Introduction
- Home aquariums create a calm, soothing environment and are proven to reduce stress.
- An aquarium is a tiny world we create, and watching fish thrive in it brings joy and a sense of fulfillment.
- Fishkeeping naturally involves learning physics, chemistry, and biology through real-life experience.
- Beginners should start with simple, natural setups and build knowledge gradually.
- Just like studying before an exam, a good aquarium needs understanding before setup—not after.
Aquarium Setup Basics
- Choose an appropriate tank size depending upon the space and species you want to keep
- Place the aquarium away from direct sunlight to prevent excessive temperature fluctuations along with algae growth
- Always invest on good quality filters, pumps, heaters as these are back bone of any succesful aquarium. A filtration should be 4 times of the water volume
- Ensure the water used is either dechlorinated or RO with remineralized
- Always complete the nitrogen cycle before introducing any new fish, don’t let the excitement get better of you
Fish Selection and Compatibility
- Start with hardy, beginner-friendly fish that are little forgiving when it comes to the learning curve
- Avoid mixing different types of fishes without proper reading. Check their diets, temperment levels, habitats before introducing them together.
- A fish might be tiny in an aquarium store, but when matured it can grow into big size, so study about how much big it will grow
- Always ensure to quarnatine and deworm your fishes before introducing them. You can use teraa dewormer for the same
- Keep species which have a similar water parameters requirements like softness, temperature etc.
Feeding and Routine Maintenance
- Feed fish small amounts of food daily basis. It’s the owner responsibility to ensure they are not over fed.
- Remove uneaten food promptly to ensure water parameters are kept in check
- Perform weekly water changes 10-30% – dechlorinated or RO with remineralizer. Do this diligently.
- Clean filters regularly and ideally don’t wash them in running tap water, clean them in the existing tank water to ensure beneficial bacteria are there.
- Observe fishes daily to see early sign of disease, stress. Always keep a quarantine tank ready. Even if you see a fish getting bullied, remove them.
Common Beginner Mistakes to Avoid
- Overfeeding fish is one of the most common mistake keepers do. Also research the food before buying.
- Skipping regular water changes lead to build up of ammonia, nitrate, nitrite which are harmful for the fishes
- Overcrowding with too many fishes will cause hindrance to the fishes growth along with choking the filtration.
- Ignoring water parameters can cause health and stress issues in the fishes
- Read before buying the fishes. The fishes are trying their best to survive as they also want to live, so its our responsibility to help them in their journey nor creating hindarance.
By Abhisek Mallic, Founder of Blue Vale Lifetech