how to a start a home aqaurium?

Question

looking to start a midsize colorful aquarium

Answer 1

you buy a tank with heater and filtration you fill it with water and then you need to cycle your tank for 4 weeks checking nitrite and ammonia levels.you will have an ammonia spike as your tank is cycling doing water changes of 10 percent and putting some food in the tank helps start the bacteria needed for the tank
you should not put fish in until the cycling process is finished i put plat ties in mine which were cheap fish

Answer 2

Welcome to the hobby. There are a lot of good websites out there that can you do your research on. In the aquarium hobby, the larger the aquarium the better. So get the largest tank you can afford. One of the best things about this hobby is that there are so many posibilities and set ups.
1. Decide the location of your tank. Avoid very busy locations or ones where there will be too much sunlight or drafts.
2. Decide which types of fish you want to have and choose the correct enviorment (tank size, water conditions, etc.)
3. With help from your local pet store pick out the proper heater, filtration, air pumps and other equipment you need to make sure it will keep your aquarium at the appropriate parameters for the fish you are keeping.
4. When you get the tank home, put the stand in the location you have chosen, then place tank on stand. Make sure tank is level and sets evenly on the stand. Then add the gravel, decorations. Set the filter up,Place the heater in the tank. Slowly add the water to the tank. When the water is the tank plug in you heater and start your filtration system. Place top on the tank.
5. Let the tank run like this for a week or two and let it estabilish its nitrogen cycle.

These are just the basics. Below are some very good websites which you might find helpful.

Answer 3

First, plan your set-up on a piece of paper. Then buy anything for the set-up, either its freshwater or saltwater, but I recommend starting with a Tropical Freshwater Aquarium. The set-up will be easy, find some rocks, clean them first, then buy aquarium wood(do not use wood that you find in your home). Do what your set-up says, install the air pump, filter and heater then fill it with water and wait for 3 days. Now buy some plants, Plant the taller ones on the back and he smaller ones on the front, this would give more effects, then wait for another 3 days.

After you've finished your set-up, let us get the fishes.When you say a medium-sized aquarium, you mean 30 gallons?Or what? Do protect overstocking, only 4 livebearers per 10 gallons and only one Pleco per 10 gallons. Livebearers are Swordtails, Platies, Mollies, and Guppies. Pleco are great algae cleaners and will protect your tank from algae.Other fishes that could be put is Gouramis. Only get 2 of them. HOW TO PUT FISHES IN THE TANK: First, float the plastic bag on the water surface of your tank, then wait for 1 hour(to stabalize their temperature) Then, do not introduce any of the water from the plastic bag as this could result in introducing diseases to your tank, you do not want it to happen, eh? Scoop the fishes from your plastic bag with your net and put the fishies in the tank.

There, you have your aquarium, just maintain the nitrogen cycle and feed it everyday so that your tank will be healthy as ever.

Feel free to e-mail me if you have questions.

Sorry for the novel.....

CC

Answer 4

Hi john, you're going to love having an aquarium in your house, its very relaxing. You're right in starting off with a mid sized tank, you can always take the next step to a bigger one when you've learn't a few things about your new hobby. Place your tank where it will not have to be moved - at all!!! Pick somewhere in your lounge that isn't in direct sunlight ( encourages algae ) and make sure the furniture you place it on can take the weight of the tank when its filled with water! You can't just bung it on the coffee table and hope for the best, the furniture has to be very, very sturdy! Your local aquarium shop will be able to help you calculate the weight of your tank when its filled. Once you've placed it, buy the gravel but wash it thoroughly before you put it in the tank. Get your aquarium 'furniture', ie: statues and sunken ships!!!, place them around the tank and once its the way you like it, turn on the filter making sure its submerged or it'll go bang and you'll have to get another! Also, attach the heater somewhere you can see it in case of future blockages. I placed mine on the right hand side of the tank at the back. Leave the tank and water to purify via the filter for at least two weeks. I know its a long time but it'll save you money in the long run, if you put tropical fish in right away they'll die because the water isn't right and its cold! Start your fish collection with something easy to look after like mollies or neons and borrow some books from the library about keeping fish, it will help a great deal. Once you get the hang of it you'll be at the shop weekly stocking up ha ha. Hope it all goes well for you, its a lovely hobby to have.

