Complete Aquarium

Yes, I dream of one day having a marine aquarium. For now, I just read books on the subject. I have a vision of a wall in my house being turned into an aquarium. The finished tank pictures will have you running off to the local pet store to do more research. There are detailed instructions for building the tank. A list of suitable fish are given for each type of tank. I mean, can you imagine being able to build your own East Africa Rocky Lake? How about a central American Coastal Stream? My favorite has always been the Hawaii Coral Reef. The contents of this book include: The Natural Environment The Fish The Freshwater Aquarium The Brackish-Water Aquarium The Marine Aquarium Tank and Water Management Feeding, Breeding, and Healthcare My brother is a natural when it comes to taking care of Aquariums...for me, I need a book! This would make a nice present for someone in your family who is thinking of building their own Aquarium. Great Ideas and Pictures. ~The Rebecca Review

This book is an excellent source for developing a realistic and authentic aquarium while still leaving the reader with many options. Temperate and brackish types, seldom discussed in basic books, are explained well here.The pictures are well done. The overall layout describing the materials needed, the construction details, and the finished aquaruim draw the reader into the process.The book calls for a follow-up volume with more themes and more in depth details to recreate breeding conditions and a more sophisticated ecology.

This book has so much going for it! It is an interesting and invaluable resource, especially for those who are considering the aquarium hobby. What is so great & unique about this book is that it instructs the reader on how to re-create the natural environment of the type of fish he or she may be interested in keeping. There are step-by-step instructions on setting up each tank, all accompanied by full color photographs. The author includes information on what equipment works best in each tank, plant & rock selection, aquascaping, & fish species compatability. I purchased this book several years ago & still enjoy referring to it & reading it. The photos & information contained within are truly inspiring. The concept behind it, recreating the natural aquatic environments of such far-off places as Sumatra, Borneo, & Zaire is what truly makes this book special. Anyone who is interested in the aquarium hobby would benefit from this book. Those that are well on their way may find themselves reconsidering the choice of materials & fish contained in their tanks. This book benefits not only the aquarist, but the fish as well! Order this book if you have not done so, you won't be sorry.

This is a fantastic book that starts with general knowledge and background of different water environments and fish, but doesn't waste half the book on this background information. The majority of the book is devoted to explaining how to set up different sorts of aquariums, with detailed examples of the plants, rocks, gravel, and suitable fish for each variety of tank. It is mostly freshwater, but 3 Brackish-Water, and 3 Marine Aquariums are also included. The end of the book has easy to understand GENERAL information about water chemistry, filtration, heating, plants, feeding, and breeding. The only fault is not enough description about individual fish. But if you buy a companion book that describes different fish in detail, along with this book you will be well on your way to setting up the exact sort of aquarium you would like. Great book for beginners and also intermediates who are looking for new ideas.