You may have come to this article because you are thinking of buying fish and an aquarium. We understand you perfectly! The world of aquariums is something fascinating, being able to have a complete ecosystem in your own home in which to see how nature develops and the day to day among various living beings is really beautiful.
For this you have to inform yourself and do things well. With this simple guide to know what mistakes you should not make when starting an aquarium, everything will surely become much easier.
THE RESPONSIBILITY OF HAVING AN AQUARIUM
In this post we are going to tell you what are the typical errors that, in general, beginners tend to commit when starting an aquarium, which you should avoid. But it is important that you bear in mind that these mistakes are usually made by not taking the time to educate yourself about what owning an aquarium entails.
Having fish, plants and, in general, living beings in our house is not only leisure, but also responsibility. The quality they have in their life depends entirely on us, and if we cannot give them the possibility of living well, it is better not to make the decision to take over the aquarium.
With this, do not think that maintaining a clean and healthy aquarium it's a job that is going to take an enormous amount of time. It will simply require atenciĂłn on your part, and these three points that you should reflect before buying it:
SEEKING SERIOUS AND PROFESSIONAL INFORMATION ABOUT THE BASES TO FORM AN AQUARIUM
The first thing to do, before buying the aquarium or thinking about the future inhabitants, is read information about aquariums. To do this, you will need to consult reliable sources: serious information written by professionals in the field, who will tell you what the first steps are, what you will need, how long and also where you can find the highest quality products.
HAVE TIME AND CAPACITY TO HOLD YOU RESPONSIBLE
As we say, it is not necessary that you give up your whole life to have an aquarium at home, but you should know that at least a while every day you will have to dedicate it to the aquarium: it is important, first of all, the eating of the fish, observe their behavior for a few minutes to try to detect if they are well or perhaps someone is sick, measure the fish tank chemical amounts to know that everything is in order and the fish are breathing the best for them, see if the water is clean… and so on.
Especially at the beginning, as soon as you buy the aquarium, it will be when you should dedicate more time because you are not yet familiar with the daily supervisions and it will take you longer to figure out the why of each thing. Then when you get used to it, it will be a piece of cake.
ALWAYS LISTEN TO THE EXPERTS
Living things will live in the aquarium, and their life depends on you. This is an important message, so we recommend that you don't improvise on decisions that you take, especially when you start.
A answer explain to you how should you start the aquarium: what species they cannot live together, or how much food you should give the fish, do not make decisions on the fly based on your own opinion, because it may cause problems for the fish. Maybe later, when you have the sufficient experience and knowledge to deduce certain things about the behavior of fish and what to do about it, but at least at first, listen to who knows.
THE BENEFITS OF HAVING AN AQUARIUM AT HOME
Don't think that everything is responsibility and work! Also, as we have already told you, you are going to enjoy it a lot. Not only because it is a very aesthetic element in our living room, but because there are many benefits that having an aquarium brings us.
First of all, one of the most common reasons why people tend to have an aquarium, and why hobbyists become truly passionate, is because an aquarium is a relaxation and peace element.
In these modern times where we spend so much time with schedules, with technology around that makes us not rest our eyes, with alarms and warnings From the amount of time we use for everything we do, sitting and looking at an aquarium is an activity that goes against all of this.
El Aquarius does not mark the times, his relaxing rhythm in which the fish move around the plants and the landscape, will make us feel better and rest from the stress of routine.
THE DEMONSTRATED BENEFITS OF AQUARIUMS FOR CHILDREN
In many families the idea of ​​acquiring an aquarium with fish comes precisely because there are children in the house, and it is one of the pets that can most like and entertain.
But having and taking care of the aquarium not only brings fun to the little ones, but according to various psychological studies you can benefit in many ways:
In the first place, because having to take care of the fish feeding and to be aware of when the water is not clean, give them a first contact with responsibility and with establishing priorities and routines in your life.
Second, because it has also been shown to be very positive for children with hyperactivity, or with certain behavioral disorders. The fish tank in this case relaxes them, gives them greater capacity to concentration, it gives them encouragement and motivation.
And it happens like this, according to psychologists, with activities that have to do with the care of another life: pets and even plants. Therefore, if you are thinking of getting an aquarium and that is why you are reading this article, keep it even more in mind if you have children at home. They will help you with it, understand the responsibility it entails, and also you will enjoy together to see a beautiful landscape of color.
