Congratulations! You have decided to enter the interesting world of tropical fish-keeping. It is a fascinating hobby and a rewarding pastime. The kinds of fish you can acquire are varied as well as the type of aquariums you can own. Let's explore some of the points you will need to consider as you begin to set up your first aquarium. The choices are many and you will find getting started will be more enjoyable with a few basics under your belt. Selecting a Tank The first choice you will have is whether to purchase a glass or acrylic aquarium. Simply put, glass is less expensive, will be scratch resistant and less likely to discolor; acrylic is more expensive but will be stronger and less likely to leak. Acrylic tanks can also be made into many different configurations with minimal seams relative to glass. Another thing to consider is the aquarium size. Various fish have specific volume requirements. A good example of this is the African cichlid. They are aggressive fish and need more water volume due to territory establishment. The more territory you provide the less territory issues you will have. Another good example of a fish with atypical needs is a goldfish. They demand either higher volumes of water or more frequent water changes due to their high ammonia release. Spending some time planning your fish community can help insure that you have purchased the right aquarium. More General Guidelines: 1) Typically both community and most semi-aggressive fish will require one gallon of water to one square inch of fish. 2) Goldfish will need a bigger space/ larger water volume because they grow rapidly; they also have a high ammonia production. They typically need five gallons per fish even at a smaller size (approximately one inch in length) due to their ammonia production. This volume demand will increase with their growth (which is rapid) so plan accordingly. If you do not give them the proper water volume you will be doing many water changes and will be purchasing water additives to balance your goldfish's environment. 3) Most cichlids typically require 5-7 gallons per fish and the correct environment (hiding spaces, caves, etc.). The areas should be created to reduce territory aggression. 4) Betta fish are less demanding when it comes to environmental needs like water volume and quality. Also, bettas can live in environments with lower oxygenation due to their labyrinth organ which allows them to take oxygen directly from the surface. Fishlady Note: This is only meant to be a general guideline. You must research the particular needs of the fish you wish to keep. Remember, like any pet you control and are responsible for their environment. Their lives are literally in your hands! Tank Placement and Set-Up Now that you have selected your tank, you need to decide where it should be placed. The tank should not be placed in direct sunlight, you will find if you do this you'll have too much heat generating light on the tank and a green algae growth will appear. It is also best not to place the tank where there are drafts; this will cause temperature fluctuations that can harm your fish by creating stress and illness. Your tank should be located near a grounded electrical outlet in order to run the heater, canopy and filtration system. Tanks need a stand. When choosing a stand, keep in mind that 1 gallon of water weighs 8.5 pounds.
Filling the Aquarium Proper water quality is a must for your fish, if you have municipal water you will need to dechlorinate. When you are ready to fill the tank, place 30% to 50% of the water in the tank, place decorations and plants; connect the pump and air line tubing if you are adding air stones. Place the thermometer so you will be able to check it at a glance. Fill the rest of the aquarium. Install the heater so after the water is heated it will quickly reach the filter and mix throughout the tank. The circulation of the heated water will keep an even temperature in the aquarium. Water Conditioning, Step 1 As mentioned earlier, if you have municipal water, you will need to dechlorinate it. The next step is to adjust the pH. Finally, add a biological (cycling) product. Fishlady Note: Do not skip ahead to the cycling product or if you do, understand that any test you do on the water will most likely be inaccurate. Some biological products need to run through a filtration system anywhere from 24-48 hours before a water test can be done. I had this happen to me once using testing strips to check the water quality. You will instantly know that you have gotten a false read because the biological product will react with the test strip and give you colors not even on the manufacturer's comparison chart. Also, the testing is most accurate when the manufacturer of the chemicals used and the testing products are the same. General pH Guidelines LIVEBEARERS: 7.0 to 7.6 RASBORAS: 6.2 to 6.8 AFRICAN CICHLIDS: 7.8 to 8.5 RAINBOWS: 7.0 to 7.4 GOLDFISH: 6.5 to 7.0 Next will be filtration, a filter should be able to process water in the tank 6-8 times per hour. The hood or light can be placed on the tank now. The aquarium should not be lighted more than about 8 hours a day; excessive light will cause algae to build up in the tank, causing problems that are best avoided. Water Conditioning and Testing, Step 2 Over the next 3 days the filter and heater should be run to adjust for the type fish you will wish to add to the tank. After 3 or 4 more days the water in the tank should be tested with commercially available strips, even though there are no fish yet in the tank. Desired Levels (Typical Tropical Fish): pH 6.8 - 7.2 Nitrate 0 mg/L Nitrite 0 mg/L Chlorine and Chloramines 0.0 mg/L Ammonia 0.0 mg/L Hardness (which is usually from well water) 100 - 250 mg/L Temperature (between) 75 - 78 degrees Aquarium Cycling, Step 3 Purchase a cycling aid product to seed the tank with bacteria. Cycling the tank is the process of establishing bacterial colonies in the filter bed that converts ammonia (fish excrement and excess food) to nitrite, then nitrate. This is a good place in the program to mention over-feeding is definitely hazardous to your fish, since it is the most common cause of ammonia levels, second only to overcrowding your tank. Note: During the new aquarium cycling process, it is not unusual for the water to become cloudy. It will take several weeks to several months to establish bacterial colonies that are able to clear wastes from the water. Over time that cloudiness will resolve itself. Adding Fish Now that your tank has cycled and the test strips show the water is ideal, fish can be added to the tank. Add fish slowly, 2 or 3 a week. You will want to test for nitrate spikes to see if ammonia levels are at an unsafe level.
