Fish Tank Startup Guide

8/4/2019 Fish Tank Startup Guide

1/32

Aquarium

Setup Guide


2/32

Aqueon nutrition products were

developed with natural ingredientsand colors, making it easy to keep

sh healthy and energetic.

Aqueon water care

products are

designed to provideeective solutions

to aquarium setup

and use. Simple

to understand

and apply, theseproducts will

help maintain

the healthiest

environment or

your aquatic pets.


3/32

1) Introduction

2) Location, Location, Location - site selection

3) The Well-Appointed Aquarium: Your Guide To

Interior Decorating For Fish - picking out decor

4) Got Water? - adding water to your aquarium

5) The Magic of Filtration - installation and benefts

o using an Aqueon flter

6) Aquariums Should Be Warm, But Not Fuzzy

- heater installation and temperature settings

7) Some Light On the Subject - proper lighting

8) Getting Your Aquarium To Hit For the Cycle - a lesson in water chemistry

9) Lets Go Fishing! - choosing and caring

or your fsh

10) Keep On Fishkeepin On - tips to cleanand maintain your aquarium

Table of Contents


4/32

Simple, Serene, SmartIts all about the sh

An easy to maintain aquarium eaturing

platys and tetras can be colorul and

entertaining. These extremely active

species o sh coupled with smaller plantsthat will fow with the current will create

a lively addition to your home or oce.


5/32

You are about to experience the

joy and ascination o the home

aquarium, which will bring beauty,

serenity, physical and emotional

well being along with a world o

knowledge and wonderment to your

household.

Beauty The well-kept home

aquarium enhances the warmth and

beauty o any room in the house that

it graces. It is art and it is science,

as it literally and guratively brings

lie to any home. It is a naturalconversation piece and a source o

pride or the whole amily.

Serenity An aquarium brings

a sense o calm and entrancing

peace o mind. A sparkling aquarium

lled with lush plant lie gently

swaying in the current, a dazzling

assortment o colorul, interesting

tropical sh or goldsh and a taste-

ul array o man-made decorative

objects and/or natural wood or stone

will provide years o relaxation

or all.

Health Numerous

studies have ound

that aquarium-

keeping (as well as

general pet ownership)

oers physiological benets

to us humans such as lower-ing blood pressure and

easing stress. Emotionally,

the successul care and

nurturing o aquatic lie in the

home also builds sel-condence,

sel-respect, sel-esteem and a

sense o responsibility.

And while these qualities are impor-

tant in the development o children,

they are also upliting at any age.

EducationAquariums teach us

about the wondrous ways o nature

and the intricacies o an entirely

unique aquatic ecosystem. We learn

the science o water chemistry and

how water supports lie. We grow in

our understanding o nutrition, socialconventions and orders and how

to live in a diverse and challenging

world where not everybody has the

same shape, coloration, n length or

scale pattern.

Aquarium Keeping is For EveryoneChapter 1

I. Aquarium Keeping Is For Everyone


6/32

Some thought needs to go into

where the aquarium will be placed.Its important to get it right the rst

time, since moving an established

(and ull) aquarium is not recom-

mended. Here are some guidelines:

1. Structural integrity even the

basic 10-gallon starter aquarium

can weigh nearly 100 lbs. whenlled with water, gravel, decorative

objects, ltration, heating equip-

ment, lighting and sh. Each gallon

o water alone weighs just over

eight pounds! So youve got to ask

yoursel one question; is the resting

place or this aquarium built solidlyenough to support this weight day in

and day out or years to come?

I youve acquired a metal stand

or a cabinet designed to hold

an aquarium, youre already in

good shape. Aquarium stands areintended to support the weight o

an aquarium and are the preerred

base. Care may need to be taken to

protect the surace rom water.

While it is highly unlikely that the

aquarium will break or developleaks, water will escape the aquari-

um in small amounts as a byproduct

o the natural unctions integral to

the aquarium keeping hobbywater

II. Location, Location, Location

Location, Location, LocationChapter 2

Quick Tips:Location

Do NOT place your aquarium near a window or door.

Do NOT place your aquarium where it will receive

drats or direct sunlight. Make sure your aquarium is level and placed on an

aquarium stand near an electrical outlet.


7/32

changing, glass cleaning, eeding,

lter replacement, adding/remov-

ing sh, plants, heaters, decorative

items, et. al.

2. Give it Your Level Best Your

aquarium must sit on a level

surace. A disparity in the amount

o water pressure on one surace o

the aquarium walls could certainly

aect the structural integrity o the

aquarium itsel, and o the stand

upon which it rests.

