• Location
• Lighting
• Aeration
• Filtration
• Gravel
• Decorations
• The Water
• Adding fish
• Maintenance

There is many things you should consider before choosing where to put your aquarium. They should not be in areas such as: Hallways or near frequently used doors, near drafty areas or heating and conditioning ducts. Big changes in temperature can affect the water quality of the aquarium. Be sure to keep your aquarium away from direct sunlight to because it can over heat the water killing your fish and it can also cause algea to grow. The aquarium should be near an electrical outlet for the filter, lights and so forth to be plugged in. It should also be where you will be able to enjoy it, like in a living room or bedroom. When you have chosen the location place the aquarium on a strong, sturdy, and LEVEL aquarium stand or table. Because each gallon your aquarium will weigh around 10lbs (water and gravel). So if you have a ten gallon tank it will most likely weigh 100lbs.

All aquariums need lots of light. Around 8-12 hours of it a day. Natural light is alright in some situations, but additional lighting is recommended. An aquarium cover with a light is a good source of light. Aquarium covers, or hoods help reduce water evaporation and will also safely light your aquarium. There are 2 kinds of light you can choose for your aquarium: florescent tubes or incandescent bulbs. Florescent are better, because they produce more light and less heat, they emit less glare, and they are also good for aquarium plants. If you have cats I recommend getting a hood...... Gee, I wonder why.

To keep your ater clean and your fish happy all you need is a good filter. There is three types of filtration. Mechanical, Chemical, and Biological

Mechanical: screens out floating particals from the water.

Chemical: removes color-producing chemicals and odors from the water.

Biological: uses beneficial bacteria to convert poisonous substances into unharmful ones.

1. Corner filters- easy to setup and maintain, corner filters are small and can fit into any corner of the aquarium and are attached to any air pump
2. Outside power filters- an outside power filter is basically a pump which takes water from the aquarium and pumps it through a filtering material and back into the aquarium. They come in many sizes and are easier to maintain and are more powerful than corner filters.
3. Undergravel filter- uses an airpump or power head to circulate water through the gravel it also promotes nitrifying bacteria growth in the gravel.

Corner filters and outside power filters need some kind of fiter material.

Biological filtration is one of the most important functions in any aquarium. It starts when beneficial bacteria in your aquarium convert poisonous ammonia into nitrite and then into nitrate. Nitrate is a relatively harmless chemical that plants use for food. This process is called the nitrogen cycle, and it occurs naturally in all underwater environments. Nitrobacter and Nitrosomonas are the beneficial bacteria that comes naturally from fish and the air. They grow as your aquarium ages. Living on the top layers of the aquarium gravel. Once they are weel established they start eating ammonia and the nitrogen cycle begins.

The bottom of your aquarium will most likely be covered with gravel. The gravel bed is another home for friendly bacteria, the ones which make biological filtration possible. Aquarium gravel comes in many different colours and sizes. Make sure that your gravel comes from a petstore and it is the kind of gravel sold for aquariums. Other types of gravel may release poisonous chemicals into the water. Rinse your gravel with water and layer it 2 or 3 inches deep.

Plants- Plants are an Important part of your aquarium. You can choose between live plants and plastic ones. Live aquatic plants are beautiful, fish spawn and feed on them. But they are more work than plastic plants. Live plants need certain temperatures, florescent lighting and other requirements. Plastic plants don't require much care or special water conditions to keep them looking good. They can look very lifelike and are available in many different varieties. Ornaments- Ornaments come in many different styles and sizes and can reflect your personality or just become dwelling places for your aquarium habitants. Don't use rocks, driftwood, shells or other objects that you may find outside your home. They can kill your fish by releasing toxic residues. You can cover up any cords that may be behind your aquarium with a background.

Temperature: It is important that your water has a stable water temperature because Tropical fish are very sensitive to changes in water temperature. If the temperature changes rapidly, it causes stress to the fish, and they can develope infections. So a heater for your aquarium is a good idea. Heaters come with different power ratings, based on the size of aquarium. A good rule for this is: 5 watts per gallon. So a 10 gallon needs a fifty-watt heater. You should have a thermometer to make sure it is at the right temperature for your fish.

Conditioning: Your fish can't just live in normal tap water because there is dangerous chemicals in it such as Ammonia, Chlorine, Chloramine. These chemicals are deadly to tropical fish so the water must be conditioned. Ammonia is the number one killer of tropical fish. So you don't want that in your aquarium. There is many products that remove these chemicals. Ask at your petstore if your not sure. There is also many ways to get the chlorine out of your aquarium the easiest way is to let your water filter for 24hours before adding your fish but when you have your fish and are doing water changes you should use products found at your petstore to do the job.

Hardness: If you have hard water that means that there is lots of magnesium and calcium in your tap water. You should test the water hardness with a kit to see how much you need to lower it and then buy a water softener.

pH: You should make sure you adjust you pH levels to suit your fish before you add them. Use a test kit to see what your pH is at. You should read about your fish to find its comfort level. But for most fish a pH range of 6.8-7.2 is ok. But be safe and RESEARCH!

I think this is the best part of setting up your aquarium. Once everything has been up and running( filter, etc.) for a day or two, you can add some fish. One thing you should never do is add all your fish at once because it can create many problems. It is best to add only a few per week. If you know which fish you are getting, ( it is a good idea to plan ahead) You should have the right water requirements for that type of fish before you bring them home. There are a few steps that it will help the fish get use to its new home.----Float the bag holding the fish on the top of the water for 20 minutes. This will give the fish a chance to slowly adjust to the new temperature. Then add small amounts of aquarium water to the bag a few times in the next 15-25 minutes. This way they will adjust to the pH and hardness levels. NEVER POUR THE WATER FROM THE BAG INTO YOUR TANK!!! It may contain disease causing organisms. Wait 15 minutes and net your fish out. I often go to the petstore the day the get their fish to see what kinds they are getting. The petstore owner always turns the aquarium lights off while he is letting the new fish adapt to the new temperature. He leaves the light off until the fish have been in the tank for awhile. This calms all the fish down in the tank and the fish don't seem to bother the new fish.

Remember that not all fish do well together and you should research and ask your petstore owner which fish are compatable together.

This is probably the least favorite part for most aquarists. Some of the maintenance is fun some isn't but it must be done.

1. Feeding: This is the fun part of maintenance. But remember never overfeed your fish you should only feed them what they can eat in a small period of time and there should be no uneaten food floating to the bottom. If there is you are feeding them too much. Fish never know when to stop eating and its not a pretty sight when a young kid feeds your fish. The look of complete joy on the kids face as they dump ALL of your food into the tank......anyway back on topic. Staple food is the most common fish food but its a good idea to add some frozen or live foods to their diet.
2. Filter Maintenance:To keep waste levels low. You should clean your filter and change the filtering material regularly.
3. Water Changes: You should make a 20% water change each month. Make sure to test the tap water before adding it and treat it if necessary. NEVER take out all the water and clean the entire tank.
4. Water Chemistry: You need to test your water regularly for pH, nitrite and ammonia. Because you must keep the proper water chemistry to keep your fish healthy.
5. Temperature: Make sure to keep an eye on the thermometer. This is most important during the summer when the water temperature may rise.
6. Hood and Aquarium Glass: You want to be able to see your fish. So make sure you clean the outside of the glass and the hood to keep your aquarium looking beautiful.
7. Algae Control: If you don't clean the inside of your glass for a period of time algae will accumulate and have fun scrubbing it off. There is many "scrapers" at your petstore that you can use to keep your glass clean.
8. Watch your fish for any signs of diseases.
9. Remove dead fish.