How To Start A New Aquarium For Your Home Or Office

Healthy aquariums filled with fish have been shown to have therapeutic value in lowering blood pressure and stress levels of almost everyone in the research trials. Knowing how to start a new aquarium and shorten new tank syndrome will result in a beautiful aquarium that is not only a conversation piece, but a real stress reducer, as well.

First, you need to decide what size tank you would like. You can find tanks from small desk-top sizes to tanks that hold more than 55 gallons of water. You will also need a stand to set your tank on. Be sure it is sturdy enough to hold the tank size you plan to purchase. To calculate the approximate weight of the tank when filled with water, multiply the number of gallons of water the tank holds by 10. So, for a 20 gallon tank, you would multiply 20 x 10. A 20 gallon tank weighs about 200 pounds when filled with water.

After choosing the tank, other supplies you will need include a filter, air pump, hood, gravel, heater, ammonia, nitrite and pH test kits and water conditioner. You will also need an algae scraper, gravel siphon and decoration. Plan to purchase between one and 1.5 pounds of gravel per gallon of water. Hold off on buying the fish for now. If you have added an EcoBio-Stone, it will need some time to build up an adequate amount of beneficial bacteria before adding fish; otherwise, your fish could succumb to new tank syndrome. New tank syndrome, a condition where fish die a short time after being introduced to a new tank, is caused by high nitrite and ammonia levels. If fish are put into a new aquarium, there may not be enough beneficial bacteria to keep the nitrite and ammonia levels at a safe level.

If you decide to use an EcoBio-Stone, it should be soaked in chlorine-free water, at least overnight before placement into the tank. During this time you can begin setting up the aquarium. Begin by rinsing the gravel and tank with clean, plain water. No soap is necessary. The soap residue (no matter how well rinsed) will kill the fish once you add them to the tank. The filter and heater should be set up as per the directions that come with them.

Next, the gravel, decorations and air pump can be added to the tank. Add conditioned water with a pH of 7.0. Most fish do best at a pH level of 7.0. There are a few fish that require a higher pH level. The heater should be set to keep the temperature at a steady 76-78 degrees Fahrenheit. You can then add your soaked EcoBio-Stone to the tank. The next step is cycling your new aquarium.

Cycling an aquarium is the process that all new fish tanks must go through in order to have an environment conducive to fish life and a healthy tank. During cycling, the beneficial bacteria build up in high enough concentrations to handle nitrite and ammonia levels created from the fishes' waste products. Left untouched, the average tank requires just over a month to build up enough bacteria. The process can be speeded up, however, by the use of the EcoBio-Stone. It will last two years and keep your fish tank's water crystal clear during that time.

Now is the time to buy just two or three fish. Before releasing the fish into the aquarium, set the plastic bag you carried them home in into the tank. This allows the fish to adjust to the water temperature. Wait 10 minutes. Gently release the fish and throw the water in the bag away as it will have fish waste in it.

Your new aquarium requires weekly and monthly maintenance in order to keep it sparkling clean. Each week be sure to check the pH level. Ammonia and nitrite levels should also be checked. A healthy tank has zero levels of ammonia and nitrites. Each month, refresh 20% of the water and add water conditioner to remove harmful chlorine and other chemicals. At this time, you should also siphon debris from the gravel and clean the filter. After cleaning the filter, add fresh activated charcoal. Knowing how to start a new aquarium will keep your fish happy, and healthy for you to enjoy.

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