Successfully Start a Tropical Freshwater Fish Aquarium With Knowledge
How do you start anything or do anything without knowledge? Beats me. Common sense isn’t it? Everything you do needs knowledge but some folk get on with something without it and then wonder where it all went wrong. When you start a tropical freshwater fish aquarium you need knowledge. Don’t try without it.
Hey I ain’t no psychic but I can tell you that if you start a fish aquarium with zero knowledge then it will last a week and you’ll be calling fish enthusiasts all the rotten names you can think of. But all the time it will be your fault, no one else’s.
You can’t expect to look after a few fish in a visually stunning aquarium if you know nothing about it. Will you treat the water? Did you know it had to be treated? Will you choose fish which will eat each other? Did you know some fish actually eat each other? Will you treat the algae? Did you know algae would build up in the tank? Did you know what algae is?
Ok you get the message.
But it doesn’t have to be that way and don’t try ‘cos you will fail. Get the knowledge first before you do anything because you need it for success. And listen, it only takes a few hours, not weeks on end studying, studying and studying, and as you dig into your research you’ll be amazed at the information anyway, so boring it is not.
Where can you get that information? Books, magazines, libraries and the good old internet. There are lots of websites with good information to help you start. Yes there are some which blatantly try to sell you stuff and there are others which simply contain information and nothing else. Starting a freshwater fish aquarium is just so much fun and will give you pleasure for life – if you start with knowledge.
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Categories: Tropical Fish Aquarium Tags: Aquarium, Fish, freshwater, Knowledge, Start, Successfully, Tropical
Q&A: what are some easy to keep tropical fish to start up with?
Question by amani3883: what are some easy to keep tropical fish to start up with?
I want to start up a new aquarium with 30 gallons and need some tips.
Best answer:
Answer by K9Resqer
I’m a big fan of guppies. They’re hardy, they reproduce easily and they come in just about any color you could want.
I’ve also found cory cats to be fascinating and fun fish to have in a tank. Provided you have enough room for half a dozen or so.
What do you think? Answer below!
I want to start a freshwater aquarium soon, someone want to help me decide what fish to get?
Question by Becca K: I want to start a freshwater aquarium soon, someone want to help me decide what fish to get?
So I have a small tank, it’s just 10 gallons. Well I think it’s 10 gallons, the measurements are 20″ long 12″ high 10″ wide. I’m mostly starting an aquarium just because I want something interesting in my room, but don’t let that be a warning sign, I’m 17 and I am dedicated to taking care of this tank 100%. I won’t just leave it there to die, don’t worry! I really love aquatic life. Anyways!….I’d like to have a few different types of fish in there. Obviously they can’t be large. So what would be a good choice? I know some fish can be aggressive towards others so I want to make sure I pick a few that will cohabitate well.
I prefer tropical fish, or at least just bright colored fish.
Also should I get a small algae eater? I think plecos would get too big for my small tank but what else could I use? I read about something called an Oto catfish they are small but I don’t know much about them. All advice is appreciated 
Oh and should I get a dwarf frog? I think they are cool and was thinking about it for my tank, good idea or no?
DDC your tank is BEAUTIFUL! Lol I want it, thanks those fish sound perfect
Best answer:
Answer by DDC
Guppy’s can go in the 10 gallon, as well some Molly’s or Platty, colorful fish that dont grow large, you can get 6 Neon tetra’s to school around your tank, they are fun, or some stripped danio’s.
Gourami’s are cool and colorful and mellow, mine never ever attack other fish.
Dwarfs are boring, they just hide alot.
You can toss some Ghost shrimp, they are kinda cool to try to find them its like Wheres Waldo.
make sure you Cycle your tank, add water conditioner, have a filter, and water heater ( is a plus ) but cycle and conditioner are important, keep ur fish in 72-82 degree water.
Good luck 
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Categories: Tropical Fish Aquarium Tags: Aquarium, decide, Fish, freshwater, HELP, someone, soon, Start, want
What are the things I need to start a Saltwater Aquarium..?
