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Stop researching the subject and get started!  Starting a fish tank set up needn’t be difficult.  There is an enormous amount of information on the world wide web about setting up fish tanks and it can all seem a bit too much when you first start looking into it.  There are probably half a dozen things that you need to think about when you do your fish tank set up.  If you get those right, you’ll be able to learn the rest as you go along, so stop worrying, make some decisions and start enjoying your first fish tank.

Firstly, tempting as it may be to start with marine fish, I would advise against it.  The fish are a lot more expensive so any mistakes can be very costly.  Secondly, eighty percent of people who start the aquarium keeping hobby give up within twelve months.  With marine fish there a lot more to think about, more to learn and the cost of equipment is higher.  Make it easy on yourself and start with a freshwater tropical fish tank set up.

Why a tropical fish tank set up as opposed to a cold water fish tank set up, simply because it will give you a much wider choice of fish for virtually no extra effort.  First off select your aquarium.  Start with something between 20 and 40 gallons.  A great size for beginners, big enough to be interesting, small enough to be easy to look after.  When you’ve got the hang of it you can always but a bigger tank or get a second one.  make sure that you get an aquarium with a power filter that comes as standard.  (You need to|All you need to do is} make sure that it can pump five times the contents of the tank every hour, so if it’s a 20 gallon tank, it needs to pump 100 gallons per hour, if its a 40 gallon, then its 200 gallons per hour.  Simple maths but important.  If you have a pump that is too small your fish will die.

Think about where the tank is going to go.  Avoid direct sunlight is crucial and somewhere where you can enjoy it without rearranging the furniture too much.  Get it right first time.  Moving a full aquarium and stand is not an easy job and one that you should avoid whenever possible.  Every gallon weighs ten pounds!

Get an extra Heater.  If one fails your fish will still be OK.  It’s surprising how quickly a tank can cool down if the power goes off or a heater down.

Now, think about the fish which fish you want, don’t buy them but do think about what fish you want.  Is this going to be a species tank or a community tank.  I like community tanks simply because I like to see how the fish interact with each other.  Choose some top middle and bottom feeders to balance the tank.  Make sure that they all get on together.  A bit of research and planning will avoid potential problems later.  Most aquarium shops will advice on compatibility of fish.

I say think about the fish because that will effect the next two decisions.  Which substrate and plants.  Substrate is the gravel or sand that goes on the base of the tank.  If you go for fish that feed at the bottom of the tank the substrate needs to suit them as well as the plants.  Sand or Fine Gravel is recommended for bottom feeders.  Choose the easy to look after fish to start with. They tend to be cheaper and are more likely to survive if you make mistakes.

You’ll need enough Sand or Gravel to cover the bottom of the tank.  One and a half to two inches deep at the front of the tank sloping up to about four inches at the back for the larger plants.  Get some laterite that you can mix in with the bottom layer of substrate to help feed the plants.  You won’t need a lot.  Choose plants that don’t need extra light or carbon dioxide.  You can always move on to the harder to keep varieties later on if you get the bug.

Ok time to start.  Place the aquarium in its final position, set up all the equipment like lights filter etc. but don’t plug anything in yet.  Clean the tank with clean water.  Do not use soap or chemicals.  Wash your Gravel or sand until it runs clear.  Mix laterite with about a third of your substrate and spread it over the base of the tank.  Add the remainder of the substrate covering the base layer evenly and landscaping it as you want it.  Put a plate in the bottom of the tank and add your water pouring gently onto the plate to avoid disturbing the laterite.  Add your water conditioner to remove any chlorine.  Once the tank is full turn everything on and let it run until the water is up to temperature.  Now add your plants, putting the large ones at the back and leaving space for them to grow.

Now it is time for patience.  The biggest mistake that most people make with a fish tank set up it is not cycling the tank properly.  Your fish will be living in their own toilet.  Their waste together with any uneaten food will rot and create Ammonia which is poisonous to them.  So you need to allow the nitrogen cycle to establish fully before adding any fish.  There are several ways of speeding this up but I find the household ammonia method the quickest and easiest.

Once your tank is cycled it is safe to start adding fish and start enjoying them.  Fish tank set up completed and not too difficult!

If you found this article interesting and would like to know more about starting an aquarium check out my website at http://www.aquariumhintsandtips.com

Nick North is a keen freshwater aquarium enthusiast and spends a great deal of his time writing articles to promote the hobby to anyone interested in taking it up as a pastime. He has now got his own website aimed at the new aquarium enthusiast which gives lots of useful information on starting your first freshwater aquarium. If you found this article useful check out the site at: http://www.aquariumhintsandtips.com