Aquariums come in many shapes and sizes and there are a number of categories that have to be looked at when making the decision of what aquarium to buy. Four considerations that have to be made are:
Budget, Size, Livestock, and Appearance.
I tried putting these categories in order of importance but depending on your response to some of them the latter questions may have more importance for some people.
Budget
Aquariums come in all shapes and sizes but the before you look at sizes and types of aquarium at the least get a general idea of the your budget for the aquarium? There are a number of standard tanks that are affordable, but there is a chance that you are on the other end of the spectrum and can start looking at unique, or bigger aquariums? In whatever situation you are in you can probably find an aquarium that can fit your budget. Just keep in mind that the more "custom" you go with a tank the more expensive it will be. Please also consider that buying the fish tank is only the beginning of your journey. Most of the time that is only the "tip of the iceberg" when you consider all of the lighting, filters, and fish (and possibly coral!) that you will be purchasing for your aquarium as well!
Size
As mentioned earlier there are an unlimited number of possibilities when it comes to fish tank sizes. First try to understand exactly where you are putting your fish aquarium and stand, and get a feel for how much room you have in that location. Measure it out keeping in mind that you still want to give people room to get by the aquarium! After figure out how much room you have in your place for your aquarium search for an aquarium dimensions chart on the internet. Then find a standard aquarium size looks suitable to your situation and to your tastes. After finding the size and shape of the aquarium that you want then you have to find it in a store or online. You can usually either go straight to the manufacturer's website to see who distributes their aquariums or you can head to one of the bigger pet stores to find a similar size. Or you can call around and see what the local pet stores have in your area!
Saltwater or Freshwater, Fish Only or Reef Tank
After you have established the aquarium size you need to decide what you are going to put into it. The first option is to choose between a freshwater or a saltwater aquarium, because that will dictate the type of equipment (filtration system, lighting, decor, and substrate) that you will be able to put into your system. The biggest difference between freshwater and saltwater is that you typically need higher output lights and a higher quality filtration system when you go to a "full" reef tanks (with fish and corals) because corals have a lot more sensitive needs than fish. A saltwater tank with fish only (no corals) will still be more expensive than a freshwater tank but not as much as what you really need to grow corals successfully. Finally, please keep the health of your fish in mind because a lot of fish (i.e. tangs) will not be happy in a smaller size tank because they need a lot of room to swim so please talk with your pet store or with an expert before picking out fish to confirm the aquarium you choose is appropriate.
Type of Aquarium
The type of aquarium and what the tank looks like is really the last item you have to consider and it's more of a personal preference than anything. After you have decided on your budget, size, and what is going inside it's really up to you to pick the type of aquarium. Even the glass framed tanks have a few different finishes to them such as a black frame or oak style frame, and beyond that you can choose glass or acrylic, framed/frameless, circular or rectangle, and height and width. You can choose your aquarium to fit your lifestyle and to fit into your overall decorative scheme of your home.
The author has maintained saltwater reef tanks and freshwater tanks for nearly his entire life and he runs http://www.aquariumdimensions.com an informative website containing aquarium size information and brand reviews. He thinks he has learned a lot about the hobby and is hoping that others can learn from his mistakes!
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