3. Heres a Shock Water and

Electricity Dont Mix Since some

o your aquarium equipment (light-ing, ltration, heating, aeration and

perhaps some decorative elements)

requires electricity to operate, your

aquarium should be placed within

close proximity to an electrical

outlet.

I you have an enclosed aquarium

stand, you can mount a power strip

on the underside or an inside wall o

the aquarium stand to provide some

protection rom paws, little hands

and water.

One o the best and simplest tools

that will enorce the separation o

water and electricity is the drip

loop. (see Fig. 1) The drip loop is

ormed by ensuring that the power

cords leading into the outlet ap-

proach the outlet rom underneath

the plug socket. I water drips downa power cord it will all o at the

upward bend in the cord, never

making it to the electrical outlet.



8/32

4. Smokin Hot Aquarium: Exposed!

You can keep your aquarium in

a room exposed to natural light,

but not in direct exposure to the

sun. Keep the aquarium out o and

away rom windows. Too much

sunlight creates two problems in

an aquarium water overheatingand excess growth o unsightly,

unhealthy algae.

5. Dont be Dat Avoid The Drat

Keep the aquarium away rom chills,

draty locations, and open windows.

Avoid areas o the home that are

inherently too warm, too cold or

subject to changes in temperature.

Temperature consistency is impor-

tant in aquarium keeping, applying

both to the liquid environment and

to the ambient air temperature.

Your aquarium heater is designed

to operate in a stable, temperature-controlled ambient environment.

Most importantly, your sh are

accustomed to a narrow range o

water conditions, including a stable

temperature that does not fuctuate.


The right

location is a keycomponent in the success

o any home aquarium.


9/32

The Well-Appointed AquariumChapter 3

Filling an aquarium with all the

xins and trappings o home is a

majorly un part o establishing a

habitat or sh rom all over the

world. And not only are aquarium

accoutrements un, but theyre

unctional, too.

1. Lets start at the bottom, with thematerial we will use to create what

is called the substrate o the aquari-

um. Most o the time, natural gravel

is the most desirable, but there are

other acceptable choices depending

on other actors, such as whether

live plants are to be grown and thesize and species o sh to be kept.

Gravel is available in varying sizes

and colors. The correct gravel

size (which pertains

to the average size

o each pebble)

usually depends on

personal

preerence,

plant lie,

and sh habits and size. Gravel color

is usually just a matter o taste and

aesthetics.

Other popular substrate materials

aside rom natural gravel include

glass marbles or beads, sand and

aragonite (crushed coral). These last

two are used almost exclusively insaltwater aquariums as they raise

the pH (more later about pH) o the

aquarium water to a level that is too

high or most reshwater sh.

III. The Well-Appointed AquariumYour

Guide To Interior Decorating For Fish

Quick Tips:Decorating

Choose a substrate (gravel) suited to the type o sh

you will be keeping. Rinse the substrate thoroughly beore adding to the

aquarium.

Place appropriate decor in the aquarium.


10/32


Regardless o the type o substrate

you choose, be sure to thoroughly

rinse loose dirt and debris out o it

beore adding it to the aquarium,

even i the product claims to be

pre-cleaned. Rinse the gravel in a

bucket until the water that you pour

out o the bucket runs clear. Do notuse soap or any other cleansers!

2. Do you want to grow live plants

in your aquarium? Maybe not to

start out with, but perhaps later as

you become more comortable with

aquarium-keeping. I you choose

to go the articial route, there is noshortage o lielike fora to add to

the aquarium.

Todays articial aquarium plants are

highly-detailed replicas o their real-

lie counterparts, and are designed

to look and move as i they were thereal deal.

Although live plants require more

attention, when properly cared or

they help create a healthier aquatic

home or your sh and give the

aquarium a more natural look. Your

aquatics proessional can recom-

mend the right kind o plants or

your level o experience and thetype o habitat that you are trying to

create. Your retailer can also provide

you with the equipment and ac-

cessories that you may need to get

the best results rom your aquatic

gardening, items such as proper

lighting and plant nutritive products.The benets o live plants in the

aquarium include higher levels o

diused oxygen during daylight

hours (so sh can breathe easier)

and lower nitrate levels. Live plants

are also an excellent source o

supplementary nutrition or your

sh while also providing them with

hiding places and even spawning

grounds.

3. There has never been a better

time to delve into the ascinating

world o aquarium decorating, sincethere is now what seems to be a

limitless selection o decorative

items or the aquarium that oer

both un and unction. These items

vary in style rom the outlandish and

highly imaginative, to ultra-realistic

replicas o natural objects.There are basically three modes

to choose rom (or mix and match)

the completely unnatural look; the

Some synthetic decorations can

look very realistic and still

be affordable.


