Fishkeeping: The Installation, Part 1

What a day, what at a day. If there has ever been a more perfect example of why it is important to do your research, I have not seen it yet. From purchasing the wrong items, to not reading directions, I am sure I made every mistake in the book for setting up an aquarium.

Once I purchased all of the gear, I got it home and started setting it all up.

My neighbors Tony and Stephanie were nice enough to donate a 20 gallon tank and filter, so I went ahead and scrubbed them down. Next, my lovely wife Barbara, and son DC helped me to fill up the tank. I filled up the bucket at the sink, Barbara took the bucket to DC who then dumped it in the tank. The whole process was rather cute.

Now that the tank was full, I decided to put all the equipment in. The heater and filter went in without a problem, but I noticed the air bubbler pump didn't have a way to pull the air in. I tried checking the attachments, but each one seemed to support blowing water, not air. I checked the instructions and sure enough, what I thought was a air bubbler pump, was actually a water pump.

OK, no problem I said. I will just take it back to the store and exchange it. Their sale doesn't end until tomorrow, so it shouldn't be a problem.

Always read the label!

Next, I decided to put the gravel in, so I tore open the 25lb bag, and dropped a scoop of it in the water. All of a sudden, whoosh, all the water went brown. I look at the pack, and read "African Chichlid Mix, Aquarium Substrate".

I think, that's OK, I will just wash the substrate off. So I spent the next 20 minutes, in my bathtub, on my hands and knees trying to get the substrate off no more than a handful of the stuff.

Not, OK. Now, in addition to returning the water pump, I have to try and return the giant bag of substrate that has been opened and partially washed off. I was not happy.

Not to mention that I had to drain and re-fill the tank with water, which was not fun to do. My wife and son had since lost their love of this activity, and did not want to help.

This day was not happening the way I planned.

All right, that's enough for now, I will return with Part 2 of the story.