Setting up a planted guppy aquarium with no CO2, no fertilizers, heater & filter:
Guppy fish offer an abundance of colors to the aquarium. They live with communities in peace, are available for low price, & need low maintenance.Guppies look stunning & aquarists keep them in large or small aquariums. They are recommended for beginners due to their hard nature. They can tolerate a variety of water conditions. They require a heater like other tropical fish. Filter will keep the water clean & produce currents in the water for aeration. I have setup a basic guppy aquarium, & I am using hairgrass as the carpeting plant in the guppy tank, have chosen a few stems plants & have introduced java fern that is connected to a driftwood. Guppy fish needs shelter & hiding places where they can hide when stressed, & live plants provide plenty of hiding spots for the fish.
I have taken guppies from my community aquarium. I have chosen 3 male guppy fish because my aquarium can only hold 20 liters of water, so there is no problem of male guppies chasing females. All of them have been enjoying their new community aquarium for more than a year.
| Characteristics | |
| Family | Poeciliidae |
| Origin | South America |
| Temperament | Peaceful |
| Minimum Aquarium Size | 20 gallons |
| Food | Omnivore |
| Spawning | Livebearers |
| Care Level | Beginner |
| pH | 6.5 to 8.0 |
| Water Hardness | 8 to 12 dGH |
| Water Temperature | 68 to 78 F |
How to setup an aquarium for Guppies:
Guppy fish can grow to an avg. length of 2 inches in the aquarium. I am keeping 3 male guppies in a 20-gallon aquarium because I don’t want them to chase & stress females in a small aquarium. If you want to spawn guppy fish then it is advised to keep 1 male guppy for 2 to 3 females so they do not stress the females. Also, keep live plants or decorations in the aquarium that can allow females to hide & get some relief if males are chasing them. Also, hiding spots will allow fries to hide from the adult guppies who might eat them.
Setting up a planted Guppy aquarium
An aquarium containing only guppies is a wise idea because they will show their flashy fins & energy when swimming around. Also, many aquarists keep guppies in community aquariums with other small peaceful mates. Do not keep aggressive fish or fin nippers in a guppy tank.
Ideal water conditions for Guppy fish:
The perfect water hardness for guppy fish is from 8 to 12 dGH. Ideal temperature range for guppies is between 68 to 78 F. The ideal pH for guppy fish is from 6.5 to 8.0.
Heater is required for Guppy aquarium:
Like other tropical fish, Guppies need heaters too. If aquarium water temperature is kept between desired limits, then guppies will live in less stress, which will keep them happy & healthy. Use a heater to keep temperature from 68 to 78 F, which is the ideal temperature range for Guppies.
Guppy tank with filter, heater, no CO2, & no ferts
Filter is required for Guppy aquarium:
Setup a filter in the guppy aquarium for cleaning water. Filter can also help in oxygenating & circulating water. Filter will trap fish waste, remaining food & other debris from the aquarium water, & bio media inside the filter will remove toxins from the water. Without a filter, your guppies will live in stress & they might get ill due to poor water conditions. If you want to breed guppies then my advice is to keep a sponge filter that will perform efficient cleaning without sucking the fries.
Which live plants to keep in Guppy aquarium?
I have added some live plants to the guppy tank for offering hiding spots. I am using hairgrass as a carpeting plant. I have added a few stem plants. I have also introduced java fern that is growing on driftwood in the guppy aquarium. Plants will keep water clean by absorbing ammonia byproduct & will offer lots of hiding places for the fish. Also, live plants mimic wild habitat inside the tank that looks natural & fish loves it. Guppies are omnivores so they will eat live plants. Fries can feed on plants as well as other healthy diets.
Additional CO2 is not needed for live plants:
Live plants are used for consuming CO2 in the presence of artificial light that can help plants in photosynthesis that help them in their