Many people enjoy having fish tanks in their home. They can be a beautiful addition to any room. However, getting started may seem like a daunting task. This article will give you some basic information about how to set up your first tank and some tips on tropical fish care.
To begin with, you will need to decide what size tank you want. How much money you have to spend and how much room you have will be the deciding factors here. You will find that there are many, many choices as to what to put in the tank. Most of these will be entirely up to you. However, there are some things that you will need in order to keep the tank and the fish within it healthy and attractive. They are the gravel, a filtering system, a heater with thermostat, and a light fixture.
Gravel comes in many sizes and colors and the one you choose is based entirely on your taste. Remember that the gravel you choose will be the first thing that people will notice about your tank. Make sure that it fits with the look you are trying to achieve.
There are many types of filtering systems available but they all fit into two basic categories. Those that go under the gravel and those that hang on the outside of the tank. Both accomplish the same thing: to filter the fish's waste and excess food particles out of the water. Both types have their advantages and disadvantages. In larger tanks, you may need both types to maintain clear water and healthy fish.
You will need a heater to keep the water temperature around 72 degrees. If the water is much colder than that, the fish will become sluggish and may die. Much warmer than that and you will promote the growth of bacteria and algae that will be harmful to your fish.
Lights can either be purchased as part of a hood that covers the entire top of the tank or as a single unit. Either way you will want to get a fluorescent light. Incandescent lights will add heat to your tank and tend to put off a harsher light.
Once you have acquired all of these things and set up the tank, you will need to fill it with water and let it sit empty for several days. This will not only give you time to ensure that everything is working properly but will also allow the chlorine and other chemicals to be filtered out of the water.
After all of that, you are ready for the fish. Start with just a few. Let the bags of fish float in the tank for at least fifteen minutes before releasing the fish into the tank. This will allow the fish and water temperature in the bags to slowly adjust to the temperature of the tank. Now you can release the fish and sit back and enjoy watching the fruits of your labor.
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Tags: animals, Family, fish, hobbies, home, House & Home, Pets, reptiles, tropical fish care