The key to becoming a dedicated aquarium hobbyist is to succeed with your first aquarium. The Simple Guide to Freshwater Aquariums concentrates on providing you with a complete plan and all the information you need to choose and use the right-for-you aquarium equipment and the right-for-you fish and plants: it wants you to succeed. The information is presented in a completely straightforward text that’s easy to read, easy to understand - and very definitely easy to put to good use.
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
93 of 94 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback|Amazon Verified Purchase
My wife and I picked up this book in the pet store along with a 29-gallon starter kit. It might have been better to read the book first, but I lucked out in that there was nothing really wrong with my kit (All-Glass kit with Tetra components). I like the For Dummies books, and looked through the Dummies book, but this one got me with its colorful photos, but is written in very much the same style as Dummies: Cartoons beginning the chapters, call-outs in the margins, friendly writing style, etc.
If you're a raw beginner with aquaria, I don't know what you could need that this book doesn't cover. I think the most valuable unique feature is the last chapter which includes a dozen or so expertly predesigned stocking schemes. Compatible fish are chosen, and the numbers given for your size tank (29- or 50- gallon) to ensure success. We are following the Asian biotope with White Clouds, Rasboras, Gold Barbs and Dwarf Gouramis.
Probably the most annoying thing about the book is that the photos of the fish are scattered throughout the book. It is nice in that while you are reading on more mundane topics, there's a fish photo to remind you of your results. I can see the advantage of this, but when you want to see what a Dwarf Gourami looks like, you have to search through the book. The index lists the fish, but does not reference the photographs! A separate index of the photos would be nice, or, at the minimum, list the photos in the regular index.
The author strongly suggests a 50- or 55-gallon tank to begin with. This is not a bad recommendation. But he realizes that that's not practical for all households. A 29 gallon is his second choice. The things he preaches are regular water changes, no overfeeding and not overpopulating the tank.
Mr. Boruchowitz suggests placing the tank near a floor drain and where a hose easily reaches. I suspect that this is not possible for most people who want an aquarium, like us, to add ambience to your living area. To meet his suggestions, we'd be putting the tank outside on the patio or on the bathroom sink! Therein lies the main disadvantage of a larger tank - water changes need to be done with buckets.
Although he does tell you the correct pronunciation of "cichlid," I wish he had discussed other pronunciations so you don't feel like a fool in the fish store. (Gouramis: Gore-A-meez or GORE-a-miss?). A half page on Latin pronunciation would have been a cool addition.
There seems to be a wide range of recommendations on what to do while cycling the tank. Some experts recommend 10-15% weekly water changes while cycling or not. They argue that letting the ammonia level rise encourages the development of the nitrifying bacteria (this is a good thing - we're trying to do this) and there is little unusual you need to do. At the other end of the spectrum are those who do large and frequent water water changes while cycling to keep the ammonia levels down for the benefit of the fish, and argue that the bacteria will develop fine regardless. Mr. Boruchowitz falls very much in the latter camp, also encouraging frequent water testing while cycling. I guess my point is to be aware that there's a range of opinions on this topic, and you may find that you can be sucessful with less work than presented. (My expert aquarist coworker told me to not bother testing and don't do anything heroic with water changes.)
Other reviewers complained that the author did not focus much on the fish. There are 1000-plus-page books on freshwater aquarium fish, and I believe that this is outside the scope of this book. There is enough discussion of fish to make you avoid problems, and if you follow the suggested stocking schemes, you should be successful. This book is addressed to beginners. Once you're successful with a scheme in this book, you can spend a lifetime researching other fish to keep.
This book also explodes many misconceptions, like that fish only grow to fit the size of the tank, (They grow until the tank is too small to support them, and they die!) and that you must have an algae eater in the tank (the problem is that people use an algae-eater as an excuse to omit proper maintenance, or don't consider its load on the tank).
I HIGHLY recommend this book to someone starting with an aquarium for the first time (and would suggest getting the book first, but when we decided to get an aquarium, we were too excited not to buy the whole outfit!). I only did not give it five stars because there's room for improvement, especially in indexing the fish photos.