11/32


natural look utilizing highly detailed

man-made artiacts o nature; and

the real deal, consisting

o mother natures nest

handiwork.

Lets start with what

well call the Wild By

Nature look, consistingo all o those castles,

deep sea divers, skulls,

volcanoes, sunken

ships, treasure chests,

ceramic mermaids

and o course that

Sushi Bar sign. All othese are un, but not

necessarily rivolous. For

example, the so-called

action ornaments that

are operated by an air

pump can help increase

the oxygen level in the

water, assist in water

circulation and help stimulate gas

exchange at the aquarium surace.

Larger ornaments in general (espe-

cially those that are hollow and have

entry and exit portals or the sh)can serve as hiding places and as

territorial shelters or your sh, both

o which are extremely important to

a well-balanced aquatic community

and the well-being o your sh.

The next category is what we will

reer to as Art Imitating Lie.This group consists o man-made

products that mimic nature, oering

the appearance o reality. In this

group we include articial dritwood,

rocks, coral, plants and caves. These

products oer similar benets to your

sh shelter, saety and territorial

establishment.

For the aquarist desiring a completely

natural-looking aquascape and the

ability to assemble rock

ormations, caves and woodwork to

exact specications without the cave-

ats o Mother Natures creations, this

is the way to go. Advantages o going

man-made include easier cleaning,less chance o altering water chem-

istry, and being more environmentally

responsible by leaving Mother Nature

in, well, Mother Nature.


12/32


Our third grouping is what we will

term The Real Thing. Its sticks

and stones, dritwood, rocks, slate,

seashells, snail shells, pebbles, coral

skeletons and even some exotic

wood ormations. All o these items

oer the ultimate in realism and

natural beauty. Its always best to

buy items that have been processed

and prepared or aquarium use and

purchased through your aquat-ics retailer. Items not intended or

aquarium use may contain sealants,

dyes or coatings that may leech

harmul substances into aquarium

water. Any natural items that you

buy or the aquarium, especially

dritwood, should be thoroughly

rinsed and stripped o any dirt or

debris that may add contaminants

to the aquarium.

On the plus side, attempting to rep-

licate a certain aquatic environment

by decorating with natural objects

that are indigenous to that environ-

ment will help maintain water

conditions that are riendly to

the sh species that are ac-

customed to that environ-ment. For example, adding

natural dritwood to a South

American river aquarium

lled with sh rom that

particular region can help

keep the pH at the right

level or those sh. Thesame can be said about

calcied rocks and even

coral skeletons added to

the dcor o an Arican

cichlid aquarium.

Keeping a natural

aquarium requires a more

thorough cleaning process, espe-

cially or dritwood with its porous

composition; and the likely need

to perorm more requent water

checks and water changes, due to

the impact o natural substances on

water chemistry.


13/32

Got Water?Chapter 4

On rst glance sh seem to be quiet

and easygoing creatures, but actu-ally theyre quite particular about

their environment. Thats why water

quality must be the rst priority.

Water is their world; it is the air they

breathe (actually, the oxygen that

they extract).

The water you deposit into youraquarium will likely be rom your

home, and in most cases, thats

okay. Tap water can contain a

smorgasbord o chemicals, miner-

als, metals, and microorganisms.

Your tap water can range rom

very sot to very hard, rom low tohigh pH. I youre curious, check

with your local water authority

- they can easily provide you with

an analysis o your tap water. I you

have well water, your local aquatics

retailer can likely perorm these

simple tests or you.

Thanks to water conditioning

products, your tap water can be

quickly rendered quite sae or your

aquatic companions. Your aquatics

retailer has both the products andthe knowledge to help you make

that happen. Lets consider one o

the most common problems with

tap water and how to

resolve it:

Chlorine great

or your swimmingpool, bad or your

sh Chlorine is a

disinectant that is

used by the water

authority to help

make tap water

sae or drinking,cleaning and cook-

ing use. Chlorine

is, however, toxic

to sh. There are

many commercially

available dechlorinators that can

make tap water sae or sh.

Chloramineis a combination o

chlorine and ammonia, which is

more stable and longer-lasting in

IV. Got Water?

Quick Tips:Adding Water

Being careul not to disrupt the substrate and placed

decor, ll the aquarium with water.

Add necessary water conditioners to dechlorinate ortreat the water.

Test the waters pH. Adjust as needed.


