The Complete Idiot's Guide to Setting Up a Freshwater Aquarium

In starting in the aquarium hobby, a friend suggested I read what he called "A really good book for beginners." Well, before I bought a thing, I read the entire book, each and every page. It turned out that I could correct problems before they became problems! Now that I have owned my aquarium for two years and have become more experienced, I suggest this book to others. If I were to own only one book about aquariums and fish, this would definately be it! Thanks to Mike for this interesting and easy to understand book... I flew through it and learned something new with each page!

if you are inexperienced with aquariums, you must purchase this book before you do ANYHTING! The author doesn't load you down with fish-geek formula...instead, he brings you through practical steps of setting up an aquarium, and explains the logic behind them. He explains how to care for your tank, what products are best, etc., etc...i would have done everything wrong without this book! Again, it is a must that you own this book if you are a beginner in this hobby...thanks Mike.

If only I had bought this book a few weeks earlier. I am a newcomer to this fishkeeping business and set up my first aquarium (125 gal.) with the help of some "expert" friends who have been doing this for years. I expected to lose some of my first fish during the "break in cycle", but did they all have to be the really expensive ones? If I would have had Mike's book beforehand, not only would I have saved myself some serious money, but my new-found fish friends would have been much happier too!Thanks to Mike Wickham for writing a book that is concise, easy to read, extremely informative and simple to understand and apply (not to mention being humorous along the way). It covers a wide range of topics; from equipment selection to water chemistry to fish diseases, to mention just a few. It provides you with enough information so that you can comfortably select exactly what will work best for your individual needs. With his help, even the beginning idiot (like me) can create and maintian a healthy and beautiful environment for our new aquatic family.

This book should be read by amateur aquariasts. Wickham begins with a discussion of the benefits of owning an aquarium, from aesthetics to environmental preservation. He then covers in detail the procedure for setting up an aquarium. It includes selecting a tank, choosing gravel, thermometers, lighting, etc. The third part of the book covers those aquatic plants and animals (fishes, arthropods, etc.) that are suitable for the beginner. He even gives advice on the proper transportation of aquatic plants and animals. Part four discusses proper maintenance of the aquarium's equipment and water. Wickham even divides these procedures into daily, weekly, bimonthly, and monthly routines. Part five discusses disease, algae, and other dangers that threaten plants and animals. Wickham concludes with an appendix of additional resources for the aquarium enthusiast. Overall, I am very impressed with this book. It will be reread and referenced often as I progress in my hobby of maintaining a freshwater aquarium.

I have had a fish tank for 3 years. I also have bought 4 books on keeping fish. This book was the easiest read. The humor makes all the facts and figures easy to understand and digest. It covers all the major topics. I learned more from this book than the other 4 books combined. I would highly recommend it.