Furnishing Your Aquarium

When furnishing the tank, create a natural environment for the fish.

You will need:

1. Gravel; Use small, course gravel as a base. It is not only decorative but holds down plants and other fixtures. Wash gravel thoroughly before adding it to the tank, and then lay it in so it slopes down slightly from the back.
2. Stone and/or wood; Wash wood before adding to tanks, stones should be boiled before adding to tank.
3. Plants; Plants require as much upkeep as the fish, so many beginners use artificial plants in the aquarium. Live plants though, can serve as food and as a nesting area for the fish. If you use live plants, make sure they are compatible with your fish, and make sure they are germ free. Avoid wild plants.
4. Toys; Treasure chests, deep-sea divers, and coral castles are common in aquariums, particularly those provided for the pleasure of children. Any toy you would like is fine as long as it won't harm the fish or the water. Too many toys however will take away the natural look of the aquarium and deprive the fish of swimming space.
5. Fill your aquarium with water; Tap water is unsuitable because of chlorine and other chemicals in the water. To condition tap water, fill the tank and let it stand for a week before putting fish in. About a day before you put the fish in, begin aerating and filtering the water to allow the chemicals to evaporate and settle. Use water treatment products to clean the water and protect the fish.
6. Keep the water temperature at 75% for tropical fish. Some fish may require a higher temperature but water that is too warm is ripe for bacteria to grow. Use an underwater thermometer to regulate the temperature. To maintain the proper temperature, get a heater with a thermostat for the tank. Place the thermometer across from the heater to get the most accurate reading. To insure the heater is strong enough to keep the water warm, multiply the number of gallons of water in the tank by seven to get the proper watts needed.
7. Regulate your tank for acidity. Use a pH test kit to regularly gage the water; a normal pH reading falls somewhere between neutral(7.0)and slightly alkaline(7.5), though it's best to maintain the same pH level as was used by the store where you bought the fish. Water that is over acid can be neutralized by adding bottled water or with special chemicals available at your pet store.
8. Change about 25% of the water in the tank every three weeks. Pretreat new water before adding, then siphon out old water and replace with new.