How to Start a Freshwater Tropical Fish Aquarium

A freshwater tropical aquarium can be set up in a variety of different ways. It can be used to house goldfish, or other specific kinds of fish, many of which will only get along with each other or only by themselves. But the most common kind of tropical fish tank is a community tank. When you set up a freshwater fish tank in this way, many different kinds of fish can be introduced a few at a time, until it is like a miniature world just like it would be in the wild. In order to start such a tank from the beginning, care must be taken to give the fish the best chances for survival.

Things You'll Need

  • Aquarium
  • Aquarium stand
  • Filter
  • Tank top and light
  • Heater
  • Gravel
  • Water conditioner
  • Thermostat
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Instructions

    • 1

      Figure out how large of a tank you would like. A common volume is 10 gallons. They also come in 20 gallons and higher, however. The larger the tank, the more difficult it will be to maintain, but the more fish you can keep in it.

    • 2

      Purchase all the supplies you need from the pet store ahead of time, including a filter and tank cover to match the size of the tank you buy. Many pet stores will offer packages that include tank, stand, and all the other things you need to run a tank.

    • 3

      Put your gravel in a sieve and run water through it to make sure all the gravel dust is cleaned out. this will make sure your gravel is clean and safe to add. You can now put the gravel evenly throughout the bottom of your tank.

    • 4

      Do the same with the filter catridges for your filter. After the dust is gone, place the filter carbon into the filter containers and place the whole thing into your filter. Fill the tank with water, and then fill the filter itself with water. Next, plug it in. If it's working properly, water should flow through it and back into your tank.

    • 5

      Add water conditioner to the tank to keep it free of harmful chemicals. The amount needed will be listed on the bottle, but it's usually a drop or two. Put the aquarium top on the tank to prevent fish from accidentally jumping out, and plug in your aquarium light so you can see the fish inside.

    • 6

      Let the filter run for a few days at the very least before you try adding fish. A good rule of thumb for how many fish you can have is adding up the length of all your fish in inches--it should be no more than the gallon number of your tank. So, 10 gallons will be 10 inches of total fish.