After working in an aquatic store for many years, there are a lot of different questions to answer but a common group that were often asked are below. 

How often should I clean my tank and water change?

Whilst every tank is different depending on fish stocks, types and size. A good rule of thumb for most freshwater tanks is between every 2-4 weeks and between 25%-50% water volume. A  maintenance routine, testing and keeping an eye on your fish health is key. 

What temperature should my fish tank be at?

A cold water tank should be up to 20 degrees celsius

A tropical tank should be between 24 and 27 degrees celsius. 

A marine tank can vary slightly depending on inhabitants, but 25 to 26 degrees covers most tropical marine fish, corals and inverts.

How many fish can I keep in my tank?

A tricky question to answer simply as types of fish, filtration and maintenance routine will all affect that. How ever a broad way you can work out a freshwater tank stock level is to know your tank volume, half that number and that is the number of inches of length of fish you can accommodate… or to simply demonstrate for example; a 100 litre tank can house 50 inches of fish (roughly)...so that could be 50 neon tetras (1 inch long) or 4 gold fish (12 inches long). This is a rough guide and you must take into account things like filtration, volume after ornaments such as rock or wood that are put in and base it on adult sizes… goldfish may only be a couple inches in your local store but they can easily reach a foot long!

For Marine tanks, similar considerations apply and stocking levels tend to be lower, a rough rule is 2 inches of small to medium sized fish (clownfish, cardinals etc) for every 40 litres of water volume, or 1 inch if it is larger fish (Puffers, Eels etc).

It's always advisable to build slowly towards these levels over the course of weeks or months so the tank can build its ecosystem naturally without spikes in toxins such as ammonia or nitrite, this applies even more so in marine systems. 

What are the easiest fish to keep?

A common question without a straightforward answer, the goldfish has been a traditional go-to fish for decades even though that isn’t necessarily the easiest. It grows large, makes a lot of mess and the fancier ones tend to fall foul of many diseases. But when done right, can live decades as many people will know. Setting up a good maintenance routine is key to any fishkeeping so find the fish you love, do your research and build around its needs and your fish will be happy. The betta splenda, or siamese fighting fish is a great starter fish for people looking for a tropical answer, they look beautiful, aren't difficult to feed and only require small tanks so cleaning isn’t a big burden.

Marine tanks are not the easiest things to get right and the maintenance routine is absolutely key to doing so. Thankfully the fish to dip your toe into is the classic Clownfish from Finding Nemo, hardy as salt water fish go and only require a small setup in marine standards. 

All living things under our care require our effort to be taken care of so it's our duty we understand them and give them what they need. It's why at Clarity we think our care package system can really help properly take care of our fish and make it easier and more accessible for people to get into.

Do I need live plants?

The short answer is no, you don’t need them but they do provide multiple benefits that means it's probably better to have 1 or 2 at least. These benefits include oxygenating the water, cover for fish, absorbing nutrients that will build up as algae, so it helps maintain the tank and provides a more balanced ecosystem. If you choose not to have them, make sure oxygenation is achieved through an air stone or water agitation on the surface (filter splashing).

Is it good to have shrimps and snails?

Shrimps and snails are great to have in your tank as they provide such a good cleaning service, meaning they’re maintaining it even when you’re not. Whether it be eating algae off the glass, picking through food and other bits on the floor, ornaments, plants and even filtering the water itself. They’re a great thing to have in any tank… as long as their tank mates don’t see them as food, so check that they’re compatible.

How do I get rid of green water/algae?

Getting rid of green water and algae can be done using treatments for some immediate results but for a better, longer term solution it's worth looking at some factors. Make sure your lighting is not on too long, 8-10 hours is more than plenty and check that the lights aren't too big or bright for your set up. Turning it off for a few days should help clear green water. Having snails and shrimp take care of algae and anything decaying (which provides nutrients for algae growth) will also really help. Making sure you’re not over feeding, not only does the leftover food help algae grow, it also may poison your fish if left unattended. You can also add phosphate removing media to your filter, this removes the nutrients needed for algae growth. There are also some fish that eat some forms of algae, such as Mollies. You may also consider increasing volume of water in water changes (e.g 25% to 40%) or number of them (e.g once a month to twice a month).

How often should I feed my fish?

One of the biggest mistakes in keeping fish is over feeding, as the leftover food is the cause of many issues from fish stress and illness to horrible looking algae. Only feed what your fish can consume in 5 minutes, if you return 15 minutes later and there is still food, you know you have overfed and it's worth removing the food you can see so it doesn’t rot. With marine fish it's worth noting that spreading the food throughout the day is much better as their metabolisms are higher and tend to require a more sustained food source but the key is trying not to let uneaten food decay. It's also worth noting that dry food loses a lot of its nutritional value after 6 months of being opened so make sure your food isn’t out of date!

Cold, tropical or marine?

All have their unique characteristics but really come down to what you want to see. Cold water is dominated by goldfish and their fancy varieties. Whilst you don’t need to worry about temperature (but please keep tanks away from radiators or direct sunlight) these fish get big and are messy! So make sure your tank is big enough (1 gold fish per 30-40 litres) and you keep on top of the maintenance! How ever there are plenty of smaller fish that do well in cooler temps that aren't so demanding as goldfish such as Danios and Platys.

Tropical tanks can come in all sorts of shapes and sizes as do the fish that can be housed, so variety really is a big plus in tropical tanks. Make sure your set up is between 24 and 27 degrees by using a heater, clean it regularly and feed well and most tropical species will thrive but always do your research as there are some interesting niche choices that require specific care such as Discus or Cichlids.

Marine tanks are for those passionate about fishkeeping and are happy to work a bit harder for it to thrive. It is not the cheapest or easiest path to take but it can be one of the most rewarding. Seeing a colourful coral reef in your living room is quite the sight. A daily routine is a good habit to get into, as fluctuations in salt levels, temperature, pH, nitrate amongst others can be very damaging and costly. You also have to focus on your elements such as calcium, magnesium if you're after ideal coral growth. More in depth information for all types of aquarium set ups can be found here with more content to be added in the future.