To be a successful Beginner Fishkeeper

1. Find where all your local aquarium shops are and visit them

As you visit them, take a pen and paper and note down the names of the fishs you like. The shopkeeper is used to customers asking questions so fire away, but don't take every word, some employees are more educated in fishkeeping than others!

Just be wary that they may not have your best interests at heart. There are bad shops and good shops in all manner of businesses and the aquarium hobby is no different. The good shops look clean, win awards and proudly display these.

You'll be very tempted to buy items like the tank and fish on the same day. But think of it as a exploration trip rather than a buying trip. Buying a tank and a fish on the same day for a beginner is usually a fatal disaster for the animal and a waste of your time and money. If you're worried about this, don't take your wallet to avoid temptation.

2. Examine your house

You'll need to find a place to put a tank. You're advised to put a tank where you can see it comfortably. Sounds obvious we know. But if a problem happens then you're not going to see it for hours if it's in 'the other room'. Best to put it against a wall so it can't easily be knocked over. Most aquariums need one or more mains electrical items to be used in it. So keep in mind that access to a wall socket is required.

Similarly don't put an aquarium near a busy door. This will stress the fish and a stressed fish is an ill fish. Don't put a tank against a sun drenched wall. Too much sun shining on the tank causes algae to grow in the tank which can soon look ugly (the fish don't mind it though) and the sun can easily heat up the water to killing levels on hot days. Lastly, think about you cleaning the tank and replacing the water from time to time. If the tank is too far from the bathroom or kitchen then you'll be giving yourself extra work carrying equipment and water around the house.

3. Decide what type of tank you want

Difficult one this. There are currently dozens of different tanks on the market. They are all manner of sizes, colours and shapes. Some are gimmicks sold by manufacturers to make a 'buck' and are unsuitable for holding a fish for any length of time. So what makes for a good tank? Usually the cheapest ones surprisingly. A long, low, rectangle shaped tank is still the best shape. It's sturdy and doesn't cost much to make. There are two basic types:

Those made out of glass or those made out of plastic (Acrylic). Each have their advantages and disadvantages but glass is generally better in the long run as it's easier to keep clean and gives the best view of the fish.

You'll want ones with a hood. This will house the lamp so you can view the fish at its best and will keep smells and the fish in and reduce water evaporation.

A good tank will have a good surface area. That is the amount of water exposed to the air. A bad tank would have a narrow neck. It may surprise you to know that it's not just the amount of water a tanks holds that determines the number of fish it can house. But most important is this surface area. Fish need oxygen to breathe and they can only get this by the air diffusing slowly across the water line. So the larger this is, the more oxygen can get into the water to replace what the fish take out when they breathe.

This is why people with goldfish bowls should only half fill them up as that maximises the surface area. Not that we recommend using such small bowls of course. Their lack of filtration and small volume usually ends in a sick or dead fish.

A lot of tanks come with their own stands. This increases their cost but you do get peace of mind that the stand is able to support the weight of the full tank.

Most stands are also cupboards and provide a useful place to store bits and pieces, including external canister filters.

4. Setting up the tank

Buying a tank, setting it up and filling it with fish all in the same day, while possible, is a sure road to disaster if you don't know the tricks of the hobby. In fact, setting up and fully stocking your first tank can take close to a month! But we'll show you how to do it in a day.

You'll need a few things for your tank

1. Tank liner. A sheet of foam that is placed under the tank to
protect the furniture and to stop any piece of grit from
pressing into the bottom glass plate.
2. A heater to keep the water warm (for tropical set ups only).
3. A filter to remove toxins given off by the fish and keep the
water chemistry stable.
4. Water conditioner.
5. Thermometer.
6. Water chemistry test kit, liquid kits are more reliable
(testing for ammonia,nitrite,nitrate,KH,pH, GH).
7. Two clean plastic buckets - one for holding new water, one for
the old.
8. Substrate of your choice, gravel or sand.
9. Other misc tank-safe decorations.
10. Plants. If you've got plants you'll need some plant fertiliser.

Fish require a place to hide so you'll need to provide some objects like plants (real or plastic), rocks, bogwood, ornaments, etc. Avoid any decor with very small holes where a fish could get stuck. Once the animals feel at home, they'll come out more if they feel they have a retreat.

Examine the tank carefully. Any cracks or bad workmanship need to be found at this stage. Lightly wipe the inside with a dry paper towel to remove any dust, etc. or use a vacuum cleaner. At no point use any kind of soap or detergent on the tank or equipment or ornaments. You may kill the animals if any slight trace remains. A rinse of the tank with warm water is a good way to get rid of any shop dirt.

Take the gravel and rinse it in tap water to remove dust. You'll need enough to cover the entire bottom of the tank to a depth of 2.5cm (1"), only go deeper if you have live plants. Add the ornaments and position these firmly down in the gravel.

Now to the water.

You need to make the water around room temperature 22-27°C (71.6-80.6°F) before you add it to the tank. Use water from the kitchen tap only, it needs to come straight off the mains. Water that has been stored in storage tanks can contain bacteria or other nasties, this can include hot water. It is best to use a spare heater to warm up standing water than hot water from the hot tap.

A good tip is to place a small china saucer in the bottom of the tank so that any water poured in will hit this first and stops the gravel from being displaced.

Pour in enough to cover the gravel to a depth of an inch.

Take your water conditioner and reading its instructions, pour in enough to suit the total volume of your tank.

Now add your plants.

Once you're happy with this, fit your heater to the side of the aquarium adjust it so it's not touching the gravel. Add your box filter and arrange the cables.

Fill the tank to the required level and put the lid on it and turn on its lights.

Switch on the heater and the filter.

You'll noticed millions of tiny bubbles appear inside on surfaces, this soon clears after a few hours. This is normal.

Leave the tank to settle overnight or at least for a few hours as you should really check there are no leaks.