Aquarium For Beginer

Cycling your aquarium is a crucial step in establishing a healthy and stable environment for your fish. It involves establishing beneficial bacteria colonies that help break down harmful ammonia and nitrite, ultimately creating a safe environment for your aquatic pets. Here's a general step-by-step guide on how to cycle your aquarium: Set up the Aquarium: Clean the aquarium and rinse any gravel, decorations, or substrate you plan to use. Fill the tank with dechlorinated water, ensuring it's at the desired temperature and properly conditioned for fish. Add Beneficial Bacteria: Introduce beneficial bacteria to kick-start the cycling process. You can use commercial bacterial supplements available at pet stores or use live bacteria cultures. Follow the product instructions for dosing or adding the bacteria to your tank. Monitor Water Parameters: Regularly test the water parameters, especially for ammonia, nitrite, nitrate, pH, and temperature. Initially, you might see ammonia levels rise, which is a normal part of the cycling process. Ammonia Phase: As the tank cycles, beneficial bacteria will start breaking down fish waste and decaying organic matter, leading to the production of ammonia. Initially, ammonia levels may rise, potentially causing stress or harm to fish. Avoid adding fish during this phase. Nitrite Phase: Over time, the beneficial bacteria that convert ammonia into nitrite will establish themselves. Nitrite levels will begin to rise as ammonia is converted, which can also be harmful to fish. Continue monitoring water parameters and avoid adding fish during this phase. Nitrate Phase: Eventually, another group of beneficial bacteria will develop, converting nitrite into the less harmful nitrate. Nitrate levels will rise during this phase, indicating progress in the cycling process. Regular water testing is still important, but the presence of nitrates is generally safer for fish. Water Changes: Throughout the cycling process, perform partial water changes as necessary to maintain water quality. Water changes help control excessive levels of ammonia, nitrite, and nitrate, and replenish essential minerals. Completion of Cycling: Once ammonia and nitrite levels consistently read zero after 24 hours of dosing ammonia, and nitrate levels are present, your aquarium is considered cycled. At this point, you can gradually introduce fish to your tank, starting with a small number and monitoring their well-being. Remember, the cycling process can take several weeks to complete. Patience is key, as rushing the cycle can result in an unstable environment for your fish. Regularly monitor water parameters and make adjustments as needed to ensure the health and well-being of your aquatic pets.

You want a fish tank in your beautiful house but you don't know what tank size you should get. You see a beautiful fish tank somewhere so you want to get one just the same. The short answer is you should not unless you know what to do with it as a beginer The size of the aquarium you should start with depends on the type and number of fish you plan to keep. In general, it's recommended to start with a larger tank than a smaller one, as it provides a more stable environment and allows for better water quality management. Here are some general guidelines for beginners: Betta Fish: For a single Betta fish, a minimum tank size of 5 gallons (19 liters) is recommended. Larger tanks provide more swimming space and easier maintenance. Small Community Fish: If you plan to keep small community fish like guppies, platies, or neon tetras, a tank size of at least 10 gallons (38 liters) is a good starting point. This size allows for a small school of fish and provides better water stability. Medium-sized Fish: For medium-sized fish like swordtails or larger schooling fish, consider a tank size of 20 gallons (75 liters) or larger. These fish require more swimming space and produce more waste. Bottom-dwelling Fish: If you're interested in keeping bottom-dwelling fish like Corydoras catfish, a larger tank with a footprint of 20 gallons (75 liters) or more is recommended. These fish appreciate a larger surface area to explore and forage. Remember, these are general recommendations, and it's always better to provide more space for your fish whenever possible. A larger aquarium not only ensures better water quality but also offers more room for fish to exhibit natural behaviors and reduces the risk of overstocking. Additionally, make sure to consider the dimensions of the tank. A long tank (also known as a "long" or "rectangular") is generally better than a tall tank, as it provides more swimming space and better oxygen exchange at the water's surface. Proper filtration, regular maintenance, and monitoring of water parameters are crucial regardless of the tank size. Always research the specific needs of the fish you plan to keep to ensure they have a suitable environment for their well-being.

