what do i need for my fish tank so that it i will be able to put fish in it?

Question

what do they sell to put in the water of a fish tank

Answer 1

dechlorinate the water, add in necessary minerals (drops from the pet store), cycle the tank (go to that site that the other guy gave, it's good) then you should be ready to go.

let the fish bag that the store gives you sit in the tank for at least 30 minutes before putting the fish in the tank, then, put a little of the tank water in the bag with the fish to get it used to the ph of your tank and chemicals,,,, then, you should be ready to go. net the fish tho, don't put the bag water into your tank, it could have nasties from the store tank still in it.

good luck!!

Answer 2

First you need to buy a water conditioner. What i used is called "Tetra Aquasafe water conditioner" And it's a yellow bottle. I recommend that you buy the 8 oz. one even though it's expensive, (Like 8 dollars) you need to use it every time that you make the 30% water change every month. You also need a pH water tester kit. Never buy wardley products they are the worst and don't work. And finally you have to wait 24 HOURS BEFORE YOU CAN PUT ANY FISH ANY FISH IN THERE!! If you also want to know how to continue your tank and what fish you should put in email me. My email and yahoo messenger is [e-mail] This is a list of other things you should buy:

> Water Heater
> Filter depending on the tank you have is the filter you should buy.
> Water Conditioner (The Yellow bottle)
> pH decreaser and increaser
> Live plants also make a nice addition to your tank and they help remove harmful nitrates and can help reduce fish stress...
> Filter Cartridges

You might have already bought these things im just double checking.

Answer 3

As far as additives, be sure to add a water conditioner to the tap water so that chlorine products are removed. People's opinions go both ways on this, but I used "Cycle" in my new tank, and it seemed to help. Your water will be very cloudy (white foggy looking) from about 4-5 days after your initial set up until about 4-5 weeks, which is how long it takes to balance the good and bad bacteria. Then, overnight, it will clear up again. You can put some hardy fish in your tank (guppies are good) while it's cycling, and they may survive the process (all 5 of mine did!). Good luck!

Answer 4

It depends on what kind of fish you are getting i just got my new 28 gallon tank a week ago, i am doing Freshwater. Right now I have Gromies and Tetras i asked the fish store owner and thye said all i need was a filter(i have a heater for them in the winter time though) right now they are doing fine. As for salt water tank i have no idea. I am still a starter but I suggest you go to somewere like Pet Co. or PetSmart and get a starter kit they have most of what you'll need i bet well i hope my information has been useful. ;D

Answer 5

To start off, get some gravel for the bottom of your tank. You might want to get some easy balance however, watch how much you put in the water. Also, you could buy some decorations for the bottom of the tank.

Answer 6

The first thing you need to do is cycle your tank.

A Short Brief on the Nitrogen Cycle.


When you start a new aquarium it will go through what is called the nitrogen cycle.

The nitrogen cycle is a process which allows "good" bacteria to establish and multiple in the tank, thus breaking down the fish wastes.

Fish excrete ammonia as a waste product. Ammonia is highly toxic to fish and even small quantities in the water can kill your fish. The first bacteria that establish as part of the nitrogen cycle break down ammonia into a product called nitrites.

Nitrites are also toxic to your fish, but not nearly as toxic as ammonia is. As the nitrites start to rise in the tank the bacteria that feed on nitrites will start to multiply and consume the nitrites breaking them down into nitrates.

Nitrates are also toxic to fish, but only in very high quantities. The nitrates will continue to rise in your tank as long as you have fish and are feeding them. Water changes are used to reduce the nitrate levels.


How long does this process take?

Typically the nitrogen cycle takes between 4-6 weeks to complete. During this time it's recommended that you take samples of your tank water to the local fish store and ask them to test it for ammonia, nitrites and nitrates. The test levels will progress as follows:


Stage 1:

Ammonia zero
Nitrites zero
Nitrates zero

Stage 2:

Ammonia starts to rise
Nitrites zero
Nitrates zero

Stage 3:
Ammonia continues to rise
Nitrites begin to rise
Nitrites zero

Stage 4:
Ammonia levels drop
Nitrites continue to rise
Nitrates begin to rise

Stage 5:
Ammonia: zero
Nitrites levels drop
Nitrates continue to rise

Stage 6:
Ammonia: Zero
Nitrites: Zero
Nitrates continue slow rise



Tips to reduce the time of the nitrogen cycle.

The easiest way to reduce or eliminate the nitrogen cycle is to use a filter from an established tank. This filter already has the bacteria needed to breakdown ammonia and nitrites. By using an established filter you essentially bypass the nitrogen cycle.

Another easy way to shorten the cycle is to use "seed" gravel from an established tank. Simply take a few cups of gravel from an established tank and add it directly into the new tank. This gravel will contain a starter of the bacteria needed. If you don't want to add the gravel to the tank because it is a different color/stone than your gravel you can simply put it into a nylon stocking or cheese cloth "bag" and drop it into the tank. Using this method can cut your cycle time by 50%.

Finally there are live cultures of bacteria such as Bio-Spira (available at http://www.fishstoretn.com ) which will seed your tank with the bacteria needed. This product can virtually eliminate the cycling process.



Stocking your tank during this period.

During the cycling process you want to stock your tank very lightly. This is because if you have too many fish the ammonia will build up faster than the bacteria can break it down and your fish will die. I recommend only 1 or 2 hardy fish such as mollies. You want a fish that can tolerate the fluctuating ammonia and nitrite levels during the cycling process. There are many fish which should be avoided during this process including all catfish and any scaleless fish such as loaches.



Feeding during the cycling process.

I recommend that you feed your fish only once per day, and only as much as they will eat in 5-10 seconds. You should net out any food left over after feeding to prevent it from breaking down into ammonia. Once the cycling process completes you can double the feedings to twice a day.



Water changes during the cycling process.

If done correctly your tank shouldn't need any water changes during the cycling process. However should you find that your ammonia or nitrite levels are dangerously high during the cycling process you should do an immediate 25-50% water change to lower those levels. Water changes during the cycling process can extend the time it takes for your tank to cycle. Once the tank has completed cycling you should start your weekly 10-25% water changes to lower the nitrates in the tank.

Answer 7

You need to buy dechlorinator drops (to add to the water to make it non-toxic to fish), a filter, a heater (unless you want goldfish), a light, a thermometer, and fish food. You may also want decorations.

Answer 8

You need to cycle your tank. Here is an article that explains what you need and how to cycle your tank.

Answer 9

YOU HAVE TO PUT WATER IN IT!!!!!