This article discusses things to bear in mind prior to setting up your biUbe.
Scratches
This was my number one concern with getting an aquarium made from acrylic. Be really careful when handling your tank although relatively scratch resistant a ring, rock or over-enthusiastic scrubbing will scratch or dull it. As long as you are aware of this you’ll be fine, I have no scratches on mine and it’s over a year old.
Clean
The first thing to do after unpacking your biUbe is to give it a good clean. Rinse the tank with cold tap water, do not use any cleaners or detergents and do not use anything that will scratch the surface – use your hand or a cloth. Cleaning the tank will remove any manufacturing residue that may be harmful to your fish.
Positioning
Once you’ve cleaned the tank, the next task is finding a suitable home for your biUbe. Sounds easy, doesn’t it? Well… It is not a good idea to locate any aquarium in any of these places for the following reasons:
- Direct sunlight
Why? – You’ll be doing a lot of cleaning and potentially the temperature will not be very stable.
- Above electrical items
Why? – When you’re filling it the chances are that there may be a spillage (even more likely if there’s an expensive bit of kit beneath it!)
- Near hot things
Why? – Similarly to placing it in direct sunlight, the water temperature may fluctuate too rapidly. The fish won’t like this very much.
You also need to take in to account the weight of the biUbe – 1 litre of water weighs 1kg and that the biUbe holds 35 of ‘em – so make sure that what you put the tank on something that will support the weight. Bear in mind that once full you should not move it, it’s likely that you’ll break your tank or your back and I don’t think you’ll want to risk either!
I would recommend positioning your biUbe near a seat, chair or sofa, somewhere where you can sit and appreciate your aquarium. (If you’ve never owned a fish tank this may sound daft – set it up, you’ll see what I mean)
The next article gives detail on how to setup you biUbe.
