If you’re about to set up your first aquarium, here’s my blog and simple guide.

In May 2019, I redecorated my home and decided to get out an Aquarium starter tank by Interpet that had been in storage in the loft for a decade and put it back into use since it would make a nice addition. It came with an under gravel filter pump included.

Beginners typically begin with a fish tank with a capacity of 32 to 48 litres. These tanks are commonly produced by Interpet, Juwel, Fluval, or Tetra.

My first tank: Aquastart 320 – 28-litre. I added a PF1 water filter / Airator by Interpet.

A heater with a built-in thermostat is an essential piece of kit to keep tropical fish. Also, add a thermometer to confirm the temperature is what it should be. Some advanced heaters have an LED display.

A filter is considered essential hardware for all aquariums, as they are life support systems for fish. No aquarium should be set up without one, and they operate 24 hours per day, from day one.

Before adding fish the tank must be cycled. Cycling is a process that allows development on good bacteria and can take up to 6 weeks. But there are ways to speed this up. Firstly by adding a filter and setting the temperature. A normal tank is usually 25 to 26 degrees C. When it is almost complete, the ‘Bacteria Bloom’ stage begins, which can visually be seen as slightly cloudy water. You will now need to start monitoring the condition of the water with test strips or a test kit

Also Read how in 2020, when the pandemic struck, people were selling their fish tanks on Facebook incredibly cheap and how I worked my way through Twenty Aquariums to get to 260 litres.

Popular Community Fish to start with

Getting Fish: Fish can be acquired conveniently from major pet stores such as Pets at Home, The Range, and World of Water, as they offer a wide range of fish supplies.

Pets at Home has developed a handy points system to help you choose the right combination of fish for your aquarium – just check the “fish point value” of the tank you want to buy, then tally up your “fish points” as you select your fish.

Neon tetra

Bright and beautiful, this tiny blue glowing “neon” effect and red fish swim around the upper levels of the tank and are happiest in groups of six or more. Feeding Fish

These small fish are omnivores. They can eat a variety of fine flake food, small granules, live or frozen brine shrimp or freeze-dried bloodworms.

Betta fish

Native to Asia, where they live in the shallow water of marshes, ponds, or slow-moving streams.

Betta fish prefer small pellet type foods. Also brine shrimp, worms, and mosquito larvae. Twice a day.

Black Widow / Skirt Tetra – (Characidae) … Quite nippy.

Note: In a new fish tank that has not been fully cycled, feeding should be kept to a minimum. Otherwise, bad ammonia can build up and kill off the fish inside. A tank takes about 6 weeks to fully cycle.

Angelfish

Angelfish love cichlid flakes and brine that float on the surface of the water. They will also eat some pellets that fall in their path, and even scavenge for food that falls to the bottom.

Adding an algae cleaning pleco

Algae is always appearing on the glass and tank ornaments. Getting one of these should mean you never have to clean the inside of the glass again.

The next morning I could not believe how much of the brown algae had gone, the fish even went up leaves and the glass was spotless.

Feed them sinking algae wafers or pellets, and the great thing is they will also clean algae in the tank. Many owners treat them to a slice of cucumber or zucchini once a week.

Keeping driftwood in the tank is very important.

Cichlids

These are carnivorous and require Larger pellets labelled for Chichlid. Although they will eat other fish food such as algae wafers or flakes as seen in my videos.

When Fish fall Sick

2nd June – My Fish has come back to life 🙂

31st May – My fish is hiding, and jerky and goes into spasms. The fish was also not eating and had picked up a disease.

What I used:

• Disease Clear by King British – Effective treatment for most bacterial and fungal infections.
• STRESS COAT with the healing power of Aloe Vera.

25th May – TANK CYCLING – My Aquarium is spiking Nitrate and nitrites after going for 6 weeks, it is now in the final stage of cycling. So I am currently doing a 15% water change on a daily basis. Along with water tests using test strips.

Unfortunately, I woke up to find one of my first fish was lying still on the gravel floor, sadly it had passed away :

I then carried out a 5 in 1 water test which measures pH, Nitrite, Nitrate, Carbonate & general hardness. It showed all levels were higher and confirms it is in the final stage of Cycling an Aquarium. Buy a test kit here