How to set up My fish tank
Putting your aquarium to use shouldn’t be a rocket science, it should be fun and interesting to do.
It’s not hard, and with a little helpful info, it can be done really quickly.
Here are 10 simple steps to do it.
- Choose the best location for it
Basic step for the start should be finding the best place to put you fish tank. It should be a flat horizontal surface, for the best stability.
Don’t put it in direct sunlight, because sunlight can promote unsightly algae growth.
Best place to put it is near an electrical socket, so you can easily plug in your electrical components in the tank.
(Protect socket from any splashes)
Before putting it to use, clean it well with clean water.
- Equipment check
Your going to need equipment before setting it up, it consists of: filter, heater, water conditioner, water stabilizer, and fish food.
And LED lights which are included in your aquarium.
In addition, you’ll need to purchase aquarium substrate, aquarium starter, nutrients base and fertilizer for your plants, and a water test.
You’re going to need decorative accessories, like stones, grass, ground and roots, and you can prepare
small accessories for fish like buckets and plates.
- Insert ground substrate
Fertile ground is important for your aquarium plants to take root and activate strong and healthy plant growth.
Fill it first with a Tetrick complete substrate, which provides long-term nutrients, and help your plants grow healthy green leaves and resistant roots.
You can cover the ground with the washed gravel, called Tetra active substrate. It’s natural substrate, which provides constant water circulation and therefore it prevents substrate from getting moldy, which could result in root rot
- Install filter and heater
Filter Is essential for a healthy aquarium, because it cleans water and ensures the biological degradation of fish wastes.
Most times, the filter set contains two green cartridges, but you need to change them every 4 weeks.
The heater heats the water, and ensures that the water temperature is constant.
Most tropical fish requires a tank temperature between 24 C° and 27 C°
- Fill the aquarium with water
Before “pouring it all in”, clean the water with a water conditioner, because tap water contain substances that are harmful to fish, like chlorine, and heavy metals.
Fill it slowly to half, because it will be easy for you to decorate it later on.
- Decorate the aquarium
If putting stones and some roots, clean it before with boiling water.
Keep in mind to leave your fish enough place to swim.
- Putting the plants
Before that, put the fertilizer into ground, and slowly place your plants around the earth.
Bigger plants you need to put at the side, and longer and taller ones you need to cut up.
After putting it all together, fill the tank with the rest of water, turn on the heater, filter and LED lights, and you are good to go.
- Create biological active environment
Before adding fish to the aquarium, you need to create a healthy and active biological environment, because helpful bacteria needs to grow within the ecosystem to reduce harmful substances like ammonia and nitrate.
You can find them in all of the fish stores, packed in small bags and packages, and you spray them across water.
- Test your water
This one is more of an optional, because not all fish stores have this water tester for sale.
But if you are lucky enough to find it, please buy it, to ensure it that the aquarium is safe for usage before putting your fish inside.
To prevent fish from becoming stressed, first put the transport bag half into the aquarium, let it 10 minutes, to let the fish adjust the temperature and surrounding, and put little by little water into the bag every 2 minutes.
- Take care of your ecosystem
Take care of your aquarium!
Feed them on a daily basis, couple times, and giving them small portions.
Avoid overfeeding, because it can pollute water, and can lead to bad water parameters.
Change ⅓ of your water every two weeks.
And now that all is done, you can enjoy your beautiful underwater world whenever you want!
