Adding Fish To Your New Tank

The first week of operation is a time when the tank begins to reach its own biological balance. This is a period in which bacteria will begin to grow and they will begin to breakdown waste products (ammonia) through a process known as biological filtration. The Fritz-Zyme provided with your Master Kit will help to establish biological filtration in your tank. If you add too many fish right away you run the risk of letting the ammonia level reach a dangerous level. A simple way to avoid problems during the first 6 weeks is to add fish gradually to a new tank. We suggest you follow this procedure:

Day 1: Install the aquarium and let the filters operate overnight. Add Chlorine neutralizer (NovAqua) and Fritz-Zyme (biological filter starter) to the water.

Day 2: One the second day you can add some fish. We suggest you about 4-8 fish at this time.  (see chart below)  You may also want to monitor the ammonia level with an ammonia test. Test the ammonia level every three days for the first two weeks.  Do not add any more fish until the ammonia level reads "0 ppm."

Day 15-25: At this point the tank should have reached a satisfactory biological balance and ammonia levels should remain at safe levels.  You can add a second group of fish.

Selecting Fish: 
If you are a beginner, we suggest that you start with some of the more hardy fish. Our staff will be glad to advise you regarding hardiness and compatibility.   We can also give your instructions for acclimating your new fish.

How Many Fish in a New Tank?
Do not add all of your fish the first week.  Add one group then wait a week.   Add a few more each week until your tank is fully populated.  Here is a guideline for stocking your tank. Numbers are based on average size fish (1"-1 1/2") and normal filtration (undergravel filter with power filter.)