Setting Up Fish Tanks: What You Need to Know

Setting Up Fish Tanks: What You Need to Know

Setting up a fish tank is a great way to add a refreshing look to your home. Usually installed in living rooms and bedrooms, a beautifully-lit fish tank can promote a relaxing vibe in any space, big or small. Some say that having a fish tank in the house can lower your blood pressure. Apart from wellness reasons, fish tanks are always a delight to look at, especially if the tanks are big and there are a lot fishes swimming inside.

If you are planning to buy and set up a fish tank in your home or office, here are some factors to consider:

What kind of fish are you planning to get?

Fish are classified into two kinds: freshwater and saltwater. All the other decisions you will make regarding your fish tank will depend on this question. Freshwater aquariums will require different equipment from saltwater aquariums. So it will greatly help if you already have some fish species in mind. Freshwater fish are a lot easier to take care of, but saltwater fish are the ones that are usually more beautiful and exotic.

How much time and money are you willing to spend on your fish tank?

Some are contented enough to put fish in bowls or small aquariums while others prefer to have huge fish tanks. Hobbyists will not mind spending huge sums of money just to have a big aquarium filled with all the fish varieties they want. Keep in mind that bigger tanks are naturally harder to maintain than smaller ones. If you are planning to have a saltwater tank, then you will need to invest more time and money.

Where do you plan to put the tank?

The size of the tank you will get will depend on the available space in your room. Aside from space, you also need to consider the weight of the tank you are planning to buy. If you are getting a big tank, make sure that your floors can support its weight.

Setting up fish tanks can become quite tricky especially since fishes are very sensitive when they are out of their natural habitat. Many fish tank owners ended up having dead fish in a matter of weeks just because they do not know how to take care of certain fish species correctly. Fish keeping can be a bit overwhelming at first, but once you finish setting up your aquarium and you seen your fishes swimming happily inside, all your efforts will be definitely worth it.

First, you need to get the basic equipment. Choose the size and shape of the fish tank. The bigger the tank, the more expensive the maintenance costs. If this is your first time, then you might want to start with a 10-gallon tank, which you can purchase, complete with the basic kit. You can find the set for less than USD 30.00 if you know where to look. Pet shops usually sell the tanks in package deals – you also get the basic equipment such as oxygen motor, filters and heaters.

Your fish tank should be positioned near electrical outlets. It would help if you buy a separate outlet for the aquarium alone, which you will just plug to the main outlet in the room. Also, the tank should be placed in a spot where there is no direct sunlight, because this can affect the temperature of the water.

After you have cleaned the tank, you need to add the basic accessories. This is also the time to put in the background picture for your tank. When that is finished, then you can fill the tank with water, halfway first. As you pour the water, make sure that there are no leaks in the glass.

Make sure to invest on some decorations for your tank. The aquarium should somehow resemble the natural habitat of the fish. Put plants, seaweed and rocks in the tank. This will make the fish very comfortable inside the tank. It will also make your tank look more beautiful from the outside.

Check if all the electrical equipment in your tank is working perfectly. Temperatures should be adjusted carefully, since it can affect the general condition of the fish. Make sure that the filter is functioning well. The filter is the one that will gather all the bacteria inside the fish tank.

Adding the fish to tank is the really fun part. Before you do this, consult with pet shops first regarding the needs and behavior of the fish varieties that you are interested in. There are fishes that you cannot put in the same tank together; one will end up killing the other. Very small fishes cannot usually co-exist with bigger fishes, unless you intend to let the latter eat the small ones. There are species that require more room and there are some who do not mind sharing cramped spaces inside fish tanks.