Choosing the Right Fish Tank Size

Keeping fish is one of the most popular indoor hobbies around. Millions of fish lover delight in watching the antics of their fish in an aquarium environment. One of the first things that you'll have to decide on is what size fish tank to get. There are many sizes of tanks to choose from and many times the sheer number of choices can confuse the novice.

A fish tank comes in many standard sizes - from smaller 5 - 10 gallon sizes to 200 gallons and more. You'll typically need two fish tanks - one will be your main display tank. The second will be your quarantine tank.

The best rule of thumb when choosing your main fish tank is to go for the largest size that your aquarium room will accommodate. A smaller sized fish tank will severely limit the number of fish you can keep - and no matter how many fish you have, a genuine fish lover will always want more. Your quarantine fish tank will be smaller in size.

This is one of the smallest size fish tanks that you can buy. The advantage is that it's small enough to place nearly anywhere in your home. A sturdy table is usually enough to hold a tank of this size. It's disadvantage, however, is that the water will need to be changed weekly if you want to keep the fish tank eco-system clean. On the plus side, recognizing the popularity of these smaller fish tanks, the aquarium  industry now builds air pumps that are small enough to fit inside a 10 gallon tank. An important fact to keep in mind is that fish can outgrow a 10 gallon fish tank rather quickly forcing you to upgrade to a larger tank sooner rather than later.

A 20 Gallon tank can comfortably hold 2-4 1-inch sized fish. You also will not be able to buy a large fish. A 20 gallon sized fish tank is a good starter tank. If you find that you love the hobby, you can easily more up to a larger size. In addition, if you have decided to re-create a marine system for your tank, 20 gallons is the minimum size you should start with.

If you're choosing a saltwater aquarium, a 50 gallon fish tank should be the smallest size tank that you consider. The larger the tank, the less you have to worry about toxicity and pollution overloading the environment. When buying a filter for your 50 gallon tank, you should ensure that it can handle a minimum of 250-300 gph.

Once you reach the 100 gallon sized fish tank, you have to begin to take serious consideration of the surface that you plan on placing the tank. If you choose an aquarium stand, make sure that it's rated to hold at least a 100 gallon tank. If you choose shelving material such as particle board, solid wood, metal, plastic, or other - make sure that it's thick enough to support this sized tank.

If you plan on keeping 3 or more fish species, a 200-250 gallon fish tank is a good size to choose to ensure the long term well being of all residents in the tank. If you're just starting out, a 200 gallon fish tank will probably be too overwhelming. If, however, you've been at the hobby for a while, you may be ready to grow easily into a 200 gallon sized fish tank or larger. The major factor in upgrading to a 200 gallon fish tank is to consider the extra weight that you'll be putting on the tank's support system

Whether by tradition or aesthetics, most fish lovers will prefer a glass fish tank over an acrylic tank. With glass aquariums, you have to worry less about scratching and yellowing - ensuring that you always have a clear view of the fish inside. The drawbacks of glass are 1) there's always the possibility that it will break and 2) glass is heaver than acrylic which may be a factor depending on the structural soundness of your floor surface.

Acrylic is a very versatile substance. It's strong as well. Many major Aquariums in the U.S. use acrylic for their thousand gallon fish tanks. It's biggest drawback is that it is more easily scratched than glass. Acrylic's biggest advantage is that it's lightweight when compared to glass. So if you're worried about the strength of your floorboards, acrylic may be the best choice from a structural standpoint.