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Setting Up The Aquarium. |
Setting up the aquarium
Preparation of aquarium materials:
Certain tasks have to be performed well in advance of setting up an aquarium
1. Washing the gravel: The gravel should be washed in easy and convenient batches in a bucket out-of doors under a running hose. The water should run clear from the bucket to ensure the gravel is thoroughly clean. It is not always advisable to roast the gravel for sterilization for the reason that the native bacterial flora present on their surfaces is important for the working of the biological filter.
2. Preparing the plants: The plants should be laid out in groups of species between sheets of very wet newspaper to prevent them from drying out as they await their turn to be placed in the tank
3. Fixing the background: Now-a-days prepared backdrops are available which could be pasted to the outside of the tank at the back. These are helpful in balancing the color effects, filtering and controlling light and giving a full appearance to the aquarium.
4. Cutting rocks: The rocks can be worked to the correct proportions by a few well-directed blows of the hammer. Pieces can be glued together with a sealant in advance to make imaginative settings like under water caves, which the fishes take a liking for.
Setting up
Follow the following protocol in setting up an aquarium for yourself at home.
1. Make an advance plan of the desired layout to avoid wastage of time in trying (and rejecting) many ideas. Ideally the whole design should be finalized in imagination. Getting to
see many aquaria set by more experienced people should help along with your own aesthetic sense and personal shades of preferences. Keeping looking through the front panel continually as you progress. An ideal ‘aquascape’ should have a clear swimming space at the front with adequate rooting space for plants at the sides and rear.
2.Set the biological filter in the tank if your intention is to use it. Add gravel. Gravel is added to a depth of 2 to 3 inch (5 to 7.5 cm) sloping from back to front to give a pleasing appearance. A height of 3" in the rear and ½” at the front will provide enough slope to cause wastes to accumulate at the front, where they can easily be removed by siphon or dip tube
3. Fix rocks, drift wood branches, etc. firmly in position. Large rocks should be placed directly on the tank base to prevent future toppling over. Support with smaller pieces of rock. When ‘rock-scaping’ remember to allow room for the plants and for the extra visual effect they will give.
4. Fit the filtration system (unless a biological system is already in position), heating system, air supply tubing, and air stones. Make sure to use non-metallic clips to fix such gadgets in position to avoid rusting. Two heaters should be used for large tanks. The heater should be clear of gravel to avoid its heating up and cracking due to lack of circulation around it. All wiring connections must be made outside the tank. Do not switch on the power while the heating equipment is not covered by water
5. The inlet siphon of the filter boxes should be fixed at one side on the tank such that it is not obstructed by rocks or such adducts.
6. The returned cleaned water from the filter should be directed to the opposite side of the tank away from the inlet siphon.
7. The return and inlet tubes to external power filters must be securely fastened to the side or rear walls of the tank and special care must be taken to ensure that the holes in the return tube spray bar face across the tank, preferably downwards.
8. Hide air stones behind rocks for good visual effect and the connecting air tubing may be buried under the gravel. The air pump itself should be situated above the eventual water
level. The air supply to the filters can be connected at this stage.
9.For the moment, all wires from filters, air pumps, heaters, and thermostats are left unconnected to avoid the risk accidental switching on at this time.
Now you are ready to plant the aquarium.
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