Freshwater fish Tank

Investing in a freshwater fish tank can provide an attractive feature to your home or office. Fresh water tropical fish are an excellent choice for first time pet owners (adults and kids), with little maintenance, you can enjoy the beauty of tropic fish from a foreign land for a reasonable price of course. Although, a fish tank aquarium can’t be just set up and left with little care, a balance has to be kept in their natural environment. You wouldn’t want your first aquarium experience to go belly up.. would you.

Protecting the freshwater aquarium fish from dust and debris is one of the most important things to remember. It’s common place to have goldfish bowls uncovered, and that is acceptable – when keeping tropical fish, protecting the water from dirt is going to be your first move. When purchasing a fish tank aquarium, the majority will come with a cover, often fitted with lamp or light.

After unpacking you new fish tank aquarium, you will probably be pretty excited to pick some tropical fish. Never be too hasty when selecting species of fish. It’s probable that your knowledge of fish is lacking somewhat and it’s vital to seek out professional advice before purchasing any marine life. If you didn’t know, certain tropical fish have the tendency to fight with other fish. Coming home one day to see a whole species eaten or damaged isn’t on anyone’s wish list – so always be cautious when selecting your fish.

When purchasing freshwater aquarium fish, you’re sure to find that different shops and stores specialize in specific species and varieties. Take the time to browse the opportunities available online today. It sure is important to know as much about your new pets as possible, so always read the descriptions.

Another point to make is to not over fill your freshwater fish tank with fish. Just like human beings, tropical fish require their own space. If you are going to have many tropical fish in your aquarium, include many plants to keep the oxygen in the water at a healthy level.
Different decorations can be added to your aquarium, avoid getting too carried away with plants and sunken treasures, the fish inside your aquarium require enough free space to swim. After adding a few items, you still think that the fish tank looks a little bare, you can try adding another piece – or try an underwater background cover as an attractive backdrop.

With the correct ratio of marine life and fish tank decorations, two main points need to be discussed – filters and temperatures. Keeping your aquarium in good condition you will be required to install the correct water filter and air pump. A decent water filter will keep the water fresh and your freshwater wildlife happy. An air pump will keep the oxygen flowing in the water and also circulates the plants with fresh air – which happens in its natural environment.
With the key points now discussed, let’s take a quick look at everything you need to start your fish tank aquarium.

Aquarium – Larger tanks are easier to maintain, in the fact that life in smaller tanks are hit harder from water parameters changing and or temperature change. Larger tanks can withstand these changes for much longer.

Aquarium gravel or sand – A form of ground is going to be required, whether you like coloured stones or sand, there are many different options to choose from. Sand will take longer to settle when filling the tank with water.

Filters – Seek advice on which filters your fish tank aquarium needs, there are many variables that decide on what is required, number of fish, the type of fish and the tank size. Filters come in internal, hang-on and external models.

Filter media – Replaceable filter media.

Fish net – A fish net is required for removing your fish to bag up when changing the water, can also be used to fish out debris.

Fish food – Always research the fish you are keeping as pets, find out how much they eat and what they eat. Fish flakes are common for most tropical fish tank species. Avoid over feeding, it’s a common mistake made by most new fish tank owners. If your still unsure about feeding habits, ask in your local pet store.

Heater – A heater is needed to keep the water temperature at the level to replicate your pets natural environment.

Fish tank decorations – Decorations will make your fish tank aquarium come alive, will your fish explore the depths of a sunken ship? Perhaps your fish can swim in amongst a collection of seaweed and exotic plants.

Aquarium test kit – An aquarium test kit will allow you to find out the levels of ammonia, nitrite, nitrate and phosphate in the water.
Water conditioner – Water conditioner is required to remove chlorine and chloramines from the tap water in your home.

Bucket – You will need a bucket to fill the fish tank for its initial fill and also to change the water.
It’s important to express that fish are the same as all animals, and needed to be treated with care like you would a cat or dog, there are of course responsibilities that come with owning a tropical fish tank and its contents. Changing the water once a week is a general rule, and feeding once a day (although seek advice on your species of fish).

When you do go to buy your new pets, you need to ask what stage of growth the fish are at, some species can grow 10-12 inches, which will obviously require a much bigger tank.
Once you have figured out what size tank you need, and learnt a little about the species of tropical fish you will be caring for, it’s time to think about placement. It’s vital to place your freshwater aquarium away from windows or any source of strong light. You definitely don’t want temperatures to rise; extra light can cause algae to grow at an increased speed.

Have you thought about how much the freshwater fish tank is going to weigh? You will definitely not be able to move it once it’s filled, the unit it will be sitting on needs to be strong and sturdy. A 100 gallon tank will weigh around 1000 pounds, which is including water. Using this maths a 20 gallon tank should weigh 200 pounds. There are several fish tank stands on the market that are built to take this weight and are worth purchasing if you don’t think your current units can take this kind of stress.

Are you going to clean your fish tank aquarium or its decorations? Cleaning should be done with tap water only, do not use any household cleaners – the chemicals in them will cause an upset in the water chemistry when you eventually fill the tank.

After cleaning your fish tank and filling with water from the bucket, add the decorations and attach the heater and filters. Avoid turning on the heater till the thermostat gives a true reading (20 minutes after pouring water inside the tank).

With the freshwater fish tank setup and ready, it’s time to add your fish. When purchasing tropical fish, they usually come in plastic bags. To add the tropical fish to your aquarium, don’t simple open the bag and pour them in. It’s important to leave them in the bag, and place them inside the tank for around 15 minutes. This allows the water in the bag to meet the temperature of the water in the tank, it’s vital to not shock the freshwater fish with sudden climate change. Add fish in couples, never add a large group at once, patience is required, but it’s almost always worth it.