Download - Fish Tank Startup Guide
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Aquarium
Setup Guide
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Aqueon nutrition products were
developed with natural ingredientsand colors, making it easy to keep
sh healthy and energetic.
Aqueon water care
products are
designed to provideeective solutions
to aquarium setup
and use. Simple
to understand
and apply, theseproducts will
help maintain
the healthiest
environment or
your aquatic pets.
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1) Introduction
2) Location, Location, Location - site selection
3) The Well-Appointed Aquarium: Your Guide To
Interior Decorating For Fish - picking out decor
4) Got Water? - adding water to your aquarium
5) The Magic of Filtration - installation and benefts
o using an Aqueon flter
6) Aquariums Should Be Warm, But Not Fuzzy
- heater installation and temperature settings
7) Some Light On the Subject - proper lighting
8) Getting Your Aquarium To Hit For the Cycle - a lesson in water chemistry
9) Lets Go Fishing! - choosing and caring
or your fsh
10) Keep On Fishkeepin On - tips to cleanand maintain your aquarium
Table of Contents
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Simple, Serene, SmartIts all about the sh
An easy to maintain aquarium eaturing
platys and tetras can be colorul and
entertaining. These extremely active
species o sh coupled with smaller plantsthat will fow with the current will create
a lively addition to your home or oce.
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You are about to experience the
joy and ascination o the home
aquarium, which will bring beauty,
serenity, physical and emotional
well being along with a world o
knowledge and wonderment to your
household.
Beauty The well-kept home
aquarium enhances the warmth and
beauty o any room in the house that
it graces. It is art and it is science,
as it literally and guratively brings
lie to any home. It is a naturalconversation piece and a source o
pride or the whole amily.
Serenity An aquarium brings
a sense o calm and entrancing
peace o mind. A sparkling aquarium
lled with lush plant lie gently
swaying in the current, a dazzling
assortment o colorul, interesting
tropical sh or goldsh and a taste-
ul array o man-made decorative
objects and/or natural wood or stone
will provide years o relaxation
or all.
Health Numerous
studies have ound
that aquarium-
keeping (as well as
general pet ownership)
oers physiological benets
to us humans such as lower-ing blood pressure and
easing stress. Emotionally,
the successul care and
nurturing o aquatic lie in the
home also builds sel-condence,
sel-respect, sel-esteem and a
sense o responsibility.
And while these qualities are impor-
tant in the development o children,
they are also upliting at any age.
EducationAquariums teach us
about the wondrous ways o nature
and the intricacies o an entirely
unique aquatic ecosystem. We learn
the science o water chemistry and
how water supports lie. We grow in
our understanding o nutrition, socialconventions and orders and how
to live in a diverse and challenging
world where not everybody has the
same shape, coloration, n length or
scale pattern.
Aquarium Keeping is For EveryoneChapter 1
I. Aquarium Keeping Is For Everyone
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Some thought needs to go into
where the aquarium will be placed.Its important to get it right the rst
time, since moving an established
(and ull) aquarium is not recom-
mended. Here are some guidelines:
1. Structural integrity even the
basic 10-gallon starter aquarium
can weigh nearly 100 lbs. whenlled with water, gravel, decorative
objects, ltration, heating equip-
ment, lighting and sh. Each gallon
o water alone weighs just over
eight pounds! So youve got to ask
yoursel one question; is the resting
place or this aquarium built solidlyenough to support this weight day in
and day out or years to come?
I youve acquired a metal stand
or a cabinet designed to hold
an aquarium, youre already in
good shape. Aquarium stands areintended to support the weight o
an aquarium and are the preerred
base. Care may need to be taken to
protect the surace rom water.
While it is highly unlikely that the
aquarium will break or developleaks, water will escape the aquari-
um in small amounts as a byproduct
o the natural unctions integral to
the aquarium keeping hobbywater
II. Location, Location, Location
Location, Location, LocationChapter 2
Quick Tips:Location
Do NOT place your aquarium near a window or door.
Do NOT place your aquarium where it will receive
drats or direct sunlight. Make sure your aquarium is level and placed on an
aquarium stand near an electrical outlet.
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changing, glass cleaning, eeding,
lter replacement, adding/remov-
ing sh, plants, heaters, decorative
items, et. al.
2. Give it Your Level Best Your
aquarium must sit on a level
surace. A disparity in the amount
o water pressure on one surace o
the aquarium walls could certainly
aect the structural integrity o the
aquarium itsel, and o the stand
upon which it rests.
