TotallyTropicals

Setting up your fish tank for the first time can be really exciting, but please do not be too hasty and forget some simple things that you need to know before going headlong into it. Firstly it is a good idea to pick a good place to install your tank and stand.. (never put your tank in front of a window!)One of the reasons for this is the fact that due to constant light from the sun coming in, you could be plagued with algae; or alternatively, cold from a window will affect your tank temperature; which is also not good.

First thing to do when installing your tank is to place your stand where you want it; leaving about 8 - 12 inches or so between the tank and the wall, so you are able to get around the tank for maintanance.

Secondly, as soon as your tank's stand is located exactly where you want it; making sure that the stand is level with the wall etc; place the tank on top of it; also making sure that the stand sits perfectly and looks good from all angles.

The next thing to do is to add some gravel; which I must point out, needs to be rinsed thoroughly, this can be emptied into a large bucket for example and washed with ordinary tap water. It is best to rinse the gravel until the water looks pretty clear. As soon the gravel is washed it is best to empty it from the bucket into the tank, and when doing this, please empty it in slowly and carefully; it is possible for a large amount of wet gravel to crack a tank if added in one go. Once the gravel is added, smooth it around until you have the entire tank bottom covered, and until the gravel is around 1 inch deep. You can add more gravel if you choose, depending on how you want your tank to look, but please be aware that the more gravel you have the more easily the substrate can become very dirty, very quickly, and alot of uneaten food can get trapped in it, and work its way down.

If you are considering decor for your tank, you could choose maybe some small rocks, or slate; both of which look very nice if placed correctly and safely. It can be very hazardous to fish if there is a large peice of slate for example that has a very sharp poin sticking up from it, and also it can be just has dangerous if the rocks you choose are able to fall over and injure your fish. It could be a good idea to use silicone on your rocks and ahere them to the bottom of the tank, to where they will usually remain in place for a very long time.

The next step is filling your aquarium; which should only be filled to about 1/4 height at first, to allow you to add your decor and rearrange things accordingly. It is best to fill up a large bucket with water from your shower head; which disperses the Chlorine out of the water, making it safe to add to your aquarium. Alternatively, you can buy a water conditioner treatment which will do the job for you. All you need to do is add a couple of drops to your tap water and this will dechlorinate it for you.

You may have bought some plants for your aquarium too, which will look really great, and be of good use to your aquarium by way of giving off oxygen during daylights hours and absorbing nitrates from the water. These should be added now and placed where you would like them. It is best to push them into the gravel, so that the roots can get well established under the substrate. (Please note: this rule does not apply when using undergravel filtration; the plants would then need to be wrapped in wadding type material and housed in a kind of small plant pot, to avoid their roots being damaged by the effects of using undergravel filtration.)

Once you have added your gravel, decor and plants, you can top up the rest of the aquarium with water, in the same way as before. Please try and pour it in slowly and carfully so as not to dislodge your decor and plants etc too much.

Now it is time to plug in your tank; which hopefully has a light, filter and heater all in working condition. Once this is done and your tank is lit up and your pump is whirring, keep a check on how the water heats up; it would be a good idea to buy a thermomter that sticks to the inside of your aquarium, so you get an accurate reading of your water temperature whenever you need it. The tank heater, pump and filter should be left on constantly, except for when you are cleaning out your tank. The light however, only needs to be on about 8 hours a day, as fish like to sleep at night, (except of course for nocturnal types). It would be best to buy a digital or analogue plug timer, they are great for setting your lights to come on and go off at certain times.

Congratulations! You have now set up your aquarium. For what to do next please goto my Second stage page, which can be located on my home page. Good luck!

Piczo