The Tank

• 1). Consider how much room you have for a tank. Remember that the tank will need to be positioned near an electrical outlet.
  
  
• 2). If this is your first aquarium, start with a smaller tank. This will give you a good sense of how things work without a huge cash outlay. Starting with a 10- to 20-gallon tank is reasonable. The small tanks you see used in pet stores as terrariums are 10 gallons. A 10-gallon tank will cost less than $10; a 20-gallon tank costs about $35.
  
  
• 3). Consider the various aquarium shapes. Tall octagons and hexagons are popular. Cube and cylinder tanks are also available. The standard is a long rectangle, which tends to look bigger than it really is and is therefore a favorite among hobbyists.
  
  
• 4). Choose from plate glass or acrylic materials such as Plexiglas. Plate glass is heavy. Plexiglas scratches easily. Sections of plate glass are fairly easy to replace; Plexiglas tanks are often one piece, with rounded corners that look very fluid.