3. Heres a Shock Water and
Electricity Dont Mix Since some
o your aquarium equipment (light-ing, ltration, heating, aeration and
perhaps some decorative elements)
requires electricity to operate, your
aquarium should be placed within
close proximity to an electrical
outlet.
I you have an enclosed aquarium
stand, you can mount a power strip
on the underside or an inside wall o
the aquarium stand to provide some
protection rom paws, little hands
and water.
One o the best and simplest tools
that will enorce the separation o
water and electricity is the drip
loop. (see Fig. 1) The drip loop is
ormed by ensuring that the power
cords leading into the outlet ap-
proach the outlet rom underneath
the plug socket. I water drips downa power cord it will all o at the
upward bend in the cord, never
making it to the electrical outlet.
Location, Location, LocationChapter 2
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4. Smokin Hot Aquarium: Exposed!
You can keep your aquarium in
a room exposed to natural light,
but not in direct exposure to the
sun. Keep the aquarium out o and
away rom windows. Too much
sunlight creates two problems in
an aquarium water overheatingand excess growth o unsightly,
unhealthy algae.
5. Dont be Dat Avoid The Drat
Keep the aquarium away rom chills,
draty locations, and open windows.
Avoid areas o the home that are
inherently too warm, too cold or
subject to changes in temperature.
Temperature consistency is impor-
tant in aquarium keeping, applying
both to the liquid environment and
to the ambient air temperature.
Your aquarium heater is designed
to operate in a stable, temperature-controlled ambient environment.
Most importantly, your sh are
accustomed to a narrow range o
water conditions, including a stable
temperature that does not fuctuate.
Location, Location, LocationChapter 2
The right
location is a keycomponent in the success
o any home aquarium.
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The Well-Appointed AquariumChapter 3
Filling an aquarium with all the
xins and trappings o home is a
majorly un part o establishing a
habitat or sh rom all over the
world. And not only are aquarium
accoutrements un, but theyre
unctional, too.
1. Lets start at the bottom, with thematerial we will use to create what
is called the substrate o the aquari-
um. Most o the time, natural gravel
is the most desirable, but there are
other acceptable choices depending
on other actors, such as whether
live plants are to be grown and thesize and species o sh to be kept.
Gravel is available in varying sizes
and colors. The correct gravel
size (which pertains
to the average size
o each pebble)
usually depends on
personal
preerence,
plant lie,
and sh habits and size. Gravel color
is usually just a matter o taste and
aesthetics.
Other popular substrate materials
aside rom natural gravel include
glass marbles or beads, sand and
aragonite (crushed coral). These last
two are used almost exclusively insaltwater aquariums as they raise
the pH (more later about pH) o the
aquarium water to a level that is too
high or most reshwater sh.
III. The Well-Appointed AquariumYour
Guide To Interior Decorating For Fish
Quick Tips:Decorating
Choose a substrate (gravel) suited to the type o sh
you will be keeping. Rinse the substrate thoroughly beore adding to the
aquarium.
Place appropriate decor in the aquarium.
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The Well-Appointed AquariumChapter 3
Regardless o the type o substrate
you choose, be sure to thoroughly
rinse loose dirt and debris out o it
beore adding it to the aquarium,
even i the product claims to be
pre-cleaned. Rinse the gravel in a
bucket until the water that you pour
out o the bucket runs clear. Do notuse soap or any other cleansers!
2. Do you want to grow live plants
in your aquarium? Maybe not to
start out with, but perhaps later as
you become more comortable with
aquarium-keeping. I you choose
to go the articial route, there is noshortage o lielike fora to add to
the aquarium.
Todays articial aquarium plants are
highly-detailed replicas o their real-
lie counterparts, and are designed
to look and move as i they were thereal deal.
Although live plants require more
attention, when properly cared or
they help create a healthier aquatic
home or your sh and give the
aquarium a more natural look. Your
aquatics proessional can recom-
mend the right kind o plants or
your level o experience and thetype o habitat that you are trying to
create. Your retailer can also provide
you with the equipment and ac-
cessories that you may need to get
the best results rom your aquatic
gardening, items such as proper
lighting and plant nutritive products.The benets o live plants in the
aquarium include higher levels o
diused oxygen during daylight
hours (so sh can breathe easier)
and lower nitrate levels. Live plants
are also an excellent source o
supplementary nutrition or your
sh while also providing them with
hiding places and even spawning
grounds.
3. There has never been a better
time to delve into the ascinating
world o aquarium decorating, sincethere is now what seems to be a
limitless selection o decorative
items or the aquarium that oer
both un and unction. These items
vary in style rom the outlandish and
highly imaginative, to ultra-realistic
replicas o natural objects.There are basically three modes
to choose rom (or mix and match)
the completely unnatural look; the
Some synthetic decorations can
look very realistic and still
be affordable.
