Tips on Setting up a New Aquarium
Tips from Fish Keeping Enthusiast, Author and Photographer
Dec 22, 2008
Damien Wagaman has kept fish in a home aquarium since he was a young boy. He has worked in various pet stores and has had several articles published in Tropical Fish Hobbyist along with his fish photography. Today Damien answers questions about setting up a new aquarium as well as some common tropical aquarium questions.
Q. What should everyone know about setting up a new aquarium?
“Go slowly. The biggest mistake most people make [when starting a new aquarium] is putting too many fish in the tank too quickly. This causes the cycle to be out of balance. The nitrogen cycle takes the fish waste, converts it into ammonia, which is then converted into Nitrite, and then Nitrate. This final product is removed through regular water changes.
When you first set up a fish tank, there are no bacteria to keep the cycle going so you need to introduce bacteria. The best way to do that is through filter media or gravel from an already established tank. It can take anywhere from 2 weeks to a month to cycle a tank, after which you can add fish safely.”
Q. You have recommended that an aquarium not be overstocked with fish, but there are so many fish in the tanks at a fish store. Why are fish stores able to keep so many in their tanks while home aquarists shouldn’t keep that many?
“Two reasons. The first being that fish stores have widely fluctuating amounts of fish. They do not expect the fish to stay long, as they plan to sell them within two weeks. Secondly, many stores today have what is called a central filtration system. This is basically a very large filtration system that can handle the bio-load of the many fish. Because of this, stores can keep large amounts of fish with minimal die off. But they usually do have fish die because of the numbers they keep.”
Q. If someone wants to breed fish and raise the fry (baby fish), what tips do you have for them?
“Start with Cichlids. They are one of the easier fish to breed successfully. They are also parental and will raise the fry. Cichlid fry are usually larger when they hatch, so they are easier to feed. You will need to feed them a powdered baby fish food or freshly hatched brine shrimp.”
Q. Do you have any additional thoughts for people considering setting up a new aquarium?
“Bigger is almost always better. When setting up a new fish tank, go with the largest aquarium you can comfortably afford. Whether fresh, brackish or salt water, a bigger tank is going to be more stable and you will have the best chance at success the first time.”
Thank you, Damien, for taking the time today to talk about some of the issues involved in setting up a new aquarium.
Read more about bringing home new fish for your aquarium.
Interview took place Monday, December 22, 2008.
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