Getting Started with Aquarium Basics
Aquariums: An Underwater Wonderland
Whether you’ve always wanted a fish tank, or you miss the fish you had as a kid; there’s never been a better time to start a home aquarium! Fish make excellent first pets for kids or low-maintenance pets for folks who like to keep a busy schedule or a spotless home! They’re easy and rewarding to care for, and they’ll surprise you with their big personalities.
Having an aquarium in your home also has many mental and physical health benefits. Your fish tank can help you reduce stress levels, improve your sleep, and lower blood pressure and anxiety symptoms. Watching pet fish swim in an aquarium can have a significant calming effect on children and adults. It’s a delightful reminder of the underwater world’s beauty and a reprieve from the Powell River’s grey coastal winters.
At Mother Nature, we have everything you need to add the beauty and calm of a fish tank to your home. We have a healthy supply of freshwater fish, live plants, aquariums from 5 to 45 gallons plus stands, and all the aquarium supplies you need to start up your freshwater aquarium.
How To Set Up Your Freshwater Aquarium
It’s a good idea to do some research before you run off to purchase beautiful fish for your aquarium. If you live in a rental property, the first thing you should check is if there are restrictions about aquarium sizes in your building.
The next thing you’ll need to do is decide where you’re going to put your aquarium and get everything set up before you bring fish home.
Where to Set Your Aquarium
Ideally, you want to keep your aquarium somewhere away from windows, doors, heat registers, and air conditioning units. Drastic changes in temperatures, from drafts, air conditioning, or direct sunshine, can be hard on fish. Choose somewhere that is reasonably easy to access for maintenance and feeding, and also somewhere that you can relax and enjoy watching your finned friends.
What Size Aquarium Should You Get
The size of aquarium you choose is mostly up to your personal preferences. But, if you live in an apartment building, check with the building manager. Water is heavy, weighing around 8 pounds per gallon, so a 5-gallon aquarium will weigh about 40 pounds, and a 45-gallon tank can weigh more than 360 pounds!
If you were planning to set your aquarium on a piece of furniture you already have, make sure it is good and sturdy. If you want a bigger tank and are not confident about your furniture stability, it’s best to choose a tank stand to go with it, as they are specifically designed to support a full tank’s weight. Many of them also have convenient storage underneath for supplies and accessories. Keep in mind that there will be inevitable water drips and spills, so you may not want to set your fish tank on grandma’s solid wood heirloom hutch!
What You Need To Get Your Aquarium Ready for Fish
There are a few basic things you need for your new aquarium to get started:
- Tank
- Aquarium lights
- Water filter kit
- Heater
- Water conditioner
- Fish gravel
- Aquarium decor pieces
- Air bubbler
- Magnetic tank scrubber
- Aquatic plants (Optional)
You will need to rinse your tank, gravel, decor pieces, and filter substrate well before getting your tank going. You also need to make sure your tank is level before you fill it with water. If you don’t have a carpenter’s level, you can simply add an inch or two of water to the bottom of your tank, let it settle, and then measure how far the water level is from the top edge of the tank on all four corners. Make sure you level the stand before you add any more water to it.
Your tank, filters, lights, and other aquarium accessories will have instructions on properly installing and setting them up. It’s essential to set your tank up and allow the water nutrient balance and temperature to level off. Once everything has been stable for 48 hours, you can start thinking about fish. Our knowledgeable staff can also help you make a plan to ensure your tank gets set up correctly and is fully ready for you to bring home some beautiful fish and start your underwater wonderland.
Taking care of pets is therapeutic and an excellent antidote to the winter blues, so drop by our pet centre and find out how you could add some fish to your life.