Patience in the aquarium hobby
By Aram Schneider Published Updated
Translated from German with AI assistance and reviewed by our editors.
"Patience is the most important virtue of the aquarist" - is a common saying. Does that also hold true for modern aquariums equipped with a lot of high-tech? Or is it simply a relic of times gone by? We offer a few thoughts on this.
The aquarium as a dynamic object
An aquascape at the perfect moment (final shot).
Especially in aquascaping, where dreamlike photos of aquatic landscape designs can often be seen on the internet, these are usually snapshots of an aquarium shining in its most beautiful bloom. What many aquarists forget, however, is that an aquarium is a dynamic object. It changes and develops every day. So it takes time to develop before it reaches this "perfect" state. Not only that: the state will not last either, because development continues afterward. To keep an aquarium, and an aquascape in particular, in a certain form, certain maintenance measures are then necessary.
The same aquascape at the beginning, shortly after setup.
As an aquarist, you should accept to some extent that aquariums are simply not paintings to be hung in the living room. They are more than that; they are living objects subject to the cycle of nature. Beauty and decay belong together and should also be perceived on equal terms. As an aquarium owner you should also accept that things in an aquarium change constantly and that you have 100% influence over a great deal, but just not over everything. Accepting this fact also has a little to do with patience, because some things have to be tolerated, very often even tied to a certain period of time.
The time factor
If you assume that an aquarium is a living object and develops over time, its course can be divided into certain phases. A very significant stage is at the beginning, the so-called cycling phase, which we will look at in more detail in the next section. This time frame is often marked by many instabilities and a certain restlessness that can demand quite a lot from the aquarist. The first goal is therefore to get an aquarium that "runs stably". Exactly when this state occurs cannot be predicted precisely. Individually, it can also turn out very differently. With the completion of the cycling phase, whose primary goal is to establish a stable nitrogen cycle, you cannot yet speak right away of a "stably running" aquarium, though. Often aquariums are then 1 to 2 months old but are still frequently strongly affected by algae growth and still have little plant mass. Only at an age of about 3 to 6 months does a certain balance set in, when the aquatic plants have gained the upper hand and algae growth is strongly pushed back. Balanced fertilization and regular trimming keep the aquarium in a balanced state, taking certain growth cycles into account. A certain stability is reached above all when the aquarium ecosystem can also "shrug off" certain fluctuations (for example seasonal ones) or external events (for example changing equipment, changing the stock). A stably running aquarium is, in principle, the goal of every aquarist, since it causes considerably less work and worry and reduces maintenance to a very low level.
Patience in the cycling phase
When you set up a new aquarium, a great many things happen in a relatively short time. During the cycling phase, an aquarium goes through some important processes that are sometimes not visible but are essential for the aquarium's ecosystem. Above all, this includes establishing the nitrogen cycle, which is relevant for the breakdown of pollutants by sessile bacteria. These bacteria cannot be seen. At most, the various breakdown stages such as ammonia and nitrite, which are toxic to fish, can be detected with appropriate water tests. A "cycled" ecosystem in the aquarium is, however, of particular importance so that the biological processes and the breakdown of pollutants run correctly and the inhabitants of the aquarium are not endangered. In addition, the start-up phase of aquariums is plagued by various occurrences that are very typical of this phase and bring a certain restlessness. These include the appearance of algae (first diatoms, later green algae), possibly also cloudy water or the formation of slime on freshly introduced pieces of driftwood. All of these things are completely normal and often disappear by themselves after a certain time. The aquarist's patience is therefore very much tested during this period.
Patience with aquatic plants
When you buy new aquatic plants, they are not immediately in the perfect condition that you may imagine in your head and that the glossy photos on social networks make seem appealing. Very often new aquarium plants are also introduced at the start of a cycling phase, which then first brings along the typical processes of that period. In addition, fresh aquatic plants go through a development of their own. This depends primarily on the form in which they are sold. Bunch plants, for example, have often already grown in the underwater form (submersed). Potted plants and in-vitro products, however, are usually still in the above-water form (emersed). Here the plant first has to adjust to growing underwater and therefore changes its form. Growth height, leaf shape and also color can thus still change. This transition costs the plant quite a lot of energy, and depending on the species, sensitive reactions can occur. For example, individual parts of the plant can turn mushy or the leaves can be shed. It is important not to give up on the plants in such cases and, at worst, angrily throw them away. With stem plants in particular, new healthy shoots can still grow even from bare stems. With rhizome plants such as anubias, ferns or Bucephalandra, the affected plant can recover if the rhizome is still firm and intact. All this of course requires above all patience, because quite a few weeks can go by until then. Simply provide good growing conditions through balanced plant nutrition and stable water parameters, and the aquarium plants will thank you for it and shine in full beauty at a later point.
Even after a nutrient deficiency or a change in the fertilization system, the aquatic plants need time before they can react visibly. Iron deficiencies can be remedied quite quickly, and after optimizing the fertilizer the plants become more vibrant in color again fairly quickly. Other nutrient deficits such as carbon and macronutrients need considerably more time; a period of about 3 weeks may be cited here as a reference. Leaves or plant parts that have been damaged once also remain defective and often no longer recover. It is rather a matter of assessing the new growth of the aquarium plants. If the plants sprout vigorously again here, you are on the right track, which of course requires some patience.
Patience with algae in the aquarium
Especially in the cycling phase described above, an aquarium usually goes through several algae phases. This is completely normal and at first no cause for concern, since the entire biological balance in the aquarium first has to settle. In our experience, diatoms appear around week 2 and the first green algae from week 4 onward. Manual removal and introducing algae-eating animals help keep the algae in check. It takes a certain amount of time and demands energy and patience to get through this phase until the plants gradually push out the algae under good conditions. An aquarium is quite a bit more labor-intensive during this period than later, once it is cycled and the algae have all but disappeared.
But algae can also suddenly form in an aquarium that has been running for a longer time. They appear when, for example, changes in the environment of the aquarium have occurred or a nutrient deficiency has developed. Here you need to find and fix the cause.
If you can no longer get the situation under control, it is advisable to take countermeasures against the algae. In our guide here you will find a lot of information on how to identify the various types of algae and then also combat them accordingly. Until such a measure takes effect, however, some legwork and of course time are sometimes needed. It is worth investing this, though, since with a little patience you will be rewarded again with a brilliantly beautiful aquarium.