If you’re at the stage where you’re ready to set up your fish tank, you’ve probably done a lot of research.
You most likely know what size tank you’ll need, how to set it up, how many fish and which fish species you’re going to keep in your tank.
If you’ve bought your fish from a reputable supplier, they will have given you plenty of guidance on how to care for your fish and what to include in the tank.
Plastic
Many fish shops sell plastic toys, like Nemo or SpongeBob, to include in your tank.
When plastics are left in water for long periods of time they can release potentially toxic chemicals into the water, so they should be avoided in fish tanks at all costs.
There are a number of exceptions to this if the plastic has been graded food safe. This is often displayed with a triangle made up of three arrows.
However, avoid one-time-use plastics such as water bottles.
Recent research undertaken on plastic bottles left in cars shows that chemicals can leach if used for a prolonged period of time.
Often the plastic toys you can purchase from fish stores are painted, and the paints may not have been sealed. Ensure when you buy plastic toys that you find out whether or not they have been sealed and are safe for your aquarium.
Anything Consumable
Aside from the food you provide your fish, no other consumable objects should be placed into your tank.
Fish chew and bite a lot. If you place a rock in there which is loose, it’s possible they could chew off a small piece which could be fatal. Or, toxins could be released into the water.Make sure you know all the side effects of adding things to your tank, there are even some plants that are harmful to fish so do your research thoroughly.
Beach Sand
Whilst treated sand can make a great substrate, beach sand is generally polluted and will contain chemical residue which can harm your fish.
Logic may tell you it’s fine to include some in your tank; it’s the fish’s natural habitat.
However the ocean is a vast collection of water that is constantly renewing – your fish tank is not so big so just a few chemicals can drastically harm your fish.
You can put sand in your fish tanks; just make sure you buy it from a reputable place.
If you’re determined to use beach sand in your tank, it can be done but you need plenty of patience and time.
It involves lots of soaking the sand, and changing the water, rinsing, and letting the sand settle in the tank water. This process is lengthy and can take 2-3 weeks.
Anything Degradable
If you put something into your tank which can degrade, it will alter the water which is far from ideal.
Depending on the object, again, this can release toxins and chemicals into the water, or it can make the water become dirty.
While we’re on this topic – it’s important to remember that fish food should only be left in the tank for 5 minutes and the remainder should be removed to reduce the amount of waste left in the tank.
Anything Sharp
Don’t put anything sharp into your tank. This includes glass with sharp edges, or painted glass, objects, or decorations with sharp edges.
Paint can flake off objects and poison your fish.
Remember, this doesn’t just apply to items you have found, make sure you also check your shop-bought items frequently too.
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