| A tropical fish aquarium is a great and relaxing | | | | performing water changes. |
| hobby for millions of people around the world. | | | | Try to have in mind what kind of fish you're going |
| Watching your fish swim in their own environment | | | | to want to have in your aquarium because that |
| is like being a part of their world. Like a constant | | | | will determine the size of the tank you'll need. |
| deep sea dive experience. | | | | Some fish only grow to be an inch or two, |
| However, before you go jumping the gun and | | | | whereas other types of tropical fish can grow 12 |
| spending hundreds, if not thousands, of dollars on | | | | or 13 inches or more in length! If this is your first |
| this expensive hobby; it would be prudent to learn | | | | time purchasing an aquarium, it may be a good |
| the basics of how to take care of your fish and | | | | idea to start with a 10 or 20 gallon aquarium and |
| provide them the environment that they need to | | | | stock it with some of the smaller and hardier |
| stay healthy. | | | | species. |
| - Equipment you will need: | | | | Consider where you are going to place your |
| - Aquarium — wash with water only, (do | | | | aquarium. If you put it in front of a window or |
| not use any soaps), before filling it! | | | | near a drafty door, you'll have problems |
| - Aquarium gravel - to 1.5 pounds of gravel per | | | | maintaining the temperature of your tank. Try to |
| gallon of water. Also, be sure to wash your gravel | | | | find a place away from these problem areas. |
| in a strainer or something before putting it in your | | | | Once you have everything set up, decorations, |
| tank. | | | | water filtrations system, heater and your tank |
| - Aquarium filter | | | | filled; wait. You need to wait several days for |
| - Heater — make sure that the heater you | | | | your aquarium to have completely filtered and |
| use is capable of heating the size of your | | | | processed the water in the tank. Once that |
| aqaurium | | | | occurs — you're ready to add some life to |
| - Decorations — (like a sunken Spanish | | | | your tank. |
| treasure ship!) | | | | Add only 1-2 fish to your tank at a time. Allow |
| - Testing kit — for testing the water's ph | | | | the bag of fish to float in the tank for about 15 |
| balance and nitrogen content | | | | minutes to the fish can get acclimated to the |
| - Fish Food | | | | temperature of their new home. Then add a little |
| - Vacuum | | | | of the tank water to the bag in order for your |
| - Fish net | | | | fish to get used to the ph of the aquarium. Afer |
| - Glass scrubber | | | | another 10 minutes or so, you can release your |
| That's quite a list and it's only the beginners list! As | | | | fish into their new home. Don't feed them on this |
| you grow your aquarium and learn more about | | | | first day as they will most likely be stressed and |
| your new hobby, you'll want to add extras. | | | | they just need to get used to the new |
| In order to have a successful freshwater tropical | | | | environment. |
| fish tank you will have to work at it. Once a | | | | You now have a live working aquarium and it only |
| week, or at most once every two weeks, you | | | | needs regular maintenance for you to be able to |
| will need to perform some kind of maintenance | | | | enjoy it year round. |
| on the tank. Most of the time you will be | | | | |