How to Make a Backyard Fish Tank

A backyard fish tank can have both aesthetic and practical uses. It can act as either the central design piece, around which the whole backyard can be landscaped, or it can add aesthetic appeal to an already landscaped garden. A backyard fish tank can also be put to use for practical uses. Fish farming and aquaponics can provide a sustainable food source for a family, straight from their own property. It takes an investment in resources and effort to build and maintain a backyard fish tank, but it can be worth it.

Things You'll Need

  • Aquarium
  • Sand
  • Gravel
  • Aerators
  • Carbon filter
  • Heater
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Instructions

    • 1

      Plan how much space you can allocate for your backyard fish tank. The space and its location in your back yard will determine the materials you need, what kind of fish and how many fish you can put in it. You need a good location for your backyard fish tank. It should be where you can course a protected electrical outlet. It will also need some sun for any water plants that you will place inside.

    • 2

      Purchase the materials you need for the fish tank. You can find kits that include a prebuilt tank in a certain size and the equipment needed (e.g. filters, aerators) to maintain a fish tank of that size. If you're planning to build your own fish tank, make sure you have all the materials you need as recommended by the manufacturers. Purchase equipment that is rated for the size of fish tank that you are building.

    • 3

      Fill the bottom of the tank with sand and gravel. Use 1/16th grade sand and gravel grains that are at least 3 to 5 mm in diameter. This sand and gravel bed allows a bacterial surface to form, which filters the water you will put in. You need at least a 2-inch gravel layer on top of the sand.

    • 4

      Put water into the tank and allow it to sit for at least 2 weeks, without any fish, to condition the water. Use aerators to add oxygen to the water. Install a charcoal filter to your backyard fish tank to clean impurities and wastes out of the water. Add water conditioners to remove waste and to correct the pH level of the water to 6.5 to 7.0.

    • 5

      Add the fish to the water one at a time, over a period of weeks. This allows the fish to get used to the water and at the same time allows the bacteria in the gravel layer to get used to handling the waste produced by the fish. If you live in a temperate region, you will need a heater for your tank and an indoor tank to keep your fish during winter. Install a thermometer to monitor and maintain the correct temperature for your fish.