Founder & Editor
Shon started keeping freshwater tanks the way most people do — badly, with a bowl and a goldfish that did not last. Aquarium for Beginners is the guide he wishes had existed then: specific numbers to test against, honest costs, and no advice that quietly assumes you already know what a nitrite spike is.
What a 20 gallon fish tank setup costs in 2026, item by item: about $230 on a tight budget, $400–$500 done properly with a stand, and $10 a month to run.
Can you use distilled water in a fish tank? Not by itself — it has no minerals and cannot hold a stable pH. Use it for top-offs and to soften hard tap water.
How to change fish tank water: replace 25% once a week, with new water dechlorinated and matched to within 2°F. The steps, and how to set your own schedule.
Scuds in an aquarium are tiny curled crustaceans that swim on their side. With fish they are free live food. With only shrimp they are a rival.
Snail eggs in a fish tank look different for every species. Identify yours in one table — clear jelly, pink clutch or hard white dots — and if they will hatch.
Why does my fish tank smell? A healthy tank smells like damp soil. Rotten eggs, rotting fish and musty swamp each point to one cause — matched in one table.
Detritus worms in a fish tank are harmless waste eaters. A sudden bloom means overfeeding — and here is how to tell them apart from planaria, which are not.
How many fish in a 10 gallon tank? Six to eight small schooling fish, or one betta plus a clean-up crew — and why inch-per-gallon keeps killing tanks.
How much does a fish tank weigh? A filled 55 gallon comes to around 625 lb. Full weight table by tank size, plus what your floor can actually take.
How to acclimate fish to a new tank: float the bag 15 minutes, add tank water every 5 minutes for 20, then net them in. Never pour the bag water in.
How to clean aquarium decorations: hot water and a toothbrush for most of it, a 1:9 bleach soak for stubborn algae, then rinse and dechlorinate. Never soap.
Pothos in an aquarium is safe for fish and a strong nitrate exporter — roots in the water, leaves in the air. The real risk is the pesticide on the plant.
What temperature should a fish tank be? 76-78°F suits almost every community tank. Bettas want warmer and goldfish cooler — which is why they cannot share.
Ammonia, nitrite and nitrate in plain English — how to run a fishless cycle step by step, and the one test that tells you the tank is ready for fish.
Small tanks are sold as beginner tanks but are the hardest to keep stable. How 5, 10, 20 and 29-gallon tanks compare on stocking, cost and forgiveness.
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