How to set up a tropical freshwater aquarium

Video: How to set up a FRESHWATER AQUARIUM: Beginners guide to your 1st Fish Tank

Content

Steps
Part 1 of 4: Choosing a Suitable Location for Your Aquarium
Part 2 of 4: Filling the aquarium
Part 3 of 4: Preparing the water
Part 4 of 4: Populating your aquarium with fish
Tips
Warnings
What do you need

Aquariums are an interesting addition to any space, representing a living object of attention, a source of color and entertainment. However, the aquarium is more than a subject to behold. It is inhabited by living things, so the aquarium needs proper arrangement and maintenance.If you choose a suitable place for your aquarium, fill it with the necessary equipment and prepared water, and then gradually populate it with fish, then you will have a beautiful living corner of the underwater world full of happy and healthy inhabitants at home.

Steps

Part 1 of 4: Choosing a Suitable Location for Your Aquarium

1 Choose a sturdy table or cabinet to set up your aquarium. Although some aquariums are sold with a stand for their weight, standard aquariums will need to choose such a support themselves. Find a table, stand or other sturdy object that can support the weight of your aquarium filled with water.
- Remember that the weight of one liter of water is one kilogram. Given this fact, a large aquarium can be very heavy. Make sure your aquarium is securely supported and that you do not need to move it after it is filled with water.
- If you have nothing to put your aquarium on, you can buy a ready-made cabinet for it in a pet store or order it online.
2 Keep the aquarium out of direct sunlight, cold drafts and vibrations. Tropical fish are very sensitive to temperature and noise and should be kept out of your tank from anything that might disturb them. Place the aquarium where it will not be exposed to too much direct sunlight or drafts from open windows. Also, the aquarium should be located far enough away from audio speakers, which can generate strong vibrations.
- Placing an aquarium in the corner of a room will help you avoid many of the potential problems. It also reduces the risk of someone accidentally knocking over the aquarium.
3 Make sure there are electrical outlets near the aquarium. Your aquarium will need a water heater, filter and lights, which will need to be plugged in. When choosing a location for your aquarium, make sure you have the right number of electrical outlets nearby so you don't have to pull the extension cord across the room.
- You should also ensure that the power plugs of important aquarium equipment (water heater or filter) cannot be accidentally unplugged by children or other pets. Hide excess wires securely so that the equipment stays connected at all times.
4 Set up the aquarium out of reach of other pets. If you have a cat or dog, they may be attracted by the aquarium itself and the animals inside it. Even if the aquarium has a lid, some particularly persistent animals may try to get to its contents to catch a fish. Find a location for your aquarium that minimizes the risk of opening it by other pets.
- Placing the aquarium on a solid, elevated surface will reduce the risk of fish being disturbed by other pets.
- If you keep cats at home, you may need to add an obstacle to prevent them from reaching the aquarium. Alternatively, just make sure there are no surfaces around the aquarium for cats to climb on or from which they can jump onto the aquarium.

Part 2 of 4: Filling the aquarium

1 Place a 5–10 cm layer of washed gravel into the aquarium. Purchase a bag of aquarium gravel or other suitable substrate from your local pet store. Rinse the soil with clean water in a bucket or colander before adding it to the aquarium. Start by creating a 5cm layer on the front glass and gradually move to a 10cm layer in the background.
- Use a scoop or small spatula to add gravel. Don't just add gravel as this can cause scratches and chips on the aquarium glass that can weaken.
- Gravel and other aquarium soil can be found at a pet store or ordered online.
2 Fill your tank with water. Place a small saucer or bowl on the bottom of the aquarium.Use a hose, bucket, or large pitcher to start filling your aquarium with water. Pour the water directly onto a saucer or bowl to fill the tank more accurately without disturbing the already placed gravel.
- Stop when about 5 cm is left to the edge of the aquarium. This will prevent overflow of water when planting and installing other decorations.
- Use only dechlorinated water in your aquarium. You can use filtered or bottled water for your aquarium, or you can treat your tap water with a dechlorinating conditioner. A liquid or tablet conditioner for preparing aquarium water can be purchased at a pet store or ordered online.
3 Add live plants to your aquarium. They will help oxygenate the water and give your aquarium a more natural look. The pet store sells both live and artificial aquarium plants. Their roots (or base) should be covered with gravel for planting and anchoring in a specific place.
- In most cases, the larger plants are planted in the background and the smaller plants in the front.
- Plants such as javanese moss in the foreground, hygrophila variegated in the middle and aponogeton ulvoid in the background look amazing in the aquarium.
4 Decorate your aquarium with multiple decorations. A few bright decorations, such as a small shipwreck or a few large rocks, will break up the aquarium space and provide your fish with hiding places. For a more interesting aquarium, place 1-2 large decorations on the sides.
- Leave about ⅓ of the aquarium space empty for the fish to swim freely. They should be able to communicate with each other, and, if necessary, hide in shelters, but at the same time the aquarium should not be overcrowded and overloaded with contents.
- Decorations in the aquarium can be large and well-washed rocks, figures of sunken ships, or just about anything you want to put inside. Think about what ideas for decorating your aquarium come to your mind!
- Do not put plastic, ceramic, raw wood and glass in the aquarium. Plastics and ceramics can be sources of harmful chemicals if left in water for long periods of time. Untreated driftwood can harbor harmful bacteria, and glass can injure your fish.
- If you are not sure which decorations should be used in your aquarium, search the Internet for different aquarium decorations or consult a pet store consultant.

