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Setting up a new tank
So you’ve just bought a new aquarium and you can’t wait to get it home and set up this is all very good by all means do so but a word of advice, before you do please read the following it will save you a lot of frustration, disappointment and money.
When you get home don’t just put the stand and tank where you think it looks the best choose a location that is:
1. Close to a power point, you will need power for the pump, light and heater.
2. Not in direct sunlight, too much natural sunlight will promote the growth of algae, not to mention that it will cause extreme fluctuations in water temperature, most tropical fish will only handle a 5° C fluctuation and then only if it’s done over a long period of time.
3. Not where the tank is in a constant draft, once again this will cause extreme fluctuations in temperature, “But the heater will take care of the cooling of the water” you may say, yes it will but during the winter months the heater will be working overtime to maintain the correct water temperature causing the heater to fail prematurely.
4. Not in a high traffic area, most tropical fish are very timid and if exposed to a lot of sudden movements they will dart around the tank and eventually injure themselves, in a low traffic area the fish will become accustomed to people moving about.
OK you’ve chosen the ideal spot for your aquarium now you can get it set up but before you throw in the gravel, rocks, driftwood, plants and filter there are a few things you should do:
· Wash the tank; a strong solution of chlorine is ideal, rinse thoroughly with fresh water, followed by a strong solution of Luke warm salt water and again rinse thoroughly. Place the tank on the stand make sure you have a sheet of polystyrene foam between the tank and the stand.
· If your using a under gravel filter wash it in the salt solution and rinse, put it in the bottom of the tank.
· Wash the gravel thoroughly, the best way to do this is by putting it in a bucket (half a bucket at a time) run clean water into the bucket, agitate (stir) the gravel until the overflowing water runs clean, tip the washed gravel into tank you should have a minimum of 35 mm depth of gravel at the front of the tank tapered up to 50 mm at the back of the tank (this makes the tank look deeper).
· Before you put in the rocks and driftwood soak them for 2 to 3 hours (longer is better) in a hot strong salt-water solution, rinse thoroughly with fresh water and put them into the tank.
· If your using box or any other type of internal filter wash them in a mild Luke warm salt water solution (wash the heater at this time also) and rinse with fresh water. Hint: to stop box or corner filters from floating put a few marbles or a little gravel in the bottom of it before adding the filter medium and half fill them with water.
· Put the heater, filters and air stones into the tank, connect airlines.
· Now add some water, to avoid disturbing the gravel, place a dinner plate or piece of glass in the tank and run the water onto it. Half fill the tank and check for leaks, continue to slowly fill the tank checking for leaks as it fills.
· Turn on the heater and air pump
Now the tank is ready for fish, NOT SO, I know it’s tempting to race out at this point and purchase fish, but I strongly advise against it, let the set up bubble away for about 4 to 5 days this will give the filters time to clean the water and you may have to adjust the heater to get the water temperature correct (it can take several hours after adjusting the heater for the temperature to level off again).
NOW the fish, NO NOT YET, now add some plants, and of cause while you’ve been planting the plants you stirred up all the sediment again so let the filters do their job again for 2 to 3 days.
NOW THE FISH, well it’s about time you say, yes provided that all is well, the water is clean and not cloudy and the temperature is correct there is no reason you can’t put SOME fish in, but only put 2 or 3 in to start with, as yet there is no beneficial bacteria (this bacteria brakes down the ammonia in fish waste, EXCESSIVE AMMONIA KILLS FISH), let these fish swim around for a week or so, then add a couple more. By adding a few fish at a time gives the beneficial bacteria a chance to build up, and the fish will benefit by having clean healthy water.Read about the nitrogen cycle.
I know this seems like a long process but you will be well rewarded for your patience, to many people have raced in only to have fish die because the tank wasn’t set up correctly or they have added to many fish into a newly set up tank, often these people get rid of their tank and are lost to the aquarium hobby through not being informed on the correct procedures.
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