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Aquarium Setup for Beginners
To enjoy a beautiful aquarium, a healthy environment is necessary for your fish. Before you purchase the fish, you'll need to learn how to set up the natural habitat that will become their home.
First, choose the tank size - from 2.5 to 75 gallons is a good range for a beginner's tank. The tank requires a cover to protect the fish and to keep them from jumping out. You'll also need a light to display the fish; a fluorescent light placed on top of the cover will work fine. A hood with a light is recommended for a simple setup. A canopy that covers the lighting fixture makes an even better visual display.
Place your aquarium on a stand sufficient to support its weight, out of the way of direct sunlight or heating or air conditioning units so the water temperature is maintained and so that algae deposits don't develop. Also, as a general rule, the light should not be kept on for more than 12 hours a day.
For tropical fish, add a heater, filter, air pump, and decorations. Use an aquarium heater to maintain the water temperature (usually at 76-78 degrees F). A filter is necessary to keep your aquarium clean. Use an air pump to oxygenate the water to keep the fish healthy and to add effervescence to your aquarium! Add an air stone or aerating ornament for a more exciting environment. Make sure this equipment is running every day!
Finally, you'll want to give your tank the finishing touch with colorful decorations. They're lively to look at and give fish places for seclusion and interest. It's customary to place about one pound of gravel per gallon of water on the aquarium floor, then add plants, rocks, and ornaments to hide the equipment. Make sure the gravel and other materials are cleaned first. Rinse with warm water, but never use soap or detergent, because they can harm your fish! Arrange the gravel and decor first, then add the heater, filter, and air pump. Next place a plate on the bottom to keep the gravel and decorations in place and slowly pour water into the plate till the tank is one-third full and remove the plate.
Adding stress coat to tap water is recommended to neutralize the chemicals in it. Also add the proper pH to neutralize acidity in the water, maintaining the pH level at approximately 7.0, depending on the type of fish you have, for best results. It's a good idea to add aquarium salt to sterilize the tank. Fill the tank to near the top, leaving space between the water and the cover. Add the cover.
Now it's time to turn on the heater, filter, and air pump. Set the heater to 76-78 degrees, again depending on your fishes' particular requirements. A heater with an automatic shutoff thermostat is recommended when the correct temperature is reached. It is also recommended that you cycle your tank for one to six weeks before adding the fish. Add a thermometer where you can see it, far from the heater. Only place a few fish in the aquarium at a time. A 10-gallon tank can handle about six small fish to start. Swordtails, guppies, tetras, and barbs are recommended for a beginner's tank.
Place the fish in its unopened bag in the tank for 10-15 minutes to match the water temperature before releasing it into the aquarium, but not the water from the bag, which could carry contaminants! Use a net over the sink or a bucket to do this. Add the stress coat to the water to renew the fish's protective coating.
Do not feed your fish for the first day or two until they have adapted to their new environment. Then feed them only once a day for the first few weeks to give them the proper balance of nutrition to stay healthy and look beautiful. Give them only as much as they can eat in five minutes. Add stress coat to reduce waste in the tank and keep the aquarium clean. Watch your fishes' behavior during feeding every day! Also make sure to count your fish every week, and in the event that one of your fish doesn't make it, remove it so that it doesn't pollute the environment for the other fish.
Change the water - 15-25% of the water should be removed and replaced every two weeks to get rid of pollutants, and the gravel should be vacuumed. Add water with stress coat, proper pH when needed, and clean the tank with an algae scraper. Clean the filter and change the filter cartridge every four weeks, and add an activated filter carbon to the tank. Test for pH, ammonia, and nitrite levels in the water. Get a pH test kit to check that the pH is 7.0 and that there are zero levels of ammonia and nitrites. Keep aquarium supplies up to date so you don't get false readings!
Now you are ready to enjoy many hours of peace and beauty with your well-maintained and balanced aquarium. For further information, go to 247PetShop.com.
First, choose the tank size - from 2.5 to 75 gallons is a good range for a beginner's tank. The tank requires a cover to protect the fish and to keep them from jumping out. You'll also need a light to display the fish; a fluorescent light placed on top of the cover will work fine. A hood with a light is recommended for a simple setup. A canopy that covers the lighting fixture makes an even better visual display.
Place your aquarium on a stand sufficient to support its weight, out of the way of direct sunlight or heating or air conditioning units so the water temperature is maintained and so that algae deposits don't develop. Also, as a general rule, the light should not be kept on for more than 12 hours a day.
For tropical fish, add a heater, filter, air pump, and decorations. Use an aquarium heater to maintain the water temperature (usually at 76-78 degrees F). A filter is necessary to keep your aquarium clean. Use an air pump to oxygenate the water to keep the fish healthy and to add effervescence to your aquarium! Add an air stone or aerating ornament for a more exciting environment. Make sure this equipment is running every day!
Finally, you'll want to give your tank the finishing touch with colorful decorations. They're lively to look at and give fish places for seclusion and interest. It's customary to place about one pound of gravel per gallon of water on the aquarium floor, then add plants, rocks, and ornaments to hide the equipment. Make sure the gravel and other materials are cleaned first. Rinse with warm water, but never use soap or detergent, because they can harm your fish! Arrange the gravel and decor first, then add the heater, filter, and air pump. Next place a plate on the bottom to keep the gravel and decorations in place and slowly pour water into the plate till the tank is one-third full and remove the plate.
Adding stress coat to tap water is recommended to neutralize the chemicals in it. Also add the proper pH to neutralize acidity in the water, maintaining the pH level at approximately 7.0, depending on the type of fish you have, for best results. It's a good idea to add aquarium salt to sterilize the tank. Fill the tank to near the top, leaving space between the water and the cover. Add the cover.
Now it's time to turn on the heater, filter, and air pump. Set the heater to 76-78 degrees, again depending on your fishes' particular requirements. A heater with an automatic shutoff thermostat is recommended when the correct temperature is reached. It is also recommended that you cycle your tank for one to six weeks before adding the fish. Add a thermometer where you can see it, far from the heater. Only place a few fish in the aquarium at a time. A 10-gallon tank can handle about six small fish to start. Swordtails, guppies, tetras, and barbs are recommended for a beginner's tank.
Place the fish in its unopened bag in the tank for 10-15 minutes to match the water temperature before releasing it into the aquarium, but not the water from the bag, which could carry contaminants! Use a net over the sink or a bucket to do this. Add the stress coat to the water to renew the fish's protective coating.
Do not feed your fish for the first day or two until they have adapted to their new environment. Then feed them only once a day for the first few weeks to give them the proper balance of nutrition to stay healthy and look beautiful. Give them only as much as they can eat in five minutes. Add stress coat to reduce waste in the tank and keep the aquarium clean. Watch your fishes' behavior during feeding every day! Also make sure to count your fish every week, and in the event that one of your fish doesn't make it, remove it so that it doesn't pollute the environment for the other fish.
Change the water - 15-25% of the water should be removed and replaced every two weeks to get rid of pollutants, and the gravel should be vacuumed. Add water with stress coat, proper pH when needed, and clean the tank with an algae scraper. Clean the filter and change the filter cartridge every four weeks, and add an activated filter carbon to the tank. Test for pH, ammonia, and nitrite levels in the water. Get a pH test kit to check that the pH is 7.0 and that there are zero levels of ammonia and nitrites. Keep aquarium supplies up to date so you don't get false readings!
Now you are ready to enjoy many hours of peace and beauty with your well-maintained and balanced aquarium. For further information, go to 247PetShop.com.
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