In this part I would like to tell you how to setup a freshwater fish tank.
Equipment
Before setting up a tank we need to buy some basic equipment. The minimum we need is:
a tank – buy the biggest tank you have place for
a filter – there are many different types of filters. When buying you should choose a one that can pump and appropriate number of liters per hour
a heater – it keeps a constant temperature of the water. The bigger your tank the stronger heater you need
a thermometer – to control the water temperature
lights – fish and plants will need 12 to 14 hours of light. Depending on the type of fish and plants you will need different amount of light. You can assume that about 1W of fluorescent lamp per liter of water is enough.
Setting it all up
When you have all the needed equipment it’s time to start setting it all up.
The first thing you need to think about is where you want your tank to be located. Make sure that the spot you have chosen is away from direct sunlight otherwise you will have a major problem with algae. Before placing the tank on the stand level it up.
When the tank is on the stand you can start filling it up. The first thing we want to put in is the gravel on the bottom of the tank. Before putting in the gravel we need clean it. Put the gravel in a bucket, fill it with water and rinse it to remove any dust. Do it until the water becomes clean. Now your gravel is dirt free.
If you bought a background scene you should tape it on to the tank.
Now it’s time to install the equipment that goes inside the tank. Install the water filter and the heater following the producer manual.
Stand back have a good look of your tank and try to visualize how you would like it too look. When you have an idea start putting in all the decorations.
It’s time to start adding some water. Fill the tank to half height with water. Now it’s time to plant your plants. After that fill the tank carefully to the top. While doing it be careful not to damage the plants.
The last thing you need to do is mount the light over the tank and plug all the equipment in.
Never put fish in a fresh tank. Fish must only be added when your filters have had time to mature, this would be at least two to three weeks.
I can tell you from my experience that the bigger the tank and the more stuff you put in it, the more time you spend on setting it up. Approximately it can take from couple of hours to a day. It’s a good idea to do it on a weekend. Start Saturday morning and even if you don’t manage to finish it in a before the evening you always have the Sunday.
If you have some questions I will be happy to answer them.
Maybe you have dome it before and know some tips&tricks. If so please share with us.
Sources:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fishkeeping
http://aquariumhobbyist.com/artoffishkeeping/
http://www.fishyou.com/
http://www.freshwatertropicalfishkeeping.com/
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How much money is needed for the beginning?
ReplyDeleteIf you want to go really cheap 500zl should be enough for a 100 liter tank, a filter, heater, some basic light and few plants and fish.
ReplyDeletehi, please tell me is it really tre what you wrote abut 2-3 weeks of filtering water? this is amazing for me. I havent done it ever :) maybe my mistake!
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ReplyDeleteComprehensive and useful guide,but I have never had a pet and I am not going to.
ReplyDeleteJacek: About the 2-3 weak partial water changes. Well it's kind of the same with us humans - to stay clean and comfortable we should take a shower at least once a day, regularly changes clothes to fresh ones, keep our living place nice and clean, ventilate it to let some fresh air in... - of course if we don't do it for some time we will still live - but it's all about the quality ;)
ReplyDeleteHow much more expensive is having saltwater tank than freshwater tank?
ReplyDeleteMany many years i used to have screen saver that looked like big saltwater tank with many fish;)
I'd say a basic freshwater tank is a few hundred zlotych, whereas a basic saltwater - few thousand.
ReplyDeleteHave you ever watched “Finding Nemo”? In that movie fishes were planning escape from a fish tank and they’ve succeeded! :)
ReplyDeleteWow - I haven't had an idea that saltwater tank is so expensive... It looks very nice but I would prefer to go 2 times a year on diving-vacation instead to spent this amount of money on saltwater tank...
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ReplyDeleteIt`s very helpful information for people who wants to starts this incredible hobby! I don`t agree with kniaz`s opinion because it is better to have your own little peace of sea in your home :)
ReplyDeleteAs I wrote a comment in your previous post I do not think that this hobby is for me. It seems to be quite expensive and time consuming. It is a good idea for people who are not working, and have a lot of spare time. That is true that it is a beautiful decoration in home, but I prefer to have a picture on the wall instead of fish tank.
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