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Building an aquarium is a project that can seem like it will take hours and cost you a lot of money. But the truth is, with the right information and tools, building your own fish tank doesn't have to be difficult at all! This blog post will walk you through how to build your own aquarium in no time at all, including what size tank you should get for beginners, how long it takes before your water cycles in order to avoid ammonia poisoning (which could kill off your entire fish population!), and which type of fish are best for beginners. What Type Of Aquarium Do You Want To Build The very first thing you need to do in order to learn how to build a fish tank is determine what type of aquarium you want. Since this blog post is designed for beginners, we'll assume that means a 10 gallon or smaller tank. You might think bigger is better and go with a 20 gallon tank, but this can be one of the easiest ways to kill your fish. Be sure that you can fit all of the materials for the tank in a 10 gallon or smaller space. It needs to be large enough for your fish to move around and grow, but it also has to be small enough that you can easily maintain the conditions inside the tank. A good rule of thumb is a 10 gallon tank per one larger fish. That means if you have a single Betta, a 10 gallon aquarium will be fine for it. However, if you have multiple fish or larger fish, such as Goldfish, you'll want to consider a 20 gallon tank. You'll also need to determine the width of the aquarium you want to build. Most tanks come in standard sizes, such as 10 gallons, 20 gallons, 30 gallons etc... The difference between these is really just the amount of water it holds and how long it takes for the cycle to complete. The smallest tank you can find that is deep enough to place your substrate (material at the bottom of the tank) and tall enough for your hood will be a 10 gallon. Anything smaller than that is too narrow, which leaves no room for a filter. Just keep in mind, a wider aquarium means more room for fish, but you'll also need a larger stand. This is something to think about when you learn how to build an aquarium on the cheap! What You'll Need To Build Your Own Fish Tank The next step in learning how to build a fish tank is determining the materials you'll need. This will vary from one tank to another, depending on the size and shape of your aquarium. However, there are some basic supplies that you will always need for an aquarium. You might already have some of these items at home: A fish tank or container (You can find these at any store that sells pet supplies, such as Petsmart and Petco)Gravel or sand for the bottom of your aquarium (again, you can find this at most pet supply stores. If gravel is preferred over sand, make sure to get a filter!)A pump to filter the water (This can be found at any pet supply store, such as Petsmart or Petco)A net for catching and removing fish from your aquariumTest strips for testing the pH of the water (A kit containing these test strips should be available at most pet stores)Conditioner to remove chlorine and chloramine from the water (This is also available at most pet stores)Fish food or fish flakes to feed your pet fishA thermometer to measure the temperature of your aquarium waterLive plants (Optional, but these really help you establish a healthy ecosystem within your fish tank) How Long It Takes For Your Tank To Cycle Smaller tanks will usually cycle in about 2-4 weeks, while larger tanks might take up to 6-8 weeks. The length of time it takes to cycle your tank can vary based on several different factors, such as the number and type of fish you have in there and the size of the tank. In order for an aquarium to successfully cycle, you'll need a few small fish so that there is waste in the water. Without fish poop (or more scientifically, Ammonia) there can be no nitrites or nitrates. Once the ammonia levels go up in the water, then you'll see nitrite levels rise. Nitrite is excreted by the fish through their gills and urine, so it's not as toxic to your fish as ammonia is. However, if nitrites go up too high, they will become toxic as well. Nitrates are formed from the byproducts of the nitrites in the water. Nitrates are much less harmful than ammonia and nitrites because fish can usually handle a little bit of these chemicals at a time. However, if enough gets into your tank it can still kill your pet fish. Remember to always make sure the pH levels of your aquarium are okay for the type of fish you have in your tank. If they are not, you'll need to add chemicals to adjust the pH level so that it's right for them. The good news is that once your fish tank has successfully cycled, this means everything in there is working as it should be and you'll only need to add water when necessary. This is why you want to start with smaller tanks if it's your first time setting up an aquarium. The cycle time can seem really slow, but when you have more fish, the process speeds up as there will be more waste produced in a shorter amount of time. How To Cycle Your Fish Tank Now that you've gathered all the materials needed to build your own aquarium, it's time to learn how to cycle your fish tank. It's very easy to do and should only take about 4-8 weeks for most tanks. There are two ways to cycle your fish tank: Fishless cycling or with the use of live fish. The fish-in method is a great way to cycle your aquarium quickly, but there's always a risk that something could go wrong and you'd have to get rid of all the fish in your tank. This is why many people opt for the fishless method of cycling, as it's a lot more reliable. It just takes a little bit longer for the cycle to complete and it's done without any potential risks of killing off your fish. The Cycle Process Once you've collected all the items needed to cycle your tank, it's time to get started! Step 1 Fill your fish tank up about halfway with water. Step 2 Add in the gravel and other decorations you'll be using (plants, etc) to make sure everything fits. We want to make sure all items are big enough for us to siphon them out if needed. Step 3 Use the gravel vacuum to clean the bottom of your