How do I set up a tropical fish tank? | PetHot.com
When you bring the fish home let the bag float in the tank for about 15 minutes so that the fish can become acclimated to the temperature and pH of the aquarium water. In order to have a successful freshwater tropical fish tank you will have to work at it. Once a week, or at most once every two weeks, you will need to perform some kind of maintenance on the tank. A tropical fish tank is just like having a dog or a cat when it comes to the amount of effort on your part. Learning how to set up a fish tank is not all that difficult, but there are some steps you should follow. Place your hood and tank light on the aquarium and then check your power cords to be sure that they are free of water. If you’re interested in some good and hardy first fish, please read the Good First Tropical Fish article. Place your aquarium in an area where the light and temperature of the tank won’t be affected by external sources such as windows and heater vents. After 5 minutes of floating the bag you should add some of the aquarium water to the bag so that the fish can become acclimated to the pH level in the aquarium. For example, a 55-gallon tank will weigh approximately 550 pounds when filled with water. Adding a couple fish at a time gives your filtration system the time needed to take on the increased biological load that the new fish introduce. Sunlight that enters the room through an unshaded window could affect the temperature of your tank. This could also lead to green algae problems for your tank down the road. Stressed fish often leads to dead or diseased fish. Don’t feed your fish on the first day. You will also have to feed your fish at least once a day. Only add one or two fish at a time. This will help reduce the amount of stress imposed on the fish.