How To Set Up An Aquarium

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These are the steps you should take to set up an aquarium. 

 

1. Clean The Tank

                 The first thing you should do is clean out the tank.  Do this by scrubbing the glass to make it clean.  Do not use any soap or cleaning bottles to clean the tank!  This would be harmfull to the fish and can kill them. 

 

2.  Rinse Decorations 

                                                  The next step you should take is to rinse all the decor.  This includes rocks, gravel, driftwood, and plastic plants.  Rinse rocks and gravel by putting them in a bucket, and mix it with water to get all of the dirt and dust of the gravel and rocks.  Do the same for plants and driftwood. Let the driftwood soak in a bucket of water, so all the lose particles will come off.  

 

3. Place Filter and heater

                     Next, you shood place the heater and the filter in the tank.  If you don't have a submersibale heater, be sure only to fill it ip to the water line. If you are planning to make a cold water tank, you don't need a heater.

 

4. Aquascaping

                 Now for the fun part, putting the decorations into the tank.  Start on one side of the tank. put in heavy rocks and driftwood first, and add gravel around them.  Then, put in any plastic plants and burry the bottom of the plant with gravel.  Make sure you put an air stone in if you're using one before you place gravel. If you put driftwood in the tank for a few days but don't have water in it and the light is on, fungus will grow (NOT GOOD).  If you will be adding live plants, fill the tank 1/3 of the way first.  After adding live plants, fill up the tank all the way.

 

5.  Adding Fish  

                   After filling the tank, wait  2 or more days for the system to get started. Then get starter fish such as danios or platies.  Test for amonia weekly. Once the amonia goes down to 0.0 you may want bring a water sample to a local pet store and they and help you pick out fish. For some good ideas for fish, Look at the "good community fish" page or the "semi aggressive" page.

 

Supplies needed to set up a freshwater tropical aquarium

 

  • Tank
  • Stand
  • Light and hood
  • Filter
  • Heater (not needed if you have a goldfish tank)
  • Decor*
  • Thermometer
  • Siphon
  • Nets
  • Food
  • "Fish only"  buckets
  • Test Kits
  • Air Pump*
  • Tubing*
  • Airstone*
  • Background*
  • Water dechlorinator or stress coat
  • Fish food
  • And last but not least, Fish!

             *= Optional   

 

 

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