Answer 5

There's lots to starting an aquarium - entire books on the subject, in fact!

Depending on the space you have available, a 29 or 55 gallon tank would be "mid-sized" and a good size to allow you a lot of flexibility.

If you want colorful fish, look to livebearers, tetras, barbs, and dwarf gouramis to start. Most of these fish are hardy and relatively peaceful.

I'd suggest looking into some of the types of fish first to determine what types you'd like to have. Consider her as well that some should be kept in schools of 3, 6, or more, the adult size of the fish (you don't want anything that will outgrow your tank), the "level" where the fish lives (some stay near the surface, others are bottom feeders) and behavior/temperment (don't mix slow, shy species with aggressive ones). Also consider the water temperature and conditions (Does it like to have salt added? Is it tolerant of salt? Some African cichlids may need to have additives to raise the pH and hardness, but others prefer soft, acidic water - try to match your fish to your "natural" tapwater characteristics so you have less expense and headaches!) Once you have an idea of the fish, you'll have an idea of the tank size and how many types of fish you can keep.

Plan on getting the tank, filter, lights, heater (if needed), gravel, and decorations before the fish. Get everything set up, then cycle the tank (this refers to developing a population of bacteria to process the wastes your fish will produce - it can be done without fish, or using 1-2 hardy fish - see links I'll post at the end for more info on this).

When you're ready to add fish, only add a few each week. This lets your bacterial population adjust to changes in the amount of wastes produced without exposing your fish to high levels of ammonia and nitrite, which are both toxic to them (leading cause of death in new fish tanks).

Lots more info in these links:
http://www.fishlore.com/NitrogenCycle.htm - on cycling your tank

http://www.liveaquaria.com/product/categ.cfm?pcatid=830 - good photos and info on fish species
http://www.fishprofiles.com/profiles/default.aspx?pnl=fresh - more info on fish species

http://www.elmersaquarium.com/h701elmers_freshwater_handbook.htm - some "preplanned" setups (note all communities may not be suitable for fish their entire life, so "small angels" or "large catfish" means this is suitable for juveniles or adults only - it's best to stay with the species that can be together for life)

General info sites:
http://www.fishlore.com/
http://www.firsttankguide.net/sitemap.php
http://www.peteducation.com/index.cfm?cls=16
http://www.wetwebmedia.com/

Answer 6

Temp seventy 8 pH - 8.2 Ammonia - 0 ppm Nitrites- 0 ppm Nitrates - under 20 ppm 0 suited phosphates - 0 ppm Calcium - 350-450 ppm extra of a concern for reef tanks Alkalinity - 8 - 12 dkh Salinity - a million.022 for fish purely a million.024 is extra advantageous for reef tanks you could purely degree the micro organism by using measuring for its byproducts the ammonia, nitrites, and nitrates. make certain you learn initiating a tank. You sound very new to this pastime and saltwater isn't as forgiving for errors as maximum freshwater are. Saltwater is extra costly besides. i do no longer propose a saltwater tank as your first tank except you have buddies who can assist you with it. in case you do commence with saltwater once you're completed biking your tank attempt out damsels on the initiating. they are probable the hardiest and maximum inexpensive of all saltwater fish. The chromis damsels are the excellent determination as they do no longer look to be aggressive or territorial. in case you do commence a saltwater tank take it sluggish and study as lots approximately it as you could. Saltwater may be somewhat extra durable notwithstanding it is somewhat useful.

Answer 7

The best thing you can do is arm yourself with information on fishkeeping. There's a great deal of information online regarding specific setups; freshwater, marine, peaceful, aggressive, etc. Cross reference the information you get from your local fish store with online references to keep things real. Ask lots of questions.

Answer 8

First get a tank.
Let the tank filter for 5 days with water in it
Put your rocks and other decorations in
Put fish in
Put the just getting started chemicals in
Feed them
Then you want to keep a close eye on the levels, get it tested at fish store
Last, have fun!

Answer 9

not hard. but a midsized colorful fish tank.

fill it with water.

fill it with fish.

feed them.

dont let them get sucked into filter.

Answer 10

Get some fish.