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In general, select an aquarium, which is as large as possible in the space you have available. Larger size aquariums are easier to maintain and is more forgiving when mistakes are made. There is a greater water volume to dilute pollutants, helping to keep them below critical concentrations and providing more time for them to be removed by natural processes.

It is a common mistake amongst beginners to overcrowd, so remember that your fish will be healthier and give more pleasure if they have plenty of living space. The fish capacity of the aquarium can be increased with filtration and aeration but as a rough guideline you can relate the total length of fish to the surface area of the aquarium. Keep in mind that some fish are small when bought but can grow amazingly.

As a rough guideline you can work on 1 cm of Fish (Excluding Tail Fin) for every 25 sq. cm of surface area for Tropical Freshwater, and 1 cm for every 75 sq. cm for Cold Freshwater.

So for a aquarium 60cm x 30cm wide, the surface area is 1800 sq. cm . You can therefore put 72cm (1800 ÷ 25) of fish in your aquarium. This is also the minimum size tank to keep a reasonable comprehensive tropical community aquarium.

If you want to have a good display of plants or keep fish like angels with high fins, it is best to go for a taller tank of at least 40cm high.

Smaller aquariums can also be used, but then the hobbyist must realize that he can only keep some of the smaller species, filtration and oxygenation must be adequate. The aquarium must also be monitored more closely for water quality and fish showing stress.

Be sure that a suitable stand is used and that the floor can support the weight. An aquarium is heavy, water weigh ± 1kg per liter. To calculate the capacity of your aquarium take the measurements in cm. say 60cm Long x 30cm Wide x 30cm Tall, multiply them and ÷ by 1000.

60 x 30 x 30=54000 ÷ 1000=54 liters

So your 60cm tank with water, rocks etc. can weigh anything from 70kg upwards. Make sure the support is adequate. Your stand should also be level and straight, because many a time this is the reason why bases of aquariums crack. The weight of the aquarium puts a lot of stress on the glass and should therefore be well supported.

Canopies & Hoods . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Once the size of aquarium has been selected, a matching full size canopy is required to prevent water evaporation and holds the lighting. Rapid water evaporation results in low water conditions that may damage filters and heaters in the aquarium. It also causes a build-up of carbonates and minerals (water hardness) as the water evaporates and minerals remain in the aquarium.

An aquarium cover also prevents contaminants from getting into the tank. In addition, a cover will stop fish from jumping from the aquarium. A completely closed cover has also been shown to be a major factor in keeping the aquarium temperature and electricity costs down. Some canopies comes with a glass seal to protect light bulbs and light fittings.