Which aquarium is big enough to start with?

You've taken the plunge and are planning to keep an aquarium! 🐠 But now you face an important decision: how big should your aquarium be? The size of your tank is a crucial factor, and it all depends on your personal preferences. Are you a plant lover who loves creating beautiful aquascapes, or do you prefer a bustling school of fish swimming in a vibrant habitat? In this article, I'll guide you through the choices you need to make, so you can choose the perfect tank with confidence.

Let's start with the basics: what do you actually want in your aquarium? This is the first and most important question you should ask yourself. Do you want a lush tank full of green plants and just a few fish, or do you envision a vibrant system with various fish species coexisting in a beautiful ecosystem? These choices are crucial, as they determine the size of the aquarium you need. A good method to help you with this is the Walstad method . This approach emphasizes that larger aquariums are often more balanced, making it easier to create a healthy environment for your plants and fish.

Choose an aquarium of at least 150 liters for a stable ecosystem with fish and plants. A smaller aquarium is also possible, but it will be much less stable; you simply have fewer bacteria as a buffer for your water quality.

What would you like to keep in your aquarium?

Choosing what you want to keep is crucial! Do you want a planted aquarium with an abundance of aquatic plants, or do you prefer a tank with lots of fish? An aquarium up to 80 liters is often a popular choice for beginners who don't want too much hassle.

But believe me, such a size can significantly limit the types of fish you can house. Just think of the beautiful angelfish or discus; they simply can't live in such a small aquarium! That's why I strongly recommend choosing at least 150 liters. This provides the space to create a beautiful ecosystem with both fish and plants. And if you want to unleash your creativity with aquascaping, a tank of 150 liters or larger makes it much easier. Also, don't forget that a larger aquarium allows you to manage water quality more effectively, which ensures a more stable aquarium!

Fish and their space requirements example

To give you a little help, I've put together a handy table. It shows you which fish are best suited to your aquarium, depending on their size:

Fish species	Number for a group	Minimum liter capacity
Guppy	3-6+	40+
Neon Tetra	10-20+	100+
Moonfish	4-8+	150+
Discus	4-6+	300+
Cichlids (e.g. Ramirezi)	3-6+	800+
Platys	3-6+	80+

Looking at this table you can clearly see that larger aquariums are often more suitable for fish that live in groups or need extra space.

Schooling fish, like guppies and neon tetras, truly come alive when they can swim together! An aquarium of 150 liters or more not only offers more freedom for the fish but also the opportunity to experiment with different fish and plant combinations. We've created special aquarium plant kits for this purpose.

Why would you choose a larger aquarium?

The benefits of a larger aquarium are significant! A larger water volume allows you to combine more fish and plants, which is always a plus. More water also means you have a better buffer against fluctuations in water quality. This contributes to a healthier ecosystem and ensures your bacterial culture can thrive.

This is especially helpful for beginners, as maintaining balance in a smaller aquarium can be more challenging. You're much more likely to encounter problems like algae growth , nitrite spikes, ammonia spikes, or poor water parameters in a small aquarium.

Imagine going back to a smaller aquarium, perhaps for your desk. That can be risky, because with fewer liters of water, you're more likely to experience disruptions. It's like sailing a small boat in a storm! You realize that even the smallest changes in your care can have a major impact in such a small ecosystem. Therefore, if you're truly committed to your aquarium adventure, bigger is often better!

Advantages and disadvantages of a larger aquarium

Advantages	Disadvantages
More space for fish and plants, which creates a more vibrant ecosystem.	Higher initial costs for purchase and maintenance.
Better buffer against fluctuations in water quality, leading to a healthier aquarium.	Ask for more space in your home or at the location.
Less chance of problems such as algae growth and poor water values/peaks.	It takes more time and effort to set up and maintain a larger aquarium.
More possibilities for aquascaping and creativity.	More difficult to move if you look for another place.

This table makes it easy to weigh the pros and cons of a larger aquarium. It's good to know what you're getting into before you take the plunge!

Conclusion

So, which aquarium is big enough to start with? It naturally depends on what you want and what you want to keep. Want to experiment with plants? Then a tank of at least 150 liters offers you more possibilities. Want to keep fish that live in groups? Then that size is definitely recommended. Up to 80 liters is great for beginners, but have you ever wondered what kind of beautiful scapes you can create with a larger aquarium?

My advice to you is to think carefully about what you ultimately want to achieve with your aquarium. See what you like and which types of fish or plants appeal to you, and make your choice based on that. And don't forget: if you have any questions or need personal advice, feel free to send me a message! 🤗