- Wash all Decorations, sand, rocks, substrates, driftwood and any other artifacts thoroughly before introducing them into your aquarium.
- Hardscape/ Place all your materials as you would like them to be layout in your aquarium including substrates, rocks, wood, plants, etc.
- Add Filtration, Bio media, Lights & any other accessories such as food timers, CO2, etc.
- Add water carefully, to avoid shaking up the substrate or moving your hardscape.
- Add a good starter bacteria which will help cycle your tank quicker. Each Bacteria starter will have its own instructions.
- Most cycles will take 7-14 days, during which time, fish food needs to be added daily, to act as a source of ammonia.
- Frequent water changes are mandatory during this phase. A 30% water change every 2 days is recommended during tank cycling.
- Once the tank is cycled, fish can be introduced. Do refer to our post on How to add new fish to your aquarium.
- Ammonia spikes may occur after fish are released, so water changes must continue frequently for the first 6 weeks of the aquarium.
- Once the tank is settled, a weekly, 30% water change will help maintain the fish health and the health of the water.
Following these steps will allow the best chance for your fish tank to stabilize and be a healthy place for fish.
Do contact us for more information.
What is Bacteria starter
When starting a new fish tank, it is important to set-up a healthy biological filtration system, which includes beneficial bacteria. These bacteria help in breaking down harmful ammonia and nitrite compounds produced by fish waste into less toxic nitrate, creating a stable and safe environment for the fish.