🐟 Setting up an aquarium correctly – step-by-step instructions for beginners

🌿 The perfect start to aquariums

Setting up an aquarium is like creating a little piece of nature – fascinating, relaxing, and beautiful. 🐠✨ But especially at the beginning, the selection of equipment, plants, substrate, and accessories can be overwhelming. Many beginners make mistakes here that later lead to algae, diseases, or poor growth.

To help you get started, here's a complete step-by-step guide on how to properly set up your freshwater aquarium – from planning to introducing your first animals. 🚀

📍 Step 1: Planning is key

Before you even add water to the pool, you should think about:

  • 📏 Pool size: 60–120 liters are recommended for beginners.

  • 🐠 Target stock: Fish? Shrimp? Snails? → Species influence setup and water parameters.

  • 🌿 Plants or aquascape: Depending on the style, you need more or less substrate and light.

  • 🪵 Location: Quiet, not in direct sunlight and with a stable surface.

💡 Tip: Plan your aquarium to fit into your daily routine. A well-planned tank will save you a lot of problems later.

🪵 Step 2: Fill with substrate

The substrate is the foundation of your aquarium. It supplies plants with nutrients and influences water chemistry and bacterial balance.

  • 🪨 Substrate: optional for heavily planted tanks

  • 🪵 Gravel or sand: 4–6 cm deep, well rinsed

  • 🌿 Soil: ideal for planted aquariums and aquascaping

✅ Tip: A layer of nutrient-rich substrate under a top layer of gravel ensures healthy plant growth.

🪸 Step 3: Add decoration and hardscape

Design your aquarium with roots, stones, and caves. They not only provide structure but also hiding places for animals and help to establish territories.

👉 In our shop you will find natural decorations and retreats that not only look great, but also promote the well-being of your animals.

🌿 Step 4: Planting correctly

Plants are the heart of a healthy aquarium. They produce oxygen, deprive algae of nutrients, and provide hiding places.
When inserting, pay attention to:

  • 🌱 Background plants: e.g., Vallisneria, Hygrophila

  • 🌿 Middle ground: Cryptocorynes, Echinodorus

  • 🍀 Foreground: Ground cover plants such as Marsilea or Hemianthus

💡 Tip: Lightly moisten the soil before planting – this makes planting easier and protects the roots.

💧 Step 5: Slowly pour in the water

Carefully fill the aquarium with temperate tap water (preferably over a plate or a plastic bag to avoid disturbing the substrate).
Use a water purifier to neutralize chlorine and heavy metals.

👉 You can find suitable water purifiers in our shop – ideal for a safe start.

🔄 Step 6: Putting the technology into operation

Even if you don't sell technology yourself, these points are important for beginners:

  • 💡 Lighting: 6–8 hours daily

  • 🪵 Filter: run continuously

  • 🌡️ Heater: Adjust the temperature to the needs of the inhabitants

💡 Tip: Let the aquarium run for at least 3-4 weeks without animals . During this time, beneficial bacteria will develop that break down pollutants.

🐌 Step 7: Introduce the first inhabitants

After the initial setup phase, you can introduce the first inhabitants. Start with robust species like shrimp or snails. They help break down biofilms and stabilize the ecosystem.

👉 In our shop you will find a wide selection of useful invertebrates that will support your aquarium from the very beginning.

🧠 Step 8: Be patient and observe

The first few weeks are crucial: water parameters can fluctuate, plants need to adapt, and the ecosystem stabilizes. Observe your tank regularly and intervene only gently.

✅ Conclusion: Planning leads to the perfect aquarium

Setting up an aquarium isn't rocket science – it just requires patience, planning, and the right approach. If you proceed step by step, nothing stands in the way of a stable, healthy, and beautiful aquarium. 🌿🐠

👉 Discover water purifiers, decorations and invertebrates in our shop that will optimally support you when you get started.

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