If you're a raw beginner with aquaria, I don't know what you could need that this book doesn't cover. I think the most valuable unique feature is the last chapter which includes a dozen or so expertly predesigned stocking schemes. Compatible fish are chosen, and the numbers given for your size tank (29- or 50- gallon) to ensure success. We are following the Asian biotope with White Clouds, Rasboras, Gold Barbs and Dwarf Gouramis.
Probably the most annoying thing about the book is that the photos of the fish are scattered throughout the book. It is nice in that while you are reading on more mundane topics, there's a fish photo to remind you of your results. I can see the advantage of this, but when you want to see what a Dwarf Gourami looks like, you have to search through the book. The index lists the fish, but does not reference the photographs! A separate index of the photos would be nice, or, at the minimum, list the photos in the regular index.
The author strongly suggests a 50- or 55-gallon tank to begin with. This is not a bad recommendation. But he realizes that that's not practical for all households. A 29 gallon is his second choice. The things he preaches are regular water changes, no overfeeding and not overpopulating the tank.
Mr. Boruchowitz suggests placing the tank near a floor drain and where a hose easily reaches. I suspect that this is not possible for most people who want an aquarium, like us, to add ambience to your living area. To meet his suggestions, we'd be putting the tank outside on the patio or on the bathroom sink! Therein lies the main disadvantage of a larger tank - water changes need to be done with buckets.
Although he does tell you the correct pronunciation of "cichlid," I wish he had discussed other pronunciations so you don't feel like a fool in the fish store. (Gouramis: Gore-A-meez or GORE-a-miss?). A half page on Latin pronunciation would have been a cool addition.
There seems to be a wide range of recommendations on what to do while cycling the tank. Some experts recommend 10-15% weekly water changes while cycling or not. They argue that letting the ammonia level rise encourages the development of the nitrifying bacteria (this is a good thing - we're trying to do this) and there is little unusual you need to do. At the other end of the spectrum are those who do large and frequent water water changes while cycling to keep the ammonia levels down for the benefit of the fish, and argue that the bacteria will develop fine regardless. Mr. Boruchowitz falls very much in the latter camp, also encouraging frequent water testing while cycling. I guess my point is to be aware that there's a range of opinions on this topic, and you may find that you can be sucessful with less work than presented. (My expert aquarist coworker told me to not bother testing and don't do anything heroic with water changes.)
Other reviewers complained that the author did not focus much on the fish. There are 1000-plus-page books on freshwater aquarium fish, and I believe that this is outside the scope of this book. There is enough discussion of fish to make you avoid problems, and if you follow the suggested stocking schemes, you should be successful. This book is addressed to beginners. Once you're successful with a scheme in this book, you can spend a lifetime researching other fish to keep.
This book also explodes many misconceptions, like that fish only grow to fit the size of the tank, (They grow until the tank is too small to support them, and they die!) and that you must have an algae eater in the tank (the problem is that people use an algae-eater as an excuse to omit proper maintenance, or don't consider its load on the tank).
I HIGHLY recommend this book to someone starting with an aquarium for the first time (and would suggest getting the book first, but when we decided to get an aquarium, we were too excited not to buy the whole outfit!). I only did not give it five stars because there's room for improvement, especially in indexing the fish photos.
52 of 54 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
I was getting very discouraged (after killing about 1 1/2 tankfuls of fish), so I browsed here on Amazon and found this book. I wish I could give it 6 stars. Everything we beginners do or are led to do, is doomming our fish to a quick demise. If you plan on getting a 10 gallon tank with an undergravel filter(the typical beginner package) filled with a random assortment of fish - you are almost bound to fail. This book will explain why - and also give you recipes for nearly guaranteed success. I wish I got this book a year ago - as do all me poor dead little fishy friends, too, I suspect.
Bottom line - if you are a beginner - GET THIS BOOK!
