To start and keep a freshwater aquarium, you need not only a tank, but the other equipment necessary to keep the water habitable for the fishy inhabitants. When you purchase those fish, make sure that you go to a good dealer and that you buy healthy fish. And when those healthy fish get sick, as some may, tap into the simple remedies in this Cheat Sheet to help restore them to health.

Keeping a saltwater aquarium means maintaining a fairly strict maintenance schedule to keep the life inside healthy. The water in saltwater aquariums requires regular testing for a variety of minerals and chemical balances. Figuring out the right feeding schedule and amount for your fish is a task that needs attention when you first stock your aquarium and when the population changes.

Cleaning an aquarium involves a conscientious effort on your part. In fact, maintaining a fish tank isn’t for the lazy at heart. Don’t set up a saltwater aquarium if you don’t intend to follow through and keep it clean and healthy. All too often, an aquarist’s interest wanes after the first couple of months of ownership, and the aquarium occupants ultimately suffer the consequences.

The biggest questions when it comes to feeding your saltwater aquarium fish are how much and how often to feed them. Some fish are gluttons, whereas others stop when they’re full. You probably know people from both ends of this spectrum. Have the same person or people feed the aquarium. This ensures that the feeding is done consistently and with an eye for the right quantities.

Is there anybody who doesn’t like going to a big public aquarium? I don’t think so. You can see and discover so much at an aquarium, and there’s usually not enough time to see it all in one day. For the home aquarist, the large public aquarium is also a great place to see just how a healthy aquarium should look.

One thing is certain, not all algae are alike. Although a number of formal classifications have been set up for algae, and scientists recognize at least eight major divisions, not all occur in the typical aquarium. Some kinds are desirable, and others are not. Some are typically referred to as seaweeds, others are planktonic, and some are both.

Fish and invertebrates are living creatures that require food for energy, burning it with the help of oxygen that they respire (breathe from the water). These processes produce waste products that are returned to the environment through the gills and in the urine and feces. These wastes are primarily carbon dioxide and nitrogenous compounds (like ammonia), which are extremely toxic to fish.

Before you’re ready to purchase freshwater fish for your aquarium, you need to know how to take care of the fish you want. You also need a general idea of the type of fish you’ll buy so that you know what types of plants and other items you need and how to set up water conditions that are just right for the species you choose.