How to Set up a Freshwater Tank EASY

Here is a nice, easy, relatively cheap way to ensure success for a freshwater tank. Especially handy if you intend to have more than one tank in the long run.

Instructions

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Things You’ll Need:

• 10-40 Gallon Tank, preferably one with heater, filter, and hood.
• Full Spectrum Bulb to fit hood.
• 3-4 cheap live plants
• A few feeder goldfish
• Bag of Plant growers gravel (amount will depend on tank size)
• Aquarium Do-Dads at your discretion
• Aquarium stand or sturdy shelf
• Start Right (or equivalent, ask for it if you can't find it)

1. Set up the tank where you want it, you will NOT be moving it with gravel or water...it would be a mess on your floor and you would need a new tank! Figure in about 1LB of gravel per gallon, the best kind to use is designed for plants. There are quite a few to choose from but the main feature of them is that they are porous so the plants can root well and feed on the fertilizer provided by the fish. I would not use just colored gravel, it can be ok but in the long run be bad for this setup, I do like to mix some in for color, but that is just me! If your hood came with a full spectrum bulb, great...otherwise change it to one.
2. Fill the tank, and be prepared to have to move the gravel back into place so wear short sleeves! Read the bottle of Start Right (or equivalent) and follow the directions in regards to the size of tank you have.
3. It doesn't really matter where you place the plants as they will be separated and moved later. Aquarium plants come in two ways, potted, and not potted. You are going to want the cheaper ones, the not potted. Distribute 3-4 evenly and simply push the gravel around a bit and if they stay, leave them! They will have lead bands on them so they shouldn't float, leave these on for now.
4. Put the hood on (we use a top because we have Cats and they love the Kitty TV...including being on it, haha) and turn on the light and filter...filters are mostly different. I like the cascade style that sits on the edge and trickles in, they are easy to clean and maintain. Follow whatever directions came with your filter as they are different but all will need to be ‘primed’ (getting the water flowing through them).
5. Forget about the tank for a week, leaving the filter and light on at all times. After one week you can put in the feeder fish, 10 gallon I would use 5-6, go from there for larger tanks. We used 1 DZ for a 30 gallon and 8 lived. Not all feeder fish are going to live, you can expect that but they were not bred to live longer than to feed something else, so you are actually giving the survivors a chance at a long life. When you have algae growing and new growth on the plants (note difference from prior picture plant size and algae seen on the coffee cup I tossed in for a temporary shelter) it is ready...I don't even bother with expensive testing. If I ever have problems I take a water sample to a local pet store and get them to tell me!
6. So, after you start getting some algae growth (you can clean it all the time or do this), it is time for an algae eater. I got a Chinese algae eater (or as our youngest likes to call him, allergy eater) and gave him hidey holes and never have had trouble with him. Most people like Plecos as they are easy maintenance.
7. You decide whether you want to keep the goldfish or not, I am going to take a the ones from the 30 gallon and set up our 10 gallon tank then they will live in our 55 gallon tank. After that they are going to live in a friend’s pond or we may keep them as the 55 gallon has enough room for them. With the variety of fish available, just make sure they are compatible with each other. Read the tags outside of the tanks, or look them up on the internet. Whenever you add fish, add something like Stress Guard (or an equivalent).
8. Here is the fully set up 30 gallon, now a plant breeding tank. This was the original tank we used.
9. This is the 10 gallon that we set up next, with just two of the goldfish and plants.
10. Here is our goldfishes new home, I had to build the lid (cat stand or fish tank? you decide!) so they had to wait a bit and they have a lot of room...probably too much for awhile.

Tips & Warnings

• Now you can separate the plants and keep them, you will most likely have roots growing. What I like to do is distribute them here and there around the tank(s) and let them grow; you don't need pots because you set it up right! Add plants as you find ones that seem healthy and attractive.
• Make sure it is next to an outlet.
• Keep out of direct sunlight.