Setting up a fresh water fish tank is harder than you think…

because you must set your tank up two or three days before you get your fish. I almost made this mistake so listen carefully. You will need an un-cracked tank, a heater, a filter, enough rocks to cover the tank’s bottom, a floating thermometer, live plants, a center piece large rock/log or anything suitable for you, food, healthy bacteria for water, and a fish tank light to go on it.

Once you set up your tank and get it working, wait two to three days as I said, but don’t use the meds until you get your fish in the tank. This is said because you need the waste and algae for the bacteria to work.

Now it’s time for the fish!    

  

When you get your fish, you want a bottom feeder, a middle feeder, and a surface feeder.  I chose mollies, guppies, tetras, and a gourami.  You have to wait a month before getting the pleco, a bottom feeder.  The next fish you need are your show fish to make the tank stand out.  Fancy guppies are very pretty and unique. The fish you select cannot be aggressive otherwise they will harm your other fish.  Examples are Oscars and Cichlids.

 You should buy one fish per gallon but the fish need to be one inch or under in length otherwise you can only get a small amount of them. Real plants are recommended because they keep nitrates low.