14/32

Got Water?Chapter 4

the local water supply, hence its

attractiveness as a disinectant with

more staying power. Chloramine

represents a substantially greater

danger to aquarium sh than chlo-

rine alone. However, this problem

is easily solved by utilizing the right

water conditioning product. AqueonWater Conditioner is ormulated to

handle both chlorine and chloramine

while also promoting a shs natural

slime coating.

Getting your PhD in pH

Simply put, pH is the measure

o waters acidity or alkalinity.The lower the number, the more

acidic the water. Sot water tends

to be more acidic, hard water more

alkaline.

Some types o aquariums require a

higher pH level, while others, espe-cially those containing live plants, do

better with water that is soter and

more acidic (low pH).

But in most cases, its better or

aquarium water to be slightly more

acidic than alkaline. The main

reason is that ammonia becomesexponentially more toxic as the

alkalinity level rises. Where does this

ammonia come rom? Mostly rom

sh waste, respiration and rom

decaying ood and other organic

matter in the aquarium. While the

aquariums ltration system, whenworking properly, will convert this

ammonia into an inert substance,

too much ammonia can overwhelm

the ltration system or cause it

to overgrow denitriying bacteria,

leading to a bacteria bloom in the

aquarium (cloudy water, oxygen-

starved sh). In an aquarium with

a high pH (alkaline), any ammonia

present will have ar more damag-

ing eects on the sh.

The pH level in an aquarium tends

to lower naturally over time, and

is best maintained at a sae level

by requent water changes. Your

aquarium dcor can aect pH

levels. Natural wood and plants can

have a lowering eect on pH, while

coral skeletons, some stones and

substrates like aragonite or crushed

coral will raise pH or help keep

existing pH levels high.One o the most important tools that

you will need is a pH test kit, which

your aquatics retailer can help you

select. They are easy to use, accu-

A simple test kit will tell you when

its time for a water change.


15/32

Got Water?Chapter 4

rate and generally inexpensive. The

pH test kit is an especially useul

indicator o when its the right time

or a water change.

Fill er up!

There comes a very exciting mo-

ment when setting up that new

aquarium, the time to nally justadd water. The best way to go

about this is to ollow these steps

in order:

1. Conrm that the aquarium is

located exactly where it is to be

anchored. Do not, under any circum-

stances, try to ll an aquarium with

water, gravel or decorations and

then move it.

2. Ater thoroughly rinsing out dirt,

dust and debris rom your substrate

(usually gravel), add it to the

aquarium and smooth it out. At thispoint, do not add decorative items,

heating, aeration or ltration equip-

mentjust gravel.

3. Figure out how youre going to

get the water into the aquarium,

whether its with a hose or a good

old-ashioned bucket.

4. When youre ready, place a plate

or a saucer in the center o the

aquarium, and let the water enter

the aquarium by gently dispersing

o o the plate or saucer. This will

keep disruption o the gravel to aminimum, lessening the possibil-

ity o dust clouds, spillage and

splashage.

5. When the water level reaches 2-3

inches above the gravel, stop adding

water. Now is the time to add your

decorative items, heater, aeration

equipment and ltration. Do not plug

in any o the electrical items.

6. When all o the interior work

has been done, resume lling theaquarium most o the rest o the

way, again taking care to do so

slowly and evenly, so as not to dis-

rupt your decorative handiwork. Do

not ll all the way to the top. Leave

about an inch o clear glass at the

top. You will top it o ater sh havebeen added.

7. When everything has been

saely and precisely located in the

aquarium, and all tubes, hosework

and wires are properly connected,

move on to chapers 5-7 to learnhow to setup the Aqueon Power Fil-

ter, the Aqueon Submersible Heater

and lighting.

Your aquarium is now almost set-up,

but not yet ready or sh. Sorrywe

know how rustrating that can be.

Once the lter, heater and lightsare running, it is best to allow your

aquarium to sit or a couple o days.

This lag time gives the lter the

chance to clear up any remaining

sediment rom the setup process,

and allows the submersible heater

to stabilize the water temperature.


16/32

The Magic o FiltrationChapter 5

I there were any one reason why

aquarium keeping has become soeasy or everyone to enjoy, it would

have to be the marvelous advances

in ltration technology. In size, ease

o use and maintenance,

aordability, efciency,

longevity, quiet

operation andreliability, the

Aqueon Power

Filter repre-

sents the state

o the art.

Your Aqueon

Power Filteris designed to

clean and puriy your

aquarium water in every way pos-

sible: mechanically (by trapping and

removing particulate matter such as

ood and plant matter); biologically

(by supporting a colony o good

bacteria that process ammonia

and other waste by-products);

chemically (activated carbon lters

out harmul gasses and chemicals);

and via a wet/dry lter that notonly cleans biologically but also

signicantly improves oxygen levels

in the aquarium.

