5 Steps to a Better 10 Gallon Fish Tank
A 10-gallon fish tank is the most sold fish tank size in the USA each year. They are the most popular fish tank size and also have the lowest price. Kits often include lower quality equipment that can be swapped for better equipment. This guide will help you get your 10-gallon fish aquarium up and running in five easy steps.
1. Modern fish tanks come with LED lighting. Unfortunately to keep the cost down, these lights are only enough to illuminate the aquarium. Upgrading to an aftermarket LED light, such a 20-inch Finnex Stingray, will allow you to get great color out of your fish as well as grow live aquarium plants. Make sure you grab a glass top for your aquarium so you can let your new light shine through.
2. Proper filtration is important. A 10-gallon fish aquarium will typically house smaller fish so we recommend something with slower flow. Fish tanks come in many different types of filters. We prefer small hang on back filters like an AquaClear 20 or a sponge filter that runs on an air pump. Having a filter on your aquarium will not only collect the waste fish produce but help break down toxic chemicals such as ammonia and prevent them from harming your fish.
3. Heating When people think of an aquarium they often think of brightly colored fish. These tropical fish require temperatures of 74-84 degrees. You’ll need a fish tank heater to warm the water above the ambient temperature in your house. The more powerful your heater, the colder your house will be. A 100-watt heater is sufficient for most situations. It will work well with a 10-gallon fish aquarium. The glass top will make your tank look great. Heat rises through water and leaves the top unless it is trapped with the glass.
4. Get the right chemicals Most fish stores carry an overwhelming amount of chemicals that can go into a fish tank. The essentials every aquarium owner must have are a dechlorinator to remove chlorine and chloramine from your water to make it fish safe and a test kit to monitor how the water is doing. All agree that these essential items are essential. Then you can have things like plant fertilizers, bacteria additives and medications. But, it’s important to learn how to use each one, and how to pick the right ones. It’s not like you would just pick up a random medication from the store shelf. You wouldn’t take the same risk with your fish tank.
5. Decorating your fish tank is a great way to make it more fun. You can choose the type of fish tank you would like. Is it a princess themed tank with a castle, or is it a natural aquarium with wood, rock and live plants? Live plants have the benefit of helping passively clean your aquarium when paired with a good light that you bought in step 1 and fed with plant fertilizers you may have picked up in step 4. No matter how pretty your tank may be, ensure that it is safe for all the fish you plan to put in it. After all it is a FISH tank, and thus should be setup optimally for them. Don’t use stones, sticks, or fake plants that are sharp. Use silk instead of plastic plants. Instead of looking for decor with sharp edges, choose decor that is rounded. We believe that to really bring your fish tank to life add some real aquarium plants.
You now have the basics for a 10-gallon fish aquarium. Don’t be afraid of doing more research, especially about the care of your fish. Seek out a good local shop who will provide you support. Not all fish stores are created equal. There may be differences in knowledge among staff members even within the same store. The last thing I’d say is to do your research before buying anything. When anyone recommends something, be it in person or online, educate yourself and see if this is a good idea for your fish tank. You can start that journey by seeing what we recommend in the playlist below. This playlist can be used as a starting point to help you decide what type of fish tank is best for you.