THE 15 MOST COMMON ERRORS WHEN STARTING AN AQUARIUM
In relation to reading a lot about aquariums before purchasing one, we want to let you know what they are the most common mistakes at the beginning. That way, it won't happen to you and you can avoid acting like a beginner and being upset that something goes wrong.
Really, they are just a few things to keep in mind so that everything goes smoothly and you will soon enjoy a beautiful aquarium:
-
DO NOT TAKE INTO ACCOUNT THE AQUARIUM CYCLING, OR NITROGEN CYCLE
We have already told you in other post what he is aquarium cycling and the relevance it has. But in short, aquarium cycling is a chemical process that the aquarium must pass before introducing life inside. It's about the ammonium created by the debris that forms under water, leave converting to nitrogen so that they do not harm the health of the fish.
El aquarium cycling is so important, that if you do not take it into account it is possible that all your fish die as soon as you put them underwater. Unfortunately, a common mistake is not giving the importance to this process and buying the aquarium and fish directly. This causes rapid illness of these, and enormous disgust.
-
DO NOT CHANGE THE WATER ENOUGH
Once the cycle of nitrogen and the aquarium is ready to be habitable, you will have to constantly monitor that the water is fine and that there is no excess harmful chemicals for fish. This is something that can be measured every few days and that you will especially have to measure if you see that some of the fish behave strangely, because it may mean that you are consuming ammonia and are getting sick.
But is that in addition to checking the water, you should change it every ten days maximum. Cycling simply serves to avoid having to change the water on a daily basis, but keep in mind that it is a stagnant water As there are no drafts and being in an enclosed space, cleaning every week or ten days is almost as important as cycling.
Many people take the liberty of leave the water unchanged for longerEither because they do not remember it or because they go on vacation and assume that the fish will hold. But in a very dirty water, bad bacteria will grow and the fish will also end up sick.
-
GATHERING INCOMPATIBLE FISH SPECIES
Introducing fish to the aquarium is something that must be done with great patience. We cannot put them all at once the first day, but after cycling the aquarium we will have to go testing with species, to acclimatize and get them to live in peace.
This is in relation to another of the most common mistakes when buying the aquarium, which is buy fish species based on how beautiful they are, and not based on your specific needs. Thus, for example, we have species that should not be mixed with others: the clownfish or Betta fish are examples of them, because they are very territorial animals and they can behave aggressively towards others. It also happens with the Angel fish, Which is predator and will end up eating smaller fish.
You also have to take into account the difference of conditions that our new pets may need: some will need the water temperature more or less cold, others will need currents, others will need light or a darker space. If we indiscriminately gather fish, some of them will live in conditions that do not suit them.
Finally, you also have to know how many fish to have. If you have fish of only one species, it is possible that a priori they do not have problems with each other, but if for example you have many more than those that are suitable according to the size of your aquarium, they may start to get stressed out by lack of space and behave in an aggressive way.
-
FISH SUPERFEEDING
This is another more common mistakes when starting an aquarium, and also it is repeated a lot because it has to do with the excess of concern and good intention.
By constantly observing the fish, we will have the need for them to do not stay hungry, that they have enough to eat because they are also several and some will approach faster than others.
But what about this? That fish act quite similar to other animals such as dogs, and as long as they have food they will eat even if it doesn't suit them.
The fact that you see them that they are hungry and eat does not mean that they need more, so it is important that don't give them more than what they eat in about 5 minutes or so. It is not convenient for us to fill them up at all, not only because they can get sick but because they will defecate a lot, they will produce a lot of waste and ammonium levels will rise, also harming them.
Fish are animals that can go perfectly for a few days without eating, so if you measure the ammonium from the fish tank and you see that is high, is better than do not feed them again until I come down.
-
DO NOT PLACE LIVE PLANTS INSIDE THE AQUARIUM
It certainly seems to us that an aquarium is not the same if it does not have plants inside. They not only provide hairsalon, but they give the feeling of living nature which, in principle, is what we are looking for when we acquire an aquarium.
But not only does the fact that buy live plants for the aquarium to what we like or stop liking, but they are enormously beneficial so that everything goes well in there. A common misconception is that plants are another responsibility and that will involve more work, when it is literally the opposite, since they will help us a lot.
In an aquarium you can put some live plants like mosses, about which we have a great guide in the article that you can read if you click here. As you will be able to read, having moss or any type of plant does not entail great cares or worries.
