*Please note that depending on what you are reading, you may need to juggle back, and forth on the different sections of this article to get a clear definition of what some things mean.
A very wise fish keeper once told me and I quote "The vast majority of fish, community or not, do have a preference one way or the other, and this knowledge can be achieved by research on the individuals part." Please bare in mind that this is only brief and much research still needs to be done.
Hiya,
First off let say congrats! You have done yourself and your fish a big favor in coming here and reading this. Let me tell you first hand that the key to keeping an aquarium is knowledge in what your fish like and dislike, and you, my friend have come to the right place! You may wonder what "brief" is, of course they're are lots of different things you will need to know, but this is what I feel needs to be told as the basics of setting up and keeping an aquarium. Let my give you a run-down on what I will discuss...
Setting up an Aquarium
Cycling an Aquarium
Ph
Maintaining an aquarium
A run down at the Fish store
When setting up an aquarium you mustn't rush into anything. When choosing an aquarium first thing you must consider is size. Size will effect the types of fish you can place into that aquarium, it will also effect the amount of maintenance time you have to put into your tank. The up side is that you will find it harder to pollute the tank, thus resulting in happier fish. The next thing you have to consider is price, do you really want to spend 500 or more dollars buying a 50 gallon tank? Sometimes buying a used tank is a good fix, but make sure the tank is in good condition and has good Silicone seals.
Be sure you have a hood for the tank (fish sometimes jump
) And a filter (be it Power filter, In-tank filter, Canister filter, Under Gravel filter, ect.) A general rule for filters is that the filter should run at least 5 times the amount water in the tank per hour, for example a ten gallon tank would need the filter a filter running 50 gallons an hour. It is always best to over filter a tank rather then under filter it. A thermometer and heater will also be something you need, unless your house stays at a constant 70 degrees or higher the heater may not be needed. Try to get two or three heaters just in case one breaks on you. When choosing a heater and thermometer it is always best to "bite the bullet" and buy the better, more expensive guys. When choosing a stand, make sure it can support the weight of the tank (a lot of stands are actually under built.) Make sure the stand is sturdy and doesn't shake when you place weight on it. I have also heard it may be a good thing to put a substance called polystyrene onto the top of the stand. This polystyrene is actually made out of petroleum and will help with taking out minor flaws in the tanks wood work, correct any un-level parts of the stand.
An empty tank (cycled and running) is always a good thing to have around to keep as a hospital tank.
Okay, so you have the tank all picked out. Lets move onto decor. When choosing decor it is always a good thing to consider what your fish like. Normally majority of fish will like to have some sort of cover along with an open area to swim around. Rocks, bogwood (yes the store should sell it) and caves can be used for shelter along with live or silk plants (I do not recommend plastic plants, the sharp edges can rip and tear fins/scales if the fish get spooked, and go on a rampage around the tank. Live plants are best.) Choose what you like, the aqaurium should make both the owner and inhabitant happy. The bottom of the aquarium can also be covered, although this will mean more and harder maintenance of the tank. The store should carry different substances to place on it, ranging from Flourite to pea sized pebble gravel. Flourite will definitely be something to consider if you have live plants (as it will help with the growth of the plants.) Play sand may also be something you fancy and can be purchased from most hardware stores.
Let me move onto some basic chemicals you may need to help set-up the aquarium, some people may need other things depending on their water
Stress Coat or some type of Tap conditioner
Bio-Spira (i've heard it's the only biological bacteria booster that works!)
Test kits for Ph, Ammonia, Nitrite and Nitrates (Not a chemical but a fish keeping "must")
Plant food if you choose live plants (tablets, or liquid food)
These are the basics you will need for starting the tank. Check the Ph from the tap, if it is too low or too high for the fish you like you may also need to get buffers that can help correct it, although it all depends on what your fish like. Sometimes, it is not recommended, and is better to let them adapt to your tank.
It is also always a good think to carry around some Pimafix (Fungal medication), Melafix (Bacterial medication) and some protozoan parasite medication (just in case you get Ick.)
It may also be very useful to pick up a big 5 gallon bucket at the fish store if they sell them, and a Gravel siphon/vaccum. Both of these take some of the stress of maintenance to the tank after you have got everything set up.
