Setting Up

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Setting up

The first thing is to make sure the stand for your tank is stable and is able to withhold the weight of your tank. Place a wooden board, at least a half-inch thick on top of the stand. On this place polystyrene tiles, as these will cushion the base of your tank. After the tank has been placed on its stand you can follow the following steps to completion!

Thoroughly clean and place rocks and bogwood on the bottom of the tank.
Place airstone and tubing in desired position. If desired, fix in place using aquarium sealant, which can be bought from most aquatics retailers. If you do decide to do this, leave to dry for however long the manufacturer advises before continuing with set up.
Wash all sand or gravel thoroughly- (this is a major task, especially with big tanks), but is necessary. For all the lazy people out there you can buy pre-washed sand and gravel, but it will cost you more (I can recommend it highly, although if you have the time, give it a quick rinse, just to be sure). Once clean place it in the aquarium, at least 4-6cm at the front and up to 8-10cm at the back.
Place a large bowl or jug in the bottom of the aquarium. This will be used to pour your water into, to avoid disturbing the sand/gravel. If using raw tap water, you will need to treat it before you place it in the aquarium. There are many water conditioners on the market and most work by getting rid of Chlorines and all metals from the water that may harm your fish. Many of the newer brands also have added ingredients, with the aim of protecting your fish against infection and will reduce their stress levels. Fill the tank with warm water (around 24degC). Place the plants in the tank where you would like, with taller plants to the back and sides and smaller ones to the front.
Install the heater, filter and lighting system (and if necessary the air pump), following the manufacturers instructions.
If required top up the tank till full and plug in all electrical parts. Check all are working properly.
The tank will need to be left for up to month before you can place in any fish. This is so the biological system can get going. You will need to test the water regularly within this month, as after two to three weeks the nitrite level should peak and then fall to nothing. Only when all levels of nitrate, nitrite and ammonia are zero can you consider adding fish. It is also a good idea to check the pH and hardness of the water, to see which species are suited to your aquarium.

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