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The Well-Appointed AquariumChapter 3
natural look utilizing highly detailed
man-made artiacts o nature; and
the real deal, consisting
o mother natures nest
handiwork.
Lets start with what
well call the Wild By
Nature look, consistingo all o those castles,
deep sea divers, skulls,
volcanoes, sunken
ships, treasure chests,
ceramic mermaids
and o course that
Sushi Bar sign. All othese are un, but not
necessarily rivolous. For
example, the so-called
action ornaments that
are operated by an air
pump can help increase
the oxygen level in the
water, assist in water
circulation and help stimulate gas
exchange at the aquarium surace.
Larger ornaments in general (espe-
cially those that are hollow and have
entry and exit portals or the sh)can serve as hiding places and as
territorial shelters or your sh, both
o which are extremely important to
a well-balanced aquatic community
and the well-being o your sh.
The next category is what we will
reer to as Art Imitating Lie.This group consists o man-made
products that mimic nature, oering
the appearance o reality. In this
group we include articial dritwood,
rocks, coral, plants and caves. These
products oer similar benets to your
sh shelter, saety and territorial
establishment.
For the aquarist desiring a completely
natural-looking aquascape and the
ability to assemble rock
ormations, caves and woodwork to
exact specications without the cave-
ats o Mother Natures creations, this
is the way to go. Advantages o going
man-made include easier cleaning,less chance o altering water chem-
istry, and being more environmentally
responsible by leaving Mother Nature
in, well, Mother Nature.
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The Well-Appointed AquariumChapter 3
Our third grouping is what we will
term The Real Thing. Its sticks
and stones, dritwood, rocks, slate,
seashells, snail shells, pebbles, coral
skeletons and even some exotic
wood ormations. All o these items
oer the ultimate in realism and
natural beauty. Its always best to
buy items that have been processed
and prepared or aquarium use and
purchased through your aquat-ics retailer. Items not intended or
aquarium use may contain sealants,
dyes or coatings that may leech
harmul substances into aquarium
water. Any natural items that you
buy or the aquarium, especially
dritwood, should be thoroughly
rinsed and stripped o any dirt or
debris that may add contaminants
to the aquarium.
On the plus side, attempting to rep-
licate a certain aquatic environment
by decorating with natural objects
that are indigenous to that environ-
ment will help maintain water
conditions that are riendly to
the sh species that are ac-
customed to that environ-ment. For example, adding
natural dritwood to a South
American river aquarium
lled with sh rom that
particular region can help
keep the pH at the right
level or those sh. Thesame can be said about
calcied rocks and even
coral skeletons added to
the dcor o an Arican
cichlid aquarium.
Keeping a natural
aquarium requires a more
thorough cleaning process, espe-
cially or dritwood with its porous
composition; and the likely need
to perorm more requent water
checks and water changes, due to
the impact o natural substances on
water chemistry.
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Got Water?Chapter 4
On rst glance sh seem to be quiet
and easygoing creatures, but actu-ally theyre quite particular about
their environment. Thats why water
quality must be the rst priority.
Water is their world; it is the air they
breathe (actually, the oxygen that
they extract).
The water you deposit into youraquarium will likely be rom your
home, and in most cases, thats
okay. Tap water can contain a
smorgasbord o chemicals, miner-
als, metals, and microorganisms.
Your tap water can range rom
very sot to very hard, rom low tohigh pH. I youre curious, check
with your local water authority
- they can easily provide you with
an analysis o your tap water. I you
have well water, your local aquatics
retailer can likely perorm these
simple tests or you.
Thanks to water conditioning
products, your tap water can be
quickly rendered quite sae or your
aquatic companions. Your aquatics
retailer has both the products andthe knowledge to help you make
that happen. Lets consider one o
the most common problems with
tap water and how to
resolve it:
Chlorine great
or your swimmingpool, bad or your
sh Chlorine is a
disinectant that is
used by the water
authority to help
make tap water
sae or drinking,cleaning and cook-
ing use. Chlorine
is, however, toxic
to sh. There are
many commercially
available dechlorinators that can
make tap water sae or sh.
Chloramineis a combination o
chlorine and ammonia, which is
more stable and longer-lasting in
IV. Got Water?
Quick Tips:Adding Water
Being careul not to disrupt the substrate and placed
decor, ll the aquarium with water.
Add necessary water conditioners to dechlorinate ortreat the water.
Test the waters pH. Adjust as needed.