Part 3 of 4: Preparing the water

1 Dechlorinate the water. Most tap water contains some chlorine, which is harmful to all aquarium fish. To prevent the fish from getting sick, treat the water for the aquarium with a special conditioner that will remove chlorine from it. For best results, follow the instructions for the air conditioner you are using.
- You can purchase an air conditioner to prepare your aquarium water at your local pet store or online.
2 Install a filter in the aquarium. An aquarium filter will help you cleanse the water from impurities and keep it clean and clear. Purchase an aquarium filter from a pet store or order it online and follow the manufacturer's instructions for installing it exactly.
- There are many different types of filters that can be used to keep your aquarium water clear and clear. Collect additional information on suitable filtration systems in various price ranges for various aquarium sizes to determine which one to choose for your aquarium.
3 Install a water heater and thermometer in the aquarium to monitor the water temperature. Tropical fish thrive best in warm water, which is why a water heater and thermometer are important equipment for an aquarium.Install a water heater in the aquarium at the back wall and turn it on so that it starts heating the water. Attach a thermometer to the front glass to monitor the water temperature and, if necessary, adjust the operation of the water heater.
- Make sure that the water heater cable is laid with a drain loop. A loop is created on the free length of the cable just in front of the mains plug. This loop will cause water accidentally falling on the wire to drip from it, and not drain into the outlet.
- The specific temperature parameters of the water will depend on the needs of the fish you want to start. Before purchasing any fish, carefully consider their water temperature requirements so that your aquarium inhabitants do well.
- Do not turn on the water heater within 30 minutes after placing it in the aquarium, otherwise, due to the sharp temperature contrast, the device may burst.
4 Make sure to chemical parameters of water safe for fish. There are many factors that can make the water unsafe for fish (such as pH and ammonia). Purchase a dedicated aquarium water test kit and follow the manufacturer's instructions for use. The following are the parameters that you should pay attention to.
- The pH of the aquarium water should be between 6.0-8.0. If it's too low, use baking soda to raise the pH in the tank. If it is too high, lower the pH in the aquarium by installing natural driftwood inside.
- After a while, the level of ammonia, nitrites and nitrates will begin to regulate independently. However, you should not add fish to the aquarium until the ammonia and nitrites have disappeared, after which you will need to monitor the nitrates.
- It is necessary to test the water to check its safety at least once a month.
SPECIALIST'S ADVICE
Doug Ludemann

Professional Aquarist Doug Ludemann is the owner and operator of Fish Geeks, LLC, a professional aquarium maintenance company based in Minneapolis. He has been working in the field of aquaristics and fish care for over 20 years. Received a BA in Ecology, Evolution and Behavior from the University of Minnesota. Previously worked as a professional aquarist at the Minnesota Zoo and Shedd Aquarium in Chicago.
Doug Ludemann
Professional aquarist
Install a CO2 supply system in the aquarium. This system will prevent the pH from dropping below 6.5. This indicator should not be allowed to fall below this level.
5 Place the illuminated lid on the aquarium. The lid will protect the aquarium from unwanted objects from entering, and the backlight will allow the plants to develop normally. If your aquarium lid does not have a built-in light, buy an 18-40 W aquarium lamp separately from the pet store or order it online.
- Make sure that the backlight is also connected to the mains with a loop on the wire to reduce the risk of electric shock and the risk of short circuits.
- If you keep live plants in your aquarium, then you will need to use at least 1W of lighting for every liter of water. Otherwise, any 18-40 W lamp will work for you.
- Connect the backlight with a timer so that it only works 10-12 hours a day. Keeping the lights on for a longer period can lead to a rise in temperature in the aquarium, increased evaporation rate and algae growth. You can purchase outlet timers at a hardware store or an electrical store. Sometimes they are even sold at pet stores.
6 Perform a fish-free aquarium launchso that a colony of beneficial bacteria settles in the filter. There must be enough beneficial bacteria in the aquarium before it is safe for fish to live. Leave the filter in it for 2-7 days to allow bacteria to settle in the filter.Continue to keep the equipment of the unoccupied aquarium in working order until the water conditions are safe for the fish.
- To speed up the process of setting up the aquarium cycle, you can add a small pinch of fish food to your aquarium, or ask the pet store for some dirty aquarium gravel or an old used aquarium filter sponge that already contains beneficial bacteria.
- Safe water should have very low ammonia and nitrite concentrations. When the water is safe, you will see nitrates begin to form in it.

