How to start an aquarium for the first time - tips for beginners

Any room can be decorated with an aquarium, but to maintain its beauty, the health of plants and fish, it is important to know a number of rules. There are several instructions on how to start the aquarium for the first time, designed for different conditions, for example, for fresh and sea water. Observing all the recommendations it is easy to get an unsurpassed result.

How to properly start the aquarium?

The first task for people who want to install a beautiful aquarium is to start it correctly. For this purpose, it is necessary to purchase all components that must be proportional to the volume, area and number of future residents. In addition, figuring out how to start the aquarium from scratch, it is necessary to understand the processes occurring in the ecosystem. Without creating the right conditions, the chance that fish and plants will survive is minimized.

How to start an aquarium herbalist?

If a person decides to create such an ornament for his home, then it is necessary to plan everything beforehand, down to where the plant will be. The launch of an aquarium with plants is based on such rules:

1. It is important to choose the volume of the aquarium, in which case it can be placed in different places.
2. To make plants feel good, grow and do not lose their beautiful color, it is important to take care of the proper lighting. The total power should be at least 0.5 W / l, but the optimal figure is 1-1.3 W / l.
3. Finding out how to start the aquarium for the first time, it is worth pointing about the need to properly select the substrate and fertilizer. Pet stores offer a wide range of soils that are ideal for herbalists.
4. For such an aquarium option, CO2 is of great importance, since it is the main source of carbon for plant growth. The optimum value is 15-30 mg / l.

Launching a marine aquarium

Lovers of exotic fish choose a marine aquarium. Experts recommend that you first determine the fish and study their habitat so that the necessary conditions coincide. Please note that each resident must have about 25 liters. For those who are interested in how to start the aquarium for the first time, a number of recommendations should be observed:

1. Place the selected vessel in a suitable place and provide it with all systems: light, air and filter. Fill a special primer, which is in pet stores or you can use marble chips. After that, launching a marine aquarium for beginners involves the installation of all plants, stones and decorations.
2. The water used must be thoroughly cleaned of chlorine and nitrites. It should stand for a week and only then it is allowed to add salt, which should be marine and intended for aquariums. The proportions depend on the chosen manufacturer, and they are indicated on the package.
3. Then pour water into the aquarium, and it will have to settle there for another month and only when the necessary sea balance is established you can run fish.

Run a freshwater aquarium

If a vessel with fresh water is chosen for breeding fish, then it is necessary to prepare an aquarium, a filter, a heater , lighting, soil , decor, plants and water conditioners. Preparation of the aquarium for the launch of fish is carried out according to the following scheme:

1. After installing the vessel on a flat surface, lay out stones and other decor options. Before filling the ground, it should be boiled for an hour, and then rinse.
2. Pour about 10% water, plant the plants and if you want, then start the snails. After you can pour the rest of the liquid.
3. The next step in the instruction is how to start a freshwater aquarium for the first time, involving the inclusion of a filter and a heater. On other days it is necessary to turn on the light for six hours, and then, in a couple of days, the time should be increased by an hour. Do this until the daylight hours are raised to eight hours.
4. After 1-2 weeks, run the fish. After that, do not forget about the substitution of water , so in the first month you need to pour water from the standstill, instead of 10% of the volume once a week, then depending on the inhabitants, the volume can rise to 30%.

Running the aquarium on nutritious ground

One of the options for a suitable soil is burned soils of different types, which are produced from natural sources. They are called nutritious and are used for small volumes up to 30 liters. There are several nuances of how to start the aquarium for the first time:

1. Before it falls asleep, it must be rinsed. Its layer should be 3-5 cm. You can level the ground with your hands, because it is supple.
2. After this, it is necessary to fill the water, even from the tap. If the nutrient soil began to hiss, this is normal. The liquid level should be about 10 cm.
3. At the next stage, plants are planted and the decor is installed, and then the rest of the water is poured in.
4. On the first day, water can become turbid, but this is normal, and after a day the filter will become clean, and the stiffness will decrease to about 9 degrees.
5. After the test, start to apply fertilizers, otherwise algae can start to grow violently. Be sure to add potassium, nitrogen, phosphorus and microfertilizers.
6. The launch of a new aquarium, that is, the settling of fish into it, can be carried out on the second day.
7. In the first week it is important to change the water frequently. For example, if you are using the ADA primer, which is the most nutritious, then every day you need to change up to 50% of the fluid.