Your power lter will do

a splendid job

o keeping the

aquarium waterhealthy or sh

and crystal

clear or view-

ing, provided

that you ollow

some simple

rules: dont puttoo many sh

in the aquarium;

dont overeed; remove uneaten

ood, excess algae and decaying

organics; test the water weekly or

pH and ammonia; change the lter

cartridge on a monthly basis; and

most o all, maintain a consistent

schedule o partial water changes.

V. The Magic of Filtration

Quick Tips:Filtration

Position your Aqueon power lter on the back o

the aquarium.

Install the lter cartridge in the lter. Ater the aquarium has been lled with water, plug in

the lter to start it.


17/32


18/32

Aquariums Should Be Warm, But Not FuzzyChapter 6

The time-honored temperature

standard or the community tropical

aquarium is 76 Fahrenheit. Your

job is to see to it that the water

temperature stays close to this tem-

perature. Any temperature variation

must occur gradually, and extreme

cold or hot temperatures should notbe tolerated or long time periods.

Temperature control is again part o

the reason why aquariums should

not be placed under skylights, next

to windows or in draty rooms.

Every tropical aquarium should have

a submersible heater installed tohelp keep the aquarium water at

that agreeable 76 temperature.

The Aqueon Submersible Heater

is designed as a set it and orget

it heater that will provide precise

aquarium temperature control or

many years.

Installing an Aqueon Submersible

Heater: The right time to place the

submersible heater in the aquarium

is just ater the rst ew inches

o water have been added to the

aquarium, and beore youve added

decorative objects and plants. Place

the heater about two inches above

the gravel bed, axing the suction

cups to the back wall o the aquarium.

VI. Aquariums Should Be Warm,

But Not Fuzzy

Quick Tips:Temperature

Position your Aqueon heater on the back wall

o the aquarium (i included). Use suction cups to secure the heater on

the aquarium wall near good water circulation.

The heater can be ully submersed in the water.


19/32

The heater can be positioned with

any orientation, but should be

placed where there is good water

fow to ensure even circulation

o warmth. Ater positioning and

attaching the heater, you can then

arrange decorations in ront o the

heater to hide it rom obviousview. However,

its a good

idea to leave

a small viewing

area in ront o the indicator

lamp on the heater so that

you can perorm a quickspot check on its operation

through the aquarium

glass.

Set the temperature dial

on the heater to the 76

mark and use a ther-

mometer to monitorthe temperature o the

aquarium over time.

At initial setup, check

the thermometer

or the tempera-

ture every 15 or

20 minutes and

gradually adjust

the tempera-

ture

knob ac-

cordingly to

achieve thedesired aquar-

ium temperature.

Depending on the starting water

temperature and the temperature o

the room, it may take several hours

or the aquarium to stabilize at the

desired temperature.

Aqueon heaters are made o

shatter-resistant glass and eature

rubber ends making them extremely

durable. The only

maintenance yourheater should

ever require is

an occasional

wipe-down and a

scrub-down o the

suction cups. Finally,

remember to never

operate the heater

unless it is properly sub-

merged. Do not plug in the

heater until the aquarium

has been

lled andthe heater

has been properly secured in

place, ully submerged.

Aquariums Should Be Warm, But Not FuzzyChapter 6


20/32

Some Light On the SubjectChapter 7

The majority o aquariums are lit

with fuorescent lighting, a much

cooler and more energy-ecient

source o light energy than incan-

descent lighting. Fluorescent lamps

mounted in a protective and decora-

tive hood will provide the best light,

showing sh in their true and ull

colors while providing output in the

spectrums that can support natural

plant lie.

For the physiological well being o

your sh, keep roughly the sameday-night cycle that is observed

in your home. Keep the aquarium

lights on during the day and turn

them o in the evening. Light is also

ood or the growth o algae and

while some algae in the aquarium

is a good thing, too much algae is

unsightly, hard to clean and an oxy-

gen thie at night. You can automate

the day-night cycle with the use o

a timer that you can get at most

aquarium stores.

The average fuorescent tube light

loses its most benecial qualities

ater about one year o average use,

so replace them rom time to time,

even i they still work.

I you are growing live plants in,or have a saltwater aquarium, you

have some very special lighting

needs that are beyond the scope

o this book. Your aquatics retailer,

though, will have all the answers.

VII. Some Light On the Subject

Quick Tips:Lighting

Place included hood and strip light on top o the

aquarium, plug in and turn on.


