About Tank Start Guide
Tank Start Guide is a dedicated freshwater aquarium resource built for beginners who are just getting started and
for hobbyists who want to deepen their knowledge and improve their setups. Our mission is to make the rewarding
world of freshwater fishkeeping accessible, straightforward, and genuinely enjoyable for everyone. We cut through
the confusion so you can focus on what matters most — building a thriving, healthy aquatic environment.
Our Story
Tank Start Guide was founded in 2018 out of a simple but persistent frustration. When newcomers searched for
advice on setting up their first freshwater aquarium, they were met with scattered forum threads, conflicting
opinions, and guides written for experienced hobbyists who already knew the terminology. There was no single,
reliable starting point — a place that assumed you knew nothing and walked you through every step with clarity
and patience. That gap is exactly what we set out to fill.
The idea came from watching friends and family struggle with the same early mistakes: overstocking a new tank,
skipping the nitrogen cycle, choosing incompatible fish, or buying equipment that was simply wrong for their
setup. These were not careless people — they were enthusiastic beginners who had been let down by poor
information. We believed that with the right guidance, presented in plain language, almost anyone could build
and maintain a beautiful, balanced freshwater aquarium without unnecessary stress or expense.
From its earliest days, Tank Start Guide has been committed to accuracy over speed. Every article published on
this site is researched carefully, cross-referenced with established fishkeeping science, and reviewed by
someone with real hands-on experience. We do not publish content just to fill a page. We publish it because it
is genuinely useful. That philosophy has shaped everything from the way we explain water chemistry to the way
we review filters, heaters, and substrates.
Over the years, Tank Start Guide has grown into a trusted reference for hobbyists at every stage. Beginners
rely on us to get their first ten-gallon tank up and running. Intermediate keepers come back when they are
ready to try a planted aquascape or tackle a species-specific biotope. That growth has been organic and
deliberate — built on the trust of a community that keeps returning because the advice here actually works.
Meet the Expert
Mike Aquino – Founder & Lead Contributor
Mike Aquino has been keeping aquariums for 25 years and has maintained over 50 different tank setups ranging
from nano planted tanks to large cichlid systems. His experience spans a wide variety of freshwater
environments — from low-tech community tanks stocked with tetras and corydoras to heavily planted high-tech
setups running pressurized CO2, and demanding species tanks housing African and South American cichlids that
require precise water parameters and carefully managed aggression.
Over the course of his hobby, Mike has made every mistake a fishkeeper can make — and learned from all of
them. He understands what it feels like to lose fish to an uncycled tank, to battle persistent algae blooms,
and to spend money on equipment that did not deliver. That lived experience is what makes his guidance
practical rather than theoretical. Mike writes the way a knowledgeable friend talks — honestly, specifically,
and without unnecessary jargon. His goal has always been to give readers the information he wished he had
when he first started out.
Our Mission & Values
Everything we do at Tank Start Guide is guided by a clear set of principles:
-
Accuracy first. We only publish information we can stand behind. Water parameters,
stocking recommendations, and equipment advice are grounded in established fishkeeping knowledge and
real-world experience, not guesswork or recycled myths. -
Respect for the reader. We write for people who are new to the hobby without ever
being condescending. Every beginner was once completely lost, and good guidance meets people exactly
where they are. -
Animal welfare matters. Fish are living animals that depend entirely on the decisions
their keepers make. We take that responsibility seriously and always recommend practices that prioritize
the health and wellbeing of the animals in your care. -
Practical over perfect. The best aquarium is one you can actually maintain. We give
realistic advice suited to real budgets, real schedules, and real living spaces — not idealized setups
that only work in a perfect world.
What You Will Find Here
Tank Start Guide covers the full range of freshwater aquarium topics that beginners and hobbyists need most.
Our content library includes:
- Step-by-step setup guides for first-time tank owners, including equipment checklists and cycling walkthroughs
- In-depth fish species profiles covering care requirements, tank size, diet, temperament, and compatibility
- Water chemistry explainers — pH, hardness, ammonia, nitrite, nitrate, and how to test and adjust them
- Planted aquarium guides for beginners, covering low-tech and high-tech approaches to live aquatic plants
- Equipment reviews and comparisons for filters, heaters, lighting, and substrates across different budget ranges
- Troubleshooting guides for common problems including algae outbreaks, cloudy water, and disease identification
- Stocking guides and compatibility charts to help you build a balanced, peaceful community tank
- Maintenance schedules and water change advice to keep your tank stable long-term
Contact Us
We genuinely appreciate hearing from our readers. Whether you have a question about a specific fish species,
want to suggest a topic you would like us to cover, or simply want to share how your first tank is coming
along, we would love to hear from you.
- Email: [email protected]
- Location: Miami, Florida
- Founded: 2018
Thank you for trusting Tank Start Guide as part of your fishkeeping journey. Whether you are setting up your
very first tank or adding a new species to an established system, we are glad you are here — and we are
committed to giving you the information you need to succeed.