Launching the aquarium with cichlids

To fish survive, they must be run into a prepared aquarium. To mature useful bacteria takes 2-6 weeks. Before you start fish in a new aquarium, you need to go through several stages:

1. After everything has been prepared, the soil is filled, bacteria are added, plants are planted and water is poured, you should leave everything for a couple of days to make sure everything is normal.
2. After that, you can add a small amount of food to accelerate the growth of bacteria, once a week to change 30% of water and a day to conduct chemical tests with mandatory fixation of the results. The temperature should be 26-27 ° С, pH - 7,5-9, dH - 9-16 degrees, kN - 10-14 degrees, but the chlorine values ​​should be at zero.
3. Finding out how to start a new aquarium for the first time, it is important to note that if the parameters are reached, then in a day there should be ammonia, and in the next stage, nitrites. After a while their indicators will fall, and nitrates will appear, which indicates that useful bacteria have spread. The fact that the cycle is completed, and it is possible to launch fish, is indicated by a decrease to zero of the level of ammonia and nitrites.

What do you need to start the aquarium?

In any case, preliminary preparation is important, so to organize a beautiful aquarium it is necessary to purchase and check equipment that must necessarily meet the chosen volume of the vessel and the number of potential inhabitants. Finding out what it takes to run an aquarium is worth noting the importance of choosing the right soil, bacteria, plants and ornaments. When buying, take into account the preferences and features of the selected fish. If there is a desire to start everything quickly, it is important to choose special preparations.

Aquarium start-up equipment

After purchasing the equipment, be sure to check it, and then, install it according to the instructions offered by the manufacturer. The correct start of the aquarium can not be imagined without the following details:

1. The compressor is designed to enrich the water with oxygen, which is important for both fish and plants.
2. The filter passes water through itself and delays organic and mechanical suspensions, for example, parts of dust or rotting plants.
3. It is important to have a thermometer to change and control the temperature of the liquid.
4. Fluorescent lamp is necessary for illuminating the aquarium, and its power and intensity of luminescence will depend on the specific species of fish and plants.
5. The lid for the tank will help protect against dust and potential threats from the outside.
6. Different nets, sponges and scrapers, which will be useful for starting and maintenance.

Bacteria for starting the aquarium

To create the necessary biological environment, bacteria can not be avoided without introducing bacteria. The process of establishing biological equilibrium begins after filling the vessel with water and lasts 2-3 weeks. Quick start of the aquarium requires the introduction of special live bacteria, which can be bought at a pet store. There are specially developed complexes that contain more than 100 useful bacteria. To get the desired effect, the bacteria will have to be added a few more days in addition. This procedure is also carried out when replacing water.

Preparations for starting the aquarium

In the pet stores there is a wide selection of different drugs that help improve the quality of water and accelerate the adaptation of fish in a new dwelling, we will dwell on some of them:

1. «Rikka Quick Start». This means to start the aquarium helps make tap water fit for fish. It binds chlorine and heavy metals, and also creates the necessary biological balance. Use it is necessary, both at start-up, and at change of water. Dosage: 5 ml per 50 liters.
2. «Dajana Start Plus». Helps reduce the amount of chlorine, removes heavy metals and promotes the formation of protective mucus on the body of fish. Dosage: 5 ml per 25 liters.
3. "Ptero Aqua Polyvito". The drug-conditioner eliminates ions of heavy metals and chlorine. Protects the mucous membrane of fish. Dosage: one full push (1.5 ml) for 6 liters.

How to wash the aquarium before starting?

Before you start to build and fill the aquarium, you must wash it, as it is unknown where he was in the store. Finding out what to wash the aquarium before launching, it is necessary to say that it is not necessary to buy special means, since ordinary baking soda is also suitable. First, rinse the container with hot water, and then, walk over the surface with a powder. It will only be several times to wash it properly.

The first launch of the aquarium - possible difficulties

Beginners in this matter may face different problems, but it is worthwhile to calm down, because in most cases the causes are banal. Understanding how to launch a new aquarium, we should say about such possible difficulties:

1. The gray color of the water indicates that the gravel used was not sufficiently washed. If the sediment is still there, then the stones contain impurities of phosphates and heavy metals and they should be replaced.
2. The green color of water is associated with the active growth of microorganisms and, most likely, this is due to bright lighting. The aquarium needs to be moved to the shade, and you can also start the daphnia.
3. If the liquid becomes dull-brown, then it can be painted with wood decorations. The effect can be related to the peat used.
4. The presence of bubbles in the water means that it is untreated and contains chlorine, so you can not start fish.

Muddy water in the aquarium after launch

One of the most common troubles, but in fact the explanation is simple.

1. If the water becomes turbid when the aquarium starts, this is normal, because the bacteria began to multiply actively, after a while it will become clean.
2. Turbidity can be associated with the raising of soil particles during the infusion of liquid.
3. The problem may arise due to the multiplication of unicellular algae under the influence of bright illumination and a poor aeration and filtration system.

White mucus in the aquarium after launch

Many owners of aquariums noticed that after the first snack on the used decor, for example, snag, a layer of white mucus appears, although all the preparatory stages were performed according to the instructions. In fact, this is a natural process, since the launch of a large aquarium or a small vessel involves an active bacterial process and a whitish mold - a colony of bacteria. When the correct bacterial balance is established, the mucus disappears by itself.