Search:

Would you like to contribute to this site? Aquariums Menu Submit an Article Submit a Tip Place your Ad Add URL Aquariums Questions? Contact Us  Aquarium Tanks   Buy An Aquarium   Build An Aquarium   Saltwater Aquarium   Freshwater Aquarium   Glass Aquarium   Types of Aquariums   Aquarium Sizes   Buy Aquarium Fish   Saltwater Fish   Freshwater Fish   Tropical Fish   Goldfish   Angel Fish   Clown Fish   Betta Fish   Cichlids And Oscar Fish   Aquarium Fish   Types Of Aquarium Fish   Reptile Aquarium   Aquarium Reptiles   Aquascaping   Aquarium Backgrounds   Aquarium Plants   Aquarium Coral   Aquarium Stands   Aquarium Supplies   Aquarium Accessories   Fish Tank Accessories   Aquarium Filters   Fish Tank Filters   Aquarium Pumps   Aquarium Lighting   City Aquariums A-D   City Aquariums F-N   City Aquariums O-V   Aquarium Maintenance   Changing Aquarium Water   Aquarium Fish Care   Virtual Aquariums   Pond Accessories   Koi Fish   Pond Care

Return To Aquariums Article Archive   Search the Article Archives Aquarium care for beginners By William Berg If you want your fish to thrive like the Asian carps instead of quickly vanish like the Roman anemones, it is important that you take the time to learn the basics about fish keeping and aquarium maintenance before you set up your first aquarium. By obtaining the basic information before you go about, you will save yourself a lot of time, money and effort in the long run since you will be able to avoid the common beginner mistakes. One common beginner mistake is for instance to purchase a very small aquarium, thinking that a large one is much more difficult to manage. The truth is however that the mega-sized show aquariums that you can see in your fish store are easier to maintain than your tiny 5 gallon tank. In a small aquarium, there will be a very little amount of water. If a fish dies in a large aquarium, the pollution will be diluted by gallons and gallons of water. If a fish dies in your 5 gallon aquarium, the carcass may very well pollute your entire tank before you even notice the demise and remove the body from the water. I therefore recommend the beginner aquarist to choose at least a 10 gallon aquarium, and a 30 gallon aquarium is ideal. Avoid extraordinary deep aquariums since they are more difficult to clean. A very deep aquarium can also become a problem if you want to introduce plants to your aquarium, since you might have to install extra strong lights that are capable of penetrating the deep water all the way down to the plants at the bottom of the aquarium. Filling up your aquarium with water and then promptly add all your fish at once is extremely unadvisable since the aquarium is ready to accommodate that many fishes. An aquarium is actually a miniature ecosystem and fish is not the only thing inhabiting it. Your fish will produce plenty of waste products (chiefly fish poop) that will eventually begin to build up in the aquarium. It is naturally not very healthy for fish to swim around in there own feces, but fortunately enough there exists a certain type of bacteria that can convert waste products from fish into compounds that are less unhealthy. Fish poop contains a high level of ammonia, and ammonia is also excreted via the gills of your fish. Ammonia is harmful to fish and also can turn extremely poisonous if your aquarium experience a sudden change in water chemistry that pushes the pH level above 7.5. If you allow populations of suitable bacteria to establish in your aquarium before you introduce all your fish, the bacteria will convert the ammonia into nitrite. Nitrate is also very unhealthy and high levels of nitrite will kill your fish, but fortunately enough there is another type of bacteria that will love to live in your aquarium and that will change the nitrite into a less harmful compound - nitrate. Nitrate is less dangerous than ammonia and nitrite, but high levels of nitrate will be unhealthy for your fish. There are unfortunately no beneficial bacteria to aid you here, and you must instead remove the nitrate by performing regular water changes. Changing 25 percent of the water once a week is a good rule of thumb, but some aquariums require more frequent water changes. When you are trying to establish your new aquarium or if you are experiencing problems with the water quality, smaller and more frequent water changes are advisable. About the Author: It is good to read a book of two about aquarium keeping before getting your first aquarium and i would therefore like to recommend a good free book about tropical fish available for download named Tropical fish - A Beginners guide which you find by clicking the book name and is available for free download at AC tropical fish keywords: Aquariums | Fish Tank | Aquarium Fish

Get your Aquariums questions answered... Subscribe to our Aquariums Newsletter FREE! Your First Name: Your Email Address: Enter above security code

Home  |   Aquariums Blog  |   Ask the Aquariums Expert  |   Aquariums Archive  |   Aquariums RSS Feeds  |  Advertise  |  Sitemap