Basic Equipment you will need
-Aquarium
-gravel
-aquarium filter
-filter media, for now and then some when it’s time to be replaced
-heater
-decor (plants etc.)
-aquarium test kits, to test the water
-fish food
-aquarium vacuum
-fish net
-glass scrubber
- bucket that holds at least 5 gallons
Having an aquarium is not a set and forget kind of hobby. Fish need to be fed daily and regular maintenance is needed. Also, keep in mind that there are continuing costs to being an aquarist. Such as having food, filter media, energy costs for the lighting, heater and filter.
Next you should decide on how big of an aquarium you want. Keep in mind that large tanks take up a lot of space as they also need to have a good stable stand to be kept on. Also a fully set up aquarium filled with water, decorations and inhabitants can way upwards of 10 pounds per gallon.
When deciding on the size of your tank you should also know what kind of fish you will be keeping. Some fresh water species can get up to a foot in length or even larger. If you are just starting out you should consider starting off with a smaller tank (between 10 and 20 gallons) as to not over whelm yourself. Beginners should also consider choosing hardier, smaller fish like tetras.
Where do you plan on keeping your aquarium? Could it be affected by windows or heating vents? Both of these could wreak havoc on your tank’s temperature. Can the floor below support the total weight of the tank? Remember that a fully filled 40 gallon tank could weigh 400 pounds.
Next you need to make your purchases. Make sure that you purchase equipment that will be able to keep up with the size of your tank. Heater should be able to heat the full amount of water in the tank and the filter should be able to have a turnover rate of about 4 times an hour. Meaning the filter should filter through the water of the tank about 4 times an hour.
When purchasing gravel you should have about 1 to 1.5 pounds of gravel for every gallon of water. Finish off with getting your plants and other decorations, as well as a power strip if the electrical outlet near the tank doesn’t support the amount of plugs you have.
Wash the tank out with just plain water to rid of any dust that may have accumulated during packaging and transport. Do not use any soaps or detergents as the left over residue is harmful to the life soon to inside the tank. Wash anything else that is going into the tank as well, for example the gravel, and other decorations. Tip: to wash the gravel, place it in a pasta strainer and rinse under a tap of running water.
Add the gravel to the tank and place the plants and decorations.
Using room temperature water, fill-up your tank. At this time you can also add a water conditioner, follow the instructions on the bottle when doing so.
Tip: Don’t fill the tank up completely, so that if you need to make any other arrangements you can without the worry of spilling over when you place your arm in the tank. Also keep in mind that if you are getting several large fish you need to account for the water displacement they will add.
Now you can start to set up the filter, heater and lighting. When installing the heater let the thermometer adjust to the water temperature before turning it on. This can take about 15 minutes. Put on the canopy and then check to make sure all your power cords are free of water. Turn on heater, lighting and filter to make sure it is all working appropriately.
Now that your tank is all set up… you get to play the waiting game. You should let the tank cycle for a couple days so it can adjust to itself.
Once your tank has sat for a couple days (a week is recommended) you can start to add fish.
It is best to slowly add a few fish at a time, to allow the bacteria load in filters to adjust correctly. Try your best to not over populate your tank. A good rule to follow is one inch of fish per gallon.
When adding your fish, let the bag of fish sit unopened in the tank to allow the water temperature in the bag adjust to the temperature of the tank water. After letting the bag sit in the tank for about a half hour, add some of the tank water to the bag. This allows the fish to gradually get used to the different pH levels of the tank. Wait about 15 minutes and add some more tank water to the bag. Wait another 15 minutes and then you should be ok to add you fish to their new home.
Many in the industry recommend not feeding the fish for the first 24 hours so they can get accustomed to the new habitat.
Now you can sit back and enjoy the wonderful and engaging hobby of having an aquarium.
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