21/32

Getting Your Aquarium To Hit For the CycleChapter 8

One o the many wonders o aquar-

ium keeping is the almost magical

way in which ltration and nature

work together to keep aquarium

water pure, sae and lie-sustaining.

This is called the nitrogen cycle - a

multi-step process in which toxic

waste substances in the aquariumare biologically converted into ar

less harmul substances.

In the aquarium, there are two types

o bacteria that neutralize toxic sub-

stances in aquarium water, and your

Aqueon Power Filter is designed to

encourage the growth o both o

these bacteria.

Beore adding sh to the aquarium,

lets describe how the nitrogen cycle

works utilizing these de-nitriying

bacteria:

1. The most toxic naturally-occur-

ring substance in the aquarium

is ammonia. It is a by-product o

sh waste, sh respiration and

the decay o uneaten ood and

other organic matter. Ammonia is a

guaranteed sh killer and worthy o

a zero-tolerance policy. Fortunately,

there are bacteria (named nitro-

somonas) that thrive by processing

(oxidizing) ammonia. These bacteria

(not harmul to humans) are actuallycarried on the sh, so by including

sh in your aquarium you are help-

ing to seed the biological ltration

portions o your power lter.

Your retailer can recommend hardier

sh that can tough out the break-in

period as the aquarium initially cy-cles. As more ammonia is generated

in the new aquarium, the bacteria

have more ood or growth and soon

outgrow the output o ammonia to

the point that when the lter and

aquarium have matured, ammonia

is processed almost immediately.

2. These de-nitriying bacteria do

generate their own waste product

when processing ammonia.

VIII. Getting Your Aquarium To Hit

For the Cycle

Quick Tips:The Nitrogen Cycle

Fish waste buildup will make water unsuitable or sh,

so test the water regularly. Your Aqueon lter, requent water changes and some

simple routine maintenance will keep sh happy

and healthy.


22/32

Getting Your Aquarium To Hit For the CycleChapter 8

This secondary nitrogen-based toxin

is called nitrite. And while ar less

harmul to sh in the short run, it

is still a sh-killer when allowed to

linger and accumulate.

Thats where the second o the

one-two bacterial punch comesin. Another de-nitriying bacterium

(named nitrobacter) processes

nitrite, and these bacteria also

take root in the biological ltration

system over time. The by-product o

the bacterial processing (reduction)

o nitrite is another nitrogenoussubstance, nitrate.

3. So ar, our good bacteria have

broken down ammonia into nitrite

and nitrite into nitrate. That com-

pletes the nitrogen cycle. But what

about the nitrate? Nitrate is only

harmul to sh when it accumulates

in large amounts. However, there

are usually no bacteria present that

will process nitrates.

There are ideally two ways to deal

with nitrate. Live plants and algae

will use nitrates as a ertilizer. O

course, where algae are concerned,

thats both a solution and a problem.

Too much nitrate will soon lead to

too much algae. The best way tokeep nitrate at minimum levels is

via the regular water change. That

will physically remove the nitrate-

laden water.

It is important to do

frequent partial water changes

to support the nitrogen cycle.


23/32

Chapter 8

On average, the nitrogen (or break-

in) cycle should take about a month

to reach ull maturity. During that

month, the water in the aquarium

may become cloudy, and sh may

struggle to thrive. Throughout the

cycling process it is necessary to

test the aquarium water daily orpH, ammonia, nitrite and nitrate

levels and use requent (sometimes

daily), small (10%) water changes to

manage water parameters. You will

notice as the days go by that as the

ammonia level alls, the nitrite level

will rise, and then as the nitrite level

alls the nitrate level will rise. When

your tests indicate no ammonia and

nitrite, the cycle is complete. Aside

rom regular testing and requent

water changes, your other best

practice when cycling the aquarium

is to keep the sh stocking levellow, and to avoid overeeding. Even

ater the aquarium has stabilized,

increase the sh population slowly

and gradually and only up to the

numbers that are suitable or your

aquarium size.

Getting Your Aquarium To Hit For the Cycle


24/32

Lets Go Fishing!Chapter 9

Lets look at acts about sh that

should actor into your sh adoptionprocess:

1. Size and amount o fshThere

have always been rules o thumb

or guring out how much sh can

comortably inhabit a given aquar-

ium size. Recommendations are

oten expressed either in numbero sh or total number o inches o

sh per gallon o aquarium water.

