Your Hobby Guide: How to Build an Aquarium

Did you know 14.7 million people in the US own a pet fish of some sort?

If you like the idea of owning pet fish, you might be looking to set up an aquarium. Yet, if you’ve never owned any fish, you might not know how to build an aquarium the right way. 

Read on, and you’ll discover some tips that’ll help you build the aquarium of your dreams. With the help of this post, you should end up with an aquarium that fills you with joy every time you walk past it. 

Let’s begin!

Coldwater Or Tropical? 

When building an aquarium, the first thing you need to think about is whether you want coldwater or tropical fish. 

This is an important thing to consider because different kinds of fish will have different requirements. For instance, if you’re going to own coldwater fish, you mostly just need to worry about having a filter and maybe a light. 

However, if you want tropical fish, you will need those things, as well as a heater that keeps the water warm. You’ll also need equipment that monitors the water temperature. 

This extra equipment will likely increase the amount of space your aquarium requires. 

For example, if you have a tropical aquarium, you might need a slightly larger aquarium cabinet so that you can store this equipment. This cabinet might also need a few more openings for power cables. 

What Shape Will Your Aquarium Be?

When planning out your custom aquarium, you should also put some thought into the kind of shape you’d like. 

For the most part, aquariums can be rectangular, square, or spherical. It’s also worth noting that some rectangular aquariums can be curved. 

You should also decide whether you want a glass aquarium or one that is made from plastic. A plastic one can be lighter and cheaper, but it may be more prone to scuffs and scratches. 

What Will The Interior Look Like? 

Once you’ve covered the other things mentioned in this post, you then need to think about ‘aquascaping.’ 

Aquascaping essentially refers to how you will design and decorate the interior of the aquarium. 

Some people like to put live plants in their aquariums, and there is nothing wrong with this. However, sometimes, people make the mistake of using plants that aren’t good for the fish that live in the aquarium.

If you’re worried about making this error, check with a professional aquarium store to make sure you’re buying a plant that is safe for your fish. 

If you’d like to learn more about the kinds of mistakes people make in regards to aquascaping, this post is a good read. 

Do You Know How To Build An Aquarium?

If you want to build an aquarium, the tips in this post should help you go about things the right way. 

If you’re feeling a little stuck, you might want to look at how other people have approached aquarium design.

If you go to a website like Pinterest, you can often see examples of other aquariums. You can then use this research to inform how you should do things. 

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