Fish food can also be purchased at this time if you like, choose a variety of food such as frozen, flake and pellet.
Don't even glance at the fish, you aren't ready for those yet
! Take all this home with you, you will need to buy the fish later.
Setting up an Aquarium
You have just unloaded the car full of all these fish keeping goodies and have them all sprawled out on your floor. You have found a place in your house that can fit the size of the tank, and an area that can support the weight. Be sure this place is not a high traffic area, intense vibrations can spook the fish and can lead to sickness or death (these can trigger those rampages I talked about earlier). Only really watch out for this though, if you have fish that get spooked easily. Bala sharks, Iridescent sharks and Pictus catfish seem to always be "jittery" when they are young so it's a good thing to watch out for. Next, you must construct the stand if it hasn't been constructed already. Whatever you do, don't skimp on anything. Fasten all bolts firmly into place and make sure you understand the directions. Once you have the stand constructed place the tank on top. Wipe the inside and outside of the tank down with a damp papercloth so all the dust is taken off. Take the substrate (whatever you have chosen) and give it a good rinse in the sink (depending on what it is you can put it in a strainer or leave it in the bag) If you choose sand don't worry if the tank gets cloudy it will eventually turn back to clear. Once the substrate is rinsed you can gently place it in the tank (don't throw it in, the bottom can crack) place the ornaments onto/into the substrate. You can now set up the filter (any active carbon should be rinsed before use.) If you have live plants place the chemicals into the tank now, if not they can wait. Use a hose to fill up the tank if you can (takes a lot less time) let it run for a few minutes before placing it into the tank as to let anything inside get washed out. Place it into the tank letting the end touch the side of the aquarium this way any ornaments will not get disturbed or moved around. Once the tank is full of water and the ornaments are how you like them, you can place the heater, thermometer and anything else you haven't already added into the tank. Check everything and make sure it's all working let the tank run for a few days. By doing this you can fiddle around with all your new toys and make sure you have everything working. I have also heard, but am a bit sceptic about that another reason why you should let it sit for a few days is to make sure it is fully oxygenated. After a few days you can go and get your cycling fish (we will discuss exactly what cycling is in a little) cycling fish should be small hardy fish such a Danios or Platys. An Ammonia removing chemical can also be used during this time along with a Biological Bacteria Booster. This way of cycling can be cruel and harmful to the well being of your fish but is entirely up to you if you would like to do it. Another way to get this done is a fish-less cycle. A fish-less cycle is done with putting Ammonia into the tank. Check exactly how to fish-less cycle Here. Good donated filter media is sometimes risky (you can introduce something into the tank this way) but is another easy way to pretty much "skip" the cycling process. Once the tank has been cycled you may go out and get the fish. Remember you need to make sure you have the right environment for the fish you are picking, and all fish you are getting are compatible. A normal rule when choosing small fish is that you can have one inch per gallon (ten one inch fish can be placed into a 10 gallon aquarium, or five two inch fish.)Anything over 1 or 2 inches shouldn't count for this rule. Be sure you know the adult size of this fish! Sings of healthy fish can be something to look out for when buying fish, these are only the more regular things to look out for:
Nice vibrant colors
Clear healthy looking scales with no open lesions, cuts or spots
A nice plump body (make sure it's thick through the whole fish and not just thick around the stomach area)
Small, colored poo (in other words no stringy, white feces hanging from the fish)
In addition to this the fish should swim to meet you at the front of the glass, it should also be active and move around when people approach. Ask the fish store employee to feed the fish for you, choose the ones that eat quickly and seem to have an appetite.
