Quite simply, a fish tank is designed to offer marine life with a familiar and contained environment. As a hobby, fish tanks allow individuals to purchase fish as pets and keep them inside their home. The first fishkeeping, for personal use, became increasingly popular in the 1950's and was widely enjoyed through the use of glass aquariums that are still famous today.

A fish tank typically features the tank itself, along with a filter, lighting and an aquarium heater. Purchased in a variety of different sizes, a fish tank can range in size from the small to the very large models. For this reason, prices vary greatly depending on the size and features of the fish tank.

The features of a fish tank are very important to the survival of the marine life. As they are used to moving water, filtration is a must. Otherwise, the water would become cloudy and the fish would deteriorate quickly. While lighting is perhaps not as important as a quality filtration unit, it does provide a sense of a routine in a distinction between light and dark. While in the wild, marine life experiences the difference between day and night and will find a similar lighting routine to be similar to their natural habitat.

It is very important that the water in a fish tank be tested regularly with the use of a test kit. In addition, regular water changes are required of every fish tank in order to keep the fish