Things You'll Need:
- Aquarium
- Aquarium filter
- Plastic tubes
- Filter media
- Gravel or substrate
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Step 1
Prepare the freshwater aquarium filter for set-up by rinsing it with clean water in a sink or basin. Rinse all the parts of the filter including the plastic box, the tubes and filter cartridge if any is included. Do not use soap or any cleaning solutions.
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Step 2
Insert filter media into the freshwater aquarium filter box. Depending on the type of filter you choose - hang-on or submersible canister - the filter media will differ. For hang-on fish tank filters, there will be a cartridge set-up that consists of a plastic frame, woolly sleeve and activated carbon. A submersible canister filter will also have carbon and woolly material that is used to fill the plastic container.
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Step 3
Attach all necessary hoses or tubes to the freshwater aquarium filter you have chosen. For a hang-on filter, you will have a water uptake tube with a sieve on the bottom. A submersible canister filter will have a rigid plastic tube that comes out of the top of the filter.
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Step 4
Position the freshwater aquarium filter in or on your fish tank. A hang-on filter has a slot that the edge of the tank fits into so it hangs securely on the back or side of the aquarium. A canister filter should be placed in the back corner of the fish tank where it can be hidden by rocks, decor or plants.
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Step 5
Set up an aquarium air pump with hose and air stone attached if you will use a freshwater canister filter. The air stone and hose should be slipped into the upright tube. The rising bubbles will provide the water flow through the filter.
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Step 6
Plug the freshwater aquarium filter into an electrical outlet after the fish tank is filled with water. A hang-on tank filter will have to be primed by pouring a pitcher of water slowly into the back of the plastic box to create the initial water flow. Plug in the air pump for your canister filter set-up. Your freshwater aquarium filters should now be working to keep the water clear.
