How To

First off, take everything I say with a grain of salt. While I've been doing all the reading and research I can lately on setting up and running an aquarium I still don't have any fish. In fact I'm still getting all my sand into the tank. However I'm still going to try and distill what I've learned down and pass it on, but with a strong encouragement to do your own research, come to your own conclusions, and run your own tank.

I'm going to try and run through this like a shopping list. Start with the most basic, tank size, and move on through the really big important things to consider. I'll talk about fish specifically later.

1) Tank Size

If you're reading this and taking me seriously you probably haven't had an aquarium before. Heck I've barely got one, one without fish. So what's a good size tank to get. Like so many things in life moderation is the key. Really small tanks are difficult to manage, with so little water volume variables can change rapidly, maybe too rapidly for an inexperienced fish keeper to keep up with. Big tanks on the other hand take a tremendous commitment in terms of resources. Something in the middle will usually work best for new people, something in the 20-30 gallon range. Something in that range is large enough to change not too rapidly, but not so large that it eats your lunch.

Also consider weight when you think about what size tank you plan on getting. Water weighs 8lbs per gallon, rock significantly more. Its not a bad estimation to figure each gallon of tank weighs ten pounds. That means a 30 gallon tank could weigh 300 pounds, maybe even more if you pile in lots of rocks and substrate. Take a look at where you plan on putting the tank, if you're not comfortable with the idea of two full grown adults standing on it you don't wanna put a tank there. If it rocks you really don't wanna put a tank there. If you're not sure, buy a tank stand or even build your own.

Finally, fish tanks are freaking expensive. I priced out a 20 gallon set up and before I even put in many decorations or a single fish it was going to cost $200 if I bought stuff new. Be open to snagging stuff off of craigslist or ebay.

2) Salt or Freshwater.

Everything I'm writing assumes freshwater. Saltwater is a much larger investment and more complicated. Since I'm doing freshwater that's all I'm talking about here.

3) Filtration

This is a biggy. First off there are three kinds of filtration, mechanical, chemical and biological. Thankfully their names refer to both what they remove and how they remove it. Mechanical filtration is the removal of suspended particles from the water. Sand, grit, scales, fish poop, etc. If you can look in the fish tank and see it floating then mechanical filtration is what is supposed to take it out. Mechanical filtration is usually taken care of via a sponge or filter. Sponges look exactly like what they sound like. Filters in this case look much like your AC filter only denser, or polyester fill. The idea is to create passages through the material small enough that water makes it through but suspended junk gets hung up in it. Every tank needs mechanical filtration.

Chemical filtration is just that, removing unwanted chemicals from the tank. The most common way to do this is via activated carbon, or charcoal. In some filters its kept in its own separate container, in others, like mine, the carbon is packaged with the filter in cartridge. This is a rather savvy marketing move because filters don't really wear out but the carbon is deactivated in two to four weeks. So every two to four weeks they can sell you new carbon and a new filter. Slick huh? I'll talk about how to get around that later. Now there is some debate on whether or not its worth it to have carbon in the filtration system. For the moment I'm going to play it safe and use it.

Biological filtration is the most complex filtration. Get ready for a biology lesson, but I'll keep it simple. Ammonia is lethal to fish. Fish waste and decaying biological matter (food that wasn't eaten, dying plants, dead fish) both produce ammonia. The ammonia must be removed from the aquarium water or very quickly your fish will die from ammonia poisoning. We're in luck however. There is a type of bacteria that is plentiful in nature that eats ammonia and turns it into nitrites. The downside is that nitrites will kill fish just as dead as ammonia. We luck out again because there are more bacteria that eat nitrites and turn them into nitrates. (It's a chemical thing, there is a difference.) Well nitrates are not good for fish either in large doses, HOWEVER, unlike ammonia fish can tolerate certain levels of nitrates in the water and be none worse for the wear. That means we can keep nitrate levels under control through water changes and our fish will be fine so long as we don't neglect them and let the nitrates go bonkers. Biological filtration is the act of encouraging these beneficial bacteria to grow in our aquarium, don't worry they are invisible and you'll never know they're there except by their actions. These bacteria live all over your tank but primarily they live in two places, the substrate of the tank (gravel usually) and on the filter material and bio material in your filter.