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Got Water?Chapter 4
the local water supply, hence its
attractiveness as a disinectant with
more staying power. Chloramine
represents a substantially greater
danger to aquarium sh than chlo-
rine alone. However, this problem
is easily solved by utilizing the right
water conditioning product. AqueonWater Conditioner is ormulated to
handle both chlorine and chloramine
while also promoting a shs natural
slime coating.
Getting your PhD in pH
Simply put, pH is the measure
o waters acidity or alkalinity.The lower the number, the more
acidic the water. Sot water tends
to be more acidic, hard water more
alkaline.
Some types o aquariums require a
higher pH level, while others, espe-cially those containing live plants, do
better with water that is soter and
more acidic (low pH).
But in most cases, its better or
aquarium water to be slightly more
acidic than alkaline. The main
reason is that ammonia becomesexponentially more toxic as the
alkalinity level rises. Where does this
ammonia come rom? Mostly rom
sh waste, respiration and rom
decaying ood and other organic
matter in the aquarium. While the
aquariums ltration system, whenworking properly, will convert this
ammonia into an inert substance,
too much ammonia can overwhelm
the ltration system or cause it
to overgrow denitriying bacteria,
leading to a bacteria bloom in the
aquarium (cloudy water, oxygen-
starved sh). In an aquarium with
a high pH (alkaline), any ammonia
present will have ar more damag-
ing eects on the sh.
The pH level in an aquarium tends
to lower naturally over time, and
is best maintained at a sae level
by requent water changes. Your
aquarium dcor can aect pH
levels. Natural wood and plants can
have a lowering eect on pH, while
coral skeletons, some stones and
substrates like aragonite or crushed
coral will raise pH or help keep
existing pH levels high.One o the most important tools that
you will need is a pH test kit, which
your aquatics retailer can help you
select. They are easy to use, accu-
A simple test kit will tell you when
its time for a water change.
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Got Water?Chapter 4
rate and generally inexpensive. The
pH test kit is an especially useul
indicator o when its the right time
or a water change.
Fill er up!
There comes a very exciting mo-
ment when setting up that new
aquarium, the time to nally justadd water. The best way to go
about this is to ollow these steps
in order:
1. Conrm that the aquarium is
located exactly where it is to be
anchored. Do not, under any circum-
stances, try to ll an aquarium with
water, gravel or decorations and
then move it.
2. Ater thoroughly rinsing out dirt,
dust and debris rom your substrate
(usually gravel), add it to the
aquarium and smooth it out. At thispoint, do not add decorative items,
heating, aeration or ltration equip-
mentjust gravel.
3. Figure out how youre going to
get the water into the aquarium,
whether its with a hose or a good
old-ashioned bucket.
4. When youre ready, place a plate
or a saucer in the center o the
aquarium, and let the water enter
the aquarium by gently dispersing
o o the plate or saucer. This will
keep disruption o the gravel to aminimum, lessening the possibil-
ity o dust clouds, spillage and
splashage.
5. When the water level reaches 2-3
inches above the gravel, stop adding
water. Now is the time to add your
decorative items, heater, aeration
equipment and ltration. Do not plug
in any o the electrical items.
6. When all o the interior work
has been done, resume lling theaquarium most o the rest o the
way, again taking care to do so
slowly and evenly, so as not to dis-
rupt your decorative handiwork. Do
not ll all the way to the top. Leave
about an inch o clear glass at the
top. You will top it o ater sh havebeen added.
7. When everything has been
saely and precisely located in the
aquarium, and all tubes, hosework
and wires are properly connected,
move on to chapers 5-7 to learnhow to setup the Aqueon Power Fil-
ter, the Aqueon Submersible Heater
and lighting.
Your aquarium is now almost set-up,
but not yet ready or sh. Sorrywe
know how rustrating that can be.
Once the lter, heater and lightsare running, it is best to allow your
aquarium to sit or a couple o days.
This lag time gives the lter the
chance to clear up any remaining
sediment rom the setup process,
and allows the submersible heater
to stabilize the water temperature.
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The Magic o FiltrationChapter 5
I there were any one reason why
aquarium keeping has become soeasy or everyone to enjoy, it would
have to be the marvelous advances
in ltration technology. In size, ease
o use and maintenance,
aordability, efciency,
longevity, quiet
operation andreliability, the
Aqueon Power
Filter repre-
sents the state
o the art.
