Time for an Upgrade! - Choosing an Aquarium Setup When You Have No Idea What You Are Doing

You may have fish fever if...

- You find yourself looking up fish pages on Instagram.

- You’ve been measuring the length of that empty space on the wall in your living room.

- You’ve already calculated the shipping cost of an overnight UPS box from your closest aquatics supplier?.

 

Once you've gotten past your first initial fish tank in all its wonderment you may realize that you´ve become ever more infatuated with your small underwater world and you want more. As you longingly browse the web looking at cool fish (we´ve been there) you realize you have no idea what the difference between a high and low PH is or what a wavemaker does, you also just discovered those extra pretty saltwater fish can’t go into your goldfish tank and that corals are extremely expensive.

Welcome to the fish-keeping hobby! It’s a lot more work than you probably first thought, but fear not, it’s pretty easy once you get the hang of it and only certain fishes and ideas take a lot of extra time. The best part is that your efforts will be completely worth it and, as an added bonus, in the end, you’ll know a lot more cool science stuff than most people!

Saltwater or Freshwater

(So, if you haven’t realized it yet, we are writing to complete hobby newbies, so if this isn’t you then move on to one of our other more in-depth articles or give some tips for beginners down in the comments. We want everyone to realize how cool fish are, let it be known!) 

It is a difficult decision, the beautiful corals or the living moss, usually, you’ll find what you like and end up with most of one or the other, it’s like a home decorating style, but the best way to decide at first is to consider a few points. 

Freshwater can be a Little More Forgiving

Not always, but when it comes to a difference between brown plants that you can’t get to grow, a freshwater setup is the best way to go for a reason. People keep bettas and goldfish in a bowl and they don’t die, that’s the simple version of a freshwater tank. Now, if you are planning to make an underwater garden and create one of those beautiful mossy scapes with pretty fish and shrimp you will need a CO2 system, good lighting, and even possibly need to grow some plants from seed, this could take weeks. Unless you normally practice gardening, we don’t recommend you start with this. 

If you had your heart set on saltwater, don’t be turned away just yet. A simple saltwater setup with really hardy fish (think about those fish you see at Petco) is very simple. The bonus of saltwater is that you won’t need a heater and if you have the right materials put together you’ll only need to be sure to regularly check your water parameters and clean, no extra growing or systems are really required.

Saltwater will be the More Visually Stunning of the Two

While there are amazing freshwater setups and fish, saltwater, in general, wins the contest for color. If you are setting up a fish tank specifically as a masterpiece to display in your home, then saltwater is probably what you want. Freshwater fish come from lakes, rivers, streams, and ponds, these are murky and to blend in, so are the fish, however, we all know that bettas can come in a variety of beautiful colors, and they aren't the only stunning freshwater species. Discus fish come from the Amazon and are known for their large shape and bright colors, unfortunately, this also shoots the price of these rainbow-like fish to as high or higher than the price of some saltwater.

This brings us to the next factor, price.

Usually, a saltwater tank is hands down more expensive. The fish have to be brought in, and many wilds are caught in the ocean because most aren’t bred commercially (it’s hard to simulate the ocean, go figure) and the price of live rock, sand, and the amazing corals you see can be hundreds of dollars or more apiece. As we mentioned, a simple saltwater setup with the standard hardy small guys will most certainly bring the price down, so that really just depends on what you want. A freshwater tank only requires water from your tap, a conditioner, some gravel, and the fish. If you choose to add plants though (or crazy discus fish) it is a whole different situation. Plants need CO2 and in a normal tank, they most likely won’t get enough of it, meaning that a heavily potted aquarium is going to need a CO2 system, some fertilizer, a heater, and a lot of extra time and care to make. If you choose to go that route, well, you could easily set up a full mini reef depending on what exactly you choose to do. 

Choose Your Fish

Once you’ve decided on freshwater or saltwater it is time to choose who you want in your tank. Certain fish are hardier than others and will require a different setup. We’d recommend starting with an easier community tank to begin and once you’ve gotten the hang of it, build from there. There's nothing sadder  (and financially draining) than having a PH spike and walking into a room with a tank full of dead fish, but it happens. 

Here's a list of some of the hardier fish species that come up on a quick Google search. Realize that some species are more aggressive than others and that they can’t all be placed together. Two male betta fish will fight. A community tank with a mix of everything is the best way to go. A catfish will help clean the extra waste left from picky guys like angels, and a well-rounded setup will keep your tank more interesting and always moving.    

Easy Freshwater Fish Species

• Swordtails

• Platys 

• Mollies

• Danios

• Bettas

• Angelfish

• Whiteclouds

• Tetras 

• Zebrafish

• Barbs 

• Goldfish

• Gouramis 

• Guppies

Easy Saltwater Fish Species

• Damselfish

• Chromis

• Clownfish

• Blennies

• Cardinalfish

• Gobis 

• Hawkfish

• Firefish

• Basslets

• Gammas  

• Mollies 

Plants?

A few plants are always a good idea in a freshwater tank, in our opinion. They help to clean the water, regulate PH and oxygen levels, and provide all sorts of beneficial stuff. You can get extremely simple and hardy plants at a local pet store. Realize though that if you get plants, you are probably going to want some form of substrate other than just gravel or they won’t last too long, also, certain fish like to dig up plants. Do a little research on the fish that are your favorite and see if you should even bother with trying to add them. The other problem is that you can’t have too many. You can try, but at some point, there won’t be enough CO2 in the water for the plants to breathe, and then you’ll need a CO2 system (not recommended for the beginner). A lot of plants will not only need CO2, but good light as well, those can get pricey, but they are suitable for any tank you upgrade to most likely, so good light is a great long-term investment on any tank. Lastly, depending on the types of fish and plants you like, you may or may not need a heater. Search for coldwater fish. Minnows, goldfish, and Danios all fall into this category. If you are trying to start out cheap, these would probably be the fish for you. 

Corals?

There are thousands of types of corals and each one is different, while they look pretty, keep in mind that they aren't easy to care for, some even require to be fed. As a beginner, we recommend grabbing some live rock and going from there. Live rock has mini microscopic growths and a whole assortment of other tiny creatures hiding in its cracks. Healthy live rock will continue to amaze you as you randomly notice small snails and starfish emerge from its depths. 

A Complete Setup?

The easiest way to do a tank is get one that's already put together and has all the ins and outs. These are designed to be left alone and to fend for themselves, basically a self-cleaning biosystem, every once in a while you may have to do water changes and some even come with an app to let you know when it's time to feed the fish! These can get pricey though, especially the bigger they get. For travelers and others who don’t have time for maintenance and just want to enjoy their living piece of furniture, these puppies are the way to go! Still, if you choose to go crazy with coral, plants, or picky fish, you are probably going to need to do a little work, but the basics are already there for you.  

Once you have an established tank it is important to keep up with it and learn its ins and outs, you can choose to keep the minimalist version, or you can expand from there, the possibilities are endless once you dive in. (pun intended)