When setting up a new tank it is important to let is cycle for approximately 7 days before adding fish, the water must be tested before adding fish. Chlorine should be removed from the water using a quality de-chlorinator such as Fluval aqua plus. If you wish to speed up the process of the tank cycling you can use Fluval biological enhancer. When setting up a tank it is important to know which fish you are going to be housing as fish species prefer different substrates/ornaments/temperature.
Water quality
Water quality can be monitored by dip sticks or a quality water testing kit. It is important to monitor, PH, ammonia, nitrite and nitrate as the latter 3 are known to kill fish in high levels.
PH – 5.5 -7.
Ammonia – 0mg/l
Nitrite – 0mg/l
Nitrate – 0mg/l
Heating
Heat varies among species, but roughly a tropical tank should be between 24-29 degrees Celsius. Heat can be provided via a wide range of submersible heaters including Marina and JBL. The wattage of your heater depends on the size of your tank so when buying a heater be sure to know how many litres your tank is. Heat can be monitored by specific aquarium thermometers.
Lighting
Light can be provided by an led light. Most tanks do come with light already but you can also purchase them such as the Interpet single bright white led lighting system. The light must not be on for more than 8 hours per day if it is kept on for too long algae can become a problem.
Feeding
Flake food is commonly fed to fish, there is also a wide range of pellets/tablets that can be fed. Frozen and live fish food is also available to buy such as bloodworm/daphnia. When feeding fish it is important to feed species-specific food, for example, there is specific cichlid food.
Cleaning
Gravel should be cleaned using a gravel vacuum at least once weekly. This is to remove any uneaten foods/ faeces. If this builds up it can cause an ammonia spike. A 15% water change should also be carried out each week (this can be done when gravel vacuuming). The glass can be cleaned using a marina sponge to remove algae, or if it is troublesome algae a Fluval blade/magnet can be used.
