Hi and welcome to the beginners page. Below you will find info on starting and maintaining your first aquarium. I hope the hints and tips are helpful.

     The first and foremost thing to remember when starting to get an aquarium is don't go right out and buy one. There are a few preliminary things you need to do first. The most important thing is what your doing right now, reading and learning about them first.

     So where do I start? I will start with the size and shape of the tank you wish to purchase. When buying a tank remember the first rule of fish keeping. GET THE LARGEST TANK YOU CAN AFFORD FOR THE SPACE YOU HAVE AVAILABLE. Don't worry I don't sell tanks. The reason for this is water volume and surface area. The more gallons or water volume the easier the tank is to maintain and if your a beginner that's a big plus. A 20 gallon tank is twice as forgiving than a 10 gallon tank. For example if someone was to over feed a tank, the uneaten food will begin to decay and produce ammonia, the 20 gallon tank has twice as much water to dilute the ammonia than the 10 gallon before it reaches a toxic level. (More on ammonia later). Also under tank size, I would like to mention surface area. The more surface area a tank has the more efficient the gas exchange will be. I know what your thinking. What does this mean to me? In the water of your new tank there are dissolved gasses. These gasses are evaporated and absorbed through the slime layer of water, which is at the water surface. A rectangle tank has more area than a column or hex style tank. Therefore I recommend the common rectangle shaped tanks for the beginner.

     Maybe I should make a page describing in detail each individual filter and its pros and cons. I think I might make that my next project but for now to you the beginner; I just want you to know that one filter doesn't do it all. Some are better at it than others but most hobbyist will agree that this is a matter of opinion. What I want you to know is be careful when buying a system already as a set. Most times these filters (no matter what type) are a bare minimum for what's needed. So don't be afraid of getting an auxiliary filter of some kind. Also don't be afraid to move the water. The more the waters surface is disturbed and the more water you move the better off you are.

     Now under maintenance I would like to say no matter how good your filtration system is YOU STILL HAVE TO DO WATER CHANGES. OK, I know what your thinking if I have a great filter then why the need for the water changes? Just remember that when a filter traps debris it still remains in the water of the tank until that filter media is replaced. That's why we hobbyist's say clear water does not mean healthy water. I can't stress enough the importance of water changes in maintaining a tank. However there is a proper way to perform these changes. Simply taking out old water and replacing it with new water may help but its effects will be minimal at best. Since 90% of the debris and fish waste will remain in the substrate (your gravel) we have to remove it without removing the substrate. This is done by using a gravel siphon. Some models will also require a bucket for the dirty water to collect, others will drain directly to a sink. The only difference is price they are equally effective as far as your tank is concerned.

     Now when adding the new water to the tank remember it should be dechlorinated slightly aged and near the same pH as the old water. Also try not to change more than 30% at a time. These changes should be done weekly. If you get into the habit of doing these changes early on you will avoid many of the pitfalls that plaque many new hobbyist.

     Now for the subject that has caused many heartaches and frustrations for the beginning hobbyist; purchasing the actual fish you plan to keep. No other subject can cause heated discussions and debates than the subject of what fish go with what. I have no intentions here to tell you what fish to keep, but to give you some steps to follow to bring these frustrations to minimum level. The first and foremost thing again is research before you purchase the fish you plan to keep. Find out as much as you can from a reputable source. Preferably from a book written specifically for the species you select. Going just on the word of a pet store worker isn't the best idea. Keep in mind they are there to sell fish. You will want to find out the fish's adult size, its feeding requirements and the water perimeters it is most happy in. Also try to find out the fish's habits. Is it a schooling fish? Is it territorial? How does it spawn, etc. Knowing these things before you purchase a fish will let you know if you really should keep that particular species. Also keep in mind that territoriality and aggression can very from fish to fish even of the same species.

     One final thought for the beginner. You may find it easier if you learn a bit about water chemistry. Most new hobbyist think you can fill up the tank and add your fish. However all water is not the same and clean water can be deadly to fish. The first thing to look at is your tap water. If you have a city water source you will have chlorine and possibly chloramines. These additives should be removed before adding fish. The second thing you must watch is what we call the nitrogen cycle. Since this page is for the beginner I will keep this simple. As uneaten food and fish waste decomposes ammonia is produced. Even in small quantities ammonia is extremely toxic to fish. However ammonia is consumed by nitrite as long as its present. Nitrite is still toxic but no where near as deadly as ammonia. Nitrite also is consumed by nitrate. Nitrate is relatively safe but can be easily removed by water changes. When starting a new tank these bacteria levels can easily spike causing stress to your new fish. Therefore its a good idea to let your tank age a few days before adding fish and when you do add your fish, I suggest doing so slowly. A few fish at a time.

     The final two water parameters I would like to briefly discuss are pH and water hardness. pH is a value of acidity or alkalinity with 7.0 being neutral. Most common fresh water fish can tolerate a wide range of pH as long as they are exposed to the change gradually. The same thing can be said for water hardness. I am telling you this that when you add your new fish to your tank you should gradually acclimate the fish to your tank by slowly adding your tank water to the water of your new fish.

     I hope these tips help you with your introduction to the hobby of keeping ornamental fish. This was by no means all there is to know, and you will find as you learn more there is always more to learn. Good luck with your new tank