Stage 2

Stage Two (Week One)

Introduction

Now that your aquarium has been running for a week, we recommend that you go back to your retailer, so that you can begin Stage 2. (Don’t forget to bring a jar of water with you so we can test it).

In stage 1, we explained how to install your aquarium along with its equipment and how to fill it with water.  We recommended switching on the power to the electrical equipment once the aquarium was filled and if it was working correctly to leave the filter and heater running so that the water would age and come up to temperature.  This would ensure that everything continued to work correctly while you tested the water and decorated your aquarium.  During this time, you could begin adding your fish, while learning how to feed them correctly.

Stage 2 involves turning a tank of week-old tap water into a healthy balanced environment.  By now the equipment in your aquarium should have been running for about a week.  If all is going well, the heater should be maintaining a constant temperature, the filter should be running smoothly, keeping the water clear and the lighting should be functioning correctly.  You are now ready to add some life to the aquarium.

Decorating the Aquarium

For those wishing to use artificial plants and décor, there is a great variety from which to choose that can give your fish as much scope as necessary to set up their territories, while enabling you to obtain instant aquascaping.  Of course you can also use both natural and artificial décor.  You can choose to do all your aquascaping at the onset or build up the ornamentation and decoration over time.  Whatever method you choose will be fine with your fish.

Water Quality the Use of Water Conditioners.

Research in recent years has resulted in a much greater understanding of the aquarium environment and the development of many water conditioners to help control water quality.  In setting up an aquarium you are creating your own mini-ecosystem and as its keeper, you will have to monitor and control the water quality to achieve and maintain the optimum condition for your fishes’ health and well-being.  Gradually, as you progress in experience, you will learn about what is happening in this environment and how to achieve these conditions in fact learning about the ecology and chemistry of the aquarium can be one of the most interesting aspects of fish keeping.  All you have to do is let us help you achieve the desired result.

So, what features of the water quality first need attention when starting off a new aquarium?

At the moment your aquarium contains plain tap water which has been ageing for about a week.  Because tap water has been processed to make it safe for us humans to drink it is very unlike the water in which fish would naturally live and it contains various substances, which your fish will not tolerate well.  Therefore, you will need to add water conditioners, which are designed to make the tap water safer and more comfortable for your fish.  Your will also have to have an understanding of how the water chemistry will alter when you add your fish.  Fish (like all living creatures) eat, and in converting food into energy and growth, produce waste products.  This waste will decompose in stages into different compounds and initially your main concern will be with ammonia and nitrates.  Ammonia and nitrites produced from your fish’s waste will rapidly build up in the aquarium and are very toxic to fish.  However, nature has an antidote to ammonia and nitrites in the form of certain ‘friendly’ bacteria which develop a colony in your aquariums filter system, eating the ammonia and nitrites and converting them into much less harmful nitrates.  To start off this colony, and to build it up, you will need to add regular doses of these bacteria, which are provided in liquid form, in a bottle.  It takes a little time, 10 days is the fastest but more usually it takes around 4-6 weeks to bring the ammonia and nitrites under control, you must be patient as this is an inevitable and essential phase in developing a health aquarium. The other factor that you will need to be concerned with at this stage is the acidity/alkalinity (the PH balance) and the hardness/softness (GH&KH) of the water.  Local tap water varies tremendously across the UK, so you will need to ascertain what your local water values are.

Adding your first fish

From our experience we believe the number and type of fish you add to your aquarium makes a lot of difference and it is important to get off to a good start.  Remember your ‘starter fish’ are your pioneers in developing your new aquarium (which for the moment is a little harsh environment) so the fish you choose must be healthy and of a type which is considered hardy.

It is advisable to make a list of all the fish you would ultimately like to see in your aquarium before adding anything, this way you can make sure everything you are going to want is compatible

You will receive your fish in plastic bags and so long as they have sufficient air and are kept at the correct temperature they will last in the bag for 6-8 hours.  Once you arrive home, float the unopened bags on the surface of the aquarium water to allow the temperature of the water in the bags to equalise with the aquarium water, this takes around 20-30 minutes.  Because the fish will be somewhat frightened from their journey you should keep the aquarium lighting switched off.  Once this time has elapsed you can open the bags and mix a little of your water with their water for a few more minutes when you can let them swim into your aquarium.  Some experts believe that the water in which the fish has been transported in should not be added to your aquarium and the fish should be removed from the bag via the use of a net, so it’s up to you which method you feel comfortable using.

Your new fish will be very nervous to start with and we suggest that you leave the lights off for a few hours (or until the next day if late in the evening) so that they can explore their new home and settle down.

Feeding your New Fish

One of the most important factors that will affect your success at fishkeeping is the feeding of your fish.  If you feed too much you will run the risk of polluting your aquarium; if you feed too little your fish will not get enough nourishment.  Foods fall into 6 different groups, flake food, granulated food, tablet food, freeze dried food, stick food and frozen food.  When starting with community fish, it is best to buy foods from three of these groups, flake, granules and freeze dried.  Tablets will be too much food for a low level of fish and sticks are only for larger fish.  You will see on our fish labels the recommended foods for the fish you have purchased.  We suggest that at this stage you feed your fish only one small meal per day.  This is contrary to the instructions you will find on most fish foods.  We feed only as much as the fish can consume in around 2 minutes, for as we have already mentioned, your fish, in converting their food into energy and growth, produce waste products.  At this moment your filter cannot cope with too much waste; also uneaten food will decay and produce pollutants.  Continue this feeding pattern until your Aquarium is about four weeks old and the ammonia and nitrite levels are fully under control.  It is at this time you can slowly start to build your fish and increase your feeding to that recommended on the food containers. Do not add any more fish until you have check you water quality as this could result in disease or even death of your fish.

Brief Summary

Decorate your aquarium first
Add the recommended water conditioners to your aquarium
Switch off your aquarium lighting and float the fish bags in the aquarium water for 20-30 minutes.
After this time, open the bags and after mixing the water in the bag with some aquarium water, let the fish swim into the aquarium or net them out.  Note. You may need to remove some water from the aquarium if the level becomes too high.
Leave the aquarium lights off for a few hours or until the next day if late in the evening, so that the fish can get over the stress of their move and quietly explore their new surroundings. 
Feed only as much food once a day – as the fish will completely consume in about 2 minutes.
Test your water at least weekly (Either bring a water sample in store or test at home with our easy to use liquid test kits).