Must Have Requirements for Setting up an Aquarium...

1) Gravel

• Gravel helps for Biological Filtration.
• Help for the Growth of live Plants.
• Different Sizes are available in the Market
• Gravels which are made by chemicals or Chemical Coated or Painted Should be Avoided

How Much Gravel is needed for Aquarium?

• 2 To 3 inches of Gravel is Must and Should
• A Bed should be created in Aquarium, and Natural fresh water stones are higly preferred as they help us in Maintaining the PH level of water.

How to Clean Gravel?

Never Wash Gravel in Soap water or any other chemical which may harm the Fishes.

Never Clean all the gravel in an Aquarium at A time, it will destroy the Nitrogen Cycle

Half at a Time Cleaning is Highly preferred...

These days we can find good number of Gravel Cleaners.... by using them we need not to remove the gravel from Aquarium too..

2) Air Pump

• First and Important thing i would like to say here is Air Pump Doesn't provide Oxygen Directly.. In-fact it helps to increase oxygen levels in Aquarium by breaking the Water Surface.

So is it Compulsory to Have Air Pump in the Aquarium?

It is the most Discussed Question in Aquarium forums i have to say..

I suggest to Buy one irrespective of the size of Aquarium...

Fish wont feel uncomfortable with the bubbles...

There are only Advantages of having the air pump..

Few are

Oxygen levels are improved..

Bad Gases are exhausted in the form of air bubbles..

Helps to Create waves.. by which fishes can have a natural feeling...

One suggestion here is...

Go for Stone Rather than Decorative Air Bubblers....

Reason here is simple.. Air Stone breaks the surface more than any decorative bubblers...

3) Filter

Filter as its name suggest it Filters the Water.

Is Filter Compulsory?

Yes for healthy Living of Fishes.. Water must be Crystal Clean.... for this purpose Filters are very much required.

Sometimes even though we see our aquarium to be crystal clear, they are many dust particles inside which a naked eye

Can’t see.

So Which type of Filter is Preferred?

To answer this question first learn about different kinds of filters available in market.

A)AirPump Filters

Airpump filters are the most common and mostly available in any aquarium shop.

Advantages of Air pump filter:

• Less in price.
• Easy to clean.
• Less power consumption, Since we are using airpump moter for this.
• Helps to generate Beneficial bacteria in the Aquarium.

Disadvantages of Air Pump Filter.

• Occupies Space in Aquarium.
• Suitable only for Small Aquariums( max 10 to 15 gallons)
• Frequent Cleaning of Sponge is Required.

B) Under Gravel Filter


These types of filters are rarely used.. 

Advantages


It doesn't occupy the swimming area in the Aquarium.


It Doesn't supply huge currents, hence fishes wont feel stressed.


Most of the Under-gravel filters are run by Air Pump only which leads to less power consumption


Gravel remains clean all the time.




Disadvantages:


Cleaning process becomes a mess.


It disturbs the Beneficial bacteria under Gravel Bed.


For Beginners Under gravel filters are NOT RECOMMENDED