Juwel Rio 240, Fish Aquarium

Hi all it's been a while have had a few problems at home but back now and writing so here I would like to tell you about one of the two aquariums I have running in my house. This is my smaller tank which contains my Chilid fish the tank is the Juwell Rio 240 and is very good for those who feel ready to move on to their next size up tank at an intermediate level. Below I will include all the information you need to get and start using this aquarium and what you get in with the price.

What Do You Get ?

The main part of any aquarium is the actual tank and here you have a very generously sized tank which measures 121L x 55H x 41W cm, this will allow for about 20 medium size fish in my case chilid's however my are nearly out growing it. The glass is very thick and very well sealed I have had no problems with leaks at all and with the right care and tool's used for cleaning stay's in pretty good shape for a long time.

Next up is the lighting which is supplied by two separate bulbs that are supplied with all fittings already installed one for UV light and the other for effect, these can be adjusted and slid along the top of the tank to maximize where the light hit's especially important if you have live plant life. Supplied are two 120cm 38W bulbs.

A great feature is the built in and boxed in filter and heater unit which is essential when caring for tropical or salt water fish. The pump is a multi filtration system which is very easy to change just lift out the cartridge and change the foam pad's when you give the tank a clean and water change. The filter is very important in keeping a balanced water content for keeping you fish alive and healthy. Next up you have a slot which houses a 200W heater which is thermostatic and will maintain the water at the required temperature I find between 74-76 degrees is what my fish like the best but this can vary depending on what type of fish you are keeping.

When I bought this aquarium there was an offer on which included fish food and an air pump and air line for making creative bubbles at the back of the tank which is a nice touch but not essential, I do find however always on in the pet shop's and it may vary depending upon where you purchase.

As well as all of the above you also get a lovely stand which is complimentary to the tank design and has two door's ideal for storing all your fishy accessories such as food and spares. On top of the tank you have two flaps which can be removed for easy access to the tank for cleaning I tend to clean out 25% of the water every two weeks. If you are keeping large fish you may find that you need to clean weekly and keeping on top of algae build up is always advisable if you don't have any algae eating fish such as plecos.

Cleaning

Cleaning is very easy and the easy access top makes life so easy taking a lot of the stress out of cleaning the tank and changing the water. I would buy algae eating fish as these tend to get on with most fish and really keep the glass clean, using a none rough pad for cleaning the glass is best should you get a build up the magnet cleaners are best and can be found in most fish shops. Changing the filters is very easy as I have already said and a new set of filter pads will set you back about £5.00. There are filter pad's for nitrate removal and for carbon filters these can be interchanged depending on the fish you are keeping and the water conditions they prefer. I would always suggest getting a book on the breed of fish you want to keep before buying them and always set you tank up and run it for at least 7 days before inserting fish as this readies and filters the water for them in advance.

Where Can You Buy?

You can get Juwell aquariums from almost all major fish stockiest as they are one of the biggest manufacturers in fish tanks. I bought mine about 2 years ago for £450.00 but I have seen the same set up with stand for £349.00 and free deliver on pet supermarket online store.

Overall Summary

Overall this is a brilliant tank for the intermediate keeper who wants to move up in size and try bigger fish keeping. It is still very straightforward to use and comes with great set up and fish keeping advice inside. The features and equipment you get built in are top quality and work very well indeed but bear in mind you will need additional equipment should you be considering using for marine fish keeping. The price is very good if you are looking to buy a good, strong, reliable new tank however it is always worth checking out eBay first as you can save 100's of pounds buying second hand, if you do buy in this way always ask about the condition of the glass as this can't be seen in the photo's people advertise. I hope this review has been of help and should I be able to help you any further please don't hesitate to contact me.

Barry