Another advantage is better visibility with an acrylic tank. You will also need a stand for your tank if you do not have anywhere to sit it on. You will need to control the temperature so a thermometer is required to tell your water temperature and you may need a heater to keep the water at the desired temperature. You need to line the bottom of the tank with substrate. You can buy gravel sand or rock, but check with your local aquatic store as to what the requirements are for the types of fish you want to keep. The rocks and gravel come in different colours so to add interest to your aquarium you should choose a bright colour that suits you aquarium design.

Other items you will need include a filtration system. This will also require some research as there are many different types of filter and they can be quite complicated. Again take advice because the filter requires suiting the type of fish of your choice. Filters vary greatly in price and it is not necessary to go for the most expensive for a basic freshwater aquarium. The filters can be of two different types. One that is placed under the substrate on the bottom of the tank and one that attaches to the inside of the tank.

Another important ingredient is lighting. Again there can be simple lighting or more technical lighting systems. Take advice on this as well but basically it is your own personal preference. Lighting systems give off heat so this has to be taken into account. Lighting can be a single unit placed in the hood of your aquarium and your fish will appreciate a light turned on for a few hours per day. For decoration plants should be added to the tank. Live plants would be preferred to the plastic variety and will add interest to the tank. Live plants are preferred for by the fish as it feel more like there natural environment. The fish feel safer as they seek refuge in the plants and this has the added benefit of the fish having less stress. Although synthetic plants have come a long way live plants are still a better option for your tank as they also help to remove chemicals from the water. Your fifty five gallon tank can house a number of live plants and there are many varieties that will work well, just make sure that the plants are suitable for aquatic purposes and freshwater fish. Another difference between live and synthetic plants is that some fish like to eat the plants, not so easy if they are plastic.

Your tank needs to be turned on and cycling through the filter before introducing any fish. One you have established that the tank is ready for the fish you can now carefully choose which fish you require. Again take some advice from your local pet store but one thing you can do is to start with a hardier types of fish that can acquit themselves to a new tank easier. The hardier fish types would include barbs, danios, gouramis and live bearers, but you only want to introduce a few fish at first. They need to be hardy enough to withstand the higher levels of nitrates from a new tank because your nitrogen cycle, vital for fish to survive, will not start until fish are introduced to the tank. You may have to wait up to one month after introducing these fish for them to become acclimatised, and then you can add more fish. Within the first month you can see if your fish are healthy before adding any new ones. Most illness in fish can be seen within the first month so you should check that there activity is normal and that they are not spending too much time on the surface of the tank. When you have established that your first fish are healthy and flourishing then is the time to introduce new fish. For a fifty five gallon tank about fifteen to twenty small fish is the maximum you should have in your aquarium. This allows plenty room for the fish to flourish and grow in a healthy manner. If you stick to some simple aquarium maintenance then you should reap years of enjoyment from your new fifty five gallon aquarium.