If the thought of getting up at the crack of dawn to take a dog a walk fills you with horror, then chances are you’re looking for an easier pet in the form of a fish. Good choice, fish are popular pets in millions of homes across the world. Although, do not think that a fish can look after itself, there are still a number of things you need to be aware of.

Salt

If you are thinking of getting a saltwater fish-tank, you need to make sure that the water you select is pure and does not contain chemicals of any kind. Make sure you get clean bottled water or buy a filter for your tap water and then add either plain sea salt that you would use for cooking or salt from an aquarium store. There are different salts available, each with different properties, so you need to read up on each and decided what is best for you.

You are aiming to recreate the conditions the fish would have out at sea. This means that the salt should contain a variety of trace minerals including manganese, iodine, iron, copper, cobalt in addition to many others.

Nitrogen Cycle

The nitrogen cycle of your fish tank is something that is very important to be aware of. It can take up to six weeks for nitrogen to go through it’s cycle, this is needed to produce bacteria which turns fish waste into harmless chemicals. Because of this, you should only introduce one or two fish to your new tank as any more is too much.

Size of Tank

If keeping the maintenance of your fish-tank down to a minimum is important to you, then go for the largest tank you can. This is because the larger tanks take longer to be refreshed and altered. Try to buy a tank that is at least 50 gallons.

Filter Cleaning

When your tank is new, you need to clean the filters on a regular basis. As time passes, your cleaning will depend on the tank you have bought.

Potential Problems

Keep a watchful eye over your aquarium, making sure that your fish are not lethargic and that algae is not building up. Make sure you buy yourself a kit to monitor the ammonia, nitrites, pH and other elements of your water.

The Best Fish for Salt Water Tanks

For beginners, Damsels make a very good choice. However fish such as basslets and hawkfishes should only be acquired once you have gained more experience. Of course, make sure that any fish you buy is healthy as you may not have the experience to look after an ill fish.

Caring for you fish is something that you will learn over time. As long as you help maintain a balanced self-sustaining system by careful monitoring, owning fish can be a joy rather than a chore.