How to Care For a Freshwater Fish Tank

Watching your fish swimming around in your freshwater fish tank can be an exciting feeling, and can offer hours of entertainment. Setting up a new freshwater fish tank can be a challenging and sometimes expensive task. Once you have everything in place and have introduced your fish, it's important to know how to care for and maintain the tank so that your fish remain healthy and your fish tank always looks perfect.

Things You'll Need

  • Filtration system
  • Thermometer
  • Aeration system
  • Aquarium lighting
  • Water test kits
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Instructions

    • 1

      Avoid overcrowding of the fish tank. Although it may seem like a great idea to put more and more fish in the aquarium, overcrowding can cause many problems in the fish tank. Overcrowded fish are often stressed, which can lead to health problems. Overcrowding also causes the tank to become dirty quickly.

    • 2

      Choose a filter that provides biological, chemical and mechanical filtration. A filtration system is one of the most important pieces of your aquarium setup, and will help to maintain the health of your tank more than anything else does. Many filtration systems are available, so choose one that fits into your price range. Always choose a filter that is compatible to the size of your fish tank, and that provides these three filtration methods.

    • 3

      Change the filter cartridges at least once a month. This ensures that the filtration system is working correctly.

    • 4

      Install a thermometer and monitor the temperature of the water in the tank. Maintain a temperature that is appropriate to the fish species you have in your aquarium. You may have to install a water heater if the tank is not warm enough.

    • 5

      Provide aeration for the fish tank. Most fish species need a constant air supply in the water. You can provide air through an air pump or power head, both of which attach to an air stone in the tank. The type of aeration system you choose should depend on the size of your fish tank.

    • 6

      Provide your fish with light. Natural light is a wonderful light source, but you can also supplement the light your fish get with overhead aquarium-type lighting.

    • 7

      Perform partial water changes frequently. Remove a small amount of dirty water from the tank and replace it with clean water. You should be changing about 15 percent of the water every month.

    • 8

      Feed the fish in your tank according to their specific needs. Always make sure you know what the fish need before you introduce them into the fish tank.

    • 9

      Test the water in the fish tank frequently. When you test, check for ammonia and nitrite levels, making sure they are at the correct levels for your fish. You should also test the pH level in the fish tank. This should also be at an appropriate level for your fishes' needs.