Filtration

Placement of the tank
     Once you choose the place for your fish tank, consider the things mentioned earlier.  First of all, you want to make sure that the tank is placed in an area that is not near a heater or air conditioner as well as away from direct sunlight.  A tank that is too close to a heater or too close to an air conditioner can cause problems when dealing with fluctuations inside the tank.  Sharp temperature changes in the tank can add unwanted stress to your fish as well as disease.  In the same respect, direct sunlight can cause temperature changes as well as add unsightly algae growth to the tank.  Also, consider accessibility of the tank.  Make sure that the tank is easily accessible, so that when you moved around it or have to clean it, you are not trying to wedge your hands or other things into small places.  Keeping your tank in a easily accessible place will make your life easier later on.  Keep these things in mind when you place the tank.

Tank level
    Another thing to keep in mind is the level of the tank.  Make sure that all sides of the tank are level before, during, and after you add your water to it.  If the tank level is off even slightly, too much water can build up on one side and add stress to the corners of the tank.  Over time, a slow leak will turn into a big lead that causes big problems for you later on.  One way to check this is to use a water level to check all sides of the tank.  Also, make sure the stand that you put your tank on is sturdy enough to support the weight of the tank.  Remember, one gallon of water weighs about five pounds.  Another good thing to do is check the tank for any leaks on a flat surface.  Fill the tank all the way up to the top and dry all of the sides and let it sit for a couple of hours.  Then check all of the sides of the tank to see if there is any water leaking out.  If no leaks are found, empty the tank using some type of water syphon.  DO NOT POUR THE WATER OUT!  Doing so will put too much pressure on one side of the tank and add stress to the tank walls if not crack one of them.

Decorations for the tank
    The one thing to say about this is...WAIT!  Wait until you know exactly what type of fish you want and what they will need.  Many people, including myself, have spent lots of money on cute little decorations that wind up in a bucket or get thrown out later on down the line.  Remember that you are setting up a simulated environment and that pretty little decorations like floating scuba divers and treasure chests are rarely seen consistently in a fish's natural environment.  Set up the tank according to the fish and you will not waist your money.

Filtration
    This is one of the most important things when setting up your fish tank.  Filtration is good for several reasons:  It keeps the tank clean, your fish healthy, and your water oxygenated.  A good filter system should cycle the water in your tank at a minimum of at least 3 times in an hour.  This would mean that in one hour, all the water in your tank would be sucked up a spout, pushed through some type of filter media and some type of carbon or other media to help remove any impurities in the water.  By far, this is one of the most important aspects in keeping your fish healthy.  It also keeps your water looking clear.  (But don't think that because you have a good filter you never have to change the water.  I will discuss this later.)

Once you have considered all of these things, you are ready to set up your fish tank.

If you would like, you can click this link here to take you back to page 1 of things to consider.