Your Aqueon
Power Filteris designed to
clean and puriy your
aquarium water in every way pos-
sible: mechanically (by trapping and
removing particulate matter such as
ood and plant matter); biologically
(by supporting a colony o good
bacteria that process ammonia
and other waste by-products);
chemically (activated carbon lters
out harmul gasses and chemicals);
and via a wet/dry lter that notonly cleans biologically but also
signicantly improves oxygen levels
in the aquarium.
Your power lter will do
a splendid job
o keeping the
aquarium waterhealthy or sh
and crystal
clear or view-
ing, provided
that you ollow
some simple
rules: dont puttoo many sh
in the aquarium;
dont overeed; remove uneaten
ood, excess algae and decaying
organics; test the water weekly or
pH and ammonia; change the lter
cartridge on a monthly basis; and
most o all, maintain a consistent
schedule o partial water changes.
V. The Magic of Filtration
Quick Tips:Filtration
Position your Aqueon power lter on the back o
the aquarium.
Install the lter cartridge in the lter. Ater the aquarium has been lled with water, plug in
the lter to start it.
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Aquariums Should Be Warm, But Not FuzzyChapter 6
The time-honored temperature
standard or the community tropical
aquarium is 76 Fahrenheit. Your
job is to see to it that the water
temperature stays close to this tem-
perature. Any temperature variation
must occur gradually, and extreme
cold or hot temperatures should notbe tolerated or long time periods.
Temperature control is again part o
the reason why aquariums should
not be placed under skylights, next
to windows or in draty rooms.
Every tropical aquarium should have
a submersible heater installed tohelp keep the aquarium water at
that agreeable 76 temperature.
The Aqueon Submersible Heater
is designed as a set it and orget
it heater that will provide precise
aquarium temperature control or
many years.
Installing an Aqueon Submersible
Heater: The right time to place the
submersible heater in the aquarium
is just ater the rst ew inches
o water have been added to the
aquarium, and beore youve added
decorative objects and plants. Place
the heater about two inches above
the gravel bed, axing the suction
cups to the back wall o the aquarium.
VI. Aquariums Should Be Warm,
But Not Fuzzy
Quick Tips:Temperature
Position your Aqueon heater on the back wall
o the aquarium (i included). Use suction cups to secure the heater on
the aquarium wall near good water circulation.
The heater can be ully submersed in the water.
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The heater can be positioned with
any orientation, but should be
placed where there is good water
fow to ensure even circulation
o warmth. Ater positioning and
attaching the heater, you can then
arrange decorations in ront o the
heater to hide it rom obviousview. However,
its a good
idea to leave
a small viewing
area in ront o the indicator
lamp on the heater so that
you can perorm a quickspot check on its operation
through the aquarium
glass.
Set the temperature dial
on the heater to the 76
mark and use a ther-
mometer to monitorthe temperature o the
aquarium over time.
At initial setup, check
the thermometer
or the tempera-
ture every 15 or
20 minutes and
gradually adjust
the tempera-
ture
knob ac-
cordingly to
achieve thedesired aquar-
ium temperature.
Depending on the starting water
temperature and the temperature o
the room, it may take several hours
or the aquarium to stabilize at the
desired temperature.
Aqueon heaters are made o
shatter-resistant glass and eature
rubber ends making them extremely
durable. The only
maintenance yourheater should
ever require is
an occasional
wipe-down and a
scrub-down o the
suction cups. Finally,
remember to never
operate the heater
unless it is properly sub-
merged. Do not plug in the
heater until the aquarium
has been
lled andthe heater
has been properly secured in
place, ully submerged.
Aquariums Should Be Warm, But Not FuzzyChapter 6
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Some Light On the SubjectChapter 7
The majority o aquariums are lit
with fuorescent lighting, a much
cooler and more energy-ecient
source o light energy than incan-
descent lighting. Fluorescent lamps
mounted in a protective and decora-
tive hood will provide the best light,
showing sh in their true and ull
colors while providing output in the
spectrums that can support natural
plant lie.
For the physiological well being o
your sh, keep roughly the sameday-night cycle that is observed
in your home. Keep the aquarium
lights on during the day and turn
them o in the evening. Light is also
ood or the growth o algae and
while some algae in the aquarium
is a good thing, too much algae is
unsightly, hard to clean and an oxy-
gen thie at night. You can automate
the day-night cycle with the use o
a timer that you can get at most
aquarium stores.
The average fuorescent tube light
loses its most benecial qualities
ater about one year o average use,
so replace them rom time to time,
even i they still work.
I you are growing live plants in,or have a saltwater aquarium, you
have some very special lighting
needs that are beyond the scope
o this book. Your aquatics retailer,
though, will have all the answers.
