Our Story & Mission
The Tank Guide helps beginners and hobbyists make clear, safe, and confident choices in fishkeeping. We focus on practical steps—cycling, stocking, plants, and gear—designed around aquarium health and fish welfare first. Our tools and guides are tested in real setups and refined by community feedback.
Whether you’re setting up your first nano tank or dialing in a planted display, you’ll find straightforward advice without gatekeeping. Want to spotlight your setup and inspire others? Share it in our Feature Your Tank community showcase.
Ever since I was a kid, I was drawn to aquariums. My uncle kept guppies for years, and whenever I visited my grandmother, I’d sit and stare at them. That fascination stuck with me.
In 2011 or 2012, I caught a marathon of Tanked on Animal Planet. Their massive saltwater builds looked incredible, but freshwater seemed within reach. I decided it was finally time to try again—this time the right way.
I picked up a 50-gallon kit from a chain store. Tank, stand, hang-on-back filter, gravel, lights—the whole package. After hours of assembling the stand upside down, it broke as I flipped it. I nearly gave up, but I exchanged it and started over.
I filled the tank, added conditioner and “bacteria in a bottle,” and waited. A week later, nothing. Forums and YouTube became my lifeline. I tried a fishless cycle, then researched the safest way to do a fish-in cycle and chose hardy rasboras. Watching them school was amazing. Losing my first fish to a bad water change was crushing.
From there, it was nonstop learning—daily water changes, ammonia battles, flooded kitchens from siphon hoses. When I discovered planted aquariums, everything changed. Plants balanced the tank, the cycle completed, and I was hooked.
I experimented with stocking, filtration, lighting, and eventually DIY builds. Life forced me to downsize, but I kept going—bettas, shrimp, CO₂, dirted tanks, even custom sumps. Along the way I borrowed smart tricks from saltwater, like random-flow nozzles, and found pride in doing things myself.
I went from having no one to talk to about the hobby, to meeting local fishkeepers with tank-filled rooms, and eventually meeting creators I once watched on YouTube at Aquashella.
What hasn’t changed is why I keep at it: I love learning, I love tinkering, and I want to help new fishkeepers skip the mistakes I made and find the joy faster.
Outside of aquariums, I’ve also gotten to see the other side of how teachers prepare for their students—especially special education teachers. The sacrifice, patience, and dedication they show left a big impression on me.
It made me realize that teaching, in any form, is hard work. But it’s also one of the most meaningful things you can do: passing on what you’ve learned so someone else can grow. That’s the attitude I want to bring into fishkeeping—doing the work, sharing my struggles, and breaking things down so others can succeed.
That’s why I dedicated my first book to teachers. They inspired me to see this hobby not just as a passion, but as something I can teach in a way that makes a real difference.
Mission:
To make fishkeeping approachable for beginners and inspiring for hobbyists by breaking down the complex parts into simple, practical steps—so anyone can build a thriving aquarium with confidence.
Values:
- Clarity over confusion — Straightforward answers, no gatekeeping, no overcomplication.
- Learn by doing — Encourage DIY, experimentation, and resourcefulness.
- Respect for life — Promote responsible stocking, proper care, and long-term success.
- Community first — Share knowledge, highlight other hobbyists, and lift the whole community.
- Keep it fun — At its heart, fishkeeping should bring joy, curiosity, and wonder.
The Tank Guide is just the beginning. My vision is to turn this into a launching pad for future hobbyists—a place where newcomers can skip the frustration, find clear answers, and get inspired to keep going. I want to grow a community that shares knowledge openly, highlights the work of other hobbyists, and builds confidence through learning and DIY.
Looking ahead, I see this project expanding in a few key ways:
- Website growth — adding more tools and resources like advanced stocking guides, gear recommendations, and water cycle coaches.
- Books — creating more titles that take complex aquarium topics and turn them into easy-to-understand stories, making learning fun for kids, families, and beginners.
- Community features — building a space where hobbyists can connect, exchange ideas, and learn from each other.
Whether it’s through guides, stories, or hands-on tools, my goal is to make fishkeeping easier to understand and more fun to explore—for anyone at any stage of the journey.