For the reshwater aquarium, a sae

number might be one sh or one

inch o sh per gallon o water. But

the mature size o each sh also

needs to be considered. Fishes thatstay small, like tetras can oten

be kept ten or more in a 10 gallon

aquarium, but one (or ten) ten inch

sh in a ten gallon aquarium would

not be suitable. Obviously, they are

called rules o thumb or a reason.

There are many other actors that

impact suitable bio-load or an

aquarium. Learning about the needs

o a specic sh beore purchasing

is always the best course o action.

Oten, your aquatics retailer canprovide the necessary inormation.

Other actors that may impact sh

selection include swimming habits

and compatibility. There are larger

sh that move slowly and hover

in the middle o the aquarium, like

the angelsh. While sh like daniosare renetic nners and darters

that tend to stay near the waters

surace. And catsh spend the bulk

o their time actively oraging along

the bottom. Selecting sh that use

dierent parts o the water columncan limit any potential competition

or niche and potentially increase

the total number o sh possible.

Aquarium capacity rules can usually

be stretched somewhat i the inten-

tion is to keep only small tetras and

catsh, and other sh that generallyare peaceul, community sh. Many

o these sh do best when kept in

schools, anyway.

IX. Lets Go Fishing!

Quick Tips:Adding Fish

Decide what sh youd like in your aquarium. Its best

to start with hardier species.

Acclimate your sh beore releasing them. Add sh gradually over the course o a ew months

to get to the desired amount. Do not add all at once.


25/32

Chapter 9

2. Habitat, sweet habitat yes,

your sh come rom your aquatics

retailer. But beyond that, what part

o the world did they previously call

home? Rocky, alkaline Arican lakes,

or murky, dritwood tannin-tinged

Amazon River estuaries? Did they

inhabit overheated Thai rivers, cold,ast-fowing water in China or quiet,

calm lakes? Even i they were raised

on the sh arm, they were most

likely weaned in waters conditioned

to simulate their natural homes.

The question is, how ar do you

need to go to also simulate theirnatural homes? I youre keeping a

tropical community aquarium with

representatives rom every continent

o the world, it will not be possible to

replicate water conditions that will

meet every shes exact require-

ments. Thats why a community

aquarium owner should shoot or a

happy medium, establishing condi-tions that will not be too extreme or

any species.

Fortunately, sh are very adaptable

to a new set o living conditions as

long as they have the time to adjust

and that the adjustment is not too

ar o their genetic preerences.

Lets Go Fishing!


26/32


Although fsh that have to adapt to

non-native conditions may not

exhibit the same behavior modes that

they would in nature, they shouldnt

experience a decline in health.

You should always

ask your aquatics re-

tailer or advice beorebringing home a

new sh. The

retailer will let

you know i your

aquarium is right

or the sh, and

what special require-ments may need to be

considered.

3. Compatibility

making sure

everyone gets

along swim-mingly Keep-

ing an aquarium

in which most o the

sh co-habitate well

is not only best or

the sh, but also much

more relaxingand enjoyable

or aquarium

viewers. One o

the best ways to

ensure compat-

ibility is to aim or the

three-level aquarium,which consists o

equal amounts o top-swimming,

mid-water and bottom-dwelling sh.

Top swimmers will have an upturned

mouth, like the ancy guppy, mid-

water sh have mouths that ace

orward, like Angelsh, while bot-

tom-dwellers have mouths that ace

south, like catsh. You should have

sh ood that is or-

mulated or each level

o eeder: foatingood or the

top-eed-

ers, slowly

sinking

ood or

the mid-

eeders, andpelleted, heavier,

sinking ood or the

bottom dwellers

(although

most sh

will gladly

acceptany ood

that nds

its way to their

part o the water

column).

When you have

balanced

out your

fsh col-

lection to

represent

all three layers

o swimmers, thevisual eect is quite

striking, and there

is order and peace in the aquarium

since each type has their own level.


27/32


Another way to enhance compatibil-

ity is to have plenty o hiding places

in the aquarium with decorative

objects placed in a way that sh can

establish territories or sae zones.

Fish that have nowhere to retreat

are highly stressed and eventually

unhealthy sh. The size and shapeo the aquarium is also a actor in

compatibility. It should have lateral

room or the active, ast swimmers

and depth top to bottom or the sh

that move up and down.

When adding a new aquatic dweller,

ask your aquatics specialist aboutnutritional requirements, tempera-

ment and aggressiveness. Over-

crowding and poor water conditions

will also work against compatibility.

4. The Low Maintenance Fish

I you are a beginner, choose shthat are hardy, who are not nicky

eeders, that can tough out less than

ideal water conditions. These sh

also happen to be some o the most

attractive and cordial

sh or the community

aquarium some tetras,swordtails, loaches,

some small barbs,

mollies, platies, gup-

pies, plecos and cory

catshes.