VII. Some Light On the Subject
Quick Tips:Lighting
Place included hood and strip light on top o the
aquarium, plug in and turn on.
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Getting Your Aquarium To Hit For the CycleChapter 8
One o the many wonders o aquar-
ium keeping is the almost magical
way in which ltration and nature
work together to keep aquarium
water pure, sae and lie-sustaining.
This is called the nitrogen cycle - a
multi-step process in which toxic
waste substances in the aquariumare biologically converted into ar
less harmul substances.
In the aquarium, there are two types
o bacteria that neutralize toxic sub-
stances in aquarium water, and your
Aqueon Power Filter is designed to
encourage the growth o both o
these bacteria.
Beore adding sh to the aquarium,
lets describe how the nitrogen cycle
works utilizing these de-nitriying
bacteria:
1. The most toxic naturally-occur-
ring substance in the aquarium
is ammonia. It is a by-product o
sh waste, sh respiration and
the decay o uneaten ood and
other organic matter. Ammonia is a
guaranteed sh killer and worthy o
a zero-tolerance policy. Fortunately,
there are bacteria (named nitro-
somonas) that thrive by processing
(oxidizing) ammonia. These bacteria
(not harmul to humans) are actuallycarried on the sh, so by including
sh in your aquarium you are help-
ing to seed the biological ltration
portions o your power lter.
Your retailer can recommend hardier
sh that can tough out the break-in
period as the aquarium initially cy-cles. As more ammonia is generated
in the new aquarium, the bacteria
have more ood or growth and soon
outgrow the output o ammonia to
the point that when the lter and
aquarium have matured, ammonia
is processed almost immediately.
2. These de-nitriying bacteria do
generate their own waste product
when processing ammonia.
VIII. Getting Your Aquarium To Hit
For the Cycle
Quick Tips:The Nitrogen Cycle
Fish waste buildup will make water unsuitable or sh,
so test the water regularly. Your Aqueon lter, requent water changes and some
simple routine maintenance will keep sh happy
and healthy.
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Getting Your Aquarium To Hit For the CycleChapter 8
This secondary nitrogen-based toxin
is called nitrite. And while ar less
harmul to sh in the short run, it
is still a sh-killer when allowed to
linger and accumulate.
Thats where the second o the
one-two bacterial punch comesin. Another de-nitriying bacterium
(named nitrobacter) processes
nitrite, and these bacteria also
take root in the biological ltration
system over time. The by-product o
the bacterial processing (reduction)
o nitrite is another nitrogenoussubstance, nitrate.
3. So ar, our good bacteria have
broken down ammonia into nitrite
and nitrite into nitrate. That com-
pletes the nitrogen cycle. But what
about the nitrate? Nitrate is only
harmul to sh when it accumulates
in large amounts. However, there
are usually no bacteria present that
will process nitrates.
There are ideally two ways to deal
with nitrate. Live plants and algae
will use nitrates as a ertilizer. O
course, where algae are concerned,
thats both a solution and a problem.
Too much nitrate will soon lead to
too much algae. The best way tokeep nitrate at minimum levels is
via the regular water change. That
will physically remove the nitrate-
laden water.
It is important to do
frequent partial water changes
to support the nitrogen cycle.
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Chapter 8
On average, the nitrogen (or break-
in) cycle should take about a month
to reach ull maturity. During that
month, the water in the aquarium
may become cloudy, and sh may
struggle to thrive. Throughout the
cycling process it is necessary to
test the aquarium water daily orpH, ammonia, nitrite and nitrate
levels and use requent (sometimes
daily), small (10%) water changes to
manage water parameters. You will
notice as the days go by that as the
ammonia level alls, the nitrite level
will rise, and then as the nitrite level
alls the nitrate level will rise. When
your tests indicate no ammonia and
nitrite, the cycle is complete. Aside
rom regular testing and requent
water changes, your other best
practice when cycling the aquarium
is to keep the sh stocking levellow, and to avoid overeeding. Even
ater the aquarium has stabilized,
increase the sh population slowly
and gradually and only up to the
numbers that are suitable or your
aquarium size.
Getting Your Aquarium To Hit For the Cycle
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Lets Go Fishing!Chapter 9
Lets look at acts about sh that
should actor into your sh adoptionprocess:
1. Size and amount o fshThere
have always been rules o thumb
or guring out how much sh can
comortably inhabit a given aquar-
ium size. Recommendations are
oten expressed either in numbero sh or total number o inches o
sh per gallon o aquarium water.
