchase. Testing the ammonia and nitrates in the tank water can prevent any spontaneous fish funerals.

Most fish tanks come with tank lids that have a light installed. Mine didn't. I purchased a lid with two 6" tube lights. Others come with ultra violet lights. I also purchased colored light bulbs for my tank to give the decor dimension and the fish privacy. Red and blue were my colors of choice. There are other colors to choose from based on the pet store and their stock. Colored plastic tubes are available for fluorescent strip lights to create the same effects.

Last but not least, the decor. This is purely optional but sure looks nice when the creative imagination is put to good use. I won't go into detail about my decor -- you would have had to have seen it. All I can say is there is so many ways to decorate your tank. Think about your fish and their colors. Incorporate the decor of the room you place your fish tank in. You might decide to use the fish tank to accent the room decor. The decor is all your own either way.

The fish choice is another individual preference. Keep in mind, this is a 10 gallon tank -- not very big. I chose a few Neon Tetras, Mollies and my son just had to have a Frog and a Newt. The Frog jumped out and the cat ate the Newt. The fish lasted for ages. One of the Mollies got pregnant. We separated the Mollie from the other fish with a tank nursery. For ten days we monitored and charted the babies and their growth. This was a really neat experience for both my son and I. Until....my son brought home a baby turtle and added it to the fish tank. The turtle climbed over the nursery and ate the babies. So, be real careful to choose compatible tank mates.

The 44 Gallon Tank

Finally at 34 years old, I bought a Perfecto Pentagon 44 gallon tank. This is an accomplishment. I have graduated up in my experience and can actually afford a $600.00 fish tank. The Pentagon tank was my first choice over the other options. This tank comes in two options: oak or black. The Pentagon tank fits neatly on the corner of my living room. It can be viewed from three sides which gives a 3 dimensional view of the entire tank. And the most practical feature of this tank is the oak stand to store all the necessities to maintain the tank. Cleaning the tank is not too difficult. A long powerful vaccuum is helpful. The tank is durable as I have moved the tank twice around the room and the sides are still strong. An additional bonus is the height of the tank. The tank is more tall than it is wide making it virtually impossible for my cat to eat the fish.

All of the above mentioned details on the 10 gallon tank apply with a few additions. A larger tank means more expensive supplies and more expensive tastes. I had to upgrade to the Emperor Bio Wheel because of the tank size. This filter is larger in size and has an additional cartridge for loose carbon. It also has a water flow regulator.

A different decor theme was needed and more in quantity because of the size. Actually, you really need to watch the artificial plant selection in pet stores. The stores cater to all types of decor preferences. I purchased $25.00 worth of fake tall plants for the back of my tank. When I got home and assembled them in the tank my son looked at me in shock! He then informed me that I had just put fake "pot" plants in the fish tank. I did not believe him and called the store. After questioning if this was possible, I was informed that I did indeed purchase plastic plants that looked like "pot" plants but they really were a different plant. My son found this hilarious. So, look over your selections very carefully. Your choice of decor expresses who you are. Of course I changed them when I located different plants of equal height. I had to. My son was inviting the neighborhood kids to look at my tank!!

Fish are also a new adventure with a larger tank. I purchased a Purple Parrot, an Algae Eater and a Shark. This is quite a price hike from the $.99 Goldfish! It has been eight months now and my fish have grown five times their original size. The Algae Eater alone is now 8" in length and can eat a tubifex worm cube alone. I am told fish grow within their environment and will eat whenever you feed them. So, be careful not to feed them too often.

Overall, fish aquariums can be an awesome investment the whole family can enjoy. Shop around for the right guidance from a reputable pet store specializing in fish. If you live in the Northern Indiana area, you might want to visit Age of Aquariums in Goshen.This is the only store I purchase my pet supplies from. The pet store is owned and operated by Rocky and his family.They will help you make the right purchase, satisfaction guaranteed. They have taught me all I know from the 10 gallon tank to the 55 gallon tank I own now. They even offered to by back an aggressive shark I had purchased. I haven't killed a fish yet! The shark ate what the cat couldn't!.

Age of Aquariums
1914 Elkhart Road
Goshen, Indiana
(219) 534-1996

Recommended: Yes