Part 4 of 4: Populating your aquarium with fish

1 Start with just one or two tropical fish. Introducing too many fish into the aquarium right away can upset the balance of ammonia, nitrates and bacteria that you have been breeding. Choose one or two easy-care tropical fish to start settling in your new aquarium.
- African cichlids and neon tetras are perfect for your first tropical freshwater aquarium fish. If you can't find them at your local pet store, check with your retailer which species they can recommend for your first tropical fish.
- Whatever fish you buy, be sure to find out the parameters of the aquarium water it needs - you need to make sure that you can ensure that it has a happy and healthy life.
- If you are just starting your first aquarium, the easiest place to start is by purchasing two fish of the same species.
- Make sure that the fish you purchase are compatible with each other! Some fish can attack, stress, and even eat other fish. Look online for compatibility information, or check with your pet store dealer when you decide to add new residents to your aquarium.
2 Turn off the lights in the aquarium. Bright light can cause additional stress in newly acquired fish and slow down their adaptation to a new location. Turn off the lights in the aquarium and make sure there are enough hiding places for the fish to explore at their own pace.
- The backlight can be turned on and then used with a regular timer, as soon as the fish get used to it and begin to freely swim around the aquarium.
- If the fish are exposed to severe stress, they can easily get sick and die. Any steps you take to reduce stress for them will help make them happier and healthier.
3 Allow the fish to adapt to the water temperature in the aquarium before releasing them. Let the bag with the purchased fish float in the aquarium to smoothly equalize the water temperature. After about 20 minutes, add the aquarium water to the bag, doubling the volume. Wait another 20 minutes before removing the fish from the bag with the net and transferring it to the aquarium.
- If you immediately pour the fish along with the water into the aquarium, you can shock it, which will adversely affect its health. The above procedure will help to smoothly adapt the fish to the new water parameters.
- Try not to add the water you brought your fish home to your aquarium, as it can disturb the water conditions in your aquarium.
- Do not feed the fish on the day of purchase. Most likely, they will be under the influence of stress and will not eat, so the food will simply sink to the bottom and rot there. Feed the fish every other day for 4-6 consecutive weeks before moving on to the recommended feeding schedule for this species.
4 Watch for symptoms of disease in your fish. Keep a close eye on the fish over the next few days to make sure they are adapting properly to the new aquarium. If fish appear to be inactive and inactive, make sure they are not sick and treat them appropriately if they do.
- The fact that the fish is under stress or does not feel well can be understood by various signs.She can refuse to eat, spend a lot of time at the surface of the water, lie on the bottom. This behavior suggests that something is wrong with her.
- Monitor the condition of the fish scales. Any changes, wounds and color spots can be symptoms that the fish is sick and needs treatment.
5 Test the water parameters daily for at least one month. When fish start to live in the aquarium, they will feed and leave waste from their life, which can upset the established balance. Test the water parameters daily or every other day to make sure the pH level is constant and there is no increase in the ammonia level.
- Raise and lower the pH level in the tank as needed to keep it at the recommended level for your fish.
- If you notice that the ammonia level is increasing in the aquarium, make a water change and avoid overfeeding the fish in order to lower the ammonia level.
- Most water testing kits contain test strips that should be either dipped in or dripped onto them; at the same time, they change their color depending on the level of a specific water parameter. See the test manufacturer's instructions for more specific instructions on using the indicators in your kit.
6 Add additional fish to the tank after 4-6 weeks. You should give your first fish plenty of time to adapt to your new home before introducing someone else into the aquarium. If you want, start adding new fish only after 4-6 weeks. Be sure to make sure all of your fish can live comfortably together, and provide new residents with a safe entry into the aquarium.
- There are many different reasons why certain types of fish cannot live together. Be sure to check that your new fish are compatible with the old ones before placing them in the same tank.

Tips

Remember that you are going to bring sentient beings home, so it would be unfair if you neglect their needs when caring for them. Be sure to make sure you have the financial means and time to take care of your aquarium.
When purchasing fish, they should be provided with an aquarium that is large enough for them as an adult.
Read the information about the fish you are interested in before making a purchase.
After completing your tropical freshwater aquarium setup, you will need to continue caring for your fish and periodically clean the decorations and the aquarium itself to keep the fish healthy.
It is easier to maintain balance in large aquariums than in small ones. In a large aquarium, it will be easier to maintain the necessary chemical parameters of the water. Aquariums with a volume of less than 40 liters are quite difficult for beginners to maintain. If you are just starting to get involved in aquarium hobby, try to get an aquarium with a volume of more than 20 liters. A smaller aquarium will work if you are only going to keep one Siamese fighting fish.
Before placing items such as gravel and driftwood in the aquarium, be sure to rinse them thoroughly.

Warnings

Make sure all electrical wires are routed with a loop that will allow water to drip in the event of a leak. This loop will prevent water from draining down the wire to the outlet.
Before turning on the water heater, it is necessary to let it acquire the temperature of the water in the aquarium. Leave it in water for about 30 minutes and only then turn it on to avoid cracking and damage to the device.