This will be a beginners guide to setting up a tropical fish tank. You will need to take your time and make sure not to add fish to the tank right away as this could kill your fish. You must understand that it takes a little time for the water to fully cycle so your fish can live a long time and stay healthy.

Before you go out and start buying aquarium equipment determine what kind of fish that you will want to put in there and how many. This is necessary as you will need to know what size tank to get, if you are on a budget you will have to work with it. The general rule is for small to medium fish is 1 inch per one gallon of water.

The next thing that you need to do is get all of the stuff that you will need to do so. This will consist of a fish tank, filter, lamp, water heater, gravel, decorations, water conditioner, bacteria supplement, and a background if you choose to jazz up the tank and make it look more like a fish environment.

Find a space in your home that you want to set up the fish tank at. This should be somewhere that is not in the way and make sure you are happy with the spot because moving a tank can be a pain once you have fish in it.

Next fill the tank up with water to the top, do not worry about putting any conditioner in the water yet as we are only testing to see if the tank has any leaks. Let the water sit in the tank overnight, and in the morning check around the tank for any signs of water, once you are sure there are no leaks you can empty the tank.

What I would do next is I will fill up multiple gallons of jugs with tap water mixed with water conditioner, and then I will add bacteria supplement 15 minutes later depending on what the directions day. I will let the water sit for a couple of hours or longer, it is up to you.

Next you can start adding gravel, make sure that you rinse the gravel very good. Since the tank is still empty you can start putting in the gravel and decorations. It is very important to make sure that everything that you put into your fish tank is washed well, as it only takes a little bit of dish soap to kill fish.

Once you have it decorated set up the rest of the equipment, the filter pump, the heater, overhead light, etc. Start adding all of the pre-treated water into the tank, once you have it to the top turn on your filter pump and heater. Let the water cycle for about a week before adding fish, make sure the water temperature supports the fish you want.

After a week of the water cycling you can add a few starter fish, this will help the conditions for future fish a lot better. Once you select a couple of starter fish, keep a close eye on them. I would not recommend added any more fish into the tank for about 4 to 6 weeks.

Tropical fish tanks are great because they have many purposes for the owner.

First off, they are a good form of home decor which can be placed in key areas of the house.

They can be rearranged from time to time and their design can be easily altered and modified depending on the preferences of the owner.

This is why having a fish tank is also a good medium for expressing oneself.

The arrangement of the different types of plants, fishes and other objects in the aquarium can be used as a means to describe the personality and traits of its owner.

Having a tropical fish tank is a great hobby and an exciting way to pass time. While other pets can be messy, the fish in your aquarium are clean, usually odor free, and do not require much maintenance on a daily basis!

Once a tropical aquarium is established, it only requires daily feeding and cleaning every few weeks. Though you may have some minor hurdles with your aquarium, it will be an endlessly fun and educational hobby!

A tropical fish tank can also be a good source of relaxation for anyone who looks at it. The movement of the fishes, the swaying of the aquatic plants as well as the rising bubbles are fun things to watch, and a fun thing to do while passing the time away.

They can provide a hypnotic effect and can easily mesmerize the observer especially if the arrangement is unique and extraordinary. This can provide a good relief especially after a very tiring and stressful day.