Freshwater Tanks: Best Fish, Plants and Ideas

•  **Pick the Perfect Spot -**You don’t want to place your aquarium in direct sunlight, under a vent or in a cold area of your home. Direct sunlight can cause excessive algae growth and frequent changes in temperatures can be harmful to fish. 
• Get an Aquarium - Next, get anaquariumthat's the right size for your fish. Do your research and determine what size is appropriate for the type of fish that you would like to bring home. 
• Get an Aquarium Stand - Water is heavy and most aquariums should be placed on afish tank stand that is designed to hold the weight. 
• Rinse/Add Substrate - Always rinse new aquarium substrate with tap water before putting it into the tank. Add an appropriate amount of theaquarium substrateto the bottom of the tank. Depending on the type of freshwater pets you will be getting, you might have to use different substrates. Natural colored gravel or sand are the most common options of substrate that most species of freshwater fish prefer. 
•  Insert Décor/Plants - Put in the aquarium décor andfreshwater fish tank plants, designing the tank to look like a natural environment perfect for the freshwater fish types that you plan on getting. Just like the substrate, rinse everything with tap water before putting it into the tank.
• Fill the Tank - Once you have the substrate, decor and artificial plants in, fill the tank with tap water. Use awater conditioner designed to make tap water safe for fish. 
• Set Up Fish Tank Filters - Next installfiltration equipmentthat is appropriate for the aquarium size and the fish species that you plan on getting. 
• Insert the Aquarium Heater and thermometer- The heater is what will help keep your tank at the appropriate temperature for the fish that you plan on getting. Also install anaquarium thermometer to ensure that the heater is keeping the aquarium warmed to the proper temperature.
• Let Filter/Heater Run - After inserting all the décor, plants, filter, thermometer and heater, let the tank run for 24-48 hours. This is to ensure that all of the equipment is working properly and to allow time for the aquarium to reach the desired temperature.

• The Goal - The goal of your aquarium is to maintain clean, safe aquarium water that your aquatic pets will thrive in. In a properly cycled aquarium, all fish waste will be turned into nitrates. If waste is being produced, the nitrate levels will continue to climb. Regular partial water changes and filter maintenance should be done as often as is required based on how many fish are in the aquarium and what size the aquarium is. 
• **Nitrate Levels -**The nitrate levels need to stay below 20 ppm (mg/L). As an example, a large aquarium with 10 fish will take longer to reach nitrate levels of 20 ppm than a smaller aquarium with 10 identical fish. Therefore, the smaller aquarium will require more frequent partial water changes to keep the nitrates low. 
• Beneficial Bacteria - After adding fish to your aquarium, over time beneficial bacteria will develop in the filters that will turn all the fish waste into nitrates. But the process can be stressful or even deadly to the fish because the water can have toxic chemicals like ammonia and nitrite while the bacteria is building up. 
• Amount of Fish - The more fish you start with the more waste they will produce and the more toxic and stressful the water will be during the cycling process. It is recommended to only put a few small hardy fish into the aquarium for the initial cycling process.
• Feeding -  While the tank is cycling the fish should be fed about ½ of what they would normally eat because adding more food will increase the amount of waste making the water more toxic. 
• **Testing the Water -**The water should be tested once a week for ammonia, nitrites, and nitrates during the cycling process. When the ammonia and nitrites read zero and the nitrates approach 20 ppm then it’s time to start doing regular water changes. The cycling process typically takes 3-7 weeks but can be sped up by adding a bacteria starter.

• Goldfish
• Betta fish
• Cichlids
• Barbs
•  Danios
• Guppies
•  Tetras

• Make Sure All Your Fish Will Get Along - Do your research and make sure the fish you’re putting together will get along.
• Floating the Fish Bags - Float the sealed bag that you purchased your fish in, in the aquarium. This allows the water temperature in the bag to adjust to the temperature in the aquarium. Let the bag float for 10-15 minutes.
• Add Them to The Tank - Use afish net to gently transfer your fish from the bag into their tank. Never pour the water from the bag into the tank.  

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)