tank. It's okay if some gravel is stirred up while you're doing this, as it will settle over time. Step 4 Test your water to find out how high the ammonia level is by using a test strip . It should be at 0ppm or less. If not, then you'll need to do a fishless cycle . Step 5 Add some fish food into the water so that you'll be able to establish your cycle more quickly. Step 6 Use the thermometer, test strips and gravel vacuum to make sure everything is still okay with your water. It should continue to stay at 0ppm or lower for ammonia, between 80-90 degrees Fahrenheit and there should be no debris in the gravel. If not, then you will need to do a fishless cycle . Step 7 It's time to wait. Depending on whether you've done the fish-in method or fishless cycling, this part will vary. With fish-in cycling, it'll usually take between 5-10 days for your ammonia to reach a safe level for fish. With the fishless method, this usually takes about 3-4 weeks. Step 8 Once your cycle is complete, add in some water conditioner (following the recommended dosage on the bottle). If you're doing the fishless method, then add in the gravel and other items as well. Step 9 Add in your fish and enjoy! Types of Fish That Are Best For Beginners The types of fish that are best for beginners would be inexpensive options, like: Goldfish, Guppies, and Mollies. Beginners should also avoid fish that need to live in a school (Guppies, Danios), as they can be very sensitive to any changes. It's always best to do some research on the type of fish you want prior to committing to anything so that you know what will work well with your tank. Why Are Aquarium Plants So Important? While it might seem like having decorative plants are only for looks and don't really serve a purpose, this couldn't be further from the truth. Live aquarium plants do several things that can help make your life much easier and reduce how often you have to clean your tank: Plants provide shelter for fish and other aquatic animals while also increasing dissolved oxygen levels. Plants also provide a food source for your fish and help reduce nitrates (which can pollute the water). Plants are also a great way to see how well your tank is doing, as they show you if there's any excess ammonia or nitrate in the water that needs to be dealt with before it poisons your fish. In order to keep your live plants looking their best, you'll need to perform water changes weekly and do a gravel vacuum every other week. If any algae starts growing on the leaves of the plants, then you can purchase some snails for added clean up help. How Often Should I Clean My Fish Tank? With aquariums, the answer to this question varies. But as a general rule of thumb, you should always aim to clean your fish tank before it becomes a sticky mess that can cause direct toxicity issues for your fish. One way you can prevent this from happening is by doing partial water changes weekly and gravel vacuums every other week. Doing these things will remove any excess fish food, debris, or other items that can accumulate and cause a problem. Some people might argue that doing partial water changes every week is too much of a hassle and prefer to wait until the tank needs a full cleaning. To each his own, but aquariums should never look unsightly for long periods of time as this is a good sign that the tank is not properly cared for. The Importance of Proper Maintenance, Which Includes Testing the Water Quality Regularly to Avoid Ammonia Poisoning which Could Kill Off your Entire Population! The importance of proper maintenance is to make sure that you have a safe aquarium. If your ammonia levels go unchecked, it can lead to a breakdown in the water quality, which will eventually kill off your entire population. It is advisable to test the water quality regularly so that you know what your ammonia levels are at all times. Troubleshooting - What to Do If You're Having Problems with Cycling or Maintaining a Healthy Tank Environment! If your ammonia levels remain high even after cycling, then you might have too many fish in the tank. The maximum population for a standard 10-gallon tank is around five small goldfish. If you want to add more than that, then you'll need to upgrade to a bigger tank or stop trying to cram in more fish into an undersized tank. If you're having problems, then either your fish have been in the tank for a very long time or your filter isn't working properly. If this is the case, then you should test both water quality and the condition of your filter to see what's going on. You might need to do some maintenance work on both. You should also look at what kind of fish you've decided to put in your aquarium. Larger and more aggressive fish will need much bigger tanks and more filtered water than goldfish or other smaller fish varieties. The reason for this is that the larger a fish is, the more waste it produces which means there's a greater likelihood of things going bad in the tank, which can be harmful for your fish. If you have pets or children and are worried about having to get a bigger tank, then you should purchase some goldfish as they're one of the hardiest species out there that won't give you any problems with ammonia poisoning if you don't have an advanced aquarium setup. When it comes to filters, there are two main types: canister filters and hang on the back (HOB) filters. Canisters are more powerful and quieter while HOBs are cheaper, compact, and easily cleaned. If you have a large tank or aggressive fish, then it is advised that you use a canister filter as they will remove a lot more waste in comparison to HOBs. If you have very few fish, then it is safe to use an HOB filter as they are much easier to maintain and the risk of ammonia poisoning is small. Conclusion In this article, we've looked at the importance of proper fish tank maintenance, how to build your own aquarium from scratch and what troubleshooting steps you should take if things go wrong. In conclusion, there are a lot of things you'll need to know about if you want to build your own fish tank from scratch. So make sure that you read up on all the relevant information before taking the plunge and purchasing everything for your aquatic pet.