38 of 39 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
Before I bought my first aquarium, I read several books for beginners, and this is by far the best. Anyone who is interested in fishkeeping and follows the advice in this book will have a successful experience. All the basics --tank sizes (DON'T start too small!), essential equipment, water quality, feeding, etc.-- are covered clearly and thoroughly. In addition, the advice about chemicals and equipment to avoid will save you money and prevent stress on both you and your fish. Finally, the stocking schemes offered (there are many, many options) are like having an expert go fish shopping with you so you can choose the perfect selection of fish based on your preferences and tank size while avoiding the expense and disappointment of choosing incompatible or unsuitable species (e.g., aggressive fish, fish that grow too large, fish that require very special environments).If you are beginner in the hobby, buy this book, follow the advice, and you will have a great experience!
Most Recent Customer Reviews
Very best aquarium book, even after your tank is up and running
I bought this book back in 2003 when I set up my first tank. It was invaluable. I have referred to it many times since then when things come up that I'm not sure what to do. Read more
Published 12 months ago by Spotsmom
Best Starter Aquarium Book Ever!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I had no idea where to start. 24, new apartment, only had dogs my whole life. Couldn't get a dog so i decided to go with an aquarium since there was a sale at the pet store on... Read more
Published 19 months ago by David Smith
This book is definitely not for beginners
I do not doubt that the author possesses incredible knowledge on the subject of freshwater aquariums. Read more
Published on February 7, 2010 by emw
great book, great info
This is wonderful book for beginners. Straight foward, no nonsense, no chemical warfare in your tank. If you are starting out get this book.
Published on August 31, 2009 by ducksinarow
A must read book for beginners!
I wish I had read this book before setting up my first aquarium! Out of 40 fish I bought, 8 died within the first 2 weeks. Read more
Published on April 10, 2009 by Sahra Badou
Great book
Everything that needs to be said already has been, but I wanted to chime in and say that it is indeed a great book for beginners and much more readable than your typical... Read more
Published on February 13, 2009 by Kevin B
Hands Down, The Best Freshwater Guide Out There
This book is to freshwater aquariums what The Conscientious Marine Aquarist is to saltwater: a treasure trove of information and an invaluable resource. Read more
Published on January 4, 2009 by someguy254
Great "Simple" Guide
I am new to the hobby of aquaria and I wanted a guide that would give me just enough information to get started without a lot of extraneous details or esoteric information. Read more
Published on January 4, 2009 by C. Speer
For the clueless
I personally loved this book. I had just killed almost my whole tank of fish, before I figured out that I really needed more information. Read more
Published on December 12, 2008 by C. Glanville
If you know nothing about fish this book is for you!
My father had very large aquariums when I was a small child. Now 30 years later I wanted a fish tank for my child. Read more
Published on December 9, 2008 by colinsk
Inside This Book
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First Sentence:
Because of the fervent dedication of many aquarists, the needs of a new aquarium owner are often overlooked by people already well into fish. Read the first page Key Phrases - Capitalized Phrases (CAPs): (learn more)
Brief Overview of Aquarium Fish Species, White Clouds New!
Concordance | Text Stats Browse Sample Pages:
Front Cover | Table of Contents | First Pages | Index | Back Cover | Surprise Me!
Because of the fervent dedication of many aquarists, the needs of a new aquarium owner are often overlooked by people already well into fish. Read the first page Key Phrases - Capitalized Phrases (CAPs): (learn more)
Brief Overview of Aquarium Fish Species, White Clouds New!
Concordance | Text Stats Browse Sample Pages:
Front Cover | Table of Contents | First Pages | Index | Back Cover | Surprise Me!
Citations (learn more)
This book cites 4
books:
- Tropical Fish by Tropical Fish Hobbyist Magazine in Back Matter
- Introducing Cichlids (Creating a Cichlid Aquarium) by Richard Stratton in Front Matter
- Aquarium Plant Paradise by Takashi Amano in Front Matter
- The Guide to Owning Tetras by Spencer Glass in Front Matter
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