How To Buy The Right Size Aquarium For Your Home
Key Takeaways For Buying the Right Size Home Aquarium
1. Aquariums are heavy: A 55-gallon Aquarium will weigh about 500 lbs.
2. Large Aquariums: The larger the aquarium the easier they are to maintain.
3. Tall Aquariums: Don’t buy tall aquariums, they are difficult to maintain.
4. Upstairs Aquariums: You can safely place a large aquarium on the second level of a home if you take precautions.
Aquariums are more than just glass holders for fish. They’re living art, graceful fish, and beautiful home décor.
In this article you find out what to look for and what to look out for when purchasing a home aquarium. We’ll also consider how to safely account for weight and placement of a new aquarium in your home.
Two important considerations:
* Water weighs a lot:
A filled 55-gallon tank with a stand can weigh over 500 pounds. Make sure your floor can accommodate the weight of an aquarium.
* Will there be enough space?
You’ll need room to clean the inside of the glass, perform water changes, and access equipment.
Why should I buy the biggest fish tank I can?
While there are many tank sizes available, starting with a larger size aquarium is best for beginners. Here’s why:
Bigger fish tanks are easier to maintain
Larger tanks tend to be more stable and forgiving of minor water chemistry fluctuations, which can happen more easily in smaller tanks.
Large tanks provide more room to swim:
Larger tanks provide more space for fish to swim and avoid overcrowding.
Why should you avoid tall aquariums?
Fish tanks that are too tall are hard to maintain.
Tall fish tanks are very difficult to maintain. I had a 90-gallon “tall” tank. It was a major pain to clean. In fact, I disliked it so much that I took a seven- or eight-year break from the hobby. Height is a crucial factor in any aquarium design.
Hint: If your hand can’t reach the bottom of the tank when you’re standing beside it, the fish tank is too tall
Tall tanks and plants:
If you plan to add plants to a tall aquarium, you will need more expensive much brighter lighting to ensure the light reaches the bottom of the tank.
Why should you be concerned about where you place your aquarium?
How heavy is an aquarium anyway?
* A 55-gallon aquarium filled with water will weigh nearly 500 pounds after you add in the aquarium’s weight and stand.
* A full 55-gallon aquarium places about 125 pounds of pressure per square foot on the floor underneath it.
Second Floor Concerns
If your aquarium is located on a second level, such as upstairs in a house or an upstairs level in an apartment or condo building, the weight of the tank can pose a significant issue.
My story: Many years ago, I damaged my downstairs neighbor’s condo due to water leaks in pipes under the floor of my aquarium. The weight of the aquarium was pressing down on the plywood floor, which in turn was pushing down on the building’s water pipes that ran through my floor and into their ceiling.
I’m going to put my aquarium on my homes upper level no matter what.
What do you have to say about that?
* Supporting the Weight
The weight of a 55-gallon or larger aquarium cannot be solely supported by plywood that the floor is made of.
If you plan to place your aquarium on a second level, note what direction the floor joists run (the 2×4’s that hold up the flooring. You can protect the downstairs from the weight of the aquarium by taking one of two actions:
* Support the weight option 1:
Set your aquarium so that it runs perpendicular (think of an “X”) to the flooring joists (studs). Since the joists are spaced about 18 inches apart, you will have two supporting joists for your aquarium. Unlike plywood, the floor joists can handle and distribute the weight of an aquarium on their own.
* Spread out the weight – option 2:
If you have to set your second-level tank up so that it runs parallel to floor joists (you little rebel), you can spread the weight of the aquarium out by placing a strong piece of plywood under the tank.
“The glass aquarium is standard for sizes up to about 1,000 litres (260 US gal). However, glass is brittle and has very little give before fracturing, though generally the sealant fails first.”
“Public aquariums and oceanariums designed for exhibition of large species or environments can be dramatically larger than any home aquarium. The Georgia Aquarium, for example, features an individual aquarium of 6,300,000 US gallons (24,000,000 L).”
Where is the perfect spot for my aquarium?
* Consider Your Space:
A 55-gallon tank stand is usually four feet, two inches long, and thirteen inches wide. Will the aquarium and stand fit where you intend to place it? It would be a good idea to measure the area before buying the aquarium. Perhaps you could even mark the dimensions of the aquarium on the floor with tape.
* Wall Distance:
Place your aquarium about a foot from any walls it might be near. Occasionally, you will need to reach for items behind the aquarium.
* Minimize the disturbance of the fish:
Place your aquarium where there is not too much activity nearby. Activity could stress the fish. Stress kills fish.
Reddit Question and most upvoted answer:
What do you think is the most ideal aquarium size for the home? Why?
Reddit User: baconmeupscotty
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How to buy the right size aquarium for your home – PlantedAquariumExpert.com
Author Bio: Don Glasgow - creator of this site
* I've been keeping fish for 24 years, including Discus, Angelfish, Betta Fish, Tiger Barbs, Bristlenose Plecos, Zebra Danios and many, many more.
* I've have been keeping planted aquariums for 23 of those 24 years. Plants I've kept include Java Fern, Sword Plants, Rosette Sword and many more.
Last, And Super Important
Use a level to level your aquarium so it’s not tipped to one side. If you aquarium is unbalanced to one side, that is side that is carrying more weight than it was designed to hold.
FAQ’s
* Question: What is the best size for a home aquarium?
Answer: There are two answers to that question.
1. I would recommend getting a 55 gallon or larger aquarium.
2. The right size aquarium is personal choice based on the size of your home and where you will place the aquarium.
* Question: How big of an aquarium can I put in my home?
Answer: This depends on the size of your home, the selected location of the aquarium, and the size of your wallet.
* Question: What is the best size aquarium for beginners?
Answer: The largest size aquarium you can afford. I would get a minimum size of 55-gallons because a large aquarium is easier to take care of.
Other pages on this site:
⇒ Taking photos of your aquarium
⇒ Remove algae from a fish tank
⇒ What to feed Chinese Algae Eaters
⇒ 5 Easiest Fish For Beginners
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Well, not really but you can grow HUGE healthy Amazon Swords by following my advice.
Emergent Aquarium Plants
