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Following on from the first article, we shall now proceed on to choosing tank decorations and preparing the tank for the addition of the fish. Furthermore, I will also briefly run through ammonia and the problems which might be caused as the result of harmful trace chemicals often found in your drinking water. Please note, that this is nothing to be alarmed about as it is completely harmless to humans, but can wreak havoc on your aquarium, especially newly established ones.

When setting up a new aquarium, it is often important to spend some thought on what style your tank should take, thus what decorations should be used. Essentially, tropical fish keeping, like many hobbies, is a subjective practice and is greatly dependent on what the keeper likes and does not like. This not only stems to what species of fish are to be kept, but also the appearance of the aquarium itself. The most important thing to remember is that you should be using decorations to recreate the natural environment of your fish as closely as possible. Essentially, this is where a little research prior to choosing your fish is most helpful. So if you were to keep species from South-America, your tank would have a fine sand-like substrate and be decorated with large planted areas, smooth rounded rocks and drift wood. On the other hand, if you were to look at species from Malawi in Africa, your tank would again have a fine substrate, yet would be comprised of little other than limestone, dried coral, shells and other calcium based formations. It is important to keep in mind that using decorations similar to those found in your species' natural environment not only aids in ensuring the overall health and wellbeing of your tank, but also the stability of the water, as many natural formations will alter the chemistry of the water in some way.

Now, with all you equipment, decorations and the aquarium itself, home, it is time to choose where in the home it should be placed. This is yet another area of consideration as it should be remembered that an aquarium receiving light directly from the sun will produce large amounts of algae and may even become distorted in appearance. Your aquarium should then be placed on a flat, plane and level surface, with little, preferably no inconsistencies. Foam or a similar substance maybe placed under the aquarium for added support and to bear the weight of the gravity pushing towards the ground. Generally speaking, it is best to use a stand specifically designed

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