about getting ready a aquarium.?

Question

k so i got a newaquarium should i like start working the filter and fill up my 15 gal. tank with water before i get the fish? or should i just put in the water and wait for the chlorine to evaporate. or whatever i shoudl do

o oyeah i already have like gravel and plants stuff like that

Answer 1

You can fill your tank up first yes. Just add the necessary amounts of dechlorinator when you do. You want to have dechlorinator because when you do water changes, you can't just put straight tap water in. So either way you really need something like Aqua Plus conditioner to remove chlorine/chloramines. If you let it sit and wait, you'll be waiting much longer then needed. Aqua Plus will instantly neutralize all cholorine/chloramines in your water.

From there, if you want fish, get 2 or 3 danios or white clouds for your cycling of the tank. There are several articles out there about cycling if you are not sure about it. YOu can also do this by adding in pure ammonia and testing daily to watch the results. Whichever way you choose is fine really. If you need more help check out fishless cycling.com or just use the link on my profile, and you can email me direct anytime you need.

JV

Answer 2

Well, wash the tank first, rinse very well so no soap is left inside the tank. You can add the water and use a chemical that you can get at the store where you buy your fish ( it helps remove the chlorine from the water) or you can put the water in the tank and let it sit over night uncovered so that the chlorine evaporates. Add the pebbles and plants or whatever decorations you plan on adding. Oh yeah, before you add the water put the decorations and the filter (if you are using a bottom filter) in the tank then the water, etc. When you are ready to add the fish, leave them in the bag they came in and set it in the water so the water in the bag becomes the same temp. as the water in the tank, that way you won't shock the fish. After a while ( say about 10-15 minutes) you can release the fish. I know this is a long answer, but I want you and your fish to have a long and happy time together. Good luck... fish are wonderful to watch and low maintenance (smile).

Answer 3

Oh dear! The instructions are all over the place, but all have some good points.
1. Do not buy any fish until you have cycled your tank and done some research on cycling, tank cleaning and maintenance and diseases and how to identify them and treat them.
2. Do clean your tank, but never ever with soap or any other chemicals.
3. Do put your decorations in before you fill it with water, making sure to rinse your gravel well first.
4. Go to the fish store and buy a test kit that tests for ammonia, nitrites and nitrates (choose drops, they give a much more accurate reading).
5. Go to the grocery store or drug store and buy a bottle of plain, non-sudsy, no frangrance or other additives ammonia.
5. Fill your tank with water up to the bottom of the top rim. don't bother adding dechlorinator at this point as it will just be a waste.
6. Add enough ammonia to your aquarium water and then test it so that you get an ammonia reading of 5ppm. Keep track of how much ammonia you added.
7. Add that same amount of ammonia to your water every day until your nitrites spike and they start reading. You should start testing for nitrites after a week or so.
8. When your nitrites spike, decrease the ammonia you are adding by half and continue to add that amount daily until your nitrates spike.
9. When your nitrates spike, do a 50% water change, add your dechlorinator and stop adding ammonia. When your nitrates drop to 0 ppm, your tank is ready to add fish.
10. Make sure that, before you buy any fish, you understand the rules of proper stocking to avoid overstocking about how many gallons of water each type of fish needs and whether they are freshwater tropical, freshwater coldwater, brackish water or saltwater and the needs of each of these types of fish so that you will know what types of fish you can buy for the small tank that you have.

This process is called fishless cycling and is a much more humane method of getting an aquarium ready for fish. It takes about 4-6 weeks. Good luck!

Answer 4

You need to set the tank up, the filters installed, fill the tank, and run everything (filter, lights, etc.) as though fish were in there already. Get some StressZyme from the fish/pet store and add it to the water to get the biological filter going. You'll want to ideally wait a few weeks (>30 days is best) before putting fish in the aquarium. Check your water quality with dipsticks or testing kits to see if it is ready. If you're really not sure, I recommend putting some cheap feeder fish in to see if it's ready to sustain fish. These fish will really start the biological cycle going, and if they die, no big deal....and you definitely know if your water is ready. Freshwater fish aren't so delicate like saltwater are, but take it slow if you want the best results.
You will need to clean/change the water every other week.

Answer 5

First you should put things like rocks or fake plantsto make the aquarium comfortable for the fish type you think you might get. Different fish like defferent things such as some like to hide behind plants. Fill the water and put in chlorine cleaning drops found at all pet stores. After putting the right amount of drops wait up to 2 days until you get the fish. Make sure nothing metal is left inside the tank.

Answer 6

ok, so you dont sound like you know too much about this whole aquarium thing. you should really do some research before getting your fish. i would say, that before you head out of the door to purchase your fish, you should fill your aquarium with water, and put the instructed amount of de-clorine pruduct in the aquarium too. you should also, put your gravel/sand and any decorations that are going to be included in it before the fish go in. in other words, your fish should be the last addition to the setup. i would be interested in what kind of fish you plan on getting. the type of fish makes a big impact on how they should be looked after, obviously. you stated that your aquarium is only 15 gallons, so i am assuming the fish arent too complicated to take care of. i wish you the best of luck, and if you have any more questions, just ask. :)

*edit*:
also! some of these people dont know what they are talking about!! it only takes about half an hour for the de-clorine stuff to take effect. trust me, i have a 55 gallon, and a 35 gallon fish tank, and i know from experience. also, you could let the clorine evaporate, but this will take about 8-12 hours approx. either way, is fine, really. dont talk to anyone at a "petsmart" store, because they only think they know, and my encounters with these employees, hasnt been pleasant. they think they know everything about fish, but i dont even think any of them have had an aquarium. they probably know about fish from reading it on paper, and not actually experiencing fish first hand. my last thoughts are- just do your research, and you will be fine. an aquarium, can be a very nice addition to a home, or room, and will serve as a calming decoration piece in your home. if properly kept, an aquarium will bring you many years of enjoyment, and is a great hobby.

Answer 7

John V and Venice girl are right, what are the thumbs down for
You need to cycle your tank first and you can do that with a couple of zebra danios, here is a link that discribes it in detail
http://www.firsttankguide.net/cycle.php

You will know when your tank is cycled when your ammonia levels and nitrite levels are at "0", when they are you can start slowly adding fish, but not to many at one time, max. of 6 at a time, and always wait at least 1 week to add more



Hope that helps
good luck


EB

Answer 8

You should set the tank up (decorations, plants etc.)and get the filter going. You will need to add a water balance product. Let the tank sit and run for at least 5-7 days.Then test it with strips or whatever. I just set up a new 14 gal and it's been great. Just added 3 fish.

Answer 9

to start up saltwater tanks could be in the perfect cycle, that could take as much as six months. stay rock will help start up and look after the cycle. in addition they would be a good indicator by means of the presence of aptaisia and sponges of while your tank is waiting for invertebrates. you're able to have fish in this era yet no invertebrates. damsels are a inexpensive, beautifull and hearty fish to start up with. Filtration is genuinely distinctive simply by fact which you're keeping a cycle. the main serious piece of apparatus is a protein skimmer. you moreover could want important pass boost. ability heads are a thank you to pass. crushed coral substrate is sweet. Sand does not enable sufficient pass and is a lot bigger maintenance. additionally a sump tank could be a usefull gadget. in case you like extra information enable me comprehend.

Answer 10

put water in the tank - with or without chlorine in - and just put the filter on for about 2 - 3 weeks and after that you should test it. It should be ok to get fish after being left for that long