Tropical Fish Care - Where To Begin
A fish tank can be a beautiful asset to any room of your home. There are very few things more relaxing than watching fish swim gracefully around a well maintained tank. Fish tanks are not difficult to set up and maintain, but there are basic supplies that you need to get first. Here is some information to help you set up your first fish tank and learn about proper 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.
Light fixtures often come as part of the tank’s hood. These hoods are designed to cover the entire top of the tank. This will keep the fish in and everything else out. You will have a choice of incandescent or fluorescent light fixtures. Fluorescent may be the better choice. The light bulbs last longer and they do not add any additional heat to the tank.
Now that you have gotten all the things you need to get started it is time to set up the tank. Make sure you set it up near a power source and out of direct sunlight. Once everything has been placed where it belongs, you need to fill the tank with water, turn on the filter and let it sit empty for several days. This will give you time to make sure that everything is working properly. It also allows time for any harmful chemicals that may be in your water to evaporate or be filtered out.
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.
Tags: Fish