These plants are positive for fish: make algae disappear because they feed on the same nutrients, and these are quite negative for the lives of our pets.
But it is also the plants will oxygenate the aquarium, will help us more easily remove nitrite, which is the first step that the ammonia reaches when it is changed due to the cycling of the aquarium. Nitrite is less toxic to fish than ammonium, but it is not positive either, and it will be the plants that begin to eliminate it, since it does benefit them.
-
USE COLORED STONES AS A DECORATION FOR THE AQUARIUM
It is completely normal that when we buy our first aquarium Let's also have a lot of emotion for decorate it. We will not only have to look for the species of fish and Facilities suitable for him, but we will also have to think carefully about what artificial objects we put.
One of the most common objects that are usually put in aquariums are the stones in the background, or the stones a little larger in some specific parts. In many stores specialized in this matter you will see precious colored stones, and your first impulse will surely be to opt for them. But you must know something important:
Usually colored stones they are not natural, but they are dyed with dyes or chemicals various that give it that beautiful look. The contact of these chemicals with the water, perhaps at first does not cause any problem, but with time it will go away fading and the chemical that gave it color will spread through the water of the aquarium.
This can be highly harmful to your fish, and you will also not be able to detect it through ammonium or nitrogen test, so you won't even notice. If your fish begin to act strangely and do not respond to any of the things that we have been telling you, it may be due to those happy stones, which although beautiful, are dangerous. It is better not to risk it.
On the other hand, it is also not advisable to use stones too big. These can interfere with natural circulation of currents that cause the filter, and therefore help the aquarium to get dirty faster.
-
CREATE AN ENVIRONMENT IN THE AQUARIUM TOO ARTIFICIAL
In the same vein that we mentioned about colored stones, in general it is not highly recommended to use unnatural objects inside the aquarium. Nothing happens if we have the whim to choose something decorative that is not natural, but in excess, the artificiality can turn against us.
Why? Well, for several reasons: firstly, because like colored stones, plastic objects or other materials can expel harmful chemicals. Second, because the fish need to be in a reproduction of its ecosystem that is true to reality. This means that if the environment is too false it can stress the behavior of its inhabitants. The only thing they need in the end are items that they might find outside of the aquarium: natural stones or rocks, live plants (which will also help them hide or oxygenate the water) like mosses, and in any case other species of fish who have the same demands and with whom they can get used to having a relationship. Decorative items such as boats, plastic plants, or colored stones are not part of the fish ecosystem, so try do not abuse its use.
-
CLEAN THE AQUARIUM EXCESS
Another of the most common mistakes for aquarium beginners it has to do with the excess worry. It is a very well intentioned attitude because in the end it is completely normal that when you have new pets you are worried about your well-being and your health.
This can lead to an error that will not be anything positive in the long run, and it is to cleaning the aquarium excessively. We were talking about people who believe that having the filter is enough to clean the fish, but there is also the opposite case, people who immediately change the water to the minimal situation in which they see any symptoms of dirt.
This custom can lead to our cleaning let's skip the natural system that establishes the filter in the aquarium cycling. Perhaps we will eliminate traces of ammonium, but also nitrogen and in general of any bacteria that are beneficial to plant and fish life. As we have said, for an aquarium, in principle, to function properly, you have to worry about the cycle of nitrogen and then clean it every ten days at most, and you can even lengthen it to biweekly no problem.
It goes without saying that you should not use no external cleaning agent for aquarium cleaningas these can also harm the fish.
-
DO NOT TAKE INTO ACCOUNT THE EXCESS OF NATURAL OR ARTIFICIAL LIGHT
Aquariums usually have a few installed spotlights in its own interior to be able to give the fish light, and also regulate it based on the specific needs of animals and mosses or plants you have selected.
But another problem that we usually find when we have an aquarium for the first time is that we not only have to worry about the degree of light that suits the fish, but also the number of hours that must have light and those that don't.
Normally, in all cases of all species of fish, we should not have them with light more than 8 to 10 hours a day. What can happen if we have the light on for longer? Well, something quite harmful, which is that they begin to algae appear, which are enemies of the natural plants in our aquarium and we will have to eliminate as soon as possible.
