Setting Up a Tropical Fish Tank

I’m not trying to write a detailed instruction on setting up a tropical fish tank. There is a huge amount to find out about fish and plants which I haven’t covered here, but this article does give the basic information on how to go about setting up a tropical fish tank.

The first thing to consider is the size of the tank. If this is your first aquarium then I would resist the temptation to go for anything too big or too fancy. Large tanks and any tank that has an unusual shape are difficult to look after and have their own set of rules to think about. The small micro tanks are equally difficult as the small amount of water in them means that any water quality issues are exaggerated and cause problems for the fish
  
So when you’re looking for your first tank stick to something between twenty and thirty gallons, stick to the standard shape tank and avoid something too tall as this causes potential problems with lighting. If you are planning on a planted aquarium you need to be looking to provide around three watts per gallon in lighting. If you buy a standard off the shelf aquarium, you will be looking at upgrading the lights as they are usually set up for unplanted tanks.
 
Always remember with all calculations that involve water that the tank when filled with substrate plants, decorations and fish will not hold as much water as it says on the label.
 
As far as the stand is concerned, stick to the purpose built ones. They tend to look better than anything that you can improvise and are designed to take the weight of a full aquarium. If you think that forty gallons of water weighs in at 400 pounds plus the weight of the aquarium, you are asking a lot of any piece of furniture that you use.
 
With heaters, get two of between 50w and 200w depending on your tank size.  The idea of getting two is that if one fails and stops working, the second can take the load and keep your tank up to temperature. Don’t scrimp on the heater.  If you get a cheap one you may end up paying the price later on when your heater packs up and your fish get too cold or worse still too hot.

Imagine coming home from a long weekend to find that your thermostat packed up and all your fish are floating when you get home. It is definitely a false economy to skimp on the heater.

Don’t relay wholly on the thermostat, get a thermometer and check the temperature as a part of your daily routine.
 
When it comes to the filter make sure that you get an internal or external power filter, steer clear of under gravel heaters for planted tanks otherwise you are likely to cause problems with your substrate and plants.
 
You need to think about the  gravel or substrate before you set up the tank. Unless you are going for a particular biotope I would suggest just using a fine natural colour aquarium gravel with a base of  laterite for the plants.

When setting up make sure that your tank is level and supported across its entire width. Install the heater, filter and thermometer, set the thermometer to the right temperature for your intended fish but don’t turn it on yet.

When it comes to putting in the gravel make sure that you rinse it thoroughly until the water runs clear. Otherwise you will end up with cloudy water that your filter will struggle to clear Put some it into a bucket and mix in the laterite for the plants. You need enough to put a bed of about one to one and a half inches in the bottom of the tank. Cover this with enough gravel to bring it up to about two and half to three inches deep. Add any decorations at this point such as rocks.
 
It is now time for the water but gently does it to avoid ending up with cloudy water. This is a very brief introduction to the subject of freshwater Aquarium Set up aimed at the beginner. Some of the information will need to be researched further such as the types of plants and fish to choose but these instructions cover just about everything else.
 
First off the size of the tank. If you are starting out and this is your first aquarium then I would resist the temptation to go for anything too big or too fancy. Large tanks and tanks that are an unusual shape have their own set of rules. You’re far better off getting to grips with the basics in a medium sized standard tank and then moving on to something more involved when you are ready.
 
So choose a tank somewhere between ten and thirty gallons to start. Get a tank that is longer than it is tall as tall tanks present problems of their own when it comes to lighting. Get enough good, new fluorescent lighting to be able to provide at least two watts per gallon. Most tanks can be well lit with two strip lights that run the length of the tank but it is a simple calculation to check.
 
Always remember with all calculations that involve water that the tank when filled with substrate plants, decorations and fish will not hold as much water as it says on the label.
 
For any stand I would always recommend getting a purpose built stand. Water weighs ten pounds a gallon and once you start getting to twenty and thirty gallon tanks that is a lot of weight.
 
You will need a heater of between 150w and 200w depending on your tank size. I would say that with this one area of setting up it is important to spend as much as you can comfortably afford and get the best heater that you can. Imagine going away for a weekend only to find that the thermostat has broken and all your fish are floating when you get home. It is definitely a false economy to skimp on the heater. To go with the heater you need a thermometer, which gives you the chance to spot temperature problems while there is time to do something about it.
 
When it comes to the filter make sure that you get an internal or external power filter otherwise you are likely to cause problems with your substrate and plants. You can either get one with reusable filters or one with disposable filters. In this day and age most of us will opt for anything reusable as every little helps with the environment.
 
The substrate and gravel need to be considered. Unless you are going for a particular biotope in which case you need to get advice on the substrate, I would suggest just using a fine natural colored aquarium gravel with a base of something like laterite for the plants.
 
When setting up make sure that your tank is level and supported across its entire width. Install the heater, filter and thermometer, set the thermometer to the right temperature for your intended fish.
 
Next you need to put in the gravel. But before you do rinse it thoroughly until the water runs clear. Put some it into a bucket and mix in whatever you are using for the plants. You need enough to put a bed of about one to one and a half inches in the bottom of the tank. Cover this with enough gravel to bring it up to about two and half to three inches deep. Add any decorations at this point such as rocks.
 
It is now time for the water but gently does it to avoid ending up with cloudy water. You can always put a plate or saucer in the bottom of the tank and aim at this when pouring. Fill the tank about three quarters full.
 
Next the fun part planting the freshwater fish tank. Think about how the plants will grow. You don’t want tall ones at the front obstructing the view. Finally top up the tank and set it running. You’ll need to cycle the tank before you start adding fish. Add the fish gradually a few at a time, letting the biological filter adjust after each addition.

Don’t be tempted to add too many  fish. A rule of thumb is one inch of fish per gallon, but think about their full grown size and remember that your tank is not full of water only when doing the calculation. Always err on the side of caution. An under stocked tank will seldom go wrong but an over stocked tank will always go wrong.

Nick North is a keen freshwater aquarium enthusiast and spends a great deal of his time writing articles to promote the hobby to anyone interested in taking it up as a pastime. He has now got his own website aimed at the new aquarium enthusiast which gives lots of useful information on starting your first freshwater aquarium. If you found this article useful check out the site at:

[http://www.aquariumhintsandtips.com]

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