Your First Aquarium

Author: Nathan Chesebro

Published: May 2009

Many established aquarium hobbyists will tell you that their beginnings were far less than ideal. When the beginner gets his/her first aquarium, there is usually a lot of excitement involved, and that combined with lack of knowledge will almost always result in disaster. The key to preventing such a disaster is research, and is best performed before starting your aquarium. This article will give you only a small foundation to build upon, and you are encouraged to research the topics discussed here in more depth to expand your understanding of the information presented here.

Establish an Image

It is a good idea (and not to mention, a fun idea) to think about your "dream aquarium". Ask yourself questions like "What fish do I want and how many?", and "Do I want a natural look, or a more playful theme?". Asking yourself about and visioning your dream aquarium will give you a good starting point for later research.

Determine the Proper Location

In the average house, there are usually only few places that are suitable for aquariums. Drafty windows, direct sunlight, heating/cooling vents, and high traffic areas are not suitable for an aquarium. Placing an aquarium in such places will increase the frequency that problems will take place. Also, the weight of an aquarium must be considered. As a general rule, you can multiply the number of gallons by ten to determine a generalized filled weight. In most situations, aquariums up to 55 gallons will not present a problem, but for larger aquariums, it is recommended that you seek the advice of a professional contractor to ensure your floor is capable of supporting very heavy aquariums.

Aquarium Size

After you locate all the suitable locations in your home for your aquarium you should select a manageable sized aquarium to place in that spot. Many hobbyists will say that a larger tank is easier to start with, and this is based on the fact that it takes much longer for something to go wrong in a large tank than a small tank. However, you must keep your resources in mind. Remember, when you perform 20% water changes on your tank twice weekly, you will be replacing 40% of your tank water weekly. On a larger tank such as a 100 gallon aquarium, you will be replacing 40 gallons of water weekly as opposed to only 4 gallons from a smaller 10 gallon aquarium. If you live in an area where water from the tap is not acceptable for aquarium use, it will become very expensive to maintain. However, most areas water supply is perfectly safe after the addition of dechlorinator, and the cost of water to maintain a large aquarium are nothing compared to the benefits of having a large aquarium. Larger aquariums also give you more options as far as selection of fish reducing your limitations in that area. Another benefit is fish feel more comfortable in large aquariums, and will display interesting behavior rarely displayed in small tanks, and will significantly reduce the risk of injury or death in your tank due to territorial disputes. If you would like more information about aquarium sizes, view our article on

Aquarium Stands

Aquariums weigh a lot when filled with water, therefore, it is crucial that you only use a stand specifically made for aquariums. If you fail to use a stand made for aquarium use, you run the risk of the stand collapsing, and that will result in a huge mess which could end up costing hundreds of dollars to clean and make repairs to flooring, but you also could present an electrical hazard which could total much more in repairs. Stands are at this time difficult to find online, but most aquatic supply stores stock stands and can order just about any size you need.

Equipment

There is a multitude of aquarium equipment on the market today, and selecting the right items can be a challenging task. Every aquarium needs filtration. Filtration comes in the form of power filters, sponge filters, and canister filters. Undergravel systems still exist, but are outdated and inconvenient to maintain. For aquariums under 40 gallons, a power filter will be sufficient under an average bioload. For larger aquariums, one, if not multiple canister filters should be used. Most tropical fish need water warmer than room temperature making a heater a necessity. There are many kinds of heaters on the market, including submersible, and no submersible models. Others are thermostatically controlled, others are preset. Our recommendation for aquarium heating is a submersible heater with an adjustable thermostat because they allow for precise temperature settings and are safer to use. Some types of fish, such as goldfish, are classified as a "coldwater fish" and do not need a heater as water at room temperature is sufficient. Lighting is optional, (unless you grow live plants, but that is a whole new article) and there are many inexpensive fluorescent models on the market to choose from. A tight fitting fixture is the best as it will reduce evaporation and offers less area for fish to jump through. Lighting is not necessary for aquariums, but it makes for better viewing of the fish in your aquarium at any hour of the day.

Substrate

For most hobbyists, no substrate is usually the best route. Gravel traps uneaten food and fish waste, and becomes harder to remove from the aquarium, negatively affecting water quality. If you would like gravel as a decoration in your aquarium, no more than a quarter inch should be used. Sand is another option, but sand is much harder to maintain, and too much sand can lead to growth of anaerobic bacteria, which can produce gasses that are harmful to the health of your fish.

Cycling

Every aquarium needs to complete a period of cycling before fish can be added. This is also known as The Nitrogen Cycle. This cycle involves a spike in Ammonia, Nitrate, and finally Nitrite. All three of these chemical compounds are toxic to fish, and fish placed in a tank in the process of this cycle will likely not survive the huge spikes of these chemicals. To prepare for adding your fish, you should purchase a test kit that tests for these parameters, and monitor these levels. You should be performing water changes twice weekly, and running your filter just as if your tank were populated. Once all three of these levels have reached safe levels, you can begin adding your fish.

Maintenance & Care

Water changes are necessary to remove built-up fish wastes and uneaten fish food that will produce toxic chemical compounds. The best method for performing water changes is with a siphon. Siphons usually come with a large rigid end to remove debris from gravel, and attach to standard household faucets. Water changes should be performed twice weekly and only 20% of the water replaced under normal conditions. To minimize the amount of uneaten food, you should only feed your fish the amount of food they can consume within ten minutes or less. If you do happen to over feed your fish, you should take immediate corrective action by using an aquarium net to remove the excess food.

This article gives you only a brief summary of starting your own aquarium. It would be impossible to address each individual topic in their entirety without overwhelming the new hobbyist. Look for more information on these topics in our article library. If you have any questions, visit our forum and post your questions for answers more tailored to your needs.