• Setup and Prep

Once you have decided on the system that you would like to set up, chosen the fish and materials, and found suitable sources for them, you are ready to build the aquarium.
   A tank full of water is extremely heavy, so you must choose its final position before attempting to set it up. The site should be near a power point, and there should be plenty of room above and beside it for access and for maintenance.
   Select a strong, level surface - you may choose to buy an aquarium stand from our products page. So that the tank remains level, it should be positioned on a sheet of expanded polystyrene or cork. You should also make sure that the floor beneath the entire structure will be capable of taking the final weight.
   The site should not suffer from substantial variations in temperature, and should be removed from draughts and direct sunlight. Too much sunlight may make the water temperature rise excessively, and will encourage unnecessary algae growth. As long as the tank is correctly lit, it is preferable to place it in a dark corner. Rinse your aquarium with water to remove dust or debris.

• Future Cleaning

Hook up any filtration systems. Under gravel filters provide good filtration and water flow for algae and overall water flow in the tank. Set-up the filtration system now.

• Gravel Bed

Before adding gravel you should thoroughly rinse it in a bucket. Rinse the gravel until the water looks clean. This removes dust and dirt that could be on the gravel. Cover the bottom of the tank and under gravel filter.  You should have a minimum of a 3 to 4 inch gravel bed. Sloping the gravel with a high bed in the rear of the tank allows most debris to drift to the front of the tank for future cleaning. This allows for better siphon cleaning when it's time to clean the tank.

• Fill Aquarium

Now you're ready to add water. Fill the tank with room temperature water 3-4 inches from the top. When adding future water during cleaning, place a large rock or plate in the tank and pour water directly on it, this will allow you not to disturb plants and decorations.

• Install Accessories

Now you can add plants, decorations and all those fancy items you've purchased for your tank. Also install your pumps, heaters and thermometers at this time. Place the pump close to the tank. If you can find a spot above the water level this can reduce the possibility of a backflow it there's a power failure. Contact us for a complete line of aquarium accessories.

• Top It Off And Balance

Fill the tank with water so the level cannot be seen from the front of the aquarium. Now add some Chlorine remover to get it ready for your new fish.

• Start It Up

Make sure everything works. Pump, Heater, Filtration, Power heads and anything you have that needs power. Always use caution when working with electricity and water ( they don't mix ). Read all instructions that were supplied with the equipment you purchased.

• Light It Up

Install your hood and lighting system. Special lights are available to bring out colors in the fish and help plants grow if using live plants. Contact us for more on lighting.

• A Few Days Later

We no your excited and ready to put in some fish, but you should wait 3 to 7 days before adding fish.

• Now Your Ready

The day has arrived to add the fish. Everything is working. You've checked the equipment tested the water and everything's good. Add 3 or 4 fish to get started. They should be hardy and strong looking. Always look pet store fish over well before purchasing. Observe the tank their in and make sure no fish look sick or diseased.