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| Now that you have all the needed supplies, it's time to set it all up. Anything that will be in the tank, or on the tank, must be cleaned. To do this, simply rinse the object or whatever it is you are washing in hot water, for about 5 minutes each. DO NOT USE SOAP! If you use any types of soap or chemicals, you are risking the lives of all your soon-to-be fish. |
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| All plants, toys, and equipment must be rinsed thoroughly Also, the gravel must be cleaned. To do this, get a spaghetti strainer, and fill it about 1/3 of the way with gravel. Take it into the bathtub, and rinse it out well. Don't let the gravel go down the drain though. This method of cleaning the gravel is not only effective on rinsing it, but it also separates the small and large pieces. If the gravel is too small, it could get caught in the filter, or mistaken for fish food, which could harm or kill your fish. |
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| Cleaning your tank is a different matter. You need to clean the inside very thoroughly but you also need to clean the outside for viewing. Again, do not use soaps or chemicals, but using a hose outside will do. Make sure you don't crack or chip the glass, and also make sure you rinse it for at least 10 minutes. Because it's glass (hopefully), it's very important you check for leaks. Place the tank on a carpet in the bathroom, and fill it up to the top with water. Wait a few hours before you check it for any leaks. Sometimes the leaks are obvious, but sometimes they aren't. Feel the carpet to see if it's wet, and if it is, you might have a leak. Repeat this process a few times, emptying the water after each time. If you have any reason to believe there is a leak, exchange it for a new one! Having a leak after you set up your whole aquarium is very disappointing, and hard work. |
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| Now that everything is safely cleaned, you can start to set things up. Fill the bottom of the tank with 1-2 inches of gravel. (Assuming you aren't using an undergravel filter) Take your plants, and position them firmly into the gravel, in desired spaces. (It's a good idea to have the large plants in the back, and smaller ones in the front. Also make sure they aren't pressed against the glass, because that defeats the purpose of having plants at all. You want enough room for your fish to hide behind them.) Also, put any ornaments in the tank. Arrange them so they can be seen, but wont clutter the swimming areas for the fish. |
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| After you set up the inside of your tank, now you have to do the outside. Installing your filter varies for everyone. If you are using an Eclipse, specific directions come with the filter. If you are using a Whisper Power Filter, just hang it on the back of the tank. Preferably in the middle.) Make sure you have a few extra filters on hand! |
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| Don't put the hood on just yet. You need to put water in it! You will need a safe plastic plate, and a large water jug. Place the plate on the bottom of the tank, and start to pour the water onto the plate. By doing this, you won't mess up and ruin your array of decorations in your tank. Leave two or three inches of space between the water and the top of the aquarium for the hood, heater, or any accessories you might have left to put in. |
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| Now that you have the whole tank cleaned, decorated, and "plugged in", you need to treat the water for chemicals. Use Stress Coat for this. Add one teaspoon for each ten US gallons. This will clear the chlorine in the water, and clear heavy metals and chemicals. Next, add Stress Zyme. Put in two teaspoons for each ten US gallons, and stir it all up. (Also, make sure your filter is on. This will help mix and turn the treatments in the water.) Read the label on Stress Zyme on how often you should do this. |
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| Your new aquarium is about to be finished. Just slap on the lid, and plug in the light. Don't look just yet though! You will need to wait 1-2 hours for the debris and dirt to clear up in the filter. If it isn't clear after a few hours, you will need to buy Accu-Clear from Aquarium Pharmaceuticals. Add two drops of Accu-Clear for each US gallon in your tank. (For a ten gallon tank, add twenty drops. Get it?) This will (hopefully) clear the water of debris after a few hours. If it didn't work by the next day, add another dosage. (Be sure to wait 24 hours to do this though.) |
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| Now, you are ready to add and take care of fish! |
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| This section will help you on all you need to know is how to introduce new fish, cleaning the tank, and feeding the fish. |
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| After your tank has been running for at least two weeks, you can start to add new fish to your tank. When you buy the fish, check the tank they are in for any casualties. If there are dead fish, DON'T BUY ANY FROM THAT TANK! It may have a disease, or something wrong with it. |
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| When you do buy a healthy fish, be sure to take it right home. Let the bag the fish is in float at the top of your tank for twenty minutes. After that, add a cup of your water into its water. This way, your fish can start to get used to your water. Let it sit for another ten minutes. When the fish has been floating for a minimum of thirty minutes in your tank, it's time to put it in the water. Do not just pour the fish in your tank. You must net it, and take it out of its bag. This way, any diseases or harmful chemicals in the bag water, will not be transferred into your tank. Lower the net into the water, and shake it gently to let the fish free. Turn off the light, and wait for about an hour before checking up on it. |
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| Your new fish won't very active when it's first in your tank. Do not plan to feed it until the next day. When you do feed it, feed it enough for it to eat in 2-5 minutes. DO NOT OVER FEED IT! Overfeeding is a very common reason why fish die. |
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| Once every 3-4 weeks, you will need to clean the water in your tank. (Depending on how small your tank is. The smaller it is, the more often you need to do it.) To do this, use a cleaning system (see step two). Remove 1/3 of the water from the tank, and fill the tank back up with clean water. Make sure you add Stress Coat after any time you clean or add water. (Or after any time you add new fish!) |
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| I hope you enjoy your new pets! If you have any questions, or find anything I left out, please let me know! |
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