What would be a few things you would tell new fish keepers

[Brandon p]

1. When you are planning you tank add a little more gravel or sand do you can add plants later.

2. I would not put any fish over $8/ea in that new tank. Neons things like people are wowed (just make sure you put the same water perimeter fish in the tank to begin as the fish you want to put it in after the first year do everything you want to the tank to get the tank right in the first year. 
 

EVERYONE KEEP ADDING AND IM SURE I HAVE MORE

[xXInkedPhoenixX]

Don't start with Bettas. Start with hardy schooling fish first. 

[Jennifer V]

I love threads like this! Always fun to learn more. I asked a similar question a few months back and learned a ton. 

 

[Scapexghost]

Keep at it. No matter how much research you do it will always be a struggle at first, but it will work out and it is worth it in the end.

[Guppysnail]

Stay calm and don’t panic. Most things that grow in the aquarium are harmless and natural. Most fauna makes good fish food. Snails are good gardeners and cleanup crews. Not an alien invasion 🤣

Edited November 5, 2021 by Guppysnail
Typo

[mynameisnobody]

Be patient, do not impulse buy anything, save your money, eventually you will realize the difference between what you find cool vs what will be the most rewarding. 

[Barnacle_Gil]

Great topic!

#1. https://aquariumscience.org/

#2. Function first ..... Form later

#3. If you can't "seed" a new aquarium ..... keep light intensity (if planted) to 50% and duration to 7 hrs. with only 10% ferts.. for first month at least.

#4.  Make sure your aquarium stand is mechanically sound!  

#5.  ...... and much more      

 

[tolstoy21]

I would say wait it out.

The tank is going to go through some 'yuck' phases in the beginning, and the best thing you can do it just take it slow, don't run out and get a bunch of products to fix your cloudy water or clear algae.

At most, adjust light intensity or timing, but in slow increments. And if you're dosing with ferts, maybe adjust those, but again in slow increments. 

I inherited a few aquariums from a friend of the family who buys them, then gives up in frustration because they can't make it through that settle-in period. They buy a tank, set it up, drop in a bunch of products, kill fish, then ask me if I want another aquarium. They reach out through my in-laws, so I don't talk to the directly, but I have passed on advice numerous times, and have offered to exchange emails.

When we set up new tanks in my own home, I have to remind my wife - 'Yeah I agree this looks like crap right now, but you know how it goes, just hang in there.'

 

[tolstoy21]

On 11/5/2021 at 6:35 AM, Barnacle_Gil said:

#3. If you can't "seed" a new aquarium ..... keep light intensity (if planted) to 50% and duration to 7 hrs. with only 10% ferts.. for first month at least.

Yeah, that's top notch advice that you don't hear too often when you begin. Cranking up the lights on a bunch of new plants doesn't help establish them; it just creates problems with algae. 

On the plant front, I'd also suggest keeping it simple at first. A well-placed sword or two is an easy plant that, over time, grows into a lush wonderful-looking specimen. They are easy to prune and don't require a lot of maintenance other than a bunch of root tabs every few months. 

Anubias are also easy, but for the beginner, green spot algae and black-brush algae can be frustrating as all heck.  I LOVE!!!!! anubias, but that aspect of them for a beginner who also dealing with bacterial blooms, diatom algae, learning how to tweak lighting -- that can be maddening.

Edited November 5, 2021 by tolstoy21

[Wingman12r]

Just follow the KISS principle.

Keep it simple, don't let the Google searches get you overwhelmed.

[Brandon p]

On 11/5/2021 at 6:35 AM, Barnacle_Gil said:

Great topic!

#1. https://aquariumscience.org/

#2. Function first ..... Form later

#3. If you can't "seed" a new aquarium ..... keep light intensity (if planted) to 50% and duration to 7 hrs. with only 10% ferts.. for first month at least.

#4.  Make sure your aquarium stand is mechanically sound!  

