| A freshwater tropical fish aquarium can be a | | | | established. if you do not do this step properly, |
| wonderfully peaceful and ever-changing decorative | | | | your water will not be at healthy levels to support |
| item in any room but many people never get to | | | | your fish. during the cycling step, ammonia Is |
| experience them because they simply are afraid | | | | introduced into the tank which causes bacteria to |
| that it is too much work to set them up and | | | | take hold in your substrate and filter. This bacteria |
| maintain them properly. But this could not be | | | | will eat the ammonia, making the water quality |
| further from the truth, in fact, an aquarium and | | | | more hospitable for your freshwater fish but also |
| can be very easy to set up and maintain if you | | | | at the same time it will produce nitrite which is |
| simply follow two basic rules and those are | | | | toxic to the fish. Thankfully, at this stage, another |
| making sure that tank cycles through its nitrogen | | | | bacteria will start to grow which eats the nitrite |
| cycle probably and never overloading it with | | | | and releases nitrate. The nitrate is not as harmful |
| tropical fish. | | | | and fish tolerate it well and less it gets to very |
| The size of your tropical fish aquarium is also | | | | high levels. So, you see, letting your aquarium |
| important. If you think you're going to want to | | | | cycle all the way through to where it is producing |
| keep a lot of fish you better get a big fish tank. | | | | nitrate is very important for the water quality and |
| Generally, the larger the tank the easier it will be | | | | key in setting up your tank properly. |
| for you to maintain. The size of your aquarium | | | | Oddly enough, to get the cycling started you |
| directly relates to how many tropical fish you can | | | | need to put a few freshwater fish in the |
| keep in it and the more water you have the | | | | aquarium. You'll want to choose very hearty fish |
| more of a chance will have to react and fix your | | | | (like Zebra Danios) so that they can withstand the |
| water quality should start to go downhill. | | | | harsh water conditions present before the cycling. |
| In addition to the aquarium, you will need a | | | | the waste from the flesh will start to introduce |
| heater, lighting, the filtration system, substrate | | | | the ammonia into the tank and the cycling |
| (gravel), and a hood. Sometimes you can find | | | | process will begin. You want to buy a good test |
| these in kits at the aquarium store. Always try to | | | | kit so you can test the nitrate, nitrite and |
| buy the best that you can afford in if you're not | | | | ammonia levels in the tank which will tell you when |
| sure then asked the store clerk and they'll be a | | | | the tank is fully cycled and you can add more |
| will to explain everything to you. | | | | expensive and prettier fish. your freshwater |
| The first step and setting up your tropical fish | | | | aquarium will be cycled when the ammonia and |
| aquarium is to wash off all the decorations and | | | | nitrite levels are at zero. |
| the substrate that you be putting in the tank. You | | | | Once you have a completed this, you've gone |
| can just rinse them off with hot water but if you | | | | through the first step of successful freshwater |
| use soap to be sure to get all the soap off | | | | aquarium keeping and now you only need to |
| before you put them in the aquarium. Now you | | | | perform regular maintenance and not over load |
| are ready to fill up the tank, making sure that it is | | | | your tank in order to keep the fish tank looking |
| in its new home and then all the cords can be | | | | great in your tropical fish healthy. |
| plugged in and there is a dip in the cord before it | | | | When adding fish, you want to be sure not to add |
| reaches the electrical outlet which will ensure that | | | | too many at once or you will upset the delicate |
| water drips off and not Into your outlet in case | | | | balance of water quality in the tank. Try buying |
| of the spill. Make sure all the equipment - the | | | | one new tropical fish a week until you have as |
| filtering system and heater etc. fit into the tank | | | | many fish as your aquarium will hold. For best |
| and that the hood fits tightly on top. Make any | | | | water quality, you want to stick to about 1 inch |
| cutouts in the hood for equipment that hangs on | | | | of fish per gallon of water so a 20 gallon tank |
| the side with as little air space as possible. | | | | could hold about 20 inches of fish which would be |
| Fill the aquarium with water that is room | | | | probably around 15 fish depending on how big |
| temperature and use in aquarium water | | | | they are. |
| conditioner. Once it is full, you can do a test run | | | | The maintenance of your tropical fish aquarium |
| on the filter and heater to make sure everything | | | | should be easy if you stick to a schedule. |
| is working. Now you might be tempted to run | | | | Obviously, you should be looking at the fish daily |
| right out and buy your first fish, but you must be | | | | to see that they are in good health and you want |
| cautious at this point as you need to cycle your | | | | to be sure that the filter is in heaters are |
| tank in order to get a good bacteria bed growing | | | | functioning properly. Then once a week, you |
| so that the water will make a nice home for your | | | | should try to scrape off any algae that is |
| fish. | | | | accumulated. Once a month you should do a |
| Cycling the tank is a critical stage in setting up | | | | partial water change changing out about 25% of |
| your freshwater aquarium because this is where | | | | the water and adding new water at room |
| the bacteria bed, which filters out the ammonia | | | | temperature with water conditioner in it. |
| produced by decaying food fish waste, will be | | | | |