How to Avoid 'New Tank' Syndrome
Give your tank a good wash, without soap or other harmful chemicals, before filling it with water., Set up your new tank with gravel/sand, ornaments, lights, (heater for tropical) and a filter. , Add water and dechlorinator., Switch on the heater...
Step-by-Step Guide
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Step 1: Give your tank a good wash
Rinse your decorations and gravel as well. -
Step 2: without soap or other harmful chemicals
, Fill the tank with cold water.
Make sure you don't add any soap or other harmful chemicals to the water.
Add nothing except water conditioner, which will make the water safe for fish. ,,, This is where all of the beneficial bacteria lives.
This bacteria is not free-floating, so just getting some of their water won't do much good.
Warn them at least two weeks in advance so they can put extra media in their filter.
Otherwise, they might hurt their own colony of bacteria by giving you some of theirs.
Bring the media home in a bucket with water from their tank in it.
Get it home as soon as you can or the bacteria will start to die off without a source of ammonia.
It needs to be kept out of sunlight
- UV will kill the precious bacteria. , Add a source of ammonia besides fish, such as fish food or household ammonia.
This will keep the bacteria alive until you can get your fish. , If the bacteria can process the ammonia you give them in 24 hours (i.e., you have 0 ammonia, 0 nitrite, and some nitrate) your tank is now fully cycled and you are ready for your fish.
Get a pH test for the tank if you don't have one.
This way, you can test for ammonia, nitrites and nitrates in your tank water.
Make sure ammonia and nitrites are always 0, and that the nitrates are below 40ppm.
If ammonia or nitrite levels go too high, the fish will be get ammonia burns and most likely die. , Feed the fish as much as they can eat in 2 to 4 minutes.For tanks with a smaller amount of fish or smaller fish, feed them once a day, as much as they can eat in 1 to 2 minutes.Healthy fish always act hungry, so overfeeding is hard to avoid. , If nitrate goes over 40ppm, perform a large water change.
If you see an ammonia or nitrite spike in any quantity do 50% water changes until it clears up. , Too much algae isn't healthy for your fish. , Take them out and rinse them under cold water without soap or other stuff.
Then place them back in your tank.
If it's on the glass, scrub it off using a cloth that hasn't been used. -
Step 3: before filling it with water.
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Step 4: Set up your new tank with gravel/sand
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Step 5: ornaments
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Step 6: lights
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Step 7: (heater for tropical) and a filter.
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Step 8: Add water and dechlorinator.
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Step 9: Switch on the heater and filter and leave to run.
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Step 10: Find a fish-keeping buddy with a mature tank (over 6 months without problems) or a trusted local fish shop.
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Step 11: Get some of their filter media.
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Step 12: Add the media to your filter.
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Step 13: Test the water before you get fish.
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Step 14: Feed the fish sparingly twice a day.
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Step 15: Test regularly and monitor nitrate levels.
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Step 16: Don't leave the hood lights for more than 8 to 12 hours
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Step 17: or algae will be encouraged to grow (and might take over your tank).
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Step 18: Get rid of algae that is growing on your fake plants and ornaments.
Detailed Guide
Rinse your decorations and gravel as well.
, Fill the tank with cold water.
Make sure you don't add any soap or other harmful chemicals to the water.
Add nothing except water conditioner, which will make the water safe for fish. ,,, This is where all of the beneficial bacteria lives.
This bacteria is not free-floating, so just getting some of their water won't do much good.
Warn them at least two weeks in advance so they can put extra media in their filter.
Otherwise, they might hurt their own colony of bacteria by giving you some of theirs.
Bring the media home in a bucket with water from their tank in it.
Get it home as soon as you can or the bacteria will start to die off without a source of ammonia.
It needs to be kept out of sunlight
- UV will kill the precious bacteria. , Add a source of ammonia besides fish, such as fish food or household ammonia.
This will keep the bacteria alive until you can get your fish. , If the bacteria can process the ammonia you give them in 24 hours (i.e., you have 0 ammonia, 0 nitrite, and some nitrate) your tank is now fully cycled and you are ready for your fish.
Get a pH test for the tank if you don't have one.
This way, you can test for ammonia, nitrites and nitrates in your tank water.
Make sure ammonia and nitrites are always 0, and that the nitrates are below 40ppm.
If ammonia or nitrite levels go too high, the fish will be get ammonia burns and most likely die. , Feed the fish as much as they can eat in 2 to 4 minutes.For tanks with a smaller amount of fish or smaller fish, feed them once a day, as much as they can eat in 1 to 2 minutes.Healthy fish always act hungry, so overfeeding is hard to avoid. , If nitrate goes over 40ppm, perform a large water change.
If you see an ammonia or nitrite spike in any quantity do 50% water changes until it clears up. , Too much algae isn't healthy for your fish. , Take them out and rinse them under cold water without soap or other stuff.
Then place them back in your tank.
If it's on the glass, scrub it off using a cloth that hasn't been used.
About the Author
Alexander Scott
Enthusiastic about teaching lifestyle techniques through clear, step-by-step guides.
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