Got a new tropical tank... what treatments do i need to do to the water???

Question

just got tap water and is currently heating up...

Answer 1

To make the tap water safe, all you need is a water conditioner like Amquel+ or whathaveyou.
You do not need to use salt; in the wild, freshwater fish do not have salt in their water so unless you are treating for parasites, or keeping brackish water fish, there is no need to put salt in the tank.

However, because it's a new tank, you'll need to cycle it before putting fish in it. In the wild, and in established tanks, there are nitrifying bacteria that break down toxic ammonia from fish waste and excess food into less toxic nitrates. In a brand new tank, these bacteria don't exist, so any fish in the tank will produce ammonia, which, not being broken down by bacteria, will kill or weaken the fish. So, it is vital to cycle your tank.
There are a few methods. Do you have access to an established tank? These bacteria live in the gravel and in the filter cartridge, so if you can get some from another tank, you can put the bacteria right into your tank (don't let the gravel or filter cartridge dry out). If you do this, in a day or two, your tank will beready for fish.
Another way is to get Bio-Spira. It is the actual live bacteria in a little pouch, and your tank will instantly be ready for fish.http://fishstoretn.com/bio_spira.html

Other methods, which include putting a source of ammonia in the tank and letting the bacteria build up on its own, or putting a fish in and letting the fish produce ammonia (which borders on animal cruelty, because the fish will suffer from the ammonia in the tank), take 2 to 6 weeks before your tank is ready. If you rush that, any fish you buy may die, so try one of the instant methods I mentioned above (bio-spira or gravel from another tank)

Once your tank is cycled, you'll only need to treat the new water you put in when you do water changes with a water conditioner :)

Answer 2

All I can tell you from my 20 years in keeping fish, is that the only thing you need to add to the water is Water Conditioner (aka de-chlorinator).

Pet stores will tell you differently (they do make their money on these products), but any other additive is either meant to solve a specific problem, or is a cash grab. Freshwater fish do not need salt to keep them healthy either, they just need regular care and a suitable home.
The more stuff you add, the more you complicate. The more you complicate, the more things can go wrong.

Answer 3

What I would do is keep the filter on, get some live plants, get a water
testing kit and some hardy zebra dinos (or whatever you call them), aqua plus and soon you'll be ready!

Answer 4

6 tablespoons of aqarium salt for most tropical fish and stress coat youll have to look on the bottle and the heater you have to let sit in the water for 20 minuts befor turning it on or it can blow up or crack! if it does not crack instantly then your fine with it but atleast wait 10-15 probably. and you do need aqarium salt for oscar fish or cichlids to prevet disease that is in their scales read the aqaurium salt box! it says that right on it and it only cost 1 dollar and 44 cents.
have many established aqariums! breed goldfish and guppies and have 2 oscars