The most common aquarium mistakes

Is everything you read online true? What are the myths and fables, and what are the real facts? In this article, we'll discuss the most common mistakes in the aquarium hobby so you can avoid them. And hey, if you know of any myths that aren't listed here, please share them in the comments! Let's help each other make aquarium life even more fun!

1. Fish need to acclimatize to the temperature

This is a common misconception! In the Netherlands, the temperature in the transport bag is usually only about 5 degrees higher or lower than in your aquarium. Yes, fish don't tolerate large temperature fluctuations well, but that's not the only reason to acclimate them to the new water.

It's especially important to pay attention to water parameters such as KH (hardness) and pH. These values ​​vary by fish species. Guppies, for example, require a higher KH than angelfish, while shrimp thrive in a lower pH.

To help fish safely acclimate to their new environment, it's advisable to add a little aquarium water to the bag every 10 minutes. This helps them gradually adjust to the conditions.

2. You must use water conditioner!

"Always make sure you use water conditioner in your aquarium!" This is a common saying, but it's not always true. The use of water conditioners depends heavily on your location and the quality of your tap water.

In many Dutch households without copper pipes, the risk of heavy metals in the water is very small, and chlorine levels are often minimal. At home, the tap water is excellent for fish, although it is harder. We almost never use a water conditioner, except when working with expensive fish.

3. Snails are bad for your aquarium!

"Help, there's a snail in my aquarium! This is bad!" Well, that's not entirely true. In fact, we have an abundance of ramshorn snails in our tanks, and they're super helpful! They help eat algae and organic waste.

Snails only become a problem when there's a lot of organic waste in the aquarium. Good maintenance helps prevent this! And if you have too many dead snails at once, it can smell. But if you take good care of your aquarium, snails are more likely to be friends than enemies.

4. With plants you need to use CO2 and nutrients

Want real aquarium plants? Then you're required to add CO2 and plant food! Wrong! As long as your plants aren't showing any deficiencies, you don't need to feed them immediately. Too much unused plant food can actually lead to algae blooms.

Look at your plants: are they healthy, growing well? Then you're doing it right! Use an all-in-one plant food if you really need to feed them, so you get everything your plants need at once.

5. Keeping an aquarium is difficult

Oh, the myth that aquarium care is difficult, expensive, and time-consuming is common. But this is absolutely not true! Maintaining an aquarium is only as difficult as you make it.

If you decide to set up a simple tropical aquarium with a few guppies, it's much easier than using high-end equipment and complicated systems. Keep it simple! This will help you keep everything under control.

And need more reasons to get an aquarium? We've written a fantastic article with the top 5 reasons why you should consider one!

Convenience is key, and that also applies to aquariums. Do you have a myth that's not on this list? Let us know in the comments so others can learn and avoid the same trap!