Aquarium How To

I use different plastic bottles and boxes to make aquariums that are easy to setup and simple to care for.

March 30th, 2018
The box's dimensions in this example: 

the length is about 20 cm,

the width is about 18 cm, 

the height is about 9 cm.
9 cm is the narrowest side of this box.
One third of the narrowest side of any aquarium is the maximum length of the fish for this aquarium.
This tank can house 4 fish up to 3 cm each.

1 box is enough to make an aquarium.

I use the 2nd box to make double walls.
Cut the bottom and the top of the second box to make double walls.
Double walls are useful for cultivating algae and to simplify cleaning walls.

Put the double walls inside of the first box.

Add gravel or some rocks.

I made a wooden base for this aquarium.

The base makes it safer to move the aquarium around.

Place a tilted background behind your aquarium.

Add dechlorinated water.

3 liters of water fit in this aquarium.
It is important to add different types of fast and slow growing plants in any aquarium
before adding pets!

Let the aquarium sit for a week or more.

Then you may let your pets into the aquarium.
It's better to start with critters as shrimps or snails, which are easy to care for.

Those critters are fun to watch.

And they are an important part of an aquarium's ecosystem.

Here you see different aquariums.
I set them up all in the same way.

Taking care of simple critters helps build up necessary skills, gain necessary habits and knowledge for more complicated fish care.

Here you can see a pond snail in an aquarium with ghost shrimps.

Most freshwater pets are fine in water of normal room temperature of 70 -78 F all year around.
It is the temperature in my apartment - there is no need for a water heater ;)

I keep and breed guppies.
June 13th, 2018
It's better to start an aquarium with young or newborn fish.

I use a pipette to move newborn fish into this 10 week old aquarium.

Shrimps, snails, other critters, bacteria and microorganisms make any aquarium a very welcome home for newborn fish.

Newborn guppies feed on microorganisms and algae.

I feed all my guppies, including newborn fry, once a day with a pinch of home made fish food flakes or algae.

Reduce the amount of food or skip the next feeding if it takes more than 2-3 minutes for fish to eat given food!

Uneaten food rots in the water, contributing to unhealthy conditions.

I let algae grow on the doubled walls.

The water in aquariums is crystal clear!

Algae, bacteria, microorganisms, and plants are the best filters on our planet and in aquariums.

And they are source of food ;)

I move aquariums weekly to let each side get the most of the light coming from a window, never exposing aquariums with fish to direct sunlight.
Cover aquariums to reduce evaporation.

July 19th, 2018
Time to harvest algae.
Pull out the double walls.

The walls of the aquarium are clean.

Water is clear, plants look healthy, and fish are active.

Daily observation of fish behavior and plant growth are enjoyable parts of fish care.
Observation helps to spot problems and to make timely adjustments.

Use a plastic card to scrub algae from the double walls.

Collect as much algae as you can.

Wash the double walls before placing them back into aquarium.

Feed collected algae back to the pets in aquariums.

Guppies and many other fish and animals, including people, eat different types of algae too!
Algae is a fundamental part of the food pyramid.

Brush algae off the walls as necessary in aquariums without double walls.

This is an over 2 year old, 1.6 liter aquarium.
I don't change water in any of my aquariums.

Move spare plants to other aquariums, use them to make fish food flakes, or share them with your old and new friends.

Sharing is caring.

Every aquarium is a different, unique in it's own way.

Every aquarium is a new world.

And you are the creator and the master of this world with all its dirt and all its beauty.

It takes time to learn and try different things along the way.

You will know your fish are happy when you see it enjoys your aquarium.

You will see something in the green...something that eludes...

Keep looking for it!

It is the most authentic test of water quality and all other conditions in your aquarium.

Here, I see it!

It is the ultimate answer, this time, you play your part right.
It is a newborn baby!

The purpose of life! 

Have fun and happy aquariums :)