How to Set-Up and Maintain a Fish Tank
A Guide to Creating Ideal Aquatic Habitats for Fish
Sep 2, 2009
Where the fish tank is going to be positioned is a major consideration as it determines the size of tank, which in turn determines how many fish can be housed there.
An aquarium needs to be located near to a main power supply, away from draughts and direct sunlight. Keeping out of the reach of children or pets is also important.
If a tank does not have a raised glass bottom, then it should sit on aquarium foam or polystyrene pads.
There is also some basic equipment needed to maintain a healthy environment for fish.
- Filter – internal and external.
- Heater – vital for keeping tropical fish.
- Air pump.
- Lighting.
- Gravel.
- Ornaments – these give fish places to hide.
- Water conditioner.
- Water test kit.
- Filter boost.
Installing a Fish Tank
- Clean out the new tank and put it in its location. It becomes extremely hard to move once set-up so ensure it is in the right place at the beginning.
- Wash the gravel without the use of soap or chemicals.
- Cover the bottom of the tank with a layer of gravel 5cm thick at the rear and sloping to 3cm at the front.
- Fit the heating, lighting, filtration and aeration equipment but do not plug in yet.
- Half fill the tank with cold water without disturbing the gravel bed.
- Clean all plants and ornaments thoroughly before placing in the tank.
- Fill the tank up to within 3cm of the top and add the water conditioner.
- Switch on the equipment except the heater. Once everything else has been working for around 30 minutes, the heater can then be switched on.
- Do not put fish in the water for seven days, and keep testing it until it is in a suitable condition for any fish. Note it may appear cloudy for a few days but it will clear.
Introducing Fish
As a filter will have to adjust to an increase in ammonia in the water, it is vital not to stock the fish tank too quickly. Failure to do so will result in the filter being unable to control the level of toxins in the water due to the waste being created by the fish.
When choosing the fish for a tank, the size to which they will grow needs to be taken into account. Advice should be sought from an expert as some fish are not sociable and will fight, while others like to live in shoals.
Taking Fish Home
Fish should not be left in a bag for longer than two hours and it is important to make sure that they do not get too hot or cold.
Before putting them in the tank, allow the bag to float in the water for about 20 minutes before adding some of the aquarium water to the bag. After a further ten minutes transfer the fish to the aquarium using a net. It is essential the old water does not mix with the water in the aquarium.
The fish may appear nervous at first but they will settle down. It is advisable to leave the aquarium light off and do not feed the fish for a few hours.
Now that the fish have settled in their tank it is important to keep checking on their health as they are susceptible to diseases. Water testing should also be carried out routinely.
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