Cycling an Aquarium
Let me start by telling you the Nitrogen Cycle. The Nitrogen Cycle is present in all eco-systems and is a key roll in the growth and development of life. There are also two types of bacteria that break down these toxins, they are Nitrosomonas (Nitrites) and Nitrospira (Nitrates.) First part of this cycle is going to be Ammonia. Ammonia is going to be given off by uneaten food, fishes waste, any dead plant material and even dead fish (if left in the tank). Ammonia is best taken out by regular water changes, and activated carbon, although some other diffrent products will take Ammonia out . Any amount Ammonia is toxic to fish and can be harmful to their well-being. The second part of the Nitrogen cycle is when the Ammonia starts to break down and turns into Nitrite. This too, is also toxic to fish and no amounts should be tolerated. Last but not least is Nitrates. This is less toxic to fish and will be found in the aquarium. Nitrates won't be any problem as long as they are in small amounts (anything over 100 ppms may result in a problem.) These different stages will also be absorbed into live plants as food, which is also a great reason to get them.
When cycling you are building up "good" bacteria that a new tank doesn't have. This "good" bacteria is going to gather on any surface in the tank and will eat away any Ammonia on Nitrites in the tank keeping all the inhabitants happy and healthy.
* Just wanted to add in, that the best way to get rid and combat against too much of any of the three stages of the Nitrogen cycle is do water changes.
Ph
Ph is one of the bigger things we have to look out for when choosing fish. Ph is a measuring system of how acidic or alkaline water is. Some fish, like different African cichlids like their water to be very alkaline (7.5 and above) while some South American Cichlids tend to like more acidic water (6.9 and below) in the Ph scale 7.0 is known as neutral, and happens to be suitable for most community fish. Ph can be controlled by adding R/O/De-ionization mixed in with tap, and other things like Peatmoss and drift wood will help. Be careful though as a quick drop in Ph can end up killing fish!
Try not to use Ph buffers, they can be pretty risky.
Maintaining an aquarium
Well, you have come a long ways. You have found out all about the basics and only have a little ways to go. Maintaining a fish tank is one of the more important things to do, hey, you did spend all this money on these fish, why let them die now? Maintenance should be done once a week. The tank should be vacuumed with a gravel vac (definitely recommended if you have catfish) , 25 percent of the water should be taken out an replaced (with the correct chemicals added of course) and aquarium plants should be pruned (if any are present in the tank.) Other then that not much else is needed, pretty simple hey? Keep up on this it will only take 20-30 minutes per week to get this done, it is a must.
Hope you have learned something from this and have considered the information stated before rushing into anything! May your fish live a happy, healthy life!
A very wise fish keeper once told me and I quote "The vast majority of fish, community or not, do have a preference one way or the other, and this knowledge can be achieved by research on the individuals part." Please bare in mind that this is only brief and much research still needs to be done.
Hiya,
First off let say congrats! You have done yourself and your fish a big favor in coming here and reading this. Let me tell you first hand that the key to keeping an aquarium is knowledge in what your fish like and dislike, and you, my friend have come to the right place! You may wonder what "brief" is, of course they're are lots of different things you will need to know, but this is what I feel needs to be told as the basics of setting up and keeping an aquarium. Let my give you a run-down on what I will discuss...
Setting up an Aquarium
Cycling an Aquarium
Ph
Maintaining an aquarium
A run down at the Fish store
When setting up an aquarium you mustn't rush into anything. When choosing an aquarium first thing you must consider is size. Size will effect the types of fish you can place into that aquarium, it will also effect the amount of maintenance time you have to put into your tank. The up side is that you will find it harder to pollute the tank, thus resulting in happier fish. The next thing you have to consider is price, do you really want to spend 500 or more dollars buying a 50 gallon tank? Sometimes buying a used tank is a good fix, but make sure the tank is in good condition and has good Silicone seals.
Be sure you have a hood for the tank (fish sometimes jump
) And a filter (be it Power filter, In-tank filter, Canister filter, Under Gravel filter, ect.) A general rule for filters is that the filter should run at least 5 times the amount water in the tank per hour, for example a ten gallon tank would need the filter a filter running 50 gallons an hour. It is always best to over filter a tank rather then under filter it. A thermometer and heater will also be something you need, unless your house stays at a constant 70 degrees or higher the heater may not be needed. Try to get two or three heaters just in case one breaks on you. When choosing a heater and thermometer it is always best to "bite the bullet" and buy the better, more expensive guys. When choosing a stand, make sure it can support the weight of the tank (a lot of stands are actually under built.) Make sure the stand is sturdy and doesn't shake when you place weight on it. I have also heard it may be a good thing to put a substance called polystyrene onto the top of the stand. This polystyrene is actually made out of petroleum and will help with taking out minor flaws in the tanks wood work, correct any un-level parts of the stand.An empty tank (cycled and running) is always a good thing to have around to keep as a hospital tank.
