| If you take the time to do something right in the | | | | certain materials that should never be used. Avoid |
| beginning, then most future problems can be | | | | limestone, crushed shells, and dolomite, as all of |
| avoided. This holds very true for freshwater | | | | these will cause the pH of the water in your tank |
| aquarium setup. By avoiding common mistakes in | | | | to be too high. The other mistake people make |
| the setup process, your fish tank will become a | | | | with their gravel is insufficient cleaning of it before |
| long-term source of happiness for you instead of | | | | adding the water. It should be rinsed clean with |
| frustration. | | | | plain water until there is no cloudiness or dirt in the |
| What are some of the common mistakes that | | | | rinse water. Failure to do this will lead to cloudy |
| people make when establishing their freshwater | | | | water conditions down the road. |
| fish tank? | | | | Picking out an aquarium filter can be another issue. |
| Many people don't give enough consideration to | | | | Many people see that the filter is good for a |
| placement of their aquarium. They pick a spot | | | | certain size tank (for example, a 10-20 gallon |
| solely based on how it looks in the room. The big | | | | tank) and they assume that if they can get a |
| mistake is placing the aquarium in a spot where it | | | | bigger one then it must be better and that it will |
| will receive direct sunlight. This will lead to a never | | | | clean the water better. The answer is yes, the |
| ending battle between you and algae growth on | | | | water will be cleaner, but your fish will be |
| the sides of your tank, and I guarantee that algae | | | | stressed and probably die from the increased |
| will win every time. Too much sun could also lead | | | | water flow generated by the big filter. |
| to troubles with temperature control; it is easy to | | | | On the topic of clean water, a big misstep that |
| artificially heat a tank, but much harder to cool it | | | | people make is they fail to accurately condition |
| down. | | | | their water. If it's good enough to drink then it |
| Cleaning out your aquarium before first use is an | | | | must be fine for the fish, right? Wrong! Municipal |
| important step that needs to be done. The | | | | (city) water supplies are treated with chlorine |
| problem is that some people don't pay much | | | | which will sicken or kill your fish if you don't take |
| attention to what they use to do the cleaning. It | | | | steps to de-chlorinate the water first. It is as |
| is very important that you choose a non-toxic | | | | simple as adding a de-chlorinating solution available |
| cleaning solution. Do not use bleach, regular glass | | | | at most pet shops or letting the water sit for a |
| cleaner, or other strong chemicals because they | | | | few days over which time it will naturally |
| can leave residual traces behind that are not good | | | | de-chlorinate. |
| for your new fish. | | | | Avoid these common mistakes when setting up |
| Gravel in the bottom of the tank is a necessary | | | | your aquarium and you will be way ahead in |
| thing to add, and there are two common | | | | establishing an aquarium that will be trouble-free in |
| mistakes that get made here. The first is picking | | | | the future. Then you can spend your time |
| the wrong type of rock. Many people pick out | | | | enjoying your fish tank instead of fixing problems |
| something that looks good to them, but there are | | | | and maintaining it. |