Introducing some pro tips to successfully develop your new tank. These tips are sourced from various sources and my own experiences in this fishkeeping hobby.
Tank
- Go bigger
Yes, even if you are a beginner keep in mind to buy a bigger tank. This is a hobby where you can get addicted easily and you will soon realize that you are out of space in the tank... It's not that you need to develop it immediately, go slow, and as you learn more about this then you can develop accordingly.
- A larger volume of water will be easy to maintain
It's obvious that a large tank with a large volume of water will not get dirty soon. The infamous toxins like Ammonia and nitrates will take a longer time to get accumulated in your tank and thus help with fewer water changes.
Fish
- Get hardy fish.
Fish are going to be the jewels of the crowns so you need to be careful with them. Being a beginner doesn't rush for exotic species like Arowana, Oscars, or flowerhorns. Start simple and strong; I mean choose fish that are beautiful and also not too demanding. Those who can withstand any water conditions and also don't produce much waste. This simple rule will help you get to know the life of these fishes and later you can replace them by your favorite exotic species if you wish.
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- Get types and species
Get various different types and species of fish for your aquarium. Types here mean fish that are surface dwellers, mid dwellers, and bottom dwellers. And species mean different breeds like goldfish, angelfish, etc. Bring some surface dwellers like small tetras, some mid-dwellers like angelfish, and bottom dwellers like plecos. And put in species like zebras, neon tetras, tiger barbs, and more. Later when your tanks develop fully you can switch to an only specie that suites your tank or simply continue the community tank.
- Don't Overstock!
It's one of the common mistakes by people. Increasing tank population by recklessly adding new fish. This is not good, keep a maximum of 1-3 species or more as per your tank volume. This avoids the production of fish waste in a tremendous amount and keeps the maintenance low.
- Feed less.
Yet another mistake by beginners, people tend to feed their fish more assuming the fish are hungry or simply because it's fun to watch them eat. But remember, the more you feed the more is the waste products in the tank. Accumulation of bacteria, unwanted parasites, and toxins like ammonia and nitrates which can lead to the death of the fish. Feed just the right amount; on the short note feed two times a day, feed a fixed amount, and never ever overfeed.
Plants
- Keep plants.
Though maintenance of planted aquariums is harder, plants offer a wide range of advantages to your aquarium and it's fish. Plants use excess CO2 and Ammonia for their photosynthesis and thus lower the concentrations of these harmful elements. They give out oxygen, so you don't need an oxygen pump in your tank. Then they filter a small amount of water too. And most importantly will give your tank a natural look.
- Get simple plants.
Simple plants here means plants that don't require more maintenance and care like fertilizers or CO2 supplementation. And also that will grow faster and flourish more.
- Denser the plants; better your aquarium.
Try planting more and bigger plants into the aquarium. Denser plantation will help in more water filtration, more O2 production, and an awesome natural look that your fish too will admire.
- Lighting of the aquarium.
Moderate but effective.
This rule is important. You can't just fix any light to your aquarium. It depends on the size of the aquarium and plantation in your tank. Less lighting durations will kill plants as they will be not able to conduct photosynthesis and also your fish will lose their colors. Whereas excess lighting will promote algal growth, green and cloudy water, and sometimes stress in the fish. On average the lights should be on for 6-8 hours.
-Avoid daylight!
Keep your tank away from strong daylight or sunlight. Even exposure of 3 hours of strong daylight every day can cause serve problems of algal growth and unwanted bacteria.
Filtration
- Using a filter.
A filter is a compulsory equipment for plantation aquariums, as they will clean out plant derbies easily. Also, the will filter the fish waste avoiding the accumulation of nitrates and other toxins. There are various filters available some provide mechanical filtration whereas some carryout chemical filtration. The choice is yours but do detailed research before buying one.
- Scheduled refreshing.
Every two weeks do a water change of 75%. The fish can be just kept inside while drawing out 75% water from the tank. Clean the glass from the inside, wash the decor items in your tank and then just add fresh water to it. This simple change every two weeks can help you achieve crystal clear water and a healthy environment in your tank.
- The bigger changes.
Remember it can be a haunting experience while doing the bigger water change (i.e fully emptying the tank and washing it.) But don't be scared of them, a deep clean in 2-4 months can help your tank avoid unwanted bacteria and high levels of toxins.
So these were some pro tips to develop a perfect aquarium avoiding all headaches experienced in the fishkeeping hobby. Hope this helps you out and gives you an enchanting experience of keeping a fish tank at home.