The equipment...

Once you have selected a big aquarium and a sweet spot away from the elements, you have to get the equipment right.

Aquarium equipment doesn't mean the lone air stone pitiably releasing small bubbles, you can turn into a gizmo freak just for your glassed water with fishes.

Just check them out: a timer to regulate the time light is switched on and off, a filter that takes out the water and cleans and pumps it back, an under-gravel filter and a filter heater, a chiller, fluorescent lamps, the right gravel for plants, bogwood... and the list goes on.

But hey, don't get intimidated, you can get started with the aquarium, air stone and fishes. The other stuff can come later.

An aquarium is a home for your fishes and a centrepiece of your home. You wouldn't want your fishes to suffer, so get them the best. Buy the best, a big air pump is better than a small one, an internal water filter will do fine, what you need to splurge on is the lighting.

Most aquarium manufacturers don't go deeper than 18 inches, but they make wide aquariums. So, depending on the width and the length you can opt to have two or more aquarium fluorescent lamps and watch your plants grow when you plant them.

~S.N.