I nevertheless remember the smell. It wasnt the fresh, earthy scent of a healthy river. It was the fragrance of failure. Actually, it was the odor of rotting organic situation and $400 going by the side of the drain. If you are reading this, you are probably standing in front of a glass box, dreaming of a lively underwater paradise. I was there too. I thought I had it all figured out. I had the fancy LED lights. I had the designer substrate. But I made a enormous mistake. I ignored the science. My biggest regret was trusting my gut otherwise of an Aquarium Stocking rotala butterfly calculator.

Lets be genuine for a second. Weve every heard the "one inch of fish per gallon" rule. It sounds simple. It sounds logical. It is in addition to definite garbage. That believe to be is the reason my first high-tech aquascape turned into a murky graveyard. I thought my 20-gallon tank could handle twenty one-inch fish. I was wrong. I didnt account for bioload, surface area, or the territorial needs of my livestock. I was blinded by the colors at the local fish store.

I walked into the shop when a pocket full of cash and zero humility. I bought a educational of Neon Tetras, a pair of Dwarf Gouramis, and a beautiful, costly Blue Phantom Pleco. I figured, "Hey, they're little now, itll be fine." I didn't use an online stocking tool.