Maintaining a freshwater aquarium is an incredible hobby that can take years to learn. It is challenging to keep up with the changing conditions of your tank when you launch. So much can be looked for, and errors can be made quickly.
Luckily, it is not difficult to build an freshwater aquarium. You can keep a safe and active aquarium in your home with enough practice. Learn about the common errors that many beginner aquariums make with their first tanks to begin your aquarial hobby. You can stop them in this way and have the beautiful aquarium that you like!
There are seven widespread mistakes in amateur aquariums and how they can be avoided.
Table of Contents
Incorrect Positioning of the Freshwater aquarium
If you meet the following requirements, you can choose to keep the freshwater aquarium anywhere in your home:
- If there is no tank cover, do not keep the tank under ventilation as dust from it will drop down to the water.
- Maintain a distance between tanks and walls of at least 5-10 “(12.7-25.4 cm) so filters and other electric wires can easily fit in.
- Hold it near the water source, if possible, so that the tank does not need to bring water long distances away during water replacement.
- Stop direct sunlight because it increases the tank temperature and stimulates the growth of algae.
- Hold it in a position with a power supply nearby so that you don’t have to use long cables to fuel your tank.
Oh, the freshwater aquarium still can’t be ignored as a showpiece. So please show it anywhere you like where the external temperature does not affect it too much. It’s all about beauty and logic matching.
Adding Too Many Fish
Imagine getting a group of people trapped in a box that can not move around. It is almost exactly what happens when one tank holds too many fish. And sadly, with your new freshwater aquarium, it’s a mistake many beginners make.
Increased ammonia production can cause problems in the filtration system of your tank. It can make it an absolute nightmare to maintain the chemical level and temperature of your freshwater aquarium.
Your tank may also have lower oxygen levels, making the environment in your crowded house more challenging for your little swimmer. More fish, potential assaults between the fish, and high nitrate levels (leading to sick fish) are other issues with the survival of so many fish. So, thumb rule: your fish doesn’t need to live in a crowded space.
Incompetent Filtration
The sustainability of a freshwater aquarium is a key to success if biological filtration is necessary. There is a range of filtration methods, but not the right set of filters for your tank’s expected bio charge can lead to various problems. It’s safer to have more than too little filtration for your tank’s size, biological, mechanical, or chemical.
The same principle also applies to water movement in the freshwater aquarium. Low (dissolved oxygen), the production of nuisance algae and sedentary animals that receive food will lead to problems due to a lack of adequate water flow across the entire system. The answer? Add a powerhead or two or a booster to increase the movement of water in the aquarium.
The Freshwater aquarium is Not Ready
We experience the joy of a new aquarium from vibrantly colored fish to a beautiful undersea decor. As soon as you’ve set up your tank, you may want to add your selected fish party to your new home.
We’re not guilty of it! It’s not as fun to see your lovely fish swim and flourish in a tank you made for. However, you would probably die if you add fish to your aquarium without first setting the right water conditions and acclimatizing them.
In tanks, the value of the nitrogen cycle and other chemical concentrations are often misjudged by new aquariums. Before one of your little swimmers is placed in, your tank must be drained. It involves the nitrogen cycle of your aquarium with the required amount of water (pH, longevity, and temperature).
You can add fish to your tank after you have finished this process — ensure that they acclimatize to their new environment.
Adding Fish To A Small Tank
In a small tank, the water’s state changes quickly, meaning you’d have to refill the water more often than in a large tank. A small tank leads to a fast accumulation of organic waste within, leading to toxic elements into the water.
Aquarium equipment is also difficult to fit into its small space without upsetting the free movement of fish.
If you’re a beginner, don’t buy a tank holding less than 10 gallons of water. Now, we don’t ask you to build a big tank. But it is better to start with a 30-60 gallon tank because the maintenance is relatively straightforward.
Not Cycling The Fish Tank
Aquarium cycling is about letting the water grow in your aquarium and making it liveable for fish. Beneficial bacteria have to grow and flourish for the sake of life inside your tank. They help keep the toxins that can kill the fish and aquatic plants out of your tank. These bacteria break down and clean up ammonia and nitrates. Generally speaking, the entire cycling process takes approximately 3-6 weeks (depending on your tank).
You can be tempted to add additional ammonia to improve the cycling mechanism, but allow us to warn you. During the cycling stage, it is a bad idea to do this. For the growth of beneficial bacteria, the Ammonia present in your tank is essential.
However, your brand new tank can be helped by liquid ammonia as it will speed up the cycling process in a safe way. Liquid ammonia is also available and can be used in the form of liquid and pulverized goods. But note that only a fresh aquarium contains liquid ammonia.
Adding Too Much Food
It is probably the most significant error for beginners. It is difficult to know if fish are starving; they often seem to be starving in reality.
They will typically continue to eat if you continue to feed your fish. Precisely these are the error of beginners. They continue to provide their fish, and their fish continue to eat.
It creates a lot of waste, which can disrupt the nitrogen cycle.
It would be best to feed your fish once a day when you start; this prevents your fish from overeating. They should be able to eat in five minutes, whatever you give them.