This point is quite important, since the beginning of an aquarium at home usually also brings the enthusiasm for watching fish, and this can lead us to turn on the light for longer than it should to see them well. In the same way, you have to be careful with the house stay where we have the fish tank. If we know that it is a very sunny room, we must place the fish tank away from the window or the point of greatest natural light, because this can also help the creation of more algae.
-
DO NOT THINK ABOUT THE WATER TEMPERATURE DIFFERENCE WHEN CHANGING IT
We have already told you that each type of fish and each type of moss usually have some preferences to live better, and these preferences are usually related to the amount of light they need and the temperature where they live best. Monitoring the amount of light and water not only depends on what we plan inside the aquarium, but on the routines that we have when we clean. We explain ourselves: if we have achieved a specific temperature inside the aquarium, which is where living beings are best found inside, and then we change the water to clean it and we do not control the temperature of that water, we will cool or overheat the aquarium when we do the mixing.
This is all small details to take into account, and that many times respond to logic, but that can be overlooked and cause us some problem. The solution is as easy as when we go to clean the aquarium and change the water, let's take the temperature with our own hand and let's try to get the same from the water we are going to put in.
So we will get do not destabilize the ecosystem that we have achieved and that it is the ideal one for the inner life of the aquarium. There are some fish that are more acclimated to these types of changes, but others that are especially sensitive and they can get sick from a detail as small as the temperature of the water. It is also in your power to choose fish more "Easy" when you are a beginner, and thus not have less worry for this kind of thing.
-
DO NOT BE CAREFUL WITH CLEANING THE FILTER
If we hope something has been clear to you, it is that the filter it is one of the most important elements of the aquarium. Its correct operation will make us get the perfect balance in the water where our fish and plants live, so that's something we need to be concerned about.
Un error that we can commit at the beginning is clean the aquarium filter with normal waterhim, from the tap in our house, and thus end the bacteria that have been forming in it and that are what regulate the amount of chemicals what's in the water.
This is especially true in places where the tap water has a amount of lime important. In our country there is quite a difference between the amount of lime in the tap water from one place to another, so it is advisable that you investigate this before clean the aquarium filter. In any case, it is always better not to risk and buy a water as neutral as possible so that we can clean the filter of excess dirt, but without ending the bacterial process what makes up and what makes everything work well under the water of our aquarium.
-
STRESSING THE FISH WITH OUR WORRY
We fully understand the emotion that can cause having the aquarium at home during the first days of operation, after cycling and already housing the life of a few fish. How can we not understand it! But you have to be responsible and measure our enthusiasm. In the same way that feed more to the fish or cleaning the aquarium excessively responds to the desire for everything to go well, our insistence on interacting with fish it can end up stressing and hurting them.
Fish are quite peculiar pets, since they don't need affection or contact with us as it can happen with dogs. The fish simply needs the conditions around it to be optimal, to have food and cleaning and that they can develop their day to day without too much hassle.
This means that it is not convenient to be pending all the time, because we will do things such as turn on the light too much, give them tap on the glass because they are calmer or move less, try put your hand in the aquarium to move them (this can happen especially if we have children at home) and, in general, watch them too many hours. We do not mean by this that it is not normal to be concerned and observant, on the contrary. But if we go overboard and give them too much interaction, we can also cause them stress and behave in a way that they would not normally do.
-
ABUSE OF MEDICINES FOR FISH
The aquarium is, in the end, a closed space with the same environment. This can be translated into the fact that if a fish gets sick, for whatever, it can end by spread it to others and that there is a kind of plague of a specific ailment. Therefore, if we see that all our fish are beginning to get sick, it is not unreasonable to think that they are infecting each other through the same water. Besides trying change the water and keep it cleaner than ever, it's convenient ask specialists for some medicine or natural element specific that can be used for our fish. These are usually thrown into the water and the fish eat it as if it were their normal diet.
And this is where another of the most common mistakes comes in, which is overdoing the use of these medications. It is true that if there is a specific disease, the medicine can help them, but if we get used to using the medicine for any behavior that we see strange, we will end up with neglect other responsibilities: this is worrying about measure the amount of ammonia, see how is the filter operation or dirt in the water, and that are almost always the reasons for fish disease.
Also, if the fish in our aquarium get used to taking excess medications, we will also be intervening in your defense system and perhaps making them a little weaker. With all this we want to tell you to do I always pay attention to the experts, use medications in very specific situations and never on your own. And again that you have control over the quality of the water and the environment of the aquarium.