You are a fish lover. You want to setup a fish tank in your home for your enjoyment but you don't know what fish you should keep as a beginer fish keeper. Here is some recommendation for your first aquarium fish tank. As a beginner fish keeper, it's essential to choose fish that are hardy, adaptable, and relatively easy to care for. Here are some popular and suitable fish species for beginners: Betta Fish (Betta splendens): Betta fish are known for their vibrant colors and long fins. They are relatively hardy and can tolerate a wide range of water conditions. However, it's important to keep them in appropriate-sized tanks and provide proper care. Guppies (Poecilia reticulata): Guppies are small, colorful fish that are easy to care for and breed. They are adaptable to various water conditions and can thrive in community tanks. Platies (Xiphophorus maculatus): Platies are peaceful, active fish that come in various colors. They are known for their ease of care and can tolerate a range of water conditions. Swordtails (Xiphophorus hellerii): Swordtails are another popular choice for beginners. They are lively, hardy fish and can adapt well to different water conditions. They are also known for their distinctive sword-like tails. Corydoras Catfish: Corydoras catfish, such as Bronze Cory (Corydoras aeneus), are bottom-dwelling fish that are great for community tanks. They are peaceful, hardy, and help keep the tank clean by scavenging for food remnants. Neon Tetras (Paracheirodon innesi): Neon tetras are small, schooling fish known for their vibrant colors. They are relatively hardy and can be kept in community tanks with other peaceful fish. Danios (Danio rerio): Danios are active, schooling fish that are suitable for beginners. They are resilient and can adapt to various water conditions. Zebra danios are a common variety. Cichlid fish is a hardy fish but they are very agressive. My first fish was a Red dragon Flowerhorn. They need a big tank size such as 40-75 gallon so they reach to potential size. Due to their aggression, you should only keep it alone to prevent any issue as a beginer. Remember to consider the size of your aquarium, compatibility between species, and the specific care requirements of each fish before making a decision. It's also important to provide a well-cycled and properly maintained aquarium to ensure the health and well-being of your fish.

The initial setup of an aquariums will change over time because of plant growth or invasive mosses and algae. To maintain the natural beauty of the aquarium, we need proper care, care and maintenance. Need to care, care and maintain the aquarium properly For new tank setup During the first month after installation, it is the most difficult time for players because: the water environment is not stable. Plants, fish and other aquatic organisms have not yet adapted to the new water. The nutrition in the tank is not balanced… This is the time when mosses and algae are easy to growth, trees and fish can die easily and stress for new players. However, those disadvantages can be completely solved in a number of ways as follows: The filter must operate 24/7 to remove dirt and help microorganisms grow as the basis for the later water purification process. Besides, the water flow created by the filter also helps some aquatic plants whish love flowing water to grow well. Light: The total times to provide light for the aquarium should not exceed 12 hours/day (minimum 8 hours/day). The first week should reduce the light to 50% of the total lighting capacity of the tank. In the second week, gradually increase the light intensity. This helps aquatic plants gradually adapt to the new tank environment and easily root into the tank substrate. Besides, the new tank often has excess nutrients, if the light is strong, the moss will overgrow causing the aquarium to quickly degrade. Water change: water change will helps removing excess nutrients in the new tank and make the water cleaner. For tanks that are in stable operation Light: Should divide the lighting time into 2 phases of the day (but still ensure the total lighting time) to prevent harmful algae growth. You should use a timer for the aquarium's lighting system. Nutrition: A stable operating tank does not mean that we do not need to supplement nutrients for aquatic plants. In order for the trees to be beautifully and be less sick, players should regularly monitor to detect signs of a lack of nutrients in order to make a reasonable supplement. Water changes should also be carried out regularly to ensure clean water. Each water change should not exceed 50% of the total water in the tank. Trimming plants: When aquatic plants have grown stably, trimming helps the plant to have a more beautiful shape. Feeding fish should pay attention not to overfeed, avoid making excess food in the tank. The food of aquatic fish is usually industrial food containing a lot of protein, when decomposed in the tank, it is easy to change the water environment, make the water cloudy and cause fish diseases. For fish raised in aquariums, only need to feed 1-2 times/day. If there is leftover food in the tank, it should be removed immediately. Translated by Son Nguyen

