Wash the fish tank with lukewarm water only, using your hands to agitate the
water along the sides and bottom. Make sure to pay particular attention to the
corners and bottom edges. Rinse the dust and dirt out and repeat until clean.
Wash the gravel pretty much the same way.
First pour the gravel into a large
clean bowl, bucket or even a colander if the gravel is big enough not to fall
through the spaces, and wash the gravel with lukewarm water. Use your hand to
agitate the water and gravel so that dirt and particulates are loosened and
washed away. Do not use soaps or detergents of any kind because even the
tiniest residue can be very harmful to your fish. If you are using an under
gravel filter, now would be a good time to set it up and place it in your tank
according to the instructions. Now gently add the gravel to your aquarium tank,
sloping it towards the front. This allows for uneaten food and detritus to
accumulate where it is more easily seen and removed. Now that the gravel’s in
you can decorate your aquarium using the items that you’ve purchased for that
purpose.
Make sure to place the larger objects to the rear so as to provide an
unobstructed view. Resist the temptation to add any of those attractive or
unusual rocks, shells, or pieces of driftwood that you’ve collected yourself.
Even if they look clean, chances are good that they may be contaminated with
any number of harmful things like pesticides, chemicals, or animal matter. Once
you’re finished with the decorating, it’s time to fill your aquarium with
water. The best water to use, of course, is water that is free of chemicals.
Buying enough bottled water to fill your aquarium however can get kind of
expensive.
An acceptable solution would be to “age” ordinary tap water by
covering it and letting it sit for a couple of days until the chlorine and/or
other chemicals evaporate or settle to the bottom, then the water would be safe
to use. When filling your aquarium use your hand or, if one of your decorations
includes a sturdy rock use it, to break and deflect the fall of water into the
tank, otherwise the force of the water will scatter gravel, plants, etc. all
over the place. Be sure not to fill the aquarium all the way to the top.
Fill
your tank a little more than ¾ of the way full, this allows for the
displacement of the water when you add your fish. At this point it’s time to
assemble and/or then attach the heater, the outside filter (if you’re using on
instead of or in tandem with an under gravel filter), and the light fixture(s).
After all that’s done, snap the thermometer into place and you’re ready to go.
Almost.