Taking the Plunge: How to Get Started in the Aquarium Hobby

As much as I love aquascaping, it suffers from one major drawback: it’s kind of hard for newcomers to break into the hobby. To be honest, I think that’s the main reason why more people don’t own aquariums.

I definitely understand why newcomers might be intimidated. Setting up an aquarium for the first time can be expensive and keeping an aquatic ecosystem healthy is more complicated than keeping other pets.

Don’t let any of that scare you off. To be honest, these two factors aren’t nearly as bad you might think. If you want to get your feet wet in the aquarium hobby but you’re concerned about the price tag and the learning curve, then we have a clever solution that will allow you to take the plunge into one of the most rewarding hobbies out there!

Newcomers might want to take baby steps as they venture deeper and deeper into the aquarium hobby. The easiest way to do that is to experiment with nano aquariums. These miniature aquariums are cheap (you can easily set one up for less than $100 if the aquarium is small enough), and you won’t have to worry too much about accidentally ruining your aquatic ecosystem.

Curvball of Nanoreefblog explains it best: “The all in one nano reef aquariums available to consumers today really do provide a great stepping stone into the hobby in an affordable way. I say stepping stone as many of these small aquarium setups will need some modifications as the hobbyist gains experience and wants to make a better aquarium for the animals he/she is keeping.

“In terms of creating a great aquarium without breaking the bank, it’s completely doable – researching the right equipment and purchasing the best gear up front will save a lot of money down the line.”

Think of nano aquariums as training wheels for the hobby. They’ll give you an opportunity to learn the ins and outs of aquascaping, and you won’t waste a lot of money if you make a beginner mistake.

Nano aquariums also act as a rough draft for larger aquariums. Not only do they give you a chance to learn the ropes, but they also allow you to experiment with aquascaping styles to figure out the aesthetic that fits your personality. Can’t decide between a saltwater and freshwater aquascape? Create two nano aquariums to experiment with the different styles before investing in a larger aquarium.

Once you’ve graduated from a nano aquarium to a larger aquascape, there are a number of different uses for your leftover nano aquascapes. Probably the easiest solution is to use the aquascapes as small art pieces. If you’ve got a large aquascape in your home, you can leave the nano aquarium on your office desk to promote a more relaxing work environment.

You could also use the nano aquarium as a testing ground for your next aquascape idea. Add the inhabitants of your nano aquarium to your larger aquarium, and suddenly you’ve got a blank slate for a new project.

And don’t forget about gifts! Giving away a nano aquarium is an excellent way to share your hobby with your friends and family. Nano aquariums are fairly inexpensive and they don’t require a lot of responsibility — it’s pretty much the same thing as giving a person a potted plant. Ideally, the gift will encourage your friend to become a diehard aquascaper and you’ll have a new partner in crime as you explore the beautiful world of aquascaping!