SETTING UP YOUR FISH TANK.

1. Choose a home for your tank/bowl that is not in direct sunlight. Rinse your tank/bowl and place it on aquarium foam in its new home.

2. Thoroughly rinse your aquarium gravel in a strainer under fast running water to remove all dust and dirt particles. Now place this in an even layer across the bottom of your tank/bowl.

3. Fill your tank/bowl with tap water ensuring that you count how many litres you are adding.

4. Add the appropriate amount of chlorine neutraliser, water conditioner, live bacteria and plant food to the filled tank/bowl. Always use the instructions on the packet to add the correct amount. Thoroughly shake all bottles first as many contain sediment.

5. Decorate your tank with your ornaments/plastic plants and live plants.

6. If you are installing a filter place your filter in the tank/bowl ensuring you have followed the filters instructions thoroughly. Once installed turn the filter on.

7. Secure your background to the outside of your tank/bowl.

8. Your tank is now ready to go!

ARRIVING HOME

P!ace your fish (still in the sealed bag) into your tank/bowl and allow it to sit for ten minutes to adjust to the different water temperatures. While waiting perform a pH test and make any adjustments as needed. After ten minutes untie the top of the bag and allow some of the tank/bowl water to mix with your fish, then gently upend the entire bag to allow your fish to swim into its new home.

FEEDING

It is best not to feed your fish straight away after arriving home, always wait a few hours first to allow your fish to feel completely comfortable. It is best to feed your fish a varied diet to keep it happy and healthy, you should alternate its food every other day.

You can feed your fish flake food, pellet food, freeze dried food, frozen food and live food. You should give your fish live food at least once a week.

The size of your fish's stomach is only as big as its eye so it is best to feed your fish small amounts of food once to twice a day. It is better to give really little amounts twice a day as uneaten food simply falls into the aquarium gravel and starts to breakdown into harmful ammonia almost immediately.

Your live plants need to be fed as well with plant food. Plant food contains nutrients that are not found in a newly established aquarium. It is recommended to feed your plants three times a week for the first two weeks then twice a week for the second two weeks then once a week after that.

WHY YOU NEED TO ADD PRODUCTS TO TAP WATER

Many people ask why we recommend add certain products to tap water before putting it into your tank, as years ago many people kept fish without ever having to add anything to the water. The main reason for this is that years ago only chlorine was added to tap water to make it safe for us to drink. After a small period of time chlorine will evaporate making the water ok for fish. However now chloramine is added with chlorine to make our water safe to drink. Chloramine does not evaporate and doesn't completely disappear from filtered water. Chloramine is harmful to fish. It actually burns them causing quite a lot of pain and eventually death. Also for most parts of Melbourne our tap water is quite soft, as it doesn't run over many rocks and clay to absorb minerals to make it hard. Generally our tap water is at 30ppm hardness. Fish require a minimum 100ppm hardness to survive. This is why we must add a water conditioner to put back the minerals, calcium and salts that our tap water is missing.

The following products need to be used to turn tap water into aquarium water.

Tri Start/ Chlorine Neutraliser / Water Ager are chemicals that condition the water while by removing chemicals. These chemicals do not add minerals to harden our soft water. Therefore you need to use these products in conjunction with a water conditioner.

Water Conditioning Salts, need to be used in conjunction with a chlorine neutraliser to make the water harder.

TANK / BOWL MAINTAINENCE

Fish prefer a small amount of cleaning often rather than being left alone for a long period of time, then a lot of cleaning at once. To keep your fish happy and healthy we recommend that you clean your bowl/ tank on a weekly basis. The best way to do this is by using a gravel cleaner. You should not take out more than 1/3 of the total water volume at once.

It is best not to disrupt your fish by removing all ornaments and plants when cleaning the tank/bowl. Never remove the gravel and wash under tap water as you will kill all of your good live bacteria. Your gravel is cleaned by using a gravel cleaner. Always add your water products to the tap water before putting it into your tank/bowl.

Make sure you have a bucket that is only used for your fish. Make sure the bucket has never had cleaners in it as the chemicals are harmful to your fish.

You need to perform a pH test once weekly.

FILTERS AND PUMPS

Depending on the size of your tank/bowl you may need a filter to remove waste and to oxygenate the water. Even with a filter you still need to perform your cleaning routine including changing a 1/3 of the water weekly. The filter that you choose must be powerful enough to pump the entire water content of your tank three times each hour to properly clean and oxygenate the water.

If you have a bowl that has more than one fish or a small opening at the top you will need a pump with either an airstone or aerating ornament to help oxygenate the water.

HOUSEHOLD DANGERS

As well as not using a bucket that has had chemicals in it for your tank/bowl, it is also important to avoid using aerosol sprays near your tank/bowl. Aerosol sprays will leave a residue on the top of the water and will poison your fish as they come to the surface for air or to eat. Always cover your tank/bowl with glad wrap first or do not use the spray.

CONTACT US

Our PETstock knowledgeable staff members are always available to answer your questions so please don't hesitate to contact us if you have any questions or for further information.