- 1). Rinse the glass jar and lid in cool water and allow it to dry.
- 2). Rinse fish-safe aquarium plants in lukewarm water and set them aside on a clean paper towel. Rinse aquarium gravel with cool water and set them aside.
- 3). Place the clean jar in the desired location. This is now the fish tank.
- 4). Place the air stone and air lines in the desired location, using suction cups to help hold them in place if necessary.
- 5). Add .5 to 1 inch of gravel in the bottom of the jar or about 1 pound of gravel per 1 gallon of water.
- 6). Fill the tank three-fourths of the way full with tap water.
- 7). Place the filtering system in the desired location and according to the directions for that type of filtering system.
- 8). Put the tank heater in place and allow the heater to acclimate to the tank conditions for 30 minutes before turning it on.
- 9). Fill the tank with tap water to about 2 inches from the top of the tank and add water conditioner according to the directions.
- 10
Turn on the air stone, filter and heater. Make sure they are working properly and remain stationary. Make any adjustments necessary. - 11
Allow the tank to cycle without any fish for 24 hours. Once the tank is working properly, you may add fish. - 12
Lay the square of cheesecloth over the top of the tank and secure it with the rubber band to keep the fish inside the tank.