While plenty of them live in your filter material its a good idea to provide an alternate place for them to live in your filter. You see those mechanical filters need to be cleaned out from time to time or they clog up. The act of cleaning them, even just squeezing them out, isn't good for the bacteria. The best way to get biological filtration in your filter is by providing a bio media. There are a couple different kinds. In my filter its a "bio wheel" essentially a waterwheel made out of porous material that allows the bacteria to alternately contact water, cleaning ammonia and then the oxygen, giving them a boost in effectiveness. In other filters, including mine, you can add bio media to it. This media is often in the form of porous ceramics(pellets, rings, rubble) or plastic mesh balls. Both provide a huge surface area for the bacteria to live on and a place for them to live that you won't be disturbing constantly.

Now that we've spent all this time talking about theory lets talk practicals.

There are several different kinds of filters. I'll talk about each of them and their benefits from the stand point of the three kinds of filtration as well as other things such as ease of use and cost.

a) Undergravel Filters. Just what the name says, they are filters put under the gravel, sand need not apply. The gravel in your aquarium sits on top of perforated plastic plates. A tube or tubes in the corners is set up to draw water down through the gravel, to the plates, and then push it back out into the tank at the surface. The UGF uses the tanks gravel for biological and mechanical filtration. Some newer models make provision for the installation of carbon inserts to add chemical filtration. These aren't bad filters, but they do require a lot of maintenance and can be a pain to fix. First off since you are using the gravel for mechanical filtration you need to vacuum it regularly to keep it form becoming too full of gunk. Second there's no way to clean the area under the plates without tearing the tank down completely. Finally decorations can create low and no flow areas reducing the effectiveness of the filter. They aren't bad, but technology has improved.

b) HOB (Hand on Back) Filters. These filters... hang on the back of the tank. Aquariums seem to be a lovely hobby where things are what they sound like. Anyways, these can be further refined into two categories. Bio Wheel filters and Power filters. Biowheel filters have bio wheels, power filters don't. Both filters draw water up out of the tank, pass it through filtration media, then spit it back into the tank, they just approach it differently. These filters are excellent for multiple reasons. First they are inexpensive. You can get a HOB filter for a 70 gallon tank for $50. Second they are easy to maintain, everything is right there in its own little box, not stuck down in the tank or anything. Finally they have just one motorized moving part which makes them rather bullet proof and easy to fix. The big two in this area are Marineland which makes the Penguin and Emperor series of bio wheel filters, and the Aquaclear brand power filter.

c) In Tank Filters. Filter that literally sit in the tank. Great if you don't have the room for a HOB, but I have trouble imagining a situation where you're that pressed for three inches of space behind the tank. These are similar to power filters just more of a pain to maintain, and they take up real estate inside the tank.

d) Canister Filters. Filters in canisters. A uptake tube and a return nozzle are the only evidence of a filter in tanks with canister filters. These filters usually sit under the tank in a cabinet to keep them out of site. These are usually the best filters you can buy because the slow flow through them encourages excellent filtration. They also tend to be the most expensive filters.

How do you size a filter? Aside from reading the box, its usually printed right on it, is to look for a filter that can move your water 4 to 5 times an hour. Multiply your tank capacity time four and that's the lowest gallons per hour rating you should look for. If you aren't sure go the next size larger.

4) Heating.

Say it with me kids, tropical... tropical fish. 95% of the fish you see in freshwater aquariums are tropical fish. This means they come from warm climates. These fish are used to water temperatures from the mid to high seventies to low eighties. The modern American home stays somewhere in the mid to low seventies. See the problem? What would happen to your fish if you kept them at these temperatures? The same thing that would happen to you if you wore shorts and a t-shirt and kept the thermostat at 63 degrees. You'd survive but you wouldn't be happy, you'd also be more prone to getting sick. So buy your fish a heater.

The best kind to buy are called heaterstats. These are combination heaters and thermostats and they're so good because rather than just heat the water they heat it up to a point and then stop. This way you can keep your tank exactly where you want it. Where do you want it? Research your fish. Figure on needing 3-5 watts of heater per gallon, less if your tank room stays at a reasonable temperature, more if it gets chilly.

Finally get a back up thermometer, not one of those stick on things you put on the outside. Get a simple mercury thermometer that will stick to the glass on the inside or a digital one with a probe for the water. It's a backup to ensure your heaters are doing their jobs.

5) Test Kit

Aquariums are like pools. You have to monitor the water and make sure it stays within certain parameters.

6) Lighting

Fluorescent. Now there's all kinds of different bulbs and applications and I'm not going to get into it because I'm not yet to that point. What I do know, and what I've seen, is that you want fluorescent lights. Incandescent just don't show off your fish to their best, and I've yet to see an incandescent replacement bulb for sale in a fish shop.

