Aquariums are fascinating to look at- especially if you go to a pet store and see all the wonderful configurations, types of fish, and all the many variables involved. Building a fish tank ecosystem (habitat) can be a simple thing or very complex. Depending on what you want in your aquarium, your tank could take on a unique and intriguing life of it's own. Much like cats are practically maintenance free except for needing to feed them and clean out their litter box, fish are much the same way.
Although cleaning out a large tank or a tank with a complex array of "innards" is no easy or even fun task to take on twice or more a month, this can actually be a lot of fun if you involve your children. If you show your kids how to build a tank, picking all the elements, going online and learning about the various fish you saw in the pet store, and picking what they want they will have the opportunity to learn a lot.
Kids are naturally curious and if you teach them early how to research about the fish and what is involved in building an aquarium, you teach them a valuable skill set they can use throughout the rest of their lives. It used to be that the only way to learn was to go to the pet store and depend on the knowledge of the sales staff or check out books from the library about fish. Today, with the advent of the internet and the plethora of informative sites on just about every type of fish and plant life, building and researching an aquarium is now easier than before.
Building your tank is a holistic experience. It's one that teaches responsibility, can be a lot of fun trying out different fish over the years, and it prepares kids for life's many responsible moments by showing them the details, execution, and on going lessons that owning a fish can entail.
To build a tank, you should first show your kids how to find information on fish. Show them that there are different fish that can't survive together or that can't survive in each others ecosystem. An example is salt water fish can't live and thrive in fresh water, while fresh water fish can't live and thrive (and will surely die) in salt water. Then you can show them how some fish are hunters and will attack other species of fish.
Once you learn all you can about the fish, reverse engineer and build the best habitat for the fish types you want. That way you'll have the greatest chance of success and you can really bring life to the home!