Okay, so you have the tank all picked out. Lets move onto decor. When choosing decor it is always a good thing to consider what your fish like. Normally majority of fish will like to have some sort of cover along with an open area to swim around. Rocks, bogwood (yes the store should sell it) and caves can be used for shelter along with live or silk plants (I do not recommend plastic plants, the sharp edges can rip and tear fins/scales if the fish get spooked, and go on a rampage around the tank. Live plants are best.) Choose what you like, the aqaurium should make both the owner and inhabitant happy. The bottom of the aquarium can also be covered, although this will mean more and harder maintenance of the tank. The store should carry different substances to place on it, ranging from Flourite to pea sized pebble gravel. Flourite will definitely be something to consider if you have live plants (as it will help with the growth of the plants.) Play sand may also be something you fancy and can be purchased from most hardware stores.
Let me move onto some basic chemicals you may need to help set-up the aquarium, some people may need other things depending on their water
Stress Coat or some type of Tap conditioner
Bio-Spira (i've heard it's the only biological bacteria booster that works!)
Test kits for Ph, Ammonia, Nitrite and Nitrates (Not a chemical but a fish keeping "must")
Plant food if you choose live plants (tablets, or liquid food)
These are the basics you will need for starting the tank. Check the Ph from the tap, if it is too low or too high for the fish you like you may also need to get buffers that can help correct it, although it all depends on what your fish like. Sometimes, it is not recommended, and is better to let them adapt to your tank.
It is also always a good think to carry around some Pimafix (Fungal medication), Melafix (Bacterial medication) and some protozoan parasite medication (just in case you get Ick.)
It may also be very useful to pick up a big 5 gallon bucket at the fish store if they sell them, and a Gravel siphon/vaccum. Both of these take some of the stress of maintenance to the tank after you have got everything set up.
Fish food can also be purchased at this time if you like, choose a variety of food such as frozen, flake and pellet.
Don't even glance at the fish, you aren't ready for those yet
! Take all this home with you, you will need to buy the fish later.Setting up an Aquarium
You have just unloaded the car full of all these fish keeping goodies and have them all sprawled out on your floor. You have found a place in your house that can fit the size of the tank, and an area that can support the weight. Be sure this place is not a high traffic area, intense vibrations can spook the fish and can lead to sickness or death (these can trigger those rampages I talked about earlier). Only really watch out for this though, if you have fish that get spooked easily. Bala sharks, Iridescent sharks and Pictus catfish seem to always be "jittery" when they are young so it's a good thing to watch out for. Next, you must construct the stand if it hasn't been constructed already. Whatever you do, don't skimp on anything. Fasten all bolts firmly into place and make sure you understand the directions. Once you have the stand constructed place the tank on top. Wipe the inside and outside of the tank down with a damp papercloth so all the dust is taken off. Take the substrate (whatever you have chosen) and give it a good rinse in the sink (depending on what it is you can put it in a strainer or leave it in the bag) If you choose sand don't worry if the tank gets cloudy it will eventually turn back to clear. Once the substrate is rinsed you can gently place it in the tank (don't throw it in, the bottom can crack) place the ornaments onto/into the substrate. You can now set up the filter (any active carbon should be rinsed before use.) If you have live plants place the chemicals into the tank now, if not they can wait. Use a hose to fill up the tank if you can (takes a lot less time) let it run for a few minutes before placing it into the tank as to let anything inside get washed out. Place it into the tank letting the end touch the side of the aquarium this way any ornaments will not get disturbed or moved around. Once the tank is full of water and the ornaments are how you like them, you can place the heater, thermometer and anything else you haven't already added into the tank. Check everything and make sure it's all working let the tank run for a few days. By doing this you can fiddle around with all your new toys and make sure you have everything working. I have also heard, but am a bit sceptic about that another reason why you should let it sit for a few days is to make sure it is fully oxygenated. After a few days you can go and get your cycling fish (we will discuss exactly what cycling is in a