If you are thinking about obtaining a freshwater aquarium or already have one, then you need to know about these three obscure problems that can happen with a freshwater aquarium. These three problems are not obvious but will eventually occur.
Nitrates
One of the biggest difficulties I had when I established my first freshwater aquarium was keeping the nitrates less than 50 ppm. No matter how many water change outs I performed, my nitrates were always up there around a hundred ppm.
After much research and asking on fish forums and at the pet store, I found out one of the reasons for high nitrates in my aquarium was I was feeding them too much. So instead of feeding them twice a day, I took the advice of more seasoned Aquarist and started feeding them once a day and only as much as they could eat in two minutes.
This helped cut my nitrates but they were still high. The other source of high nitrates in my aquarium was the decay of dead plants. When I started trimming my plants, when I performed my weekly water replacement, my nitrate levels dropped down to less than 25 ppm.
Less feeding and taking care of my plants proved successful in keeping nitrates at an acceptable level.
Tank Size
One obscure problem I avoided unintentionally was tank size. I struggled with determining which size aquarium I should get. Should I start small or go large. I decided to go large with a 75-gallon freshwater aquarium.
Little did I know that was the right decision. Most people who start their first freshwater aquarium go with a small aquarium. A small aquarium is more susceptible to huge chemistry swings than a large aquarium. These huge chemistry swings can have deadly effects on your fish.
Having a large aquarium created smaller chemistry changes, allowing me to learn about controlling the chemicals in my tank, such as nitrates, without jeopardizing my fish.
Fish Compatibility
Another problem I ran into was to find the right fish to put in my aquarium. Fish are classified as community, semi-aggressive and aggressive fish. The fish in your tank should all be of the same classification or you will have difficulties.
When I did my research on which fish fell into which group, I found conflicting information. The most reliable place I found to find which fish got along with other fish, was in fish forums.
In these fish forums you will find Aquarist who have years of experience and know first hand which fish can live in the same tank with other fish.
If you want more information on how to keep an aquarium, download a free eBook, titled "15 Tips On Building And Maintaining An Aquarium", at http://www.squidoo.com/homefreshwateraquariums or at Your Home Freshwater Aquarium.
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