How to setup a new aquarium

How to setup my aquarium? This is the question that many beginners have and on this page we will give an answer to that question.
But before we present how to setup a new aquarium we need to warn you that in this world of aquariums you need a lot of patience, for example aquarium cycling it needs 4-6 weeks and in this time you will not add fish into aquarium.

Before you buy the aquarium you have to choose the place for your aquarium and the best place it is a quiet corner of the room where the aquarium will be far away from direct sunlight or sounds created by a door when it is closing or opening.

Aquarium equipment (light, filter, heater, ph controller) need electricity so you need to make sure that near the aquarium you have a power source.
To have success with your aquarium you need to make a list with the equipment needed, here it is a short list covering the basic needs for an aquarium:
• Aquarium: this is the main component and you must choose the right aquarium suits your needs.
• Aquarium filter (internal or external): for external filter can be applied the rule “the bigger the better”.
• Plants: choose the plants you like but you have to take account by the plants needs as Light, CO2 and Fertilization.
• Decoration: here we advice to use only wood or stones and to avoid artificial aquarium decoration.
• Heater
• Grave cleaner
• Test kits to check water parameters
• Bucket, very useful to do the water change
• Thermal pad

You Bought the aquarium with all the equipments needed and here are the steps to setup a new aquarium

When the aquarium it is in its place you will start to add the substrate for the plants, do not wash the plant substrate. Here you have many options like Tropica Plant Growth Substrate, Dennerle DeponitMix Professional or ADA Aqua Soil Amazonia. The thickness of the substrate should be 1 cm.

2. Add the gravel over the substrate but you need to wash the gravel before you put it over the substrate. To wash the gravel it is very important because if you forgot you will need many weeks before the water from your aquarium will be clean. Over the substrate you will add a layer of gravel with the thickness of 4-5 cm.

3. Start to fill up the aquarium, add the water very slowly do not disturb the gravel, a plate will help you very much to avoid disturbing the gravel.

4. Add plants and decorations, the best moment to add plants it is when the water level is low.

5. When you finished adding plants and decorations you can continue to fill up with water the aquarium.

6. Before you start all the equipments you should clean the rocks by gravel, also the glass will need to be cleaned by the dust.

7. Start all the equipment and see if everything it is working ok, check the heater to see if it is working.

8. Make the last arrangements to the decorations and add a conditioner that removes chlorine.

9. In the next day probably you will find some plants floating, all you have to do is to replant.

The setup of a new aquarium it is very easy, now the hard part begins because you have to wait 4-6 weeks for the aquarium to cycle.
Read about aquarium cycling on the page Tips for Cycling a new aquarium