you know what i'd really like to see?

[pica_nuttalli]

a book written specifically for keeping the small aquarium (15 gallons and under).

it seems like all the best books on planting and stocking are written with larger 30+ tanks in mind, but the vast majority of newbies have tanks that are 15 gallons and under. those smaller tanks are some real challenges when it comes to selecting appropriate stock, maintaining water quality, aquascaping, and controlling current flow. i'm wanting to set up a nice semi-open planted 10g according to the books i've read (Walstad/Hiscock), but they don't really have any reasonable landscaping ideas for the 10g! and everytime you turn around, somebody's got a tiny tank with terrible stocking (4 oscars in a 10g sorta thing).

if i was to ever write a fishkeeping book, i'd call it Under 15 Gallons: An Introductory Guide to Fishkeeping




and if i see one more 90-page Complete Guide to Fishkeeping, i'm gonna scream.

 

[scott67892002]

sounds like a idea! best get your pen and paper out!!

 

[Nauplii]

Hi pica, i totally agree! it would be a great idea for someone to do this, many newbies get a small tank, read a begginners book and asume they can have things like sharks in there.. or any fish they choose which is quite the misconception. It would be also more helpful to my job so i wouldnt have to keep explaining to people why they cant have certain fish in the size tank they have
Great idea..
Maybe you should write the book... its given me some thought about doing so also

 

[Teelie]

I have two 30's and a 10g I'd like to aquascape with plants but IMO even a 30 can be a difficult task let alone something like a 10g or 15g. I don't rely on books though. Often the information is outdated or impractical except to a broad general use where I want more specific details.

 

[pica_nuttalli]

i own Peter Hiscock's Encyclopedia of Aquarium Plants which is a marvelous text. lots of pictures, clear writing, and plenty of time devoted to explaining the chemical processes of the aquarium. its also got a pretty functional guide to plant species (insofar as my naive eyes can tell). the substrate section is pretty good too and has some useful charts. there's also several pages detailin some landscaping reciepes that could easily be applied to the 30+ tank.

the only thing i'd say i dislike about the book is that it completely dismisses using a pure sand substrate or sand as a top layer. (and the aforementioned difficulty of applying the landscaping techniques to the 10g)

oh, and it wasn't free like signing up for the forum was.

 

[Silver1]

Hmm, funny you should mention that, I think I saw a book in one of my book-hunting haunts that geared towards smaller tanks. I'll look for it next time I'm out and see.

 

[Ben]

maybe we should make it into a pinned topic first, and then go from there?

 

[LoachLover]

I totally agree, most books are geared toward large tanks, and they just can't be treated the same.

 

[WookiellMonster]

OMG that wouldve been soo much help for me! I started with 10 gallon and did bad stocking returned the fish bought a 20 gallon tank then decided that it would've been cheaper to buy a 30 gallon so i exchanged the 20g for 30g and everything seemed easier. with more fish to choose from too.

 

[Tokis-Phoenix]

Good idea pica!
I think the best thing you could do with setting up small tanks is advising the correct stock and stocking levels for them, most people don't have a problem with buying the right gear for small tanks but most find issues in not overstocking small tanks. It would be good also to do a book on small bracksih tanks too, thats a very needed area of fish keeping