Now that you have decided what size of tank you what and picked up everything you need to get started we can continue setting up your freshwater tropical fish aquarium.
The first thing you will want to do is place the stand in your chosen location. Remember you want it where it can be seen and appreciated completely but not in direct sunlight. You will want to keep the tank about six to eight inches from the wall to allow for the pump, electrical cords and the ability to access the back of the tank. After you have the stand in place insure that it is level. Place your tank on the stand and double check that everything is level. Start setting up your freshwater tropical fish aquarium by placing the gravel (wash with cool water first) and shape it into the look you like. I found by creating a gradual rise of the gravel level from front to back your tank will look deeper from front to back.
Hang the filter on the back of the tank toward the edge of one side. Put the heater into the opposite back corner by affixing it to the glass with the suction cups. Run the cords down and plug them into the power bar. DO NOT have the power bar plugged in.
The next step is add your decorations and plants, plastic or live. I recommend using live plants as they help to keep your tank clean and healthy. If you decide to use live plants we will need to add some water first. I will discuss the steps to setting up your tank for live plants in the post called Live Plants in a Freshwater Tropical Fish Aquarium. There is no hard and fast rule about Accessories, decorations, rocks, plants or other items you may want in your tank, other than they must not be toxic or have the ability to leech toxins into the tank. This is where you can let your imagination go to work. If a week or two later you don't like the look you can rearrange it and give your aquarium a new look.
OK, your tank is the way you want it to look. Place a saucer or any small plate on the gravel. We will pour the water onto this so as not to disturb the gravel, or decorations. Stirring up the gravel also adds to the initial cloudiness of the water. Water that is added to an aquarium needs to be conditioned to remove chlorine and other chemicals toxic to fish. I use a product called Aqua Plus. Fill the tank approximately one third full and than have a look and see if everything looks good. Your aquascaping is the way you want it and this is also a good time to check for leaks, seldom happens but better to be safe than sorry. If you are using live plants this is the time to place them in the tank. I explain this process in my article titled Live Plants in a Freshwater Tropical Fish Aquarium. If everything is in place and looking good, you can finish filling the tank.
Now that your tank is full, the next step is to get the water circulating and warmed up. Check to be sure that the heater and filter are plugged into the non-timed side of the power bar and the light on the timer side. Plug the power bar into a wall outlet and than set the timer for twelve to fourteen hours. This is the the optimal time that the aquarium should get light.
Now that everything is running we need to just let the system run as is. I usually let it run for about five to seven days to let the water warm up and clear. In the meantime you may want to order a basic water test kit. We are going to have to make sure the water is safe for the new inhabitants. We will talk about water tests in my article called The Nitrogen Cycle of a Freshwater Tropical Fish Aquarium.
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