where should I start from? The question is very simple but answering this question is not easy at all. There is no shortcuts to success in caring for aquatic plants. Before you start playing aquatics, try to think: – Do you have time to take care for your aquarium? Many peoples think that all they need is just setting up a tank with all the equipment and tools, then leave it there without changing the water or feeding the tree. This is completely incorrect. Because the tank and aquatic plants must be taken care of regularly and also require the player to be patience. If you don't have time or the aquarium will be added to your burden then forget it. Aquatic plants need regular care – Cost for setup: Compared between a fish tank and a plant tank, a plant tank has a higher cost. This cost is just for two main parts: 1. The cost for setup depends on the size, the larger the tank, the higher the cost. This cost includes: tank and legs, lighting system, planting platform, water filtration system, Co2 system, aquatic plants, wood or stone for decoration. 2. The cost for planting trees includes electricity, water, additional nutrition (water fertilizer - stuffing), or money to buy new trees to replace old or dead trees, Co2 recharge, money to buy new bulbs. etc… – Do you have any experience about nursing and caring for aquarium plants? If you have a little knowledge of aquatic life, let's start doing it in parallel with learning experience. If you don't have it, the best advise for you is please spend time to read more about it before spending money. The above is easy to do, isn't it? If so, you should also note that growing aquatic plants is not the same as growing terrestrial plants such as scrub trees and fruit trees, etc. Because in an aquarium, it is like a miniature world, you must create balance of the environment in tank. Creating balance also requires equipment.  So if you want to grow aquatic plants, what to prepare and how to do? Here are the must-haves and must-haves: - Aquarium tanks for growing plants.- Plantation of aquatic plants.- Nutrition (or fertilizer) in a dose just enough to feed the plants.- Aquarium light.- Water filtration systems.- The properties of water are suitable for plants.- Dose of O2 and CO2.   Translated by Son Nguyen

Mastering the method of isolating newly imported discus will save time and money. The risk of disease transmission from these fish to other fish is very danger. There are many methods that you can use and below is one of them. Once you understand and master the method, you can tailor it to your conditions. Before how, we should know WHAT to quarantine: Anything that you add to your discus tank and you couldn’t disinfect  ( with chemical or heat … ) should be quarantined, you buy air stone, heater,  drift wood, plants, sponge filter, bio media, canister  filter, Snail, gravel….you name it. ….if you are not sure it’s completely germ free or disinfected you should Quarantine. Last but not least let’s not forget new FISH! Or your own fish coming back from the show or coming back from your friend’s house, There are two types of quarantines Observation only QT, QT + medications For some of the above mentioned things its ridiculous to put into QT tank and observe, imagine you bought some used gravel or a piece of drift wood….here what I do I try to clean and disinfect as much as possible then try to rinse off completely then put it QT tank (specification will follow) and add a hero fish then observe, how about that! ….. For hero fish you should use one that is already in your community tank (not a new fish) and you are sure he is healthy. Almost all of us keeping a stunt discus that we love and we hate if he is healthy and eating use that one. 1. PREPARE QT  TANK: use a bare glass tank (it’s easier to clean ) painted light color from outside all around except the front make sure you have a cover lid… for it QT is stressful process for fish I saw so many fish jump out over the night.  If you have some plastic plants or breeding cone or something to give fish a little bit sense of security put it in QT tank, use the smallest size tank (not less than 20 g) its saves you money if you need to use medication, you need a heater to set the temperature initially at 84. You need air supply, thermometer and you need sponge filter accommodating twice the capacity of QT tank so if you use 20g tank use the sponge filter that accommodates 40 g tank. The sponge filter doesn’t have to be seeded (cycled) as you will frequently change the water and using medication with kill beneficial bacteria in filter anyway but if you choose the observation QT you can use a cycled sponge filter some say it’s better I say it should be: fishless cycled (not been used in another tank with fish in it) for how to make fishless cycled filter search Dr. Tim’s fishless cycling.  Do not use a very bright lighting for this tank during QT. you need a separate fish net, syphon…if you can, setup your QT tank in separate room. 2. ACCLIMATE  We only use 100% new water for shipping fish. We also add some medication to block ammonia spike and reduce fish stress during shipping. a. We always Check all bags to make sure no back is leaking busted during transport and separate it out. If you see any busted bag, dump all water and fish from this bag to a clean bucket, add an air stone and start drip acclimate. b. Floating bag into your aquarium for matching temperature. If your water parameter is too much different with our water, then please drip acclimate otherwise you just need to do flop and drop technique. Flop and drop technique:  I prepare a small bucket of methylene blue ( 1 ml MB 1% per 10 gallon ) as soon as you open the bag the pressure in bag changes and you will have ammonia spike so empty  the fish into a fish net and deep that fish in the MB bucket for 5 seconds ( this will inactivate the ammonia  spike and prevents some gill burns and fin burns….) then release your new fish in QT tank, turn off or better to dim the lights so you can observe your new fish, look for any abnormalities, sores,  white patches ….. Hold on! No feeding yet until next day I know it’s hard to resist you like to see them eating. Drip Acclimate:  Dump all fish and water from the shipping bag to a clean bucket, add an air stone and use an air tubing for drip acclimate until water is