Buying or setting up an aquarium for your kids needs a lot of homework. Unlike adults, kids spend more time gazing at the aquarium with a lot of curiosity. Again, kids are playful and may touch and play around the aquarium. Therefore, choosing the right kind of aquarium for your child is essential. Further, prior to buying an aquarium, maintain a checklist to ensure you do not miss out on any essentials needed for the fish tank.
Before we dig deep into details, let us find out rules to be followed before buying an aquarium for your child.
Tank Selection
As kids and teens are beginners, go for 20 gallons tank as it does not require frequent changing of water. However, if your finances and space make it hard to go for a bigger tank, do not compromise below 10 gallons tank.
An aquarium stand is a priority before buying an aquarium. The reason being an aquarium filled with water becomes very heavy and needs a strong base or support. Hence, one should avoid using a bookshelf or cabinet for keeping the aquarium.
Are you confused about whether to prefer glass or acrylic aquarium? Well! An acrylic aquarium would be a better choice for kids and teens. Acrylic aquarium hardly chip or break provides undistorted vision and is light-weighted than glass counterparts.
When we talk about the drawbacks, the acrylic aquarium gets scratched easily and comes a bit expensive. So, if finances are not an issue for you, consider the acrylic one.
Decorations
Kids and children are more attracted to fancy things. Your child may demand colorful gravels in an aquarium instead of plain ones. Although it differs from the natural fish habitat, it is still not a bad option. The reason being, there are many stores that sell fancy aquarium items that are extremely safe for pet fishes. One could decorate the aquarium as per their child’s taste. Castles, mermaids, sunken ships, or natural decors like caves and rocks could be used to decorate your aquarium.
When it comes to plants, the natural ones need a bit of care and maintenance on a timely basis. So, if you feel you are a beginner, go with it with some vibrant color plastic plants.
Buying Fish
Initially, you should set up the aquarium before fishes are introduced in it. Once you take the aquarium home, first set up the filters and heater, dechlorinate and aerate the water, add the essential bacteria starter before adding fishes to it. Take the tank water to settle for a day before adding fishes.
One tip for eager children who can’t resist seeing fishes in the aquarium would be to educating them about fish wastes. Again, research on fishes before buying them. Some fishes grow larger in size, and buying too many of the species would overcrowd the aquarium. There are also species like guppies that rapidly breed and multiply in number even though smaller in size. Hence, such species buy the same gender breed.
Also, teach your children not to overfeed the fishes as it produces more excreta, which results in food waste—also, greater amounts of nitrates and phosphates concentrations in aquarium water.
Educate your children
Tell the elementary level children that fishes go to the bathroom in water, and too much wastes may be detrimental to fish health. Tell your kids that the bacteria introduced in water will consume the fish waste, but it takes time to build up. It will help your little kid understand that bacteria are super hero that will help keep your aquarium clean. It will help the little ones to resist the temptation of adding extra fish to your aquarium.
The teens and middle school children are aware of the nitrogen cycle that forms in an aquarium. It is vital to regularly check the nitrites level in aquarium water and accordingly condition the water on a timely basis. A common mistake many people make is to introduce too many fishes without checking the nitrites level and ultimately losing the pet.
Again, before buying fishes for your aquarium, do research on the internet regarding the compatible species of fishes. The reason being some species are aggressive when it comes to food and territory and could attack other fishes.
Bottom line
Now when you are aware of the right kind of aquarium and its maintenance tips, do not hesitate to bring home the aquarium as there are many reasons why fishes serve as the best pets. Fishes bring a positive aura to the house, and not only family members even the guests cannot take their eyes off the aquarium.