-
NOT KNOWING THE DIFFERENCE IN THE COLOR OF THE AQUARIUM LIGHT
We have already told you that the vast majority of aquariums have a own lighting system, which is also very convenient because that way you will not have to depend on natural light of a specific room, or that a day is sunnier or cloudy.
En our website you have a wide section of lighting systems Among which you can choose depending on the size of your aquarium, the fish you choose and the characteristics you are looking for. Some of them are even capable of imitate perfectly la specific sunrise or sunset light, in order to give your fish the complete cycle of light that they would live in their natural habitat.
However, there are many beginners who do not take into account the importance of color of light we choose. There are usually three: red, green and blue, and although the ideal is that they rotate, each one can give different growth characteristics of plants or mosses. If we have to opt for a specific color for a few hours, keep in mind that the red, for example, makes plants able to grow more vertically and green in a way denser and more forceful, but flat. This obviously respecting the way of growth of each plant in particular. But at the end of the day, it is important that we read about it when we buy the aquarium, in order to be aware of everything that happens inside according to the choices we make.
-
DO NOT HAVE THE AQUARIUM IN A QUIET SPACE
Finally we have to talk about the fact that many people think of him place to have the aquarium based on aesthetic or light criteria, but you also have to take into account the acoustic criteria.
We have already told you that fish need reassurance for our part, and not stress them with our constant interactions with them. In the same way fish need that tranquility in general, so having them in a room where there is a lot of movement, for example a room with children or where you listen very loud music, or where there is Other animals that may bother you, you could also have a negative consequence to them.
Usually people usually have the aquarium in the living room, because it is the place where we spend the most time and where it is possible to observe better that everything goes well. But, in general, you have to reflect on all these elements for the welfare of the fish: the light of the stay, the noise the room, the more or less frantic movement in the room and even the noise that may come from the street, thinking all the time about the fact that the inhabitants of our aquarium need be calm, quiet and serene space where you can feel that they are in their natural habitat, reproducing the same characteristics of this also in the environment.
OTHER ERRORS WHEN FORMING AN AQUARIUM
These five errors the ones we have talked about are the ones more are often repeated when people buy an aquarium for the first time but they are not the only ones.
Another recurring idea when we want an aquarium, is think that it is better to start with a small size instead of a big one, because that way we will learn little by little and be easier. ¡This is not like this! A small aquarium has the more concentrated water, so it will be more difficult to measure chemical indices, create currents to avoid it and it will accumulate more waste. We often see people who buy a small aquarium and end up leaving it because it is very difficult for them to have it well.
Finally we have to tell you about the error that usually responds to the saying that cheap is expensive. Sometimes for wanting save on the purchase of the aquarium and not spend a lot, we resort to cheaper products but much worse quality. This in the long run it will make us spend more, since to solve the deficiencies of the bad product, we will have to buy others. Again we repeat that consult with experts, let yourself recommend the best to have a healthy and beautiful aquarium.
CONCLUSIONS ON THE ERRORS TO AVOID WHEN WE HAVE AN AQUARIUM
We have already reached the end of the article, and we really hope that you have been able to learn something by reading it. Our intention is always that you take into account all the necessary aspects for the aquarium to make you happy, and your fish live long y have good health.
Although it may seem that there are too many things to take into account, once we get down to it because we have decided that we want an aquarium, everything becomes much easier. At first you will be more alert, watching that everything goes well, but over time it will become a systematic activity that you will do almost without having to think about it. Your fish will be fine, your aquarium will be beautiful, and it will only have been necessary a little interest and attention so as not to make these kinds of mistakes.
Other articles of interest may be:
How to Eliminate Aquarium Algae - Causes and Most Effective Treatments
Caridines and Neocaridines - File and Care Aquarium Prawns
Rate this article:
In our online store you can buy Accessories to start assembling your aquarium and receive them in 24 hours in Spain.
Aquarius NEO
Aquarius NEO
Aquarius NEO
Aquarius NEO
Aquarius NEO
Aquarius NEO
Aquarius NEO
Aquarius NEO
Aquarius NEO
Aquarius NEO
Aquarius NEO
Prawn Conditioners and Additives
Fertilizers and Conditioners
Aquarius NEO
Aquarius NEO
Fertilizers and Conditioners
QUALDROP Duran - Fertilizer for planted Aquarium Nitrogen + Magnesium + Calcium + Potassium
