A fish tank can be a beautiful asset to any room of your home. There are very few things more relaxing than watching fish swim gracefully around a well maintained tank. Fish tanks are not difficult to set up and maintain, but there are basic supplies that you need to get first. Here is some information to help you set up your first fish tank and learn about proper tropical fish care.
Now that you have decided that you want to set up a fish tank, what are the things you need to make that happen? Obviously you will need a tank. The size and shape of that tank is entirely up to you, but keep in mind that the larger the tank the more it will cost to set it up. There are a multitude of choices as to the types of decoration and fish to put into the tank but there are some things that you simply must have. They include gravel, a filter, a heater and a light source.
Take your time when you decide on the color and type of gravel you would like. It will be the single largest thing seen in your tank so you want to be sure to get it right. Think about the room you will be placing it in and the overall theme of the tank. In a child\’s room, you may want brightly colored gravel while in a living room, you may want to go with the more muted, natural colors.
There are two major types of filters: those that are placed under the gravel and those that hang on the outside of the tank. Many feel that the undergravel filter is more attractive because they cannot be seen. This may be true, but the outboard filters are much easier to maintain. In larger tanks or tanks with many fish in them, it may be necessary to use both types to keep the water clean and the fish healthy.
You will need a heater to keep the water temperature around 72 degrees. If the water is much colder than that, the fish will become sluggish and may die. Much warmer than that and you will promote the growth of bacteria and algae that will be harmful to your fish.
Light fixtures often come as part of the tank\’s hood. These hoods are designed to cover the entire top of the tank. This will keep the fish in and everything else out. You will have a choice of incandescent or fluorescent light fixtures. Fluorescent may be the better choice. The light bulbs last longer and they do not add any additional heat to the tank.
Once you have acquired all of these things and set up the tank, you will need to fill it with water and let it sit empty for several days. This will not only give you time to ensure that everything is working properly but will also allow the chlorine and other chemicals to be filtered out of the water.
After all of that, you are ready for the fish. Start with just a few. Let the bags of fish float in the tank for at least fifteen minutes before releasing the fish into the tank. This will allow the fish and water temperature in the bags to slowly adjust to the temperature of the tank. Now you can release the fish and sit back and enjoy watching the fruits of your labor.
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