#5.  ...... and much more      

 

I love number4  I have done this but realized it before and got lucky. There is some get things on google about this it 

[Tanked]

Be patient, 

"it all depends" is our mantra.   

Understand  the difference between need and want before you purchase.  @Barnacle_Gil said it "function first, Form later".

There are very few absolutes in this hobby., do your own research first.  Don't hesitate to ask questions.

Aquariums are only as complicated as you make them.  Start simple and build from there.

Aquariums are moving pictures not snapshots.  There will be good and bad times.

 

[Atitagain]

1- aquarium co-op videos on YouTube 

2- become a member of aquarium co-op on YouTube 

3- join C.A.R.E. Forum 

4- ask a lot of questions on C.A.R.E.

5- now buy tank and equipment 

6- have patience 

[Torrey]

1. Patience 

2. More patience 

3. Plan on at least one spectacular fail and try to embrace it when it happens 

4. Aquariumscience.org and the Aquarium Co-op videos

5. More patience 

6. Buy the med trio and actually use it, and a quarantine tank

7. More patience 

8. Don't be scared of plants, or algae, or snails

9. Did I mention patience?

[Brandon p]

 Things are never:/almost never going to be perfect. If you are trying to match the numbers  exactly the same it’s like running your head into the wall. Get in to the habitat of in keeping  things close the provened numbers and keep a record. This way you can see when things are changing. things are fast start to go bad for and other fast. These records can help greatly. Help. I still keep my last six months or longer of watertests .  

 

[Beardedbillygoat1975]

1. Failures are part of any hobby, you don’t get good at skiing or tennis with one lesson, why should fish keeping be any different?

2. Don’t chase water parameters. If you’re just starting don’t do a South American biotope blackwater aquarium when you have liquid rock for tap or well water. Check with your LFS, see what their water is, and if they are keeping fish in those parameters you can too.

3. Don’t beat yourself up if your tank doesn’t look like the aquascaping porn on YouTube, FB or IG. Those tanks are often temporary setups for creating pics and content not a home for fish and plants.

4. Have fun, there will be frustration and hard times but remember it’s a hobby it’s ok to be passionate but check yourself before you wreck yourself. 

[Dwayne Brown]

1. Don't get a fish that is incredibly hard to keep.

2. Don't get a fish that is the "best beginner" fish if you don't want it. 

3. Get fish that you will enjoy taking care of, can take care of.  And are relatively hardy 

4. Don't start off buying the best of everything. If your just starting out you probably don't need state of art lighting. 

5. Invest most in healthy livestock and quality food. 

[JettsPapa]

On 11/8/2021 at 10:00 AM, Beardedbillygoat1975 said:

1. Failures are part of any hobby, you don’t get good at skiing or tennis with one lesson, why should fish keeping be any different?

2. Don’t chase water parameters. If you’re just starting don’t do a South American biotope blackwater aquarium when you have liquid rock for tap or well water. Check with your LFS, see what their water is, and if they are keeping fish in those parameters you can too.

3. Don’t beat yourself up if your tank doesn’t look like the aquascaping porn on YouTube, FB or IG. Those tanks are often temporary setups for creating pics and content not a home for fish and plants.

4. Have fun, there will be frustration and hard times but remember it’s a hobby it’s ok to be passionate but check yourself before you wreck yourself. 

I agree wholeheartedly with #2.

On #3, aquascaping porn is a term I don't believe I've run into before.

[Jeff]

Ammonia and Nitrite should be the only numbers you should chase. They need to be 0. 
 

If those are 0, and everything else looks and feels good, just let it go. The more you chase numbers, the more you're going to find an endless path. 
 

Fish-plants-inverts will tell you if you're tank has something going on. This is why you need to spend time watching each week. 

[JaredL]

No matter how reputable your source for information, try to find as many different opinions as you can. There is still so much to learn in this hobby that what works for one might not work for you. And don't be afraid to experiment(within reason).