Setting Up A Simple Aquarium
In this section we show you how to set up a simple aquarium. This will be used to keep freshwater tropical fish.
To make it easy we have taken a series of photographs, that show the equipment and different stages that are needed to make the aquarium a suitable environment for your fish.
The Tank
Here we have selected a standard glass aquarium complete with a matching stand.As you can see we have added our first component, the gravel at the base of the tank.
Make sure that the gravel you obtain has been sold for use with aquariums and also wash it thoroughly.
Aquarium Backing
Here we have attached some backing to the outside of the back of the tank.Whilst this is not essential, it may help to make your fish feel more secure and also make your aquarium more decorative.
You can buy different designs from your local aquatic centre, or maybe if you are artistic you could make your own, but it will have to be water resistant due to condensation.
The Filter
The next piece of equipment we have fitted is the filter.There are different types of filtration system available, here we have chosen one of the most popular, which is a power filter.
The Heater
As this will be a tropical freshwater we have now placed a heater in the tank.As with the filter you should be very careful that this is not damaged or cracked.
Decorations
Now that we have fitted our pieces of electrical equipment it is time to add some decorations.Nowadays, there is a huge range of choice of items for your tank. Here we have added some rocks and also some plastic plants.
The plants will serve two purposes: the first is to make our tank look less plain and the second is to give the fish some shelter and places to hide.
Some Accessories
We have put a couple of items in the tank, to show you some of the other items you will need.We have some flake food and also a bottle of water conditioner that we will use to remove chlorine and other impurities from the water we will add.
The Hood
The last item we need is the hood.This serves a few purposes, to stop items accidentally falling in the tank, to protect it from unwanted attentions from pets, to make sure that your fish do not decide to make a jump to freedom and lastly it can house a lighting system for the tank.
Our tank is complete and ready to be filled with water!