How to start an aquarium.

This brings us to the next step decoration. This can be done with castles, ships, fake foliage and various aquatic plants. Before you decide try looking at some tanks online to get an idea of what you would like. If you go with plants then you will have to make sure you have adequate lighting, and that you have species of fish that will not eat them all. If you do not want to deal with figuring how much lighting you need, most tanks can support such species as the slow growing java fern, java moss, and many anubias plants. The fast growing hornwort is also a favorite. These plants can help not only with the look of the tank, but will absorb nutrients from the water that are otherwise harmful to fish. These originate from the fish waste. Waste can be eliminated through water changes, plants, and filtration all of which can work together to produce a healthy tank. If plants just sound like more work with the pruning involved, then the plastic option is fine provided you filter adequately and do regular water changes.

Once you have assembled your equipment do not run out and buy fish. First set up your tank. Put the substraight in the bottom after it has been rinsed. Put a bowl in the bottom of the tank into which you will pour the water. This will keep you from washing away the gravel that you so meticulously spread out. Once the tank is half full you can begin planting any plants you have decided to include, and putting the decorations in. Once this is done finish filling the tank. At this point the next step is to wait. Do not put fish in right away. This is likely to kill the fish. A new tank needs a period of time called a cycle to grow healthy bacteria that will change fish waste into less harmful substances. A complete cycle takes approximately a month. This does not mean that you cannot put any fish in for a month, but do not put temperamental species in until at least one month has passed. If you cannot wait a month for the cycle to take place to start stocking your tank use hearty species to start with, and do not put more than a couple in in any given week. This will allow the bacteria to grow without overwhelming them with fish waste. Godd species for beginners, and for tanks that have not cycled completely are platies and guppies. These species are both very hearty, but beware where there is a male and female babies are sure to follow. If males out number females fighting is also likely.

Before you buy any fish you will want to decide what you want the final population of your tank to include. By doing so you will eliminate impulse purchases and fish eating each other. Many fish stores have labels that will tell you some about compatibility but nothing beats some good research. If you are going to a good shop they will help you make good choices for compatible species. Many people do not like Petsmart and Petco because the condition that the fish are often in, but they often have killer deals. If you want generally healthier stock a aquarium specific local fish store (LFS) will often be a good choice. LFS also often offer brighter colored fish. The choice is yours, and the week guarantee offered by big name stores is often alluring to those delving into the aquarium for the first time, because replacements for dead fish can add up. Stock slowly so you do not end up with a lot of dead fish. Buying a few fish at a time will allow your tank and its occupants to adjust to newcomers. Be sure to acclimatize your fish to their new home and do not just dump them in. Set the bag they come in into the tank for 15 minutes. This will allow the temperature to equalize. At this point open the bag and allow some of the aquarium water in. Repeat this another 2-3 times every 10 minutes until the bag is about full of water then you can release the fish into the aquarium. You may not want to pour the bag into the tank though because the water from the store may contain one of several common disease found in aquariums. Pouring it into a bowl then retrieving the fish with a net to put him in his home is a good method. Then sit back and watch your new friend glide around and explore his new home.

There are many intricacies to keeping fish, but this first portion of this page just treats the basics of fish keeping. Read on if you want to learn more. Increasing your knowledge will increase your success.

If you love plants an easy way to get started with a planted tank is to but some hornwort, or cabomba and stick a weighted bunch at each end of the tank and voila a planted tank. This is by no means a masterpiece of gardening, but can make for a decent tank. These plants grow pretty quickly and can remove a lot of nitrates from the water, which can be particularly useful for dirty fish like a goldfish.
If you have a hankering for a more complex planted design keep reading.

If you have no idea what aquascaping is Wikipedia defines it as the craft of arranging aquatic plants, as well as rocks, stones, cavework, or driftwood, in an aesthetically pleasing manner within an aquarium-in effect, gardening under water. Aquascape designs include a number of distinct styles, including the garden-like Dutch style and the Japanese-inspired nature style. Typically, an aquascape houses fish as well as plants, although it is possible to create an aquascape with plants only, or with rock work abd no plants (Wikipedia).
Essentially it is the art of the planted tank. It combines gardening, aquariums, art, and zen. It is a way to create an entire ecosystem or animals and plants, or an ascetically pleasing arrangement of flora and fauna from the fresh water world. Ideally before you attempt an aquarium like this you would have some experience with both fish keeping and care of aquatic plants. The key to success is a well planned and thought out design. You will want to select species of plants and fish that are compatible. You will have to consider heavily things like light levels, substrate, and how you will provide nutrients to the plants without kill your fish.

1. Decide on the size of aquarium.
2. Figure out how much light you can provide.
3. Figure out what type of substrate you want.
4. Plan what types of fish and plants you want to include.
5. Assemble the materials.
6. Put together the aquascaped tank.
7. Wait for the nitrates to balance.

This is an essential step not only to aquascaping, but to any type of aquarium keeping from the basic setup to the most complex marine system. The two biggest factors in determining the size of your aquarium are money and space. The general rule of thumb in keeping aquariums is that you purchase the largest aquarium that your money and space will allow. This is for several reasons, but generally it boils down to a larger aquarium is a more stable environment and requires less frequent upkeep. When determining how much money you feel you have to spend on the aquarium, remember that this aquarium is going to be used for aquascaping. This means that a significant amount of money maybe going to buy plants, rocks, substrate, and various nutrient supplements. This is why a good long planning session is necessary.

When deciding on how much space you want to dedicate to the aquarium consider if you can comfortably observe the tank where it will be placed. This will ensure that you get maximum pleasure from your investment. Another factor to consider if you are purchasing a large tank is carrying capacity of your floor. A full tank can weigh a lot. You can figure on about ten pounds per gallon of water. This includes weight of rocks and water. If you place the tank across multiple floor beams. If you are ever in doubt if your floor will hold the weight ask an architect, contractor, or engineer.

Occasionally however you want to add an accent to a room. This may mean you want a small aquarium. Remember a small aquarium will need more frequent water changes, and cleaning, but can add a bit of tranquility and color to a room.

Guidelines are usually more suggestions than rules. Here are a few suggestions for lighting guidelines. For fish only tanks 1-2 watts per gallon should get the job done fine. For freshwater planted tanks count on 2-5 watts per gallon. For a marine reef tank use 4-8 watts per gallon. There are a variety of types of bulbs you can use. All have benefits and drawbacks, but financially florescent lights are usually the most economical to buy and run. With plants and fresh water fish there is some room for error and adjustment. When dealing with marine invertebrates lighting should be figured out long before you consider a reef tank.
More to come :)

How to put together a cichlid tank.
How to start a marine tank.

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