Fish are underrated pets. Beautiful, relaxing to watch and relatively easy to care for, these quiet critters will restrict their digging to the pebbles lining their tanks - you won’t even know they’re there!
A solid choice for families short on space and time, keeping a fish tank hovers somewhere between pet ownership and a full blown hobby. The following information covers up to 127L cold and warm water tanks - larger setups, usually called aquariums, follow much the same path, although the species of fish you choose to keep will vary the final instructions. We wouldn’t recommend the same setup for a tank full of tetras next to an Oscar, or laidback loaches next to rift lake cichlids (Oscars and cichlids require more attention, care and conditional changes to remain happy and healthy).
With this in mind, our advice is suited to non-breeding tanks housing freshwater and tropical fish like goldfish, danios, tetras, guppies, loaches, angelfish and barbs.
Let’s begin! In this article, we’ll cover off the basics of setting up a fish tank, ensuring the process is easy to navigate for beginners and experienced fish enthusiasts alike.
- Choosing your tank
- Selecting your fish
- Selecting your equipment
1. Fish tank background
2. Pebbles and fish tank ornaments
3. Fish tank filter
4. Fish tank air pump
5. Fish tank heater
6. Fish tank lights - Cycling your tank
- Unpacking and releasing your fish
- Easy regular fish tank maintenance tips
Choosing your tank
1. Master Your Space: Large tanks in small spaces cause big problems. Avoid this issue from the outset and grab a measuring tape to ensure your ideal tank location is everything you need it to be dimensionally and spatially.
2. Budget: The final price varies according to size, inclusions and materials (perspex vs glass). My Best Friends Pets recommends buying a tank that includes the filter and light, ticking off three things from your setup list with one purchase (check out our Aqua One range).
3. Tank Kit or DIY: All-in-one packages like this beginner’s tank kit remove much of the early guesswork from the setup process, while stand-alone fish tanks are ideal for people who want more control over what they buy and how many fish they keep.
4. Which Fish? Most pet stores and suppliers sell juvenile fish - they’ll need room to grow and space to hide from their tank companions. Overcrowding can cause stress, illness and even death if the right balance isn’t established.
5. How can you create a harmonious underwater neighbourhood? Have a general idea of your ideal fish species, looking up their growth patterns, feeding habits, quirks and disagreements (eg. angelfish will chase, hunt and eat tetras).
6. Fish Tank Maintenance: Larger tanks take double the time to clean. While it’s not the best part of fish ownership, it’s one of the most important things you can do for your new pets. So, how often should you clean your tank? It depends on the size and number of fish in your care.
|
Tank Size |
How many fish per tank? |
Cleaning Schedule |
|
20L |
2 fish |
2 weeks |
|
90L |
10 fish |
2-3 weeks |
|
165L |
15-20 fish |
3 weeks |
- Keep in mind…
Fish tanks need to be away from windows, heater vents and direct sunlight - the first two impact temperature while constant UV exposure promotes algae growth. - Larger tanks require tank stands - make sure you have the room to house both tank and stand away from the potential problems areas highlighted above.
Selecting your fish
Beginners are better suited to freshwater fish with adaptable personalities and a high conditional resilience (like goldfish, tetras, danios and loaches) while more intermediate fish-keepers may prefer the challenge of maintaining schooling fish - think angelfish and barbs. No matter which fish you choose, research your selections before your buy and make sure everybody gets along! Some species are more anti-social or aggressive than others, while others (like guppies) are happy to swim around in the background, mingling with whomever they meet. If you’re not sure which fish is right for you, or who likes who, reach out to our Best Friends Pets fish experts in-store. We’re always on hand to answer any questions!
Keep in mind tropical fish require warm water all year around, so you will need to purchase a submersion heater. You’ll also need a fish net and dedicated bucket (or buckets) for new arrivals, water changes and emergencies.
Selecting and Installing your equipment
There’s so much to consider when buying your fish tank, so My Best Friend’s Pets has simplified the hard part - building a supportive environment to ensure your gilly friends live happily ever after for years to come.
Fish tank background
Fish have the ability to recognise their natural environment and feel at home in a watery space. Your fish tank background should reflect the natural habitat of your chosen species (or the majority, if you’re creating an aquatic community), while hiding a tangle of power cords and less attractive equipment from people walking through your living room. While My Best Friends Pets sells a range of tank backgrounds in a variety of sizes and styles, you may decide to invest your time into building a natural background from rocks, driftwood and live plants (a combination of these black hiding pipes and granite caves could make an effective natural seascape).
Installation
- Double check your tank size and cut your preferred background to suit your measurements (use a craft knife or some scissors).
- Clean the back pane of the tank with a reliable cleaning product, rinse with water and wipe the glass clean. Be careful not to get any in the tank.
