How to Add Fish to New Tank

Step-by-Step Guide

1. 1

   Step 1: Wash the gravel

   Once you get your new tank and your tank additions, you will need to wash them in warm water.
   
   Do not use any soap or detergents to wash the gravel, rocks, or ornaments, just warm water.
   
   This will ensure these items are free of dirt, bacteria, and toxins.You can wash the gravel by placing it in a colander.
   
   Put the colander over a plastic pan or bucket and add water to the colander with the gravel.
   
   Stir the gravel around, drain it, and repeat this several times until the water runs clear and clean through the colander.
   
   Once these items are clean, you can add them to the tank.
   
   Make sure the gravel is evenly distributed at the bottom of the tank.
   
   Place the rocks and ornaments in the tank so there are hiding places for your fish to explore.
2. 2

   Step 2: and ornaments.

   Use a clean bucket to pour water into the tank.
   
   Place a plate or saucer over the gravel as you pour in the water so the gravel does not move around.Once you have filled the tank one-third with room temperature water, you should add water conditioner or dechlorinator to remove the chlorine from your fish.
   
   Chlorine in the tank water can be deadly for your fish, and/or lead to health issues.
   
   You may notice that the water turns cloudy within the first two to three days.
   
   This is due to bacteria growth and should disappear naturally. , You should have an air pump in your tank to ensure there is enough oxygen in the tank water.
   
   You will need to connect the airline tubing from the air pump to air outlets in your tank, such as an air stone.You may want to use an aquarium check valve, which is a small valve located outside your tank to hold the air tubing.
   
   This will allow you to then place the air pump underneath your tank or aquarium.
   
   The valve also acts as a stop and prevents water from backing up in your tank if somehow the power to the tank is switched off. , Live plants are good for circulating oxygen in the tank water, but you can also add plastic plants to create hiding places for your fish.
   
   You can also use the plants to hide any equipment in the tank that you want to disguise for aesthetic purposes.Keep the live plants moist until they are going to be planted by wrapping them in wet newspaper.
   
   Plant the roots below the surface of the gravel, with the crown of the plant exposed.
   
   You can also apply an aquatic plant fertilizer to make sure your live plants grow well. , Cycling the tank water will help to balance out the ammonia and nitrites produced by the fish and introduce bacteria that will eat these harmful chemicals.
   
   You will need to cycle the tank water for four to six weeks so the tank can maintain a healthy biological and chemical balance.
   
   Doing this before adding the fish can help to ensure your new fish stay happy and healthy in their new environment.
   
   You can find cycling kits for aquariums at your local pet store or online.When you first cycle the tank from scratch, you will notice a build up of ammonia around the second or third week.
   
   Then, there will be a build of nitrites when the ammonia levels drop to zero.
   
   At around week six of cycling, the ammonia and nitrites will drop to zero and you will notice a build up of nitrate.
   
   Nitrate is less toxic than ammonia and nitrite.
   
   You can control the level of nitrate with proper, regular maintenance of the tank water.
   
   If you use the cycling kit and notice there is still a positive reading for ammonia or nitrites, your tank is still cycling and will need more time to cycle before you add the fish.
   
   A healthy tank should never show a positive reading for either chemical. , Once the tank has been cycled properly, you should also test the water quality of the tank.
   
   You can use a water test kit from a pet store or online.
   
   The tank water should have a zero reading for chlorine and the pH of the water should match or be as close as possible to the fish shop where your new fish is coming from.
3. 3

   Step 3: Fill the tank one-third full with room temperature water.

4. 4

   Step 4: Connect the air pump.

5. 5

   Step 5: Add live or plastic plants.

6. 6

   Step 6: Cycle the water in the tank with a cycling kit.

7. 7

   Step 7: Test the water quality.

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