Buy a good, name-

brand quality fake ood,and replace it when it

no longer looks or smells resh.

Supplement the fake ood with

foating and sinking ood (palletized

and/or tablet) or the top and bottom

eeders. You can, but do not have to

eed your sh every day. A eeding

schedule o three-to-our times per

week will usually do.

Feed your sh in very small incre-

ments per session, with 2-3 eedingsessions each eeding day. Smaller,

more requent meals work better or

them. Watch each eeding session

to its completion and observe i

every sh is getting a air shot at the

ood. Feeding your sh a varied diet

allows or a happier sh with ull nand color display. Do not however

use people ood or unprocessed

oods.


28/32

Keep On Fishkeepin On!Chapter 10

Once your aquarium is established

there really isnt much maintenance

involved on a daily basis.

Every day, do a quick sh headcount, remove any sh that have

moved on, check the water tem-

perature and level and make sure

the ltration system is operating

smoothly without obstruction. And

eed them, o course.

Once a week, clean the exterior

glass suraces and the glass cover

that sits under the lighting hood. To

avoid getting soap or chemicals in

the aquarium water, spray cleaners

directly on cloth, not the aquarium.

To remove algae lm, wipe downthe inside glass using an aquarium

scraper, magnetic cleaner or simply

a clean sot sponge ree rom any

chemicals or dyes. Check the

aquariums water level and replace

any evaporation by topping with

dechlorinated water.Every other week, test the water.

Ammonia, pH, nitrite and nitrate,

hardness too, i you are growing

live plants or hosting sensitive or

X. Keep On Fishkeepin On!

special-needs sh.

Once a month, check or areas

where water may be splashing out

and check the electrical connec-tions or signs o water exposure

and make sure that all electrical

cords still utilize the drip loop saety

method.

Check all lter media or cleanliness

and obstruction. Replace lter car-

tridges. Rinse all biological medias

in water rom the aquarium only

- do not rinse in tap water. Swap

out about 20% o the water volume

or resh, de-chlorinated water. This

will keep pollutants at bay without

drastically altering the good aspectso your aquariums water chemistry.

Try to match the water temperature

o the incoming and outgoing water

as best as you can.

The water change should be done

in conjunction with a good gravel

vacuuming. The Aqueon WaterChanger is ideal or this purpose.

Vacuuming the gravel bed ree o

debris will help keep the aquarium

trouble-ree or years to come.

Quick Tips:Adding Fish

Perorm regular partial water changes.

Replace the lter cartridge monthly.

test your water regularly.


29/32

The world o aquarium sh keep-

ing is actually an entire universe

o expanded knowledge about

math, biology, nature, science and

sociology, and a valuable source o

personal growth and wisdom about

the secrets o lie itsel. It is an

educational opportunity or all age

groups. There is a limitless supply o

inormation about aquarium keeping

on the Internet, and your aquatics

retailer can introduce you to books

and videos about sh keeping. You

can even consider joining a local

hobbyist group, o which there are

many. No matter how ar you take

your participation in this wondrous

hobby, you will always come away

with the eeling that your lie has

been enhanced and enriched.

Enjoy Your New Aquatic World!

I you have any additional questions, or would like to learn

more about specifc fsh species, habitats, plantlie, etc., see

your local aquatics retailer.


30/32

The Possibilities Are Endless...

A 90 gallon or

greater reshwater

aquarium containing

Arican cichlids can

liven up a room byadding beautiul

matching aquarium

urniture and lots

o movement rom

these colorul, active

sh. Sizable rocks

and native broad-

leaved plants can be

used to fush out the

background.

Aquariums come in many

dierent sizes and styles. A

bow ront aquarium gives the

viewer a unique perspective

into the aquatic environment.

Saltwater setups, like the oneshown here, can take years to

ully develop, but the rewards

are well worth the time and

eort you put into it. There is

lie in every nook and cranny o

the aqaurium - rom the colorul

live rock to the ascinating andsometimes bizarre feshy corals.


31/32

The Aqueon Aquarium

Water Changer was

developed to make

routine water changes

and vacuuming gravel

easy and ecient or

any level aquarist.

The clean and simple lines o

the Elements Collection romAqueon brings an easy, mix-

able sophistication to t your

liestyle.

Design and style have

been combined

with ultimate unctionality

in the Home Impressionsurniture collection

rom Aqueon.

Home ImpressionsFurniture Collection

ElementsFurniture Collection


32/32

Documents

Fish Tank Startup Guide