| I still remember every minute of the day I got my | | | | bottom of the aquarium. Lift tubes are inserted into |
| first fish tank. Of course, I said I wanted to start | | | | the risers at the rear of the filter, and then the under |
| small, so I got my 10 gallon tank with 3 small | | | | gravel filter is covered with gravel. |
| Goldfish...six months later, I had a 75 gallon tank with | | | | Rinse the gravel well and spread it so you get an |
| 9 Goldfish. So, if you don't want to repeat the whole | | | | even layer. You always have to rinse everything very |
| process very soon, I would recommend getting the | | | | well before putting it in the tank. |
| largest tank that you can accommodate. It's actually | | | | Now add the heater and the water pumps if |
| easier to clean a bigger tank than a smaller one. Small | | | | necessary. If you have a hanging heater, hang it off |
| tanks and bowls require a lot more maintenance, | | | | the back, where you can still see it and tell if it's on. |
| believe it or not. You can find more information about | | | | A submersible heater should go near the bottom of |
| all that throughout the site. For now, let's hope that | | | | the tank because the heat rises. Find a location for |
| this guideline can help you set up your fish tank. Like | | | | your air pump and put your air line and air stones in. |
| I said, you can start with a 10, 20, 30 gallon tank or | | | | You will also need a gang valve for the air line, which |
| bigger, made of glass or acrylic. Glass is traditional, | | | | will let you run two lift tubes off of a single outlet air |
| but the advantages of an acrylic tank are many. It's | | | | pump. Run a piece of air line from the air pump to |
| a lot lighter, seamless, and the clarity is unbeatable. | | | | the gang valve. Run another air line from the gang |
| Just remember to buy cleaning tools for acrylic and | | | | valve to each of your lift tubes. Read the instructions |
| not glass. | | | | for your filter to see exactly how to attach the air |
| Get an under gravel filter, UGF, a plastic cover with a | | | | line to your particular air stones. |
| fluorescent light, one pound-per-gallon of aquarium | | | | Power heads are great for aquariums. They draw |
| gravel or sand, an air pump and a heater. If you have | | | | water from under the UGF and pump it out of the |
| some extra change, get a power head instead of an | | | | power head, creating water movement as well as |
| air pump and replace the hanging heater with a | | | | delivering oxygen to the fish and the beneficial |
| submergible model. | | | | bacteria that live in the gravel (substrate). |
| You can buy a complete setup without ornaments | | | | There are also mechanical filters on the market. I |
| for a low price, and this is a great beginning. You also | | | | prefer the ones with a Bio Wheel. The Bio Wheel is a |
| need a stand that can hold the tank. Remember it'll | | | | paper like cylinder that rotates as the water is |
| be very heavy once you add the water. Start out | | | | returned to the tank. Beneficial bacteria live on the |
| with plastic plants, and plastic or resin, maybe wood, | | | | wheel and helps increase the biological cycle. |
| stone or ceramic decorations. Be careful, not every | | | | Now place your ornaments in the tank and see |
| rock or toy is good for your tank. Some have toxins | | | | where you want them before you get your hands |
| that can kill your fish. Remember, a larger tank is | | | | wet. Expect some ceramic or plastic decorations to |
| easier to maintain than a small one and it can hold | | | | float or tip over as you put water in the tank. |
| many more fish, which will lead to a more pleasant | | | | Once your decorations are in place, you are ready to |
| experience of fish keeping. | | | | add water. You can just pour tap water into the |
| Once you have the equipment, the rest is easy. | | | | tank and since you have no fish, plants, or a biological |
| Choose a stable place to set the tank in your home. | | | | filter to worry about, add the treatment after the |
| Once it's filled you won't be able to move it without | | | | tank is full. Be careful that the water doesn't dig a |
| emptying it first and you don't want to do that, and | | | | hole in the gravel as you pour it in. |
| try no to put it under the direct sunlight of a window | | | | It's good to wait a couple of days before adding fish. |
| or a very hot area, since heat makes algae grow | | | | Remember that patience is important to have long |
| faster, which means, cleaning will be harder. | | | | living, happy fish. |
| There are more complicated and expensive ways to | | | | Then you'll be ready to start the biological cycling |
| filter the gravel, but I recommend using under gravel | | | | process. |
| filters (UGF). These sit on top of the glass in the | | | | |