Introduction to starting up your Tropical Fish Tank
This guide is intended to give you the basic information that you need to know to setup and maintain an aquarium. The key thing is not to rush into it! The more successful aquariums are those that are well planned out. Take the time to decide what sort of aquarium setup you would like, what sort of fish you would like to keep, and how large a tank they will require; our staff at Wharf will be happy to help you with this if you aren't sure.
It's a popular myth that small tanks are better for the beginner, in fact the opposite is often true. It's usually advisable to go for as large a tank as you have space for. There are several reasons for this. One is that a larger volume of water is more stable, and it will therefore be easier to keep the fish healthy. A larger tank will also allow you to choose from a much wider range of fish. Many people buy a smaller tank and then find themselves severely limited in their choice of fish, and end up wishing they had gone for a larger tank in the first place! An ideal manageable size for a first tank is around 1m or 3ft in length and around 100-125 litres capacity, unless you have already decided that you wish to keep very large fish.
Decide on a good location for your fish tank, some things to consider are:
- Keep it out of Direct Sunlight
- Try to locate it away from radiators or drafty areas
- Make sure the surface or floor it is stood on is level
- Locate it near enough to a power source
- Make sure it's not in a place where it might be knocked or banged (e.g. behind a door etc.)
- Make sure it is easily accessable for water changes
You will be excited about your new hobby but don't expect to buy your tank, equipment and fish on the same day! After deciding on the tank size and purchasing suitable equipment for it (heater, filter, lighting, decor), you should set the tank up, fill it with water and get everything up and running before adding fish. This gives the tank time to reach a stable temperature, and make sure all the equipment is working - this is covered in the next section.
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| Introduction | Equipment | Tank Decor | Adding Fish | Maintenance |