Setting up your First
Tank
Your tank should be situated out of direct sunlight since this will
avoid any unwanted algae problem due to direct exposure to sunlight.
Your tank is also less likely to overheat in a warm summer. Your tank
should not be situated behind or directly beside a radiator for obvious
reasons of overheating.
As mentioned before you should try to get the biggest tank you can
afford and fit in your home. A 100 litre tank should be seen as the
smallest tank to start in the hobby. You can get all the components
(tank, stand, lights, filter, heating, etc.) separately or buy a
pre-made system complete. The latter is probably the better option for
your first tank. Various manufacturers like
Juwel
and Aqua
One
offer well laid out systems that will work out cheaper than buying all
components separately. You will also be sure that all the electrical
bits are suitable for aquarium use.
On the downside some of the complete systems have fluorescent light
bulbs that are not standard size and you will have to buy bulbs
especially made to fit these fittings. But since you will only have to
change your light bulbs every 6-8 months or can keep them even longer if
you do not grow live plants, the expenses are still not unjustifiable.
Please always be aware that aquariums are heavy. A 100 litre tank can
weigh in at around 150 kg and most household furniture will not be able
to hold this weight. Either buy a stand especially made for your tank
(most manufacturers offer various finishes) or if you are anywhere DIY
minded reinforce your furniture or even build your own stand. It is not
particularly hard to do. But before putting your tank plus water and
décor on it, test it for strength. You do not want to have to take up
your wooden floor because several dozen gallons of water got under it….
Also make sure your tank is properly sealed. Fill it with water on look
out for any leaks. This is best done outside. Place the tank on a level
bit of ground and put a Styrofoam board under if before you fill it with
water. If you bought a brand new,
all-in system the risk of a leaking tank is minimal but a 2nd
hand tank might have sprung a leak over time.
Ok, let us assume that you have set up your tank on a suitable stand in
a suitable location in your home. The next step is to decide what type
of fish you would like to keep. This will determine every other step
from now on.
There are several ways to go about it but the one that seems to be the
most successful in the long term is determine what water parameters your
local tap water has and decide which fish are suitable for your water
and tank size. As a first time fish keeper you do not want to
necessarily have to acquire an in-depth knowledge of water chemistry and
how to influence such parameters as pH, hardness, etc. (at this point
you might want to have a quick read of the
Aquarium Chemistry article in this
section to get an idea what to look out for). A good water test kit is
an essential investment and will safe you a lot of money in the long
run. A good petshop will test your water for you but you cannot get your
water checked by them out of business hours and that’s when this tend to
go pear-shaped.