By Tim Nurse

There are two ways to go about setting up a new fish tank. There’s the right way, and then there’s the way many of us started. We walk into the local fish store and see a fish we like. We buy it, buy a tank and take it home. This method usually requires a few trips back to the store later to find out why your fish did not survive more than two days. All too often someone gets the inclination to start an aquarium in their home full of bright and colorful fish. Fish purchased without research being done, are often put into the wrong water conditions and mixed with fish they are incompatible with. This is a recipe for disaster. All too often the local fish stores will accommodate ignorant amateurs, a position I found myself in years back. This makes the fish shop a quick buck, but ultimately it turns someone off of what can be an awarding and admittedly an addictive hobby. The right way to set up a tank is a bit more involved. The first step to setting up a new tank is to decide what kind of fish you want to put in that tank. In this first process the main points you take into consideration are:

1. The amount of maintenance you're willing to do.
2. The quality of your tap water.
3. What type of fish do you want to watch?
   1. Do you like large fish?
   2. Do you like calm fish?
   3. Do you want active fish?
   4. Do you want colorful fish?
4. How much space can you devote to a tank?

Some fish require more maintenance than others. New hobbyists and these fish are not a good mix under normal circumstances. These breeds, such as discus, featherfins and other sensitive or extremely aggressive cichlids are better left for the advanced hobbyists. There are fish that are hardier than others. Fish such as the riverine species of West Africa make great first fish. Many of these fish can undergo large shifts in PH and changes in temperature. Many of these fish can survive on infrequent water changes and more infrequent filter cleanings. This does not mean I advocate neglecting your fish, but these fish are more forgiving when it comes to the newbie mistakes. For those who don’t mind maintaining a more rigid schedule of weekly water changes and monthly filter cleanings, the cichlids of the African lakes are very rewarding.

The next factor looked at is the quality of your tap water. Cleanings and water changes are easy when the water leaving the tap already provides the right conditions for your fish. If the water from your tap is soft and acidic, there are West African Riverine species and numerous South American species kept easily enough in such conditions. If your water is hard and alkaline, then the cichlids of the African Rift Lakes or from Central America may be for you. There is no way to stress enough how important researching the different fish and their individual needs is.

One does not need a degree in ichthyology for researching fish. Knowing how to count the soft and hard rays on a fish’s fin or knowing whether or not a fish’s teeth are conical is not extremely important. What is important is understanding what water conditions a fish needs and how it interacts with conspecifics as well as other tank mates. Fish found in the same climates and in the same water conditions do not always interact well with each other. The mixing of two fish may work for one hobbyist and prove disastrous for another. This often confounds new hobbyists doing research on fish that catch their interest.

After narrowing down the demographics of the fish that will fit with your water conditions, it’s time for the most important part of setting up a tank. Research. Research is the single most important part of setting up a new tank. Finding out a fish’s space requirements, water requirements, feeding requirements and breeding habits are all important. These factors can change your mind about fish that you think would look cool in a nice planted tank. This research will also assist you in determining the size of the tank you need to purchase.

Tank size is not something worth compromising. A cichlid known for peacefulness and coexistence with others can be a terror in a tank that doesn’t allow for a large enough territory. Most cichlids are territorial and require some degree of space. Length and width become the most important factors in tank size rather than height. Tall hexagonal tanks look beautiful and may get appreciative remarks from guests, but as a cichlid tank, it has few practical applications.

Once you've determined what fish hold your interest and what size tank you’re going to hold them in, it’s time to consider filtration. There are two types of filtration. There’s mechanical filtration, the removing of excess food, feces and other unwanted things in your tank, and there’s biological filtration. Biological filtration may be the most important type of filtration to have in your tank. Your biological filtration is the filtration in your tank that handles the nitrogen cycle.

Fish give off waste like all animals. This waste slowly poisons the water they live in. The decay of plants, food and dead fish you don’t find can add to this. Ammonia build up in your water is a sure way to lose fish. Ammonia burns the sensitive tissue on your fish and will almost always result in death. Fortunately ammonia is converted to nitrites by nitrifying bacteria that builds up in the tank. This beneficial bacteria builds up on the glass, in the gravel and in that biological filter media. A porous substance that has large amounts of water pushed past it so the bacteria can do it's most good. Nitrites are almost as bad for your fish as the ammonia is. Nitrites destroy the hemoglobin in the blood of your fish, which carries the oxygen. High nitrites result in the suffocating of your fish. They'll show signs of gasping or listlessness. (If that's a word.) Fortunately, the nitrites are converted to nitrates by another beneficial type of bacteria. These nitrates are harmless to the fish in low levels. Weekly water changes will help keep these nitrate levels below 30 parts per million, or ppm, and keep your fish happy and in fresh water. Researching and understanding the nitrogen cycle in the tank can make you a better aquaria hobbyist.

Over filtration of a cichlid tank is usually the best way to go. This depends greatly on the fish you’ve chosen and the size of the tank. Set up your tank with water, filtration, a heater, sand or gravel and the appropriate decorations for the tank. This will also depend upon the fish you’ve selected. Once the tank is up and running, the ammonia and nitrite levels in the tank need monitoring. When the ammonia and nitrite levels have reached zero, the time has finally come to start adding and enjoying your fish.