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By now I've realized that once I resolved the tank and stand issues, the rest of the research would begin to reveal the really "complicated stuff". And, so it begins -- the water, aeration of the water, and filtration of the water.
Here's what I found out about just plain o' water.
There are three traditionally available sources of water: tap water (municipal supplies or well water), rain water, or purchased water. Tap water is the easiest and most commonly used. While rain water may sound the purest, things like acid rain come into play. Also, rain water may not be as readily available, and difficult to collect. Purchased water may become to troublesome.
While tap water is the most common source of water, it still has some issues. Uncle Sam (in the U.S.) has required water companies to meet certain standards for human consumption. That's good; for us. The fish take an entirely different view.
Once I knew that there were different requirements for the water I drank and the water my fish would live in, I called my local water supply guy. He gave me their latest water report that indicated a level of chlorine that was high enough to be dangerous to fish, over 0.1 ppm (parts per million). This level can cause fish stress by damaging their gills; and higher levels (.02 or .03) can cause rapid demise.
The water guy also said the chlorine was at a higher than normal because we were in the summer months and more chlorine was being added to kill off the bacteria associated with the warmer weather. He suggested that I call several times a year to get a "better feel" for the overall chemical state of the water.
While my water is treated with chlorine some water may be treated with chloramine. Both chemicals require different treatments to make safe fishy water.
The chemical neutralizer for chlorine is so inexpensive that it should be used as the preferred method -- a good insurance policy.
Other contaminates. While my water report did not indicate other problems, some water may contain high levels of phosphates or iron (higher than 1 ppm). Both of these can cause algae problems.
All wells should be tested on a periodic basis established by the local officials. This alerts the owner to the chemical state of the water, and what additives may be required to make it safe for human consumption. So, just like other tap water supplies chemicals may have to be added the make it safe for the fish.
Well water may have some additional issues. It is usually harder (a greater dissolved mineral content), and it may contain higher concentrations of dissolved gases.
Demineralized water can be purchased for use in the fish tank, and may solve the neutralizing issues. But it can be more expensive then other remedies and certainly more burdensome (I'm not into making this hobby an unpleasant chore).
There are many other subtleties to getting the correct water. Some are mentioned in the article titled "Paint The Trim and Mow The Lawn", and most others can be found in the referenced research. A lot will depend on the type of "tank environment", and on the kind of fish that inhabit it. A good book source is The Complete Aquarium available on-line through Amazon Books.
In additional to the additives I need to negate the chlorine problem, I also planned for Chlorine and pH Testing Kits. pH needs to remain stable, and the water should be checked regularly. Both are relatively simple tests.
Before the water goes into the tank I need to at lest put some gravel on the bottom. Pretty straight forward? Guess again and click on "Who's Graveling?"
But, once the gravel is in I can begin filling the tank with water AT ROOM TEMPERATURE! Don't want any condensation making me think my tank sprung a leak. Also, I'll defuse the flow to prevent the gravel from scattering, and stop when the level is 3 inches from the top.
OK, now click on Who's Graveling?, or return to the main article at Let's Get Some Fish!
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