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Guide to setting up an aquarium

When you have decided which type of aquarium you want and found one that is large enough to house the fish you plan to keep, you should decide where to place it. If you place your aquarium in a spot that receives a lot of light, you might encounter problems with excessive algae growth. An aquarium filled with water, gravel, equipment etcetera is very heavy and even a small aquarium must be placed on something stable and reliable. If you have a large aquarium, you should use an aquarium stand or special aquarium furniture since normal furniture might collapse. Some aquarists choose to integrate their aquarium in a wall, and there are even coffee table aquariums available in the aquarium trade, but most of us still go for the traditional aquarium stand. If the surface that you place your aquarium on isn’t 100% flat, you can use polystyrene to even it out. A tilting surface should of course be avoided.

The aquarium, and everything that will go into your aquarium, must be thoroughly cleaned. Never use detergents, since traces of detergents can harm or even kill your fish and other living creatures in the tank. Use warm water and a soft brush. Gravel and equipment can be soaked in a bucket for a while, and then carefully rinsed under warm water. Don’t trust labels such as “ready to use” or “pre-washed”.

Don’t start filling your aquarium with gravel and water until your have placed it on its proper spot. Gravel is not mandatory, but it will make your fish feel more at home in the aquarium and it can become colonized by beneficial bacteria that will help you keep the water quality up. Gravel can also be used to make the colors of the fish look more vibrant in contrast.

Leave the water in the aquarium for at least 24-36 hours to allow any chlorine to evaporate. Sometimes tap water is treated in order to create a better environment for the aquarium inhabitants, but we won’t go into details regarding proper water preparation in this short article. Water treatment can for instance be used to remove chlorine and chloramines, adjust pH and hardiness, or kick start a colony of beneficial bacteria.

You have probably chosen some type of mechanical filter for your aquarium, and this must be set up according to the manual from the manufacturer. Remember that some filter types can break if you run turn them on before they have been immersed. Make sure that the filter is working properly before you add any living creatures to your tank. A mechanical filter will usually also function as a pump that oxygenates the water and creates water movement. During this stage your can also set up and check any other types of equipment, e.g. aquarium light and heaters.

The next step when setting up an aquarium is the so called cycling process. During this process, beneficial bacteria will colonize gravel, filter media and other suitable surfaces. The beneficial bacteria are very important for a healthy aquarium, since they will convert waste products into less harmful compounds. There are several ways of creating large bacteria colonizes in the aquarium, and this article is to brief to discuss them all. You can for instance insert gravel from an established aquarium, purchase bacteria from a pet shop, use one or two sturdy fish species as cycling fish, add some prawns to the water, or keep your aquarium densely planted. In order for the cycling process to begin, there must be some ammonia for the bacteria to feed on.

I recommend you to read a more detailed article regarding cycling and nitrifying bacteria before your set up your aquarium, since it is much easier to maintain a healthy and balanced aquarium if you know a little about what’s going on in your tank. You need two types of bacteria in your aquarium. Your fish will excrete harmful ammonia, and the first type of bacteria will convert this ammonia into nitrite, a highly toxic compound. The second type of bacteria will convert nitrite into nitrate, a less dangerous substance.

When you have introduced ammonia and bacteria to your aquarium, you must wait for the cycling process to complete. After roughly three days, you can test the water and see if the levels of ammonia, nitrite and nitrate are low. How long the cycling process will take will depend on several factors, including your cycling method. When the cycling process is finished, your aquarium is ready to go. Fish must be gradually added to the aquarium, to give the bacterial colonies a chance to grow bigger and adjust to the increased amount of ammonia from fish waste.

More info about setting up an aquarium for tropical fish