full and overflow out of the bucket. If you are not in the area that able to let water overflow then please dump some water out then let water fill up again. This step ensure fish will adapt to your water parameter well. 3. RELEASE THE FISH a) Net fish from the bucket to your QT tank. Remember that you should not release fish from busted bags with the rest because these fish skin may get trauma and this leading to infection. c) Discard excess water in the bucket. Do not pour this water into the tank. The reason is that because fish are transported in bags for a long time, the amount of ammonia increases and bacteria arise. Furthermore, chemicals such as anesthetics or antibiotics in the shipping water remain active. And if we pour all or part of this water into the tank, it can affect or prevent treatment causing fish poisoning or death. QUARANTINE Observation QT: We like to over kill it so the total duration is 6 weeks first 4 weeks its only watching them and cleaning and water changing and feeding and cleaning and water changing and cleaning did I mention water changing?! You should do water change as much as you can let’s say 80% first couple days. I like 100% everyday for the first week. Use your common sense and water parameters to keep the ammonia at zero ppm last two weeks you add your hero fish continue observing for any type of stress or cross contamination…. And hopefully that’s it QT + Medications (Only using this way if fish arrival with sick condition) Totally different methods depending on who is doing it, the water change part is the same as Observation QT but when you change water you re dose the medication part that is missing. Here is mine (details not included as it will be long story): I give the fish two days rest on arrival then I do Epsom salt bath. Then for next 5 days I treat them with general cure during these five days temperature is around 90 F. Another two days’ rest, then every other day for 1 week I start using the mixture of malachite green and formaldehyde (I believe there is premade combination too) during this week the temperature is not more than 84 f. Give them few days rest then I do quick PP bath that’s the end of medication, but you keep the fish in QT for adding your hero fish for two more weeks. *****Observation QT is easier, safer but longer *****QT + medications is harder to perform, it’s more efficient, it’s shorter and it’s the only way if you noticed you received low quality sick fish. Or if your Observation QT fails. Here is one important point about QT + medications: if you receive a sick fish for example with clear external bacterial infection issue, you address this matter first then you start your QT. (Logic of using the each meds: Epsom salt for purging the fish from any parasite or worm Epsom salt helps other meds work better too, general cure for internal parasites and worms and gill flukes, malachite green and formaldehyde is for external parasites and continuation of gill flukes treatment (remember for gill flukes you need to treat for 14 days at least as these has dormant life cycle)…. PP external parasite, bacteria …. ) If you have been quarantining your fish for years using your own common sense and method and you have been successful always follow your own method and share it with us and we will appreciate it.   Salt and antibiotics a) Add salt to the QT tank. Discus and most other aquarium fish tolerate salty water up to 2 ppt. In fact, many freshwater aquarium fish such as goldfish, loach, and can tolerate salty water up to 6 ppt. Add salt to reduce osmotic pressure from external damage. Another benefit of adding salt is to treat skin parasites. Parasites that are localized below the scales are more difficult to treat and require long-term treatment with appropriate chemicals. b) Quarantine fish is long process to ensure they are healthy before moving them to your main display tank so it is at least 3 weeks. In some case you may have to soak antibiotics continuously for 12 days. Never under-dose! If water changes are required, add medication after the change. The reason for antibiotic immersion is because we are not sure if one fish or the whole tank is infected with bacteria or not, but during the process, the possibility of infection is very high. In fact, the treatment of diseased fish is expensive and not always successful. It should be known that newly imported fish come from many sources and are out of control, so prevention is the way to avoid disease. Keep an eye on new fishes and treat the problem as need. Remember turn off aquarium light the first 24 hours Prevention is better than cure, and treating discus is a nightmare! The only risk with using antibiotics is the risk of getting the wrong dose and creating a strain of resistant bacteria. To use antibiotics safely, we need to know: when, how much and how to use them. Resistance strains arise because we use the wrong antibiotics, the wrong drugs and the wrong fish/water/antibiotic control. FEEDING Start feeding the fish on the third day (counting from the day the fish came). Feed as little as possible even though they are very hungry. Do not over feeding at this time. Remember, fish are usually starved for a day before shipping, but some peoples stop feeding the fish for several days. They think "no food, less ammonia, less bacteria so less fish die". But this does not keep the fish healthy. Being starved for more than two days before shipping causes stress on fish. So, if you suddenly overfeed your fish, they can get bloated and get sick easily. Feeding once per day is sufficient for few days of isolation then increase later. Whenever the water becomes dirty or cloudy, the water must be change.   Infomation under this post is base on our experience and coppy right from KIA.