7) Aeration

Oxygen in the water, fish need it to survive. The enclosed environment of a fish tank denies the most common methods of getting oxygen into the water so we have to take responsibility for it ourselves. The good news is that if you have a UGF with bubblers, a HOB filter, or a well placed canister filter return you're probably already aerating the water plenty just from the turbulence of the return water. If you really want to make sure you can buy a small air pump (don't worry about the ratings, those are for running UGF's off them, for the purposes of aeration just about any will do.) some tubing, a check valve, and a air stone for about $12.

8) Substrate

Aka that crap on the bottom. Gravel is a common choice for a bottom covering and its a good one. It provides plenty of area of bacteria growth and is easy to maintain. Your main consideration should be that that stuff has rounded edges, not sharp, and that you rinse it thoroughly to get out the grit.

An alternative is sand. Sand is easier on bottom dwelling fish and has a different look than gravel. It requires more upkeep, it needs to be agitated regularly and takes forever to rinse clean. It offers just as much if not more area for bacteriological growth.

One thing to keep in mind about substrate, you don't need the fancy stuff from the pet store. A 20lb bag of gravel from Petsmart runs about $14. A $50 lb bag of the same size stuff from Lowes costs $3.50. Sand is the same. Don't bother with the pet store or aquarium store, just go to your local home improvement warehouse for your substrate.

9) Terrain

While every fish differs there are some things that you can be pretty sure of, one of those things is that they like cover. Things like caves, driftwood, and rocks give fish places to hide, make your tank look good, and just improve your fishes well being. Make sure that any cave decoration gets rinsed before you put it in and is intended to be submerged. I'd avoid using rocks you find in your yard since some can throw your water chemistry out of whack and they can carry nasties. You typically want things like igneous or metamorphic rocks. Avoid ones that look to be rusting or are shiny like metal. Sedimentary rocks are a no-no. Make sure you clean any rock thoroughly before you put it in.

For driftwood its even more complicated. Again buy stuff from dealers who sell driftwood, stuff in your yard will cause you more problems and take more time to make safe that it's probably easier to pay a few more bucks for the genuine article. First, the wood needs to be boiled to prevent it from leaking tannins into your water. Tannins will lower the pH (not always a bad thing) and give the water a golden hue. Some people want this, most don't. Boiling the wood several times will remove most of the tannins and disinfect it. Next make sure it sinks. Not all driftwood sinks. Some of it isn't completely waterlogged. If your wood floats you are going to have to soak it. This can take days or even weeks. Either anchor the driftwood down in the aquarium or do it in a bucket but keep it there until it won't float.

10) Plants

Real plants require lots of care, and equipment. Things like CO2 injection, fertilizer, and appropriate lighting. I'm not touching that yet.

Fake plants come in two varieties, plastic and silk. Silk is slightly more expensive, maybe about 25%, but it's more lifelike and softer. This is important with certain kinds of fish who have long flowing fins and like to hide in plants. Plastic plants can slice up their fins where as silk will preserve them. Personally I'm getting silk where I can find them but they're still only about a third of my plants.

As with anything rinse them off well before putting them in the tank.

11) Gravel Vacuum

This is used for vacuuming up debris in your gravel. Get one, use it. It can also be used as a siphon for water changes.

12) Bucket

Yes, a bucket. For your water changes, fish introductions, gravel vac and just general use buy a new bucket specifically for your fish tank. Fish respond poorly, ie roll over and die, in the presence of most household cleansers. Get a bucket just for your tank and label it fish only. Never use it for anything but the tank. I got a 2.5 gallon bucket at Target for $2, at Petsmart it would have been $6.

13) Dechlorinator

All tap water has a form of chlorine in it. Either straight chlorine, unlikely today, or chloramine, most likely. Back in the day you could dechlorinate water by letting it sit for an hour or two before putting it in the tank. Chlorine is volatile and would evaporate. The water companies switched to chloramine specifically because it acts like chlorine but doesn't evaporate off. Chlorine is much like ammonia, not good for fish. Any water that goes in your tank should be treated with a dechlorinator. Most of them now market themselves as "water conditioners" just be sure that somewhere on the package it mentions removing chlorine and chloramine.

14) Siphon

Also known as a plastic tube. Your gravel vacuum's tubing will likely suffice, but have a length of plastic tubing you can use to siphon things with. It's also not a bad idea to have a length of airline tubing to use as a small siphon. That plus a valve will help you acclimate your fish to the tank.