02 How To Insure Your First Aquarium Is a Success
Description
This article is from the Beginning Fishkeeping FAQ, by Thomas Narten with numerous contributions by others.
02 How To Insure Your First Aquarium Is a Success
Having a successful tank is not difficult, nor is it necessarily a lot
of work, provided you use some common sense. These guidelines are
based partly on science and partly on experience gleaned from
aquarists having many years experience in ``the art of fishkeeping.''
The following list summarizes the most important rules for success.
Each is discussed in more detail in subsequent sections of this
document.
Have patience.
Buying a tank, setting it up and filling it with fish all in the same
day, while possible, is a sure road to disaster. In fact, setting up
and fully stocking your first tank will take close to two months!
An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.
Providing an environment that minimizes fish stress is the key to
success. As fish become stressed, their immune systems weaken and they
become more susceptible to disease. Moreover, most fish medicines
don't work very well, aren't worth the money, and frequently do more
damage than good. Often, the best treatment for sick fish is to
relieve stress by
1. performing regular partial water changes,
2. not overfeeding,
3. checking that your filtration system works,
4. giving them enough room to live, and
5. keeping them with compatible tank mates.
(See the STRESS SECTION of this FAQ for full details.)
Understand and respect the nitrogen cycle.
Fish produce toxic wastes (ammonia) that must be broken down by
bacteria through biological filtration. Most fish deaths for
first-time tank owners are a direct result of not understanding the
nitrogen cycle and are completely avoidable. (The NITROGEN CYCLE
SECTION explains how the process works.)
Perform regular maintenance on your filter to keep it clean.
Dirty (clogged) filters operate at reduced efficiency. In the case of
biological filtration, a clogged filter will be unable to remove
ammonia properly, resulting in fish stress and eventually death.
Floss-based biological filters are cleaned by gently rinsing them in
used tank water that has been siphoned into a bucket. Undergravel
filters are cleaned through regular vacuuming. (Filters are discussed
briefly in this beginner FAQ, and in more detail in their own
FILTRATION FAQ.)
Properly treat all tap water before adding it to your tank.
Municipal water contains such added chemicals as chlorine or
chloramine to make it safe for human consumption. These substances are
toxic to fish and can weaken, damage or even kill fish. (See the WATER
TREATMENT section of this FAQ for details.)
Take the time to learn basic water chemistry
Basic water chemistry is pH, hardness and buffering. You needn't
enroll in a chemistry course, but you should know enough about water
chemistry and the specifics of your local water supply so that you can
keep fish happy. Every location's water source is different, and some
fish won't be able to survive in your water. You can learn details
about your water from a local fish store, through the use of test
kits, and from local aquarium clubs (or, amazingly, from the CHEMISTRY
section of this FAQ).
Keep the pH of your tank's water stable.
Rapid pH changes stress fish. Tank water has a natural tendency to
become acidic due to the production of nitric acid (nitrates) from the
nitrogen cycle. Keeping pH stable requires having adequate
``buffering''. If your water is soft, you may need to add buffering
agents. Again, see the CHEMISTRY section for details.
Avoid adding chemicals that lower the pH (e.g. ``pH-Down'').
Such chemicals frequently have undesirable side-effects (e.g.,
stimulate algae growth). Moreover, in most cases (despite what books
and stores tell you) the pH of water DOES NOT need to be adjusted to
make it ``more perfect'' for a particular species of fish. If the pH
of your tap water is between 6.5 and 7.5, it is just fine for most
fish. (This is discussed in the CHEMISTRY section too!)
Pick fish for your water.
Select fish who are native to waters having a similar chemical
properties (pH and GH) to your local tap water. If you have hard
water, choose hard water fish. If you have soft water, choose soft
water fish. This is especially important if you water is outside the
6.5-7.5 pH range. Changing the natural hardness (or pH) of your tap
water can be hard work and often takes the fun out of keeping
aquariums. Moreover, bungled attempts at adjustment are common and
often worse for fish than the original sub-optimal water conditions. A
good way to learn which fish live happily in your local water is to
check with a local fish store (or club).
Choose the fish to fit your tank.
Select fish that are compatible with each other and think long-term.
That 1 inch fish sure looks cute at a store. But what will you do when
it gets 6 inches long and views its cohabitants as potential meals?
Fish have specific minimal space requirements that are dependent on
their physical size and temperament. Select fish whose needs will be
met in your tank. Be sure your tank has adequate hiding places (e.g.,
rocks, plants, driftwood, etc.) for its inhabitants.
Properly acclimate fish before adding them them to your tank.
(Details are covered in the section on ADDING FISH.) NEVER add store
water to your tank (it may contain diseases), and if feasible,
quarantine new purchases for 2-3 weeks before adding them to your
tank.
Perform regular partial water changes.
Changing 25% of your tank's water every other week serves two
purposes: it dilutes and removes nitrate before it accumulates to
dangerous levels, and it replaces trace elements and buffers that get
used up by bacteria, plants, etc. Finally, regular partial water
changes help insure that your tank's water chemistry doesn't deviate
significantly from that of your tap water. The latter benefit is
especially important should disease strike your tank; water changes
are the most important step in controlling disease, and large water
changes are not safe unless the chemical composition (e.g., pH and GH)
of your tank's water is similar to your tap water.
Shop only at ``reputable'' stores.
Sadly, many pet stores are more interested in taking your money than
selling you healthy fish. It is almost always worth spending a little
more money to get quality fish. Diseases introduced to your tank with
newly purchase fish may infect your other fish with catastrophic
results. Buying a low cost fish is also not much of a bargain if it
dies less than a month later. But many stores will instead try to sell
you equipment and medications you don't really need. Your best defense
is to arm yourself with knowledge so that you can properly evaluate
their advice. Some hints for finding ``reputable'' stores can be found
in the STORES SECTION.
The above summary serves as a reminder of the principles that lead to
happy fish keeping. Each of these topics (and many more) is discussed
in the remainder of this document.
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