1.
Make sure everything is clean.
Rinse thoroughly, with clean, warm water everything you plan on putting into the tank.
This includes the gravel (use a strainer/colander for this), the tank itself, filter, heater, any decorations, artificial plants, and anything else you plan on putting inside the tank.
You want to make sure to remove any residues, dirt, and toxic agents that have accumulated on your equipment between the time it is manufactured and the time it gets to your home.
You can use a scrubbing brush to remove dirt when it comes to cleaning aquarium decorations such as rocks and wood.
Never use any kind of soap when cleaning your aquarium components; soap can cause immediate water quality problems and kill any fish placed in the tank.
2.
Make sure to place the stand where you want it to be as you cannot move it once the tank is full.
Once the tank is placed on the stand it is time to begin setting up the interior of the aquarium.
Start with the gravel, which is the bottom layer, as you "aquascape" your tank.
Remember to install the undergravel filter, if you are going to use one, before adding the gravel.
Taper the gravel so that it is slightly higher in the back than in the front.
3.
Add any larger pieces of rock, wood, etc.
Stick to your plan making changes as needed.
Do not add any small decorations or plants( real or artificial) to the tank until after you have added at least 2/3 of the water into the tank or they may be dislodged as the water is added.
Remember to leave spaces for heaters, filters, and other equipment.
4.
Make sure to take the time to conceal the air supply tubing behind large decorations as you add the airstones to the aquarium.
5.
Now is the time to start adding the water to the tank.
Place a clean plate or bowl on the substrate and pour the water onto it, to avoid disrupting your aquascape.
Your tap water may excessively hard or soft, or contains high levels of chloramine so you may need to buy water or chemically treat your tap water.
There are products available at your local pet center that can prepare/treat the water.
In most cases, the aquarium aging process, combined with filtration, will alleviate minor tap water problems, but it is still recommended to add the purchased treatment.
6.
Position the filter and the heater in the tank.
Be sure to follow the manufacturer's instructions regarding the filter before setting it in the tanks.
A good tip is to place the heater in such a way that it maximizes its output, which is recommended to be near a source of water circulation such as a filter outlet or airstone.
7.
As you get near to the top, say about 4 to 6 inches, you can begin to add the smaller decorations, add the thermometer, and fine tune the aquascape.
Now is the best time to add the plants to your tank as well.
It is a good idea not to add live plants at this time, it is best to wait until your tank is up and running so the conditions will be right.
Once the tank is established, you can add the live plants to the tank.
Some live plants require to be weighted down until the root systems are well established.
8.
Make sure the external components and electrical equipment are properly placed as you fit the hood in place.
If your hood is a two piece hood you can now add the light on top of the canopy and make sure it is connected correctly.
9.
Plug the aquarium units in and turn on the system only when you are confident that the electrical wiring is safely insulated from sources of water.
It may take a day or two to get the heater properly adjusted so the temperatures are optimal for your fish.
Check the operation of the filter, air pumps, and light.
10.
Let the tank water sit and mature for a couple of days before adding any fish.
This lets the water conditioner do its job and lets all of the bubbles that will gather on the sides of a new tank dissipate.