FreshWater Aquarium
Keeping freshwater fish can be fairly simple and incredibly rewarding. For beginners, it allows a glimpse into the fish-keeping world at a fraction of the cost of saltwater or reef tanks. The first step after deciding on a freshwater tank is decided what to put in it. There are some fish which are much easier for novice fish-keepers than others, and knowing which ones work well with other species is also extremely helpful. Some hardy and easy to manage first fish include:
-Small Freshwater Tanks:
-Cherry Barb: These fish are well-behaved and add color to your tank. In addition, they survive in several temperature ranges and eat a wide variety of food. They are an excellent fish for beginners.
-Dwarf Gourami: These Indian fish work well with other fish, eat a varied diet, and survive in most beginner tanks.
-Platy: This fish is well-mannered and vibrantly colored. They are easy to breed in capitivity and survive in varied habitats.
-Large Freshwater Tanks:
-Bloodfin Tetra: These fish tolerate colder water than many tropical fish. They work well in groups of at least six, and get along with most other tank fish.
-Gold Barb: Another good fish to keep in schools of six or more. These fish are good-tempered and make a good addition to a large tank.
-Goldfish: Contrary to the common image we have of goldfish bowls, these fish actually do much better in larger tanks. They enjoy more room to move around, but tend to nibble on plants. They can grow much larger in these tanks as well.
Once you have a tank, stand, and location picked out, as well as a few first fish in mind, it's time to set it all up. First you need to put the stand and tank together, without filling the tank yet. After the tank is rinsed and the gravel, rocks, and plants are clean and put in place you can fill the tank part of the way with dechlorinated water.
While setting up the appropriate equipment, special attention needs to be payed to keeping all cords dry. Double check before plugging anything in and consider a drip loop for your cords. Let the heater adjust the temperature of the water in the tank (which should be room temperature), and set up lights and any filters.
After plugging everything in, the tank needs to start the nitrate cycle before any fish can be added safely. Once the tank is cycling, take care to only add one to two fish at once and do so gradually so as to minimize the trauma to the fish themselves.
Most newcomers to the fish-keeping hobby start of with a freshwater tank and then may choose to add or switch to a saltwater tank—the basics of which are similar, but different enough to merit more reading.
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