Top twenty tips for beginners

FROM HBH ENTERPRISES http://www.hbhnet.com

1) The bigger the better: Purchase at least a 20-gallon tank if you can afford it. Contrary to popular belief small tanks are harder to balance and maintain. The larger the tank the easier it is to stabilize water chemistry, temperature and to maintain.

2) Don’t get in over your head: Research the requirements and compatibility of your inhabitants before you make your purchase. This will save money, heartache and in turn create a more positive experience. Goldfish are not tropical fish and will not appreciate aquarium temperatures commonly associated with fish like tetras, barbs, cichlids and livebearers.

3) Know the basics: Read and understand the nitrogen cycle before setting up an aquarium.

4) Don’t settle: Take time to inspect the fish before you buy. They should have a good robust body shape, good color and alert eyes and posture. If you notice split or damaged fins, swollen or damaged eyes, gills and or body, facial and lateral line pits, abscesses on head and or body, clear stringy feces, clamped fins, unusually dark coloration and or penned in the corner, these are not good signs and should be avoided.

5) Start slow: By under stocking or stocking slowly, your tank will be more efficient at colonizing beneficial bacteria, you will loose less fish and the nitrogen cycle will become established faster with less dramatic spikes of ammonia and nitrites. Even after the “cycle” is established overstocking will only lead to inevitable problems.

6) Getting home: When placing new fish in your tank, float the bag for 10-20 minutes to acclimate them to your tank temperature.

7) An ounce of prevention: Use a quarantine tank whenever possible. A quarantine tank is used to house newly acquired fish for a period of time (generally 2-4 weeks) to determine if they are disease and parasite free before introducing them into an established tank.

8) Think ahead: When planning a planted tank set up, it is advisable to add as many plants as you can to out compete algae.

9) If one is good, two is not always better: Avoid overfeeding. Your fish should be fed no more than what they can eat in 2-5 minutes; two times daily should be enough. Don’t be fooled by a fishes ability to “look hungry” as this is generally just a conditioned feeding response to you approaching the tank and NO bettas do not feed off the roots of plants.

10) Keep it up: Maintain a regular water-changing regimen. By removing and then replacing 25-30% of your tank water- minimum- per month, will dilute toxins such as ammonia and nitrites as well as reduce phosphates that contribute to algae growth. While the above regimen is the bare minimum, 10-20% can be done weekly or bi-weekly and will actually keep your tank and its inhabitants healthier in the long run. Large volume water changes (50% or more) can be stressful on your fish. Be sure that your replacement water is the same temperature as to avoid any adverse effects. If chlorine or chloramines are present in your replacement water you will need use a product that renders these harmless like HBH’s Tank Prep or Bowl Prep products.

11) Don’t forget: Vacuum gravel once per month or as needed. Begin by inserting the vacuum end into the tank and start a vacuum, then push the vacuum end into the gravel about 1-2 inches (follow manufacturers instructions as they tend to vary slightly). This will allow you to leave the gravel behind while doing a water change and pulling out unwanted debris and toxins at the same time. Repeat this over the entire surface of your gravel. If you have live plants, be careful not to uproot them. This will not destroy or eliminate the presence of beneficial bacteria. However, if done irregularly, accumulated toxins may be released into the tank environment, under gravel filters may become clogged and lead to severe problems.

12) Clean up: Clean all sponges and reusable filter media in aquarium water (not in aquarium). Siphon some of the original tank water into a bucket or separate holding receptacle. This now allows you to rinse filter media and squeeze sponges out in water that has no chemicals and is of the same temperature, while preserving enough to sustain a colony of beneficial bacteria and not fouling your tank water. Never sterilize these components unless contaminated and never use tap water as it may destroy beneficial bacteria.

13) Boost it up: Small amounts of gravel, filter media and or water from an established tank can help to jumpstart the production of beneficial bacteria in conjunction with a biological boosting product such as HBH’s Termin-ITE 200.

14) Know what you need: Understand water additives and follow all instructions before using. These types of products should only be used when necessary. It is a common myth that you need every water treatment and chemical out there. You don’t! You only need the ones that fit your particular needs. Over use of these products makes it difficult to understand what is really wrong when a problem arises. Keep it simple.

15) Lights, action: The use of timers on your lights will give a consistent photoperiod for your fish and plants. This will also increase your abilities of spawning many species of fish and stimulate plant growth.

16) Stress management: The use of a background will reduce the stress on your fish. Fish feel more secure when not exposed on all sides.

17) Be prepared: Two medium heaters rather than one big one, can help to avoid dramatic drops in temperature if one of them fails. Set one to the desired temperature and the second just below that. This will allow you to observe any fluctuations in temperature and help in determining if one of your heaters in not functioning properly. Two medium heaters can also help to heat your tank more evenly. This will not overheat your tank, as one is set below the other and will only come on if the temperature drops low enough.

18) Think back up: It is not a bad idea to also use two types of filtering systems on your aquarium if you can afford it. It will help keep your aquarium cleaner as well as creating a backup in case one fails.

19) This is not pop art: Choose aquarium furnishings to imitate your fish’s natural environment as closely as you can. Aquarium related books, natural science books and magazines and the Internet are great sources of information when considering the correct furnishings. A more natural looking habitat will reduce the stress on your fish and be far more appealing to the eye.

20) Zen: Information is the key to a successful experience in aquarium keeping. Books and magazines are invaluable sources of information that should never be overlooked and can only lead to inevitable success, inspiration and rewards. By joining a local, national or even international aquarium club will enhance your success rate and put you in contact with knowledgeable people of similar interests. Learning about all aspects of this exciting hobby will contribute greatly to your successes and may spark interest in other types of aquarium environments. Never be afraid to experiment.  

TOP

TWENTY TIPS

For

BEGGINERS