Setting up your new Aquarium Freshwater Basics Choose the largest aquarium Choose gravel : just a ¼” for the bottom (Undergravel filters need about 2”). A thick gravel bed will cause ammonia problems. Fill with water: tap water, well water or any other you still need to use a dechlorinator such as Prime or Stress Coat. Any water changes a dechlorinator must be used. Set up your filter and get it running. Set your heater to the desired temperature and place your heater in but don’t plug it in for 30 minutes Add some good bacteria to help age the tank such as Bio Spira or Cycle Let tank run for 1 to 2 days and add in 2 or 3 starter fish. See how these do for a week and slowly add a couple more. 1/2 -1 pound of gravel per gallon of aquarium with outside or canister filter. These are two excellent dechlorinators. Make certain you have all the filter media you need to get it running! Let heater stay unplugged to 30 minutes anytime it has been removed from water and placed back in. Bio Spira and Cycle will help introduce new beneficial bacteria to a new tank. If no bacteria is used the new tank may become cloudy a few days after set up. A new aquarium needs patience and time to establish itself. A new freshwater tank takes days before it cycles through. A saltwater tank can tank up to 8 weeks.

Common Questions Why is my tank cloudy? Answer: The aquarium is going thru a cycling process known as the Nitrogen Cycle. This occurs in new tanks and tanks that have recently had major water changes. Solution: Adding Bio Spira or Cycle will help. Do not overfeed or overpopulate a new tank.

Cloudy Aquarium After a few weeks

More Common Questions: Why is my tank water green? Answer: Tank is getting too much or the wrong kind of light. Customer should make certain the tank is getting no sunlight. Also make sure the bulbs are correct for fish tanks. Any bulb older than 18 months probably needs replacing. Answer: Partial water change is needed and replace old filter media (charcoal).

What are the white or salt like spots on my fish? Answer: This is most likely a disease known as ick. Fast temperature change or stressful environment can bring this on. Solution: Ick medicine and making sure your tank water is good. Make certain heater is working and keeping the temperature stable. Ickey Fish

More Questions: My fish has big white patches on it’s body and fins, why? Answer: Commom on fish with injuries or poor water quality. Other fish picking on them is also a cause. Solution: Several products treat this: Fungus Cure, Mar Oxy or Triple Sulfa

Question: I have been treating with medicine but my fish don’t seem to be getting any better, why? Answer: Medicines take several treatments and fish heal slowly. Also, make certain there is no charcoal (carbon filters). These will absorb the medication.

Starter (Hardy) Fish: Freshwater Platy: Livebearers: little salt This salt is good for most freshwater fish Dwarf Gourami Zebra Danios Dalmatian Molly All these fish should be fed a variety of foods. Flake foods and frozen.

Coldwater \ Goldfish Coldwater ornamental fish requiring a little cooler environment if possible between degrees. These include all kinds of goldfish. Goldfish are messier than other fish and require more filtration and cleaning. Feeds on goldfish specific food Following are some examples:

Kio\Pond Fish Very similar in care to goldfish Coldwater, usually in ponds all year Temp of water below 60 degrees do not feed them Hardy They feed on specially formulated pond food We offer no guarantee on pond fish Color Enhancers

Helping our customer As our customer you may be asked these fish questions when you come in to purchase your fish: 1. What kind of tank do you have? Freshwater or Saltwater

2. What size tank do you have? This allows us to know how many fish can be in the tank. 3. What other fish do you have? This allows us to help you make good decisions when buying fish. (Aggressive, Community, etc.) 4. What kind of filtration do you have? This allows us to know if you have adequate filtration for your tank.

5. How long has your tank been set up \ when was your last partial water change? New tanks cannot handle many new fish. A freshwater tank is considered new for about the first days. During this time the tank environment is changing rapidly and can stress fish. Many tanks will become cloudy during this time because of an rapid growth and dying of bacteria. Saltwater tanks can take up to 8 weeks to age properly. During this time the tank can become murky and brown algae growth can be substantial.

Quiz Time! How long does it take to cycle a freshwater aquarium? A saltwater? Answer : FW – up to days SW – up to 8 weeks

Quiz Time! How long is our saltwater guarantee? Freshwater? Answer: We have a very limited saltwater guarantee but talk to a supervisor to help with the situation. Freshwater is a conditional 7 day guarantee. Fish cannot be chewed, must have receipt.

Quiz Time! Is this an aggressive, semi aggressive or community fish? Dwarf Gourami: community Angelfish: semi-aggressive African Clawed Frog: semi-aggressiveConvict Cichlid: Aggressive Tiger Barbs: semi- aggressive Jack Demsey: Aggressive Gold Gourami – semi aggressive Lobster: aggressive

Quiz Time! Brackish water fish are somewhere between fresh and salt. They come from rivers that have salt water in them and also freshwater. Which of these fish are brackish? Mono Dact: Brackish Knight Goby: brackish Red Chromide: Brackish Flounder: Brackish Puffer: Brackish Dalmatian Molly: sometimes

Quiz Time: New tanks can be stressful for fish. Which of these are good to start with? Dalmatian Molly : good Neons or Cardninals: bad Zebra Danios: good Damsel: good but aggressive Pink Skunk Clown: Okay but not real hardy Platy : Good

End Of Quiz! Bonus: Can you tell the difference between male or female on these pictures? Platy: male Platy: female Swordtail: Male Boy George: ?

Remember: We will do our best to help solve your fish questions or problems Remember to float your new fish for about 20 minutes A few times a day take time to really really enjoy your aquarium. You have your own living community there.

The End Thanks go out to all the hard working researchers on staff at PPI.