In the rush of excitement that accompanies embarking on a new endeavor such as aquarium keeping, it is easy to lose sight of certain realities. Before you explore the specifics and the nuts and bolts of this fascinating hobby, you should pause to think about a few related topics. It is important that you consider, for example, the effect of this hobby on the environment, and also that you are aware of certain risks and obstacles that may, if ignored, seriously jeopardize the future success of keeping aquatic animals and plants.