Freshwater Care Guide

Set temperature to 80 degrees. Use a heater of the proper wattage and a thermometer to check temperature.
Use a good quality chlorine remover such as Prime, Zip, Amquel, Novaqua or Start Right.
You may also use a product such as Stress-zyme or Stability to speed up cycling of the aquarium.
Let aquarium run for 24 hours before adding any fish. Speak with a salesperson for how many fish to start with.
Add an algae eater after the tank has been running 4-5 weeks.
Feed fish once a day, no more than they can eat in 2-3 minutes. Try not to have food sink to the bottom. If not eaten it will cause the water to deteriorate making the fish sick or die. Speak with a salesperson for the right food(s) for your kind of fish.
Run lights no more than 8 hours a day. Excess light can cause excessive algae growth.
If using a power filter, be sure to wash the filter pad every other week and replace every 4 to 6 weeks.
If using an undergravel filter, replace air stones once a month.
Canister filters generally should be cleaned every 6-8 weeks.
Do a 20% water change at least once a month by vacuuming the gravel. Purchase a gravel vac of the proper size for your aquarium. Make sure the new water is the same temperature as the tank water and is de-chlorinated with one of the above products.
Plastic plants and some ornaments can be cleaned in a hot bleachwater solution, soaking for 20 minutes, then rinsed thoroughly.
Test the water regularly or have it tested at the store to make sure all parameters are good.
It is a good idea to keep a few medications such as Ick-Clear and Fungus-Clear. These are the 2 most common ailments and readily accessible medications can greatly reduce the outbreaks.