Mist the glass lightly - it should be lightly wet but nowhere near soaked.
Line up your background with the top tank corners - is it straight? Good. Now gradually work the background onto the glass, securing the top edge with transparent stick-tape. - Mist the blank side of your backdrop and work out the bubbles with a squeegee.
Pebbles and fish tank ornaments
Did you know some fish get stressed out by hot pinks, neon blues, and bold yellow pebbles? While you’re probably safe to match bright colours with goldfish and bettas, opt for natural aquarium substrates for most other fish.
How much do you need? The final bag count will depend on the size and depth of your tank, but half a kilo per 3.7L is a good starting point. You may need more if you choose smaller pebbles or gravel.
What about tank gems and stones? If you’re okay with an unnatural look, and you don’t plan to give your fish live plants, there’s technically nothing wrong with paving your aquarium floor with shiny alternatives. Keep in mind that fish like to dig, burrow and move their floors around - the bigger the stone, the less likely this interesting natural behaviour becomes.
What do we recommend? Our aquarium experts lean toward pebbles and gravels that are often present in real-world habitats. Browns, blacks, golds, whites and reds, our range of gravel products suit most tanks and fish.
What do you need to clean gravel? Tank gravel needs to be cleaned every two weeks using a gravel vacuum.
What about fish tank ornaments? There’s no right way or wrong way to go about decorating your fish tank and Best Friend’s Pets have an ever-expanding collection of hidey-holes, shipwrecks, caves, plastic plants and much more to create the underwater scene of your dreams. Make sure you give your water-going pets somewhere to relax, something to eat between meals (fish tank plants are great for snacking, oxygen and breaking down debris - plastic plants need to be cleaned, real plants do not) and cool things to investigate. Fish are curious creatures!
Installation
- Wash your gravel in small batches, with the waterline just above the gravel. Don’t use any soaps or chemicals - tap water is fine.
- Run your gravel through a strainer into a clean bucket.
- Repeat the process until your gravel doesn’t produce any debris.
- Set up a dechlorinated bucket of water and soak your gravel for 30 minutes.
- Introduce gravel to the tank environment.
Fish tank filter
Most filters on the market today help hobbyists create well-balanced environments for cold water and tropical fish - nobody wants to be swimming around in their own waste and leftover food. The good news is most of our tanks come with a fish tank filter already built in, eliminating the need to install another piece of equipment. Should you buy a tank without a filter however, canister and cascade filters are common and efficient options.
What about air stones? Air stones live up to their name by further oxygenating the water. Attached to an air pump tube, an air stone sits on the tank floor, sending a long trail of bubbles to the surface and breaking existing tension. They’re often regarded as the unsung heroes of any tank setup - deliver a breath of fresh air to your tank citizens with our basic and decorative ranges.
Fish tank air pump
Thanks to air stones, bubble wands and air disks, fish tank air pumps add a decorative flair to even the most bare fish tank while contributing to overall pet wellbeing. Your chosen pump shouldn’t be there just to look pretty, any attachment or tubing needs to be strong enough to break that surface tension we mentioned before. While most of our tanks do come with an air pump installed, deeper and larger tanks may need a little extra help from another source, like this Tetra Whisper Air Pump. Any air pump you choose should be quiet, efficient and fish friendly!
Installation
- Connect plastic tubing to your chosen fish tank air pump.
- Install check valves, Y-valves and T-valves (if they apply - not all pumps have every valve type)
- Join the tubing with your favourite air stones, or if you’re not sure about airstones, consider working it into an ornament.
- Plug it in!
Fish tank heater
Goldfish don’t need a heater to stay happy and healthy. If, on the other hand, you’ve been seduced into the world of tropical fish, ensuring they stay warm, snug and safe should be at the top of your mind. Fish tank heaters keep your tank water from cooling down or getting too hot, regulating the temperature to an ideal 22.7 celsius. Most tank heaters are submersible, meaning they stay under the water, although more traditional heaters are still available in speciality stores.
How big should your fish tank heater be? Measure the length, height and width of your fisk tank in metres:
Volume = Length (m) x Height (m) x Width (m)
Multiply your answer by 1000 to covert m3 to litres.
1.22m x 0.46m x 0.36m = 0.2m³
Multiply 0.2m³ by 1000 = 200 litres
Use our table to calculate your fish tank heater requirements and explore our range of heater options once you know what you need to keep your fish comfortable:
|
Fish Tank Size |
Temperature Increase Required for Healthy Fish |
|||
|
50L |
50 Watt |
75 Watt |
75 Watt |
|
|
100L |
75 Watt |
100 Watt |
200 Watt |
|
|
150L |
100 Watt |
150 Watt |
300 Watt |
|
|
200L |
150 Watt |
200 Watt |
2x 200 Watt |
|
|
250L |
200 Watt |
250 Watt |
2x250 Watt |
|
Tip: Invest in a fish tank thermometer and stay on top of your tank temperature with daily readings.
