Starting an aquarium from scratch

How to properly start an aquarium?

• We buy equipment.

The first launch of an aquarium requires responsible preparation. First you need to study the information and purchase the necessary equipment. Before starting, you should already understand what inhabitants will inhabit the aquarium and how much space they need. Based on this, the shape and size of the aquarium is selected, and then all the rest of the equipment: filters, lamps, thermometers, heater, compressor. As well as the background and decorations (optional). They must correspond to the characteristics of the aquarium, the number and needs of its inhabitants.

If you want to decorate the aquarium with plants, you also need to purchase them in advance. Be sure to check that they are compatible with the fish.

• Decide on a place.

It is important to choose the right place for the aquarium. For information on how to do this, read the article “”.

• We wash and check the aquarium.

Before decorating the aquarium, you need to wash it and check for defects. If the aquarium is clean, it is enough to rinse it with tap water, without disinfectants. Place the aquarium in the tub and fill it with water. Check carefully for leaks. If no defects are found, proceed to the next step.

• We set up the aquarium and decorate the background.

Install the aquarium in a pre-prepared place and fix the background (optional). The background is drawn up before the soil is laid, and even more so before the aquarium is filled with water.

• We lay the soil.

Fill the bottom with soil. If there are plants in your aquarium, then the soil should consist of two layers. The first is nutritious, the second is classic, natural color, 2-4 mm in diameter. For example, this is a combination of Tetra Complete Substrate (nutritional) and Tetra Active Substrate (classic).

The total thickness of the soil should be approximately 5-8 cm, depending on the capacity of the aquarium. In small aquariums, the optimal thickness is up to 6 cm.

• We install equipment and decorations.

The next step is to install the hardware. Bring the equipment to the aquarium, carefully install the equipment according to the instructions, but do not connect it yet.

When installing an external filter, measure the required length of hoses that will circulate water from the aquarium to the filter and back, and cut off the excess to avoid kinks and save space. The internal filter is usually installed in one of the rear corners of the aquarium. If desired, it can be decorated, but so that the water circulation at the filter is not disturbed.

Place the decorations in such a way that they do not interfere with the view of the aquarium, the operation of the equipment and do not occupy all the free space. The fish should have enough room to move.

Use only special decorations. They are cleaned and completely safe for aquarium inhabitants.

• We plant plants.

It’s time to decorate the aquarium with plants (optional). You can choose artificial or live vegetation, at your discretion. How exactly to plant plants depends on their type. But for decoration there is a general rule: the space at the front wall of the aquarium should be planted with low plants, and at the back with tall ones.

• We fill with water.

When the equipment and decorations are installed, and the plants are planted, you can fill the aquarium with water. Plain tap water is best for this. First, she needs to be allowed to settle for 3-4 days, in a glass container without a lid. 

How to properly fill the aquarium? Place a shallow plate on the ground and pour water into it so that it slowly drains from it onto the ground. If water is immediately poured onto the ground, it will wash it out, and your work on decorating the aquarium will go down the drain.

After filling the aquarium, do not rush to populate its inhabitants. A new aquarium is a dead environment and the fish will die in it. Release the first fish after about 7 days. During this time, a small aqua world will be installed in the aquarium, which will friendly accept the inhabitants.

But if you are impatient and need a populated aquarium here and now, you can secure and “revive” the water with the help of special tools (for example, Tetra AquaSafe and Tetra SafeStart). More about this in the article “”.

• We connect the equipment.

Connect the equipment as soon as the aquarium is filled. Carefully monitor its operation and measure the water parameters regularly. At the time of settling with fish, everything should be in perfect order!

Ahead of the most interesting – the settlement of the aquarium. We’ll talk about that in our next article.