Kids love having their very own pet fish to care for, and betta fish are a popular, easy-care choice. But for your family’s new pet to stay healthy and thriving, you must get the aquarium setup process correct.
In this blog, you’ll learn how to set up a tank for your betta safely.
1. Assemble What You Need. Start by gathering everything you’ll need for your aquarium:
- Sand/gravel substrate
- Lighting unit
- Filtration system
- Heater
- Aquarium thermometer
- Decorations
- Plants
Note that smaller tanks often come as starter kits that include everything you’ll need to get up and running, which can be the most cost-effective way. Just make sure you get an appropriate-sized tank. For example, I don’t recommend anything smaller than a five-gallon tank for betta fish.
2. Prepare the Aquarium. Even a fresh tank out of the box will most likely be dusty. Take a clean, damp cloth and wipe the inside of the aquarium to remove dust and debris. Never use detergent or glass cleaner inside the tank, as residue could poison your fish.
3. Safely Position Your Aquarium. Now, decide where you’re going to keep your tank.
Make sure you use a proper aquarium stand designed to take the weight of a fish tank and its contents or choose a sturdy countertop or desk for a smaller aquarium. The tank needs to be level to avoid placing stress on the seals, preventing leaks or cracks.
Place the tank close to a power supply to plug in your filter, lights, and heater. The aquarium needs to be situated away from heat sources, drafts, and direct sunlight so that your fish don’t suffer temperature shock.
Always keep the tank away from doorways and open areas where running kids or pets could bump into it, or a carelessly opened door could damage the aquarium.
4. Prepare the Substrate. Wash the gravel substrate under running water to remove dust. When the gravel is clean, add it to the aquarium to a depth of approximately two inches.
5. Install the Filter And Heater. Now, fit the filter system and heater, but don’t turn them on.
6. Fill the Tank with Water. Place a saucer or upturned bowl on the surface of the gravel. Fill the aquarium with tap water that’s been conditioned, directing the flow over the saucer so that the gravel isn’t displaced. You can also use bottled water from a pet store to avoid using a conditioner, but that’s costly. Leave an inch below the fill line to allow for the water displacement that’ll happen when decorations and plants are added.
The nitrogen cycle is a complex chemical process that needs careful management within an aquarium's enclosed environment. You can read more about how the nitrogen cycle works and its importance to your fish's health here.
There are several different cycling methods for a new fish tank, all of which have pros and cons. A simple way of fishless cycling involves using dechlorinated tap water to fill your tank. You then need to add fish food, substrate from an established tank, or some pure ammonia to the water to kick off the nitrate cycle in your biological filter media.
Test the water after ten days to ensure the levels of ammonia and nitrite are zero and the nitrates are at most 20 ppm. Before adding your fish, you should also test the water for other chemicals and heavy metals. To start, add just one or two small fish so that you don't overload the biological filter.
7. Add Decorations. Rinse your tank decorations to remove dust and place them in the aquarium.
8. Add Plants. Living plants make a great addition to any freshwater fish tank, keeping the water clean and providing shelter for your fish. As per the supplier's instructions, trim away dead leaves and broken stems before adding the plants to your tank. Leave plenty of space between the plants so they’ll have room to grow.
9. Switch ON the Filter And Heater. Switch on the heater and filtration system. Adjust the heater to the water temperature recommended for your fish and plants.
You’ll need to allow the aquarium to cycle for ten days or so before you can safely add your fish. Use an aquarium water testing kit to check the levels of ammonia, nitrites, and nitrates during that time. When ammonia and nitrite levels are zero, and nitrates are at or below 20 parts per million (PPM), you can introduce your fish.
If you’re building a community tank, I recommend you start with just a few fish and allow the biological filter to mature for a couple of weeks before adding more livestock to your collection. Of course, if you want a single betta fish, go right ahead and bring him home!
10. Set Aquarium Lighting. Fish don’t need lights at all! Too much light is very stressful for fish. However, living plants do need light for photosynthesis. So, if you’ve planted your tank, you’ll need to give the plants eight to ten hours of light every day to mimic daytime and nighttime. Some lighting units have built-in timers you can set. However, a standard light timer from your local hardware shop works just as well.
11. Maintenance. Once your tank is set up, you’ll need to maintain it. I recommend changing around 25% of the water weekly and rinsing the filter media in tank water monthly to keep it clean and fresh. Clean the substrate with an aquarium gravel vacuum to eliminate fish waste, leftover food, and plant debris.
Final Thoughts
So, now you know how to set up an aquarium safely! Before buying a tank, always research the needs of the fish species you want to keep and set the tank up accordingly. Once your aquarium is established, be sure to keep it well-maintained, and you can look forward to enjoying happy, healthy fish for many years to come.
Author Bio: Alison Page is Tankarium's expert contributor. She's an avid fishkeeper and has over 35 years of experience. She started off with a simple 10-gallon aquarium setup and two goldfish called Mister and Missus, although she never actually knew which was which!