Fish tank lights
You’ve seen one fish tank light, you’ve seen them all, right? Well, not quite. Choosing the right light for your tank depends on who will be occupying it! Once again, your new slippery pets have the last say in the kind of equipment you buy, although most tropical and cold water fish we stock prefer bright fish tank lights, mimicking the warming rays of the sun.
But don’t take our word for it. Look into the fish species you intend to get to know on the daily, ensuring the aquarium lighting solution you pick caters to their lighting needs. Angelfish and tetras love the general brightness of most conventional fish tank lights, although tropical species like the black ghost prefer dull tones. Once you’re clear on what your pets like when it comes to light, explore our range of aquarium lighting - the length of your tank will again dictate the price, but it’s better to spend a little more to ensure the happiness and longevity of your fish than go without.
Wait, doesn’t bright light cause algae? Algae will occur, no matter what you do, and an over-abundance of the green stuff isn’t the result of light type alone. What can you do? Short answer - buy live tank plants. New tanks often go through a cycle of algae until live plants take root and start vying for the same nutrients. Healthy plants = less algae.
Cycling your tank
Congratulations! You’ve assembled your tank and filled it to the line and now… the waiting game begins. New tanks need to run for a while before you can introduce your fish to their new home. Good bacteria takes 7-10 days to establish and building a healthy, happy environment - we call this fish-free but water-filled period cycling your tank. Different fish require different PH levels, so make sure you come back in and see us with a sample of your tank water before you green-light the addition of any fish. Once you’ve got the thumbs up, add a small number of fish to your tank at first, and only feed them every second day for a week. Add more fish slowly over the next 4—5 weeks, monitoring how each species interacts with the others, any emerging personalities and whether or not your fish seem happy and settled. Looking for more insight into cycling and freshwater setups? Talk to our aquarium experts. We love answering every question our customers have.
Checking and monitoring tank pH, nitrite, nitrate and ammonia. Assessing fish tank water is relatively easy thanks to all-in-one tester kits. While we always suggest bringing a sample to us in-store, keeping these elements in check is a daily task.
- Remove ammonia with a treatment like API Ammo-Lock.
- Use a water conditioner at the beginning of a new tank setup and with every subsequent clean to control nitrite build-up and nitrate breakdown.
- Maintain a 6.5 to 7.5 pH and guarantee the wellbeing of your fish with pH up (for acidic condition)m and pH down (for alkaline conditions).
Unpacking and releasing your fish
You’re ready to bring your fish home and watch them for hours on end (or leave them to their own devices - they don’t mind either way). Before they arrive puffed up bags, do one final test of the water to ensure that it is suitable for your new pets. We’ve prepared some tips to ensure your first days together go swimmingly:
- Bring your fish straight home from the store. Don’t leave them in the car for long, especially on a hot day.
- Once home, assemble your net and a bucket, before opening the fish bag. While you are assembling your equipment, float the unopened bag for 2—5 minutes (not longer) in your tank to equalize the temperatures.
- Cut the bag open, and pour the contents of the bag through the net into the bucket. Do not put the water from the bag into your tank!
- Carefully release the fish from the net into your tank, and discard the waste water appropriately.
Easy regular fish tank maintenance tips
Like any other living creature (including us!) fish like to be in the right environment. Spare a few minutes every week and give your fish the TLC they deserve by following these easy steps on a weekly, fortnightly and monthly basis.
Once a month:
- Perform a 25% water change. Don’t forget to add water conditioner when you top the water up again.
- Test the GH (General Hardness) of the water. Add Conditioning Salts if necessary. (This is not normal salt, rock salt or pool salt. You will be able to buy proper Aquarium Salts from Best friends – ask us for our recommendations.)
Once every two weeks:
- Test pH
- Test Ammonia, Nitrites and Nitrates if you want to be extra sure of tank health.
Once a week:
- Remove any algae from the tank
- Use your Gravel Vacuum to clean the bottom of the tank and remove waste.
Daily tasks:
- Feed 2 or 3 small feeds a day. Feed no more than your fish can eat in 5 minutes, and quickly remove any uneaten food. Feed a variety of foods to ensure good health, including frozen food as the occasional treat.
- Visually check that your filters, airstones, lights etc are working.
- Check water temperature, and ensure that your heater is functioning.
- If one of your fish has died, remove it immediately. Help care for our environment, and dispose of dead fish appropriately. Do not dump them into the sewerage or stormwater.
It’s that easy! Start your new tank today, and within a short while you will have a wonderful new addition to your home. Have fun with your new pets.
Remember, the above is intended as a guide only! We recommend popping into your local Best Friends Pets store and speaking to the friendly fishy folk there.