Question by melvenwong: What are the things I need to start a Saltwater Aquarium..?
I’m a beginner for salt water aquariums but I’m not a beginner in keeping fishes (tropical fresh fishes) as i’m living in malaysia (A tropical climate country) ok 1st off I’m thinking of getting something reasonable
I do know about the the main functions of the tank, filter,(biological chemical and mechanical), lighting, and water quality (for fresh water fishes) .. but other then that I need to know more about salt water Aquariums(and it’s Equipment) …. please Don’t leave any details untouched .. I get mixed up with the problems of salt content,,”RO water (what’s that)” ph and all the other stuff needed for the salt water fishes alive and healthy .. oh ya pls also explain the need for the sump tank and protein skimmer (must it come to gather),live rock…. oh ya I’ve seen on YouTube many people have outrageous filters and gizmo’s for their saltwater Aquarium it is all nessesary ??
All info will be Grateful
~Melven~
Oh ya .. I’ve hear a lot of comments about testing kit’s for salt water Aquariums are they all necessary ??
if not all are necessary what are the main 1 I should get
Best answer:
Answer by maria
First you need to establish a tank that or buy. Then 1-3 months after its been running you can decide what to put in your tank it is not easy work I have a 55gallon tank toughest job is to establish it. I suggest you go to your local library and do some research. Then maybe talking to an aquarium hobiest in your area look up local salt water stores. That’s what I did not to mention you will also need quarantine anything before it goes in your tank.
http://www.thereeftank.com/blog/how-long-does-it-take-to-cycle-my-tank/
In my advice try easy beginner fish when you get to that part. Chromes clowns etc..
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Q&A: Should I start a tropical or marine (salt water) aquarium?
Question by Λα✝†✝ωΩ: Should I start a tropical or marine (salt water) aquarium?
I had cold water fish (gold fish) which I kept for about 6 years, then let them go into a pond because they were growing and (I’ll be honest) I wanted an upgrade… BUT they are a having a good life in a large pond (so it’s not entirely selfish).
I have a tank (25g), filter, will get the heater and chemicals… basically, WHAT IS THE BIGGEST DIFFERENCE?
I know salt water are harder to keep but are more beautiful… what kind ofbudgett am I looking at for decent looking marine fish? Are they a lot harder to care for than tropical fish?
Best answer:
Answer by Michael
It is much more expensive and difficult to keep marine fish. The fish can die easily and are prone to sickness if there is a slight problem. I would try tropical fish and then move onto marine later. Glad to help!
What do you think? Answer below!
Pet Fish : How to Start a Freshwater Aquarium the Right Way
When starting a freshwater aquarium, keep the aquarium out of areas of excessive sunlight, and use 1 pound of gravel per gallon of water. Check with a local pets shop to find out what chemicals should be used to treat the water with help from the owner of a pet store in this free video on freshwater fish aquariums. Expert: Mike Mavro Contact: www.Orvees.com Bio: Mike Mavro is the owner and operator of Orvee’s Pet Center in St. Petersburg, Fla. He has dedicated more than three decades to the care, maintenance, health and well-being of fish and furry animals. Filmmaker: Christopher Rokosz
Categories: Tropical Fish Care Tags: Aquarium, Fish, freshwater, Right, Start
Q&A: I want to start my own tank, but all this info online is confusing me, please help!?
Question by Sharpi: I want to start my own tank, but all this info online is confusing me, please help!?
Ok, so ive figured out the fish i want, ive figured out… well.. that about it.. that and their compatibility with one another. And how many i can fit in my tank. That being said, the tank i want to start would be 20 gallons, and i want it to be planted, with real plants. buti have no idea how to begin doing this. Ive never had a fish tank before, what plants do i get? how many? what is all this nitrate business? how do i choose a substrate? what is a subtrate? basically everything.. i need a guide on how to start my own freshwater aquarium.
