How To Setup A Freshwater Tropical Fish Tank

This is an 11 step guide to setting up ato put some of the rocks in a pasta strainer and
freshwater aquarium in your home.wash them out in your bathtub. Then place the
Equipment you will need:clean gravel in a clean 5-gallon bucket for
Aquariumtransport to the aquarium. After adding the gravel
Aquarium gravelyou can place your plants and decorations.
Aquarium filterSTEP 7: Add water to the aquarium.
Replacement filter mediaTo avoid messing up your gravel and plants, you
Heatercan place a plate or saucer in the middle of your
Other decorations (such as plants)aquarium and direct the water flow onto the plate.
Chemical test kitsUse room temperature water when filling. To
Fish foodremove the chlorine and chloramine, use
Aquarium vacuumsomething like Tetra AquaSafe for Aquariums.
Fish netDon't completely fill up the aquarium until you are
Glass Scrubbersure of the layout of your decorations. Otherwise,
5-gallon bucketwhen you place your arm in to move stuff
Pasta straineraround water is going to spill over. Doh!
STEP 1: Realize the responsibility involved.STEP 8: Set up equipment.
A tropical fish tank is just like having a dog or aInstall your heater but don't plug it in until the
cat when it comes to the amount of effort onthermostat in the heater has adjusted to the
your part. In order to have a successful fish tankwater temperature. This usually takes about 15
you will have to work at it. Once a week, or atminutes or so. Hook up your filter and any other
most once every two weeks, you will need toequipment you have, then top off the aquarium
perform some kind of maintenance on the tank.water to just under the hood lip. Place your hood
Most of the time you will be performing waterand light on the aquarium and then check your
changes. You will also have to feed your tropicalpower cords to be sure that they are free of
fish at least once a day. If you are up to thewater. I would also recommend using a drip loop
challenge, please proceed!on all of the power cords to be extra cautious.
STEP 2: Decide on an aquarium size.Plug all of the equipment into a power strip and
It's a good idea to have in mind what kind ofthen "turn on" the aquarium.
tropical fish you want to keep before youSTEP 9. Wait, wait, wait and then wait some
purchase an aquarium. Some tropical fish onlymore.
grow to be an inch or two, whereas other typesI know, you want to add some tropical fish. But,
of tropical fish can grow 12 or 13 inches in length!in order to do this right you must wait until your
Knowing what kind of tropical fish you want willaquarium has cycled before adding any fish. There
help you decide the size of the tank they willare ways of speeding up this process. Check out
need. If this is your first time with an aquarium, Ithe nitrogen cycle page to learn more. If you
would recommend going with a 10 or 20 gallonmust use fish to cycle, try to get a hardier
aquarium for now.species like the zebra danio or cherry barb.
STEP 3: Decide on the aquarium's location.STEP 10. Add tropical fish.
Place your aquarium in an area where the lightOnly add one or two fish at a time. Adding a
and temperature of the tank won't be affectedcouple tropical fish at a time gives your filtration
by external sources such as windows and heatersystem the time needed to take on the increased
vents. You will want to place your aquarium on abiological load that the new fish introduce. When
stand that will be able to hold its total weight. Ayou bring the fish home let the bag float in the
good rule of thumb for determining the totaltank for about 15 minutes so that the fish can
weight of a full aquarium is 10 pounds per gallonbecome acclimated to the temperature and pH of
of water. For example, a 55-gallon tank will weighthe aquarium water. After 5 minutes of floating
approximately 550 pounds when filled with water!the bag you should add some of the aquarium
STEP 4: Buy your aquarium and equipment.water to the bag so that the fish can become
Now is the time to decide on the type of filtrationacclimated to the pH level in the aquarium. This will
you will want to use. You will also need tohelp reduce the amount of stress imposed on the
purchase a heater capable of heating the tanktropical fish. Stressed tropical fish often leads to
size you have. Buy the gravel, plants, a powerdead tropical fish! Don't feed your tropical fish on
strip and other decorations. A good rule of thumbthe first day. They probably wouldn't eat any
for the amount of gravel that you will need is 1food on the first day anyway. Let them get
to 1.5 pounds of gravel per gallon of water.acquainted with their new home.
STEP 5: Set up your aquarium and stand.STEP 11. Get ready for regular maintenance.
Wash out your tank with water only! Do not useBe prepared to spend some time once every
soap or detergents. Soap residue left behind willweek or two to clean your tank. Performing
be harmful for your tropical fish. If you are goingregular water changes will reduce the nitrate
to use an under gravel filter (not recommended)levels and keep your tropical fish happy and
now would be the time to set it up as well.healthy.
STEP 6: Wash Gravel, plants and decorations.For more tropical fish and aquarium information,
Be sure to wash the gravel thoroughly beforeplease visit - Tropical Fish & Aquarium
adding it to your tank. An easy way to do this isInformation.