For the reshwater aquarium, a sae
number might be one sh or one
inch o sh per gallon o water. But
the mature size o each sh also
needs to be considered. Fishes thatstay small, like tetras can oten
be kept ten or more in a 10 gallon
aquarium, but one (or ten) ten inch
sh in a ten gallon aquarium would
not be suitable. Obviously, they are
called rules o thumb or a reason.
There are many other actors that
impact suitable bio-load or an
aquarium. Learning about the needs
o a specic sh beore purchasing
is always the best course o action.
Oten, your aquatics retailer canprovide the necessary inormation.
Other actors that may impact sh
selection include swimming habits
and compatibility. There are larger
sh that move slowly and hover
in the middle o the aquarium, like
the angelsh. While sh like daniosare renetic nners and darters
that tend to stay near the waters
surace. And catsh spend the bulk
o their time actively oraging along
the bottom. Selecting sh that use
dierent parts o the water columncan limit any potential competition
or niche and potentially increase
the total number o sh possible.
Aquarium capacity rules can usually
be stretched somewhat i the inten-
tion is to keep only small tetras and
catsh, and other sh that generallyare peaceul, community sh. Many
o these sh do best when kept in
schools, anyway.
IX. Lets Go Fishing!
Quick Tips:Adding Fish
Decide what sh youd like in your aquarium. Its best
to start with hardier species.
Acclimate your sh beore releasing them. Add sh gradually over the course o a ew months
to get to the desired amount. Do not add all at once.
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Chapter 9
2. Habitat, sweet habitat yes,
your sh come rom your aquatics
retailer. But beyond that, what part
o the world did they previously call
home? Rocky, alkaline Arican lakes,
or murky, dritwood tannin-tinged
Amazon River estuaries? Did they
inhabit overheated Thai rivers, cold,ast-fowing water in China or quiet,
calm lakes? Even i they were raised
on the sh arm, they were most
likely weaned in waters conditioned
to simulate their natural homes.
The question is, how ar do you
need to go to also simulate theirnatural homes? I youre keeping a
tropical community aquarium with
representatives rom every continent
o the world, it will not be possible to
replicate water conditions that will
meet every shes exact require-
ments. Thats why a community
aquarium owner should shoot or a
happy medium, establishing condi-tions that will not be too extreme or
any species.
Fortunately, sh are very adaptable
to a new set o living conditions as
long as they have the time to adjust
and that the adjustment is not too
ar o their genetic preerences.
Lets Go Fishing!
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Lets Go Fishing!Chapter 9
Although fsh that have to adapt to
non-native conditions may not
exhibit the same behavior modes that
they would in nature, they shouldnt
experience a decline in health.
You should always
ask your aquatics re-
tailer or advice beorebringing home a
new sh. The
retailer will let
you know i your
aquarium is right
or the sh, and
what special require-ments may need to be
considered.
3. Compatibility
making sure
everyone gets
along swim-mingly Keep-
ing an aquarium
in which most o the
sh co-habitate well
is not only best or
the sh, but also much
more relaxingand enjoyable
or aquarium
viewers. One o
the best ways to
ensure compat-
ibility is to aim or the
three-level aquarium,which consists o
equal amounts o top-swimming,
mid-water and bottom-dwelling sh.
Top swimmers will have an upturned
mouth, like the ancy guppy, mid-
water sh have mouths that ace
orward, like Angelsh, while bot-
tom-dwellers have mouths that ace
south, like catsh. You should have
sh ood that is or-
mulated or each level
o eeder: foatingood or the
top-eed-
ers, slowly
sinking
ood or
the mid-
eeders, andpelleted, heavier,
sinking ood or the
bottom dwellers
(although
most sh
will gladly
acceptany ood
that nds
its way to their
part o the water
column).
When you have
balanced
out your
fsh col-
lection to
represent
all three layers
o swimmers, thevisual eect is quite
striking, and there
is order and peace in the aquarium
since each type has their own level.
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Lets Go Fishing!Chapter 9
Another way to enhance compatibil-
ity is to have plenty o hiding places
in the aquarium with decorative
objects placed in a way that sh can
establish territories or sae zones.
Fish that have nowhere to retreat
are highly stressed and eventually
unhealthy sh. The size and shapeo the aquarium is also a actor in
compatibility. It should have lateral
room or the active, ast swimmers
and depth top to bottom or the sh
that move up and down.
When adding a new aquatic dweller,
ask your aquatics specialist aboutnutritional requirements, tempera-
ment and aggressiveness. Over-
crowding and poor water conditions
will also work against compatibility.