Best answer:
Answer by Easter Eggs
if this is your first tank you might want to start with a non-planted tank. i’ve had fish tanks for years and i recently set up a planted tank and it is very complicated but i’ll get you started in the right direction.
1. substrate. you want a substrate with nutrients for the plants. you could use a regular gravel, but for the best results, you want one made for plants. i use Flourite by Seachem (you would need two 7lbs bags to egt 2 inches of substrate in a 20g). i have also heard good things about eco-complete.
2. lighting. you will want a full spectrum light or light that is specifically designed for plant growth. you can buy these at any fish store. you will want to have about 2 watts per gallon if you don’t want co2 and 3+ if you do. so, in a 20 gallon you would want 60 watts of light (3wpg). this will let you grow most plants except the high light ones. you could do this by getting two 30 watt lights etc…
3. fertilizer. you can start with seachem flourish line as they are much simpler than dry fertilizers, but will cost much more in the long run. aquatic plants need macro nutrients (NPK) and micro nutrients. seachem makes flourish nitrogen, potassium and phosphorus (NPK) and also carries “flourish” which is all your micro nutrients.
dry ferts are much trickier but you basically want to get your hands on KNO3 and KH2PO4. KNO3 is currently banned in canada and hard to get ahold of.
4. co2. to egt the best growth you will want co2, but you don’t need it. in low light tanks (2wpg) you don’t really need it, but if you want lush fast growth, you need co2. there are varius pressurized systems but you can start with a DIY co2 system. you can see how to make them anywhere on the internet.
anyway they are a lot of work and research, so i would recommend that you only add a few plants like java fern and java moss to start. they don’t require much fertilization, co2 or high light and so are perfect for beginners.
http://www.plantedtank.net/articles/Basics-to-starting-a-Planted-Tank/4/
good site for showing you the basics.
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Marine aquarium startup, what fish are good to start with?
Question by Betty: Marine aquarium startup, what fish are good to start with?
I have successfully kept a tropical aquarium in the past and am considering starting a marine aquarium. Does anyone know of good websites to do research for beginners and also, what fish species are peaceful and hearty enough to start with.
Any other tips on getting started would be great, what tank size, fish species, coral species, decorations, etc. How much does a new startup cost?
Best answer:
Answer by Dog Crazy
Depending on your tank size, there are a lot of great marine fish for beginners. Go to liveaquaria.com and click on the marine fish bar. There is a category there that shows you some wonderful fish for beginners. I personally love clown gobies, jawfish, chromis, and firefish. I also love eels for some strange reason, though they aren’t beginner fish like the others.Bigger is better in the aquarium world, so a nice starting-size tank would be 50+ gallons. Oh, btw, plese stay away from damselfish, they nip everything and fight with each other all the time. GOOD LUCK, HAVE FUN, AND WELCOME TO THE MARINE FISH UNIVERSE!
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I want to get a tropical fish tank, whats a good size to start off with?
Question by Lizzie S: I want to get a tropical fish tank, whats a good size to start off with?
I’ve never owned fish before but i want a tropical fish tank for my room. What size is easy to maintain and what is the best way to keep it clean? Also what fish get on well together?
Best answer:
Answer by Trixxy
i would say go for at least a 40gal tank if you can afford bigger then go but remember you have to have a decent filter to go with it. i would recommend external filters as they have always given me a great result in freshwater.
hoped this helped
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Q&A: i want to start keeping tropical fish. any reccomendations for a beginner as to what fish to start with?
Question by kelleygaither2000: i want to start keeping tropical fish. any reccomendations for a beginner as to what fish to start with?
Best answer:
Answer by babysitter_1001
if you really want to keep tropical fish, ask an employee at pesmart or petco about the kind of tropical fish that are easiest to care for for beginner pet owners. ask about what kind of tank and temperatures you’ll need for the fish after you get the right one.
What do you think? Answer below!
Categories: Keeping Tropical Fish Tags: beginner, Fish, Keeping, reccomendations, Start, Tropical, want