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You will need to choose a location to set-up the aquarium, on the stand you have chosen. If the tank is not level or seems in any way unstable, you must shim the stand or find another location. The aquarium should be placed in an area where it will be viewed, but not where it's accessibility is limited. Remember, you will need to maintenance the tank monthly, so place it where you can work easily and unobstructed. Do not place the tank in direct sunlight, or near a bright sunny window, otherwise algae will accumulate rapidly & the water may overheat. If you place the aquarium close to air conditioning or heat vents, this can complicate the task of regulating water temperature. Once you have set up the tank in the desired position, you may now install the light and filter. Next, add the washed gravel to about a depth of 1 to 3 inches. Slope the gravel higher in the back & lower in the front, so that the view of everything is towards the front of the aquarium. After the gravel is added, fill the aquarium part way so that it is easier for you to set the rock formations, plastic plants & other decorations (make sure these items are rinsed & cleaned thoroughly before you add them). You may add a shallow pan to prevent the gravel from being displaced, while you are adding the water. Construction of caves & recesses makes for more interesting viewing, while providing shelter for more timid species of fish. When building these formations do not cover the entire bottom from end to end, doing so will limit the water flow through the gravel bed. Be artistic but do not over do it. Plastic plants or live plants should be placed with the taller varieties toward the back & in positions to hide the tubes, heater, etc. Live plants need optimum water conditions, lighting & nutrients, so waiting to add them to the aquarium until the water has been established for a period of time, may be your best bet. When installing the heater, placement should be where the most circulation of water will occur. Although most aquarium hoods have a section already cut out for the heater, you can always place an air stone by it (but not under the intake tube of a power filter) for circulation of heat so there will be uniformity of water temperature throughout the aquarium water. The temperature should be set before the addition of fish. Let the heater acclimate to the aquarium water for about a half an hour, then you will need to plug in the heater (after the tank is filled) & position the thermometer where it is readable but always in a central location on the glass (it does not have to be placed in the front of the aquarium). Follow the manufacturers instructions on setting the heater, & monitor it closely for the first 24 hours. Adjust it as required to obtain the desired temperature. Providing aeration is the next matter of concern. When air tubing is connected to an air stone or decoration, there is always the chance of water back-siphoning into the tubing & the pump if it is placed on a table or stand behind the aquarium, & lower than the level of water in the aquarium. This can be avoided if the air pump is positioned higher than water level, or with the use of an anti-siphon valve (check valve), inserted in air lines. When using more than one air stone or lift tube( from an under gravel filter), you can purchase a gang valve with multiple split outlets for multiple uses of the tubing. Also, the air pump must be powerful enough to supply air to run its intended item when there are multiple items, & to pump in deep aquariums where the air pressure can be more than in shallow tanks. After all of these steps are completed, & the tank is filled with water, you may now add your power filter or other mechanical filtration. Again, follow the set-up instructions as supplied by the manufacturer, & position it so that the flow of water is in the center of the aquarium, for even distribution of water flow. When it is plugged in, & operating properly, you will need to let it run continuously day & night. It is not recommended to shut it off at night or at any time except for maintenance & water changes. This is so the motor will not run "dry" & become damaged when you drain down the water during maintenance. If the filter is constantly turned on & off unnecessarily, your power filter may be subjected to wear & tear, or the water may not remain consistently healthy due to the lack of flow of freshly circulated water. There are a few things you will need to do to prepare the water for your new fish. Dechlorinating the water if the local water supply adds chlorine at the main pumping plant which destroy bacteria pathogenic to to humans. Chlorine can be removed from tap water in 3 ways. Aeration of water, will result in diffusion of chlorine into the air. By letting the water filter for 24 hours, you will achieve this. Passing water through activated carbon is another way, which brings us back to filtering the aquarium for at least 24 hours. Most faucet-end water purifiers sold to improve the taste of tap water are charged with activated carbon. Finally, adding sodium thiosulfate to tap water, immediately inactivates chlorine. Sodium thiosulfate is sold under a variety of trade names. When purchased, follow the dosing instructions as labeled on the bottle. In some municipal water plants, ammonia is added to react with chlorine to form chloramine. This can also be a problem for aquariums & can also be removed with the addition of sodium thiosulfate to the water. It is recommended that you add aquarium salt ( uniodized table salt or kosher salt ) to the aquarium. The general rule is 1 tablespoon per every 5 gallons of aquarium water. The addition of this salt IS for freshwater (saltwater salt mixture is different & can be bought in pet shops), you can also use this salt for brackish water, which would be at the ratio of 1 teaspoon per every 1 gallon of water. Please keep in mind that salt does not evaporate, so you must keep track of the levels of salt added to the aquarium. When the time comes for water changes, you must replace only the salt that you removed with the change. Some species of fish do not prefer the addition of salt to the water, so research the fish you wish to keep & determine if you will even need to add the salt. The pH value of water may differ in various parts of the country, & in some cases the water may require some adjustment before adding fish. Fish can generally tolerate a wide range of pH without problems. A pH of 6.5 to 7.8 for most species of fish is an acceptable range for maintenance of optimal health. You may want to research the species you would like to keep, before you buy them so that you can set the pH to required range for that species. If in doubt, keep the pH at true neutral (7.0). |
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