4. The Low Maintenance Fish
I you are a beginner, choose shthat are hardy, who are not nicky
eeders, that can tough out less than
ideal water conditions. These sh
also happen to be some o the most
attractive and cordial
sh or the community
aquarium some tetras,swordtails, loaches,
some small barbs,
mollies, platies, gup-
pies, plecos and cory
catshes.
Buy a good, name-
brand quality fake ood,and replace it when it
no longer looks or smells resh.
Supplement the fake ood with
foating and sinking ood (palletized
and/or tablet) or the top and bottom
eeders. You can, but do not have to
eed your sh every day. A eeding
schedule o three-to-our times per
week will usually do.
Feed your sh in very small incre-
ments per session, with 2-3 eedingsessions each eeding day. Smaller,
more requent meals work better or
them. Watch each eeding session
to its completion and observe i
every sh is getting a air shot at the
ood. Feeding your sh a varied diet
allows or a happier sh with ull nand color display. Do not however
use people ood or unprocessed
oods.
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Keep On Fishkeepin On!Chapter 10
Once your aquarium is established
there really isnt much maintenance
involved on a daily basis.
Every day, do a quick sh headcount, remove any sh that have
moved on, check the water tem-
perature and level and make sure
the ltration system is operating
smoothly without obstruction. And
eed them, o course.
Once a week, clean the exterior
glass suraces and the glass cover
that sits under the lighting hood. To
avoid getting soap or chemicals in
the aquarium water, spray cleaners
directly on cloth, not the aquarium.
To remove algae lm, wipe downthe inside glass using an aquarium
scraper, magnetic cleaner or simply
a clean sot sponge ree rom any
chemicals or dyes. Check the
aquariums water level and replace
any evaporation by topping with
dechlorinated water.Every other week, test the water.
Ammonia, pH, nitrite and nitrate,
hardness too, i you are growing
live plants or hosting sensitive or
X. Keep On Fishkeepin On!
special-needs sh.
Once a month, check or areas
where water may be splashing out
and check the electrical connec-tions or signs o water exposure
and make sure that all electrical
cords still utilize the drip loop saety
method.
Check all lter media or cleanliness
and obstruction. Replace lter car-
tridges. Rinse all biological medias
in water rom the aquarium only
- do not rinse in tap water. Swap
out about 20% o the water volume
or resh, de-chlorinated water. This
will keep pollutants at bay without
drastically altering the good aspectso your aquariums water chemistry.
Try to match the water temperature
o the incoming and outgoing water
as best as you can.
The water change should be done
in conjunction with a good gravel
vacuuming. The Aqueon WaterChanger is ideal or this purpose.
Vacuuming the gravel bed ree o
debris will help keep the aquarium
trouble-ree or years to come.
Quick Tips:Adding Fish
Perorm regular partial water changes.
Replace the lter cartridge monthly.
test your water regularly.
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The world o aquarium sh keep-
ing is actually an entire universe
o expanded knowledge about
math, biology, nature, science and
sociology, and a valuable source o
personal growth and wisdom about
the secrets o lie itsel. It is an
educational opportunity or all age
groups. There is a limitless supply o
inormation about aquarium keeping
on the Internet, and your aquatics
retailer can introduce you to books
and videos about sh keeping. You
can even consider joining a local
hobbyist group, o which there are
many. No matter how ar you take
your participation in this wondrous
hobby, you will always come away
with the eeling that your lie has
been enhanced and enriched.
Enjoy Your New Aquatic World!
I you have any additional questions, or would like to learn
more about specifc fsh species, habitats, plantlie, etc., see
your local aquatics retailer.
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The Possibilities Are Endless...
A 90 gallon or
greater reshwater
aquarium containing
Arican cichlids can
liven up a room byadding beautiul
matching aquarium
urniture and lots
o movement rom
these colorul, active
sh. Sizable rocks
and native broad-
leaved plants can be
used to fush out the
background.
Aquariums come in many
dierent sizes and styles. A
bow ront aquarium gives the
viewer a unique perspective
into the aquatic environment.
Saltwater setups, like the oneshown here, can take years to
ully develop, but the rewards
are well worth the time and
eort you put into it. There is
lie in every nook and cranny o
the aqaurium - rom the colorul
live rock to the ascinating andsometimes bizarre feshy corals.
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The Aqueon Aquarium
Water Changer was
developed to make
routine water changes
and vacuuming gravel
easy and ecient or
any level aquarist.
The clean and simple lines o
the Elements Collection romAqueon brings an easy, mix-
able sophistication to t your
liestyle.
Design and style have
been combined
with ultimate unctionality
in the Home Impressionsurniture collection
rom Aqueon.
Home ImpressionsFurniture Collection
ElementsFurniture Collection
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