Each aquarium has a biological cycle (usually named Nitrogen cycle) that depends entirely on the life hosted in the aquarium. The beneficial bacterial colonies that form in every aquarium are extremely important for the quality of the water and every break in the balance of this bacteria “shield” will bring a decline in the water quality and health problems for the fish and even deaths. Most if not all beginners in this hobby purchase their first aquarium and fill it with fish, almost always killing them, simply because they didn’t know anything about this important natural nitrogen cycle. I killed hundreds of fish before I learnt about this process. If you are reading this before getting your first aquarium, well… congratulations! You are a wise person and will enjoy your aquarium right from the start if you are patient and wait for the aquarium cycling to be complete.

I would offer a free brochure about this vital process in every pet shop or marketplace with every purchase of fish or aquariums.
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So, you are an absolute beginner in this hobby and you want to setup your first aquarium at home. Here are the simple clear steps that will guide you in the aquarium installation process.

STEP 1: BASIC INVENTORY BEFORE GETTING STARTED

MANDATORY: Make sure you have all these items before starting to setup your aquarium:

• aquarium (doooh!) : most if not all the beginners tend to get a small aquarium thinking that it is enough but let me tell you that the bigger it is, the better. There are a few reasons for getting a larger aquarium, one of them being the fact that you will always want to get more fish and plants, after you start to enjoy the hobby; a small aquarium isn’t suitable for fish and overcrowding fish is the first trigger for various diseases and even death. Another reason to get a bigger aquarium is that the large aquariums are more stable when we talk about water chemistry and temperature (they vary slower than in small aquariums – the slower they vary, the better for the fish and their health). Generally, don’t start with an aquarium smaller than 100 liters (remember that the gravel, filter, ornaments and the fact that the tank must not be filled 100% with water already reduce the volume of water available for your fish).

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