little) cycling fish should be small hardy fish such a Danios or Platys. An Ammonia removing chemical can also be used during this time along with a Biological Bacteria Booster. This way of cycling can be cruel and harmful to the well being of your fish but is entirely up to you if you would like to do it. Another way to get this done is a fish-less cycle. A fish-less cycle is done with putting Ammonia into the tank. Check exactly how to fish-less cycle Here. Good donated filter media is sometimes risky (you can introduce something into the tank this way) but is another easy way to pretty much "skip" the cycling process. Once the tank has been cycled you may go out and get the fish. Remember you need to make sure you have the right environment for the fish you are picking, and all fish you are getting are compatible. A normal rule when choosing small fish is that you can have one inch per gallon (ten one inch fish can be placed into a 10 gallon aquarium, or five two inch fish.)Anything over 1 or 2 inches shouldn't count for this rule. Be sure you know the adult size of this fish! Sings of healthy fish can be something to look out for when buying fish, these are only the more regular things to look out for:
Nice vibrant colors
Clear healthy looking scales with no open lesions, cuts or spots
A nice plump body (make sure it's thick through the whole fish and not just thick around the stomach area)
Small, colored poo (in other words no stringy, white feces hanging from the fish)
In addition to this the fish should swim to meet you at the front of the glass, it should also be active and move around when people approach. Ask the fish store employee to feed the fish for you, choose the ones that eat quickly and seem to have an appetite.
Cycling an Aquarium
Let me start by telling you the Nitrogen Cycle. The Nitrogen Cycle is present in all eco-systems and is a key roll in the growth and development of life. There are also two types of bacteria that break down these toxins, they are Nitrosomonas (Nitrites) and Nitrospira (Nitrates.) First part of this cycle is going to be Ammonia. Ammonia is going to be given off by uneaten food, fishes waste, any dead plant material and even dead fish (if left in the tank). Ammonia is best taken out by regular water changes, and activated carbon, although some other diffrent products will take Ammonia out . Any amount Ammonia is toxic to fish and can be harmful to their well-being. The second part of the Nitrogen cycle is when the Ammonia starts to break down and turns into Nitrite. This too, is also toxic to fish and no amounts should be tolerated. Last but not least is Nitrates. This is less toxic to fish and will be found in the aquarium. Nitrates won't be any problem as long as they are in small amounts (anything over 100 ppms may result in a problem.) These different stages will also be absorbed into live plants as food, which is also a great reason to get them.
When cycling you are building up "good" bacteria that a new tank doesn't have. This "good" bacteria is going to gather on any surface in the tank and will eat away any Ammonia on Nitrites in the tank keeping all the inhabitants happy and healthy.
* Just wanted to add in, that the best way to get rid and combat against too much of any of the three stages of the Nitrogen cycle is do water changes.
Ph
Ph is one of the bigger things we have to look out for when choosing fish. Ph is a measuring system of how acidic or alkaline water is. Some fish, like different African cichlids like their water to be very alkaline (7.5 and above) while some South American Cichlids tend to like more acidic water (6.9 and below) in the Ph scale 7.0 is known as neutral, and happens to be suitable for most community fish. Ph can be controlled by adding R/O/De-ionization mixed in with tap, and other things like Peatmoss and drift wood will help. Be careful though as a quick drop in Ph can end up killing fish!
Try not to use Ph buffers, they can be pretty risky.
Maintaining an aquarium
Well, you have come a long ways. You have found out all about the basics and only have a little ways to go. Maintaining a fish tank is one of the more important things to do, hey, you did spend all this money on these fish, why let them die now? Maintenance should be done once a week. The tank should be vacuumed with a gravel vac (definitely recommended if you have catfish) , 25 percent of the water should be taken out an replaced (with the correct chemicals added of course) and aquarium plants should be pruned (if any are present in the tank.) Other then that not much else is needed, pretty simple hey? Keep up on this it will only take 20-30 minutes per week to get this done, it is a must.
Hope you have learned something from this and have considered the information stated before rushing into anything! May your fish live a happy, healthy life!
thats actually what I meant.
