Aquarium for beginners

[VanDogh]

So I am a beginner in this hobby and there is so much I don't know. My problem is that there isn't a lot of good resources about fishkeeping in my native language. Many sources, both in English but also the few I find in my language, makes explanations more difficult than it has to be. Information are also spread on many different pages and I find it difficult to navigate and find easy-to-understand texts that can be found on the same page. I was thinking of actually creating a page of some sorts, in my native language, with the essentials on fishkeeping and to keep it simple for beginners to understand. I was wondering if I could get input from you guys? I have some topics that I was thinking of including but I could very well miss some points! I would also like if someone could explain some things for me that I find difficult to understand, then I will be able to simplify it for the aquarium guide. What do you guys think?

Topics I am going to include:

How to start a brand new aquarium and the different methods of cycling, why cycling matters

The nitrogen cycle 

Tank maintenance and how to properly clean a tank (avoid overcleaning etc) 

Aquarium stuff: lamps, what to look for in a good lamp. Pumps, what kind of pumps exists. Filter, what kinds of different filters exists as well as mentioning more uncommon ones, pros and cons. Filter materials. Heaters, what kind of heaters exists and to always turn if off when it is outside of the water. Coolers. Thermometers.

Water parameters and why it's important. What everything means (ph/kh/gh etc) in a very simple and easy-to-understand text.

Getting fish: what fish can you house together and that it's important that they want similar temperature and water parameters. To not get fish that will get too big for your tank.

Is there something more I should include?

Also I would like to get help to explain different terms like lumen, PAR, PUR, PPFD, kelvin, CRI, Electromagnetic spectrum, spectral distribution... I am trying my best to read about these things but it is so god darn confusing, especially when different sources uses scienc-y and difficult words. What specs are important when you're looking for a good lamp for your tank?

I really want to make it a thorough guide yet keep the explanations simple.

Edited August 14 by VanDogh

[lefty o]

ill just break the circle right off the bat. we arent cycling anything. we are merely establishing the beneficial bacteria. we establish the bacteria that actually make the nitrogen cycle work, we dont cycle anything.

[VanDogh]

On 8/14/2024 at 3:19 AM, lefty o said:

ill just break the circle right off the bat. we arent cycling anything. we are merely establishing the beneficial bacteria. we establish the bacteria that actually make the nitrogen cycle work, we dont cycle anything.

Yeah I don't really know what word to use since I have only ever heard people refer to it as "cycling a tank" in english🙂 In my language it is just called "starting a tank"

[lefty o]

On 8/13/2024 at 8:27 PM, VanDogh said:

Yeah I don't really know what word to use since I have only ever heard people refer to it as "cycling a tank" in english🙂 In my language it is just called "starting a tank"

the masses do call it cycling, but its truly not what it is. like an old wives tale, once established, its hard to stop.