Setting Up A Freshwater Tank
Plan Your Aquarium Theme First Before Start
Planning is the first and most important step before starting your freshwater aquarium but sadly many hobbyists overlooked this when setting up their first aquarium. You need to know what kind of aquarium you want as this will determine the equipment. You also need to plan carefully on the aquarium community and the kind of fishes and other inhabitants that you want to keep. In general, your planning should consider the following points:
Keeping a Healthy Environment!
Think of your fish as pets and you’ll agree, they deserve the best care and attention you can provide. They rely on you to keep their environment healthy. A healthy aquarium is relatively easy to achieve and maintain, but it will not happen by itself. It depends on you. In rivers, lakes and oceans, water is cleansed and filtered naturally. In an aquarium, it’s a different story. In order to keep aquarium water clean and healthy, you must help. This means taking care not to overcrowd the tank or overfeed the fish. It means changing some of the water regularly, cleaning the gravel bed and providing the proper filtration.
Cycle Your New Tank
This is the first thing a new aquarium owner should do, before fish are even purchased. In other words: You never want to buy your fish and tank on the same day. Unfortunately, this is exactly what some new fish keepers do. Cycling the tank means you are allowing it to grow the necessary bacteria in the substrate and filter to properly break down fish waste. Ammonia and other nasty substances can build up in a tank to the point where it is poisonous for the fish. In the absence of these healthy microorganisms, this process happens much quicker.
Get a Water Testing Kit and Learn to Use It
The second thing you should do is buy a water testing kit and learn to use it. You need to monitor the chemical makeup of the water to be sure it is safe. The water testing kit tells you when your tank is properly cycled, and then lets you monitor the conditions in the tank as you add more fish. Adding fish impacts water conditions, and the more fish you have the greater the demand on the healthy microorganisms (bacteria) to get the job done breaking down their waste. The living inhabitants of your tank are collectively referred to as the bioload. Everything that breathes, eats and excretes in your tank contributes to the bioload, from fish to frogs to shrimp.
Know the pH of Your Water Source
In addition to testing the water the fish live in, you need to test the water source you are using to fill the tank. This may seem like a no-brainer, but many beginners don’t consider the chemical makeup of their water. Whether you are using well-water, water from a municipal water supply, or water from a commercial source, test it and see where it stands in its base state. It’s not likely you’ll find Ammonia, Nitrates or Nitrates, but you will get an idea of how acidic (pH) your water is. Many fish species will adapt to a range of pH levels, so as long as your numbers aren’t too far off the charts, but you may wish to correct out-of-line pH.
Research Your Fish before Purchase
Do your own research before buying fish. Visit online forums and websites dedicated to fishkeeping if you have any questions. Choose fish that grow to the appropriate size for your aquarium, and that will get along with each other. There is no easy answer to this. The only way to select the right fish for your new tank is to take the time to learn. Especially if you have small children it can be tempting to purchase whatever fish they fall in love with, but remember that a bad choice will simply end up in a dead fish, and heartbreak for your child.
Add Fish Slowly and Keep Water Healthy
Don’t add all of your fish at once. Purchasing fish a few at a time allows your tank to keep up with the bioload, and gives your new fish a better shot at survival. Adding a few fish each week is fine, and make sure you test your water as you go along. On the same note, do not overcrowd your new tank. If you research fish before you purchase you should have an idea of their space requirements. Under-stocking a tank is far better than overstocking. Perform partial water changes weekly, especially in the beginning. You’ll want to remove about 30% of the water from the tank and replace it with fresh, clear water.
Saltwater Fish
We feature marine life from around the world. With our direct line of import we offer some of the best prices in the industry. In addition, we can have our collectors bring in those hard to find show pieces. We are sure to have just about anything a saltwater hobbyist might be looking for.
Saltwater Corals
Our store takes great pride in offering high quality corals from top quality aquaculture facilities and premium collectors. Many times, we hand select some of the best pieces available. With the ability to hold over 1000 1" frags we certainly have plenty to choose from.
Used Aquarium's
It's our belief that your hobby should be affordable as well as enjoyable. We work hard to negotiate the best prices we can get on all our used tanks and pass the savings down to you. Our inventory changes daily so come on in or tell us what your looking for and we'll find it.
Freshwater Fish
We have the most diverse collection of freshwater fish in Southwest Florida. We even house over a dozen species that are endangered or extinct in the wild. We breed some of our own fish right in the shop, and deal only with top quality breeders right here in our State.
What You Can Expect From Fantastic Fish & Aquarium's
Quality fish, Knowledgeable staff, Competitive Pricing and a love and passion for the industry.
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