How To Setup and Maintain a 10 Gallon Fish Tank

A 10 gallon fish tank is one of the most common sizes for an aquarium. They are large enough to hold a wide variety of fish while being small enough to fit in almost any room or setting. With the proper filter a 10 gallon fish tank is fairly low maintenance. That's not to say it's maintenance free just easier to take care of than, say, a 50 gallon tank. 10 gallon fish tanks can be used for saltwater or freshwater fish.

And as a rule of thumb the larger the fish the more room it will require, meaning a tank this size will be best suited for smaller fish such as Bettas, Tetras, and other freshwater fish. Some fish, such as Dwarf Puffers and Butterfly fish don't do well with other fish so be sure to do your research before buying your fish.

One thing to keep in mind when purchasing a tank or even fish: many breeds of fish, such as Goldfish, aren't actually suitable for a 10 gallon fish tank. Goldfish can grow too large since they are after all a breed of carp. Others, such as Neon Tetras, are too active and generally require more room so use caution when buying these fish for a tank.

Maintenance on a 10 gallon tank is fairly simple. Be sure to get a filtration system designed for the tank size. Too small and you're not filtering the water enough, too big and it's just unnecessary. Doing some daily preventative maintenance can go a long way. Take out any food your fish don't eat immediately, make sure your filter is clean, make sure your water is clear (not cloudy), etc. By watching these things you can catch a problem before it happens. You could also "vacuum" your tank once a week (changing 1/3 of the water at the same time) and be sure to clean the glass once a week and you'll be able to keep your tank in good condition.

This may seem like a lot of work but it really isn't. You could have your 10 gallon tank clean in about 45 minutes a week. To lower the maintenance even further you could add snails, crabs, and shrimp to the tank. Many of these have algae based diets and can help keep your tank cleaner, longer.

An aquarium can also be relaxing at the end of the day. The trickling of water and gentle swimming of fish can help relax just about anyone at the end of a stressful day.

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Read more about setting up and maintaining a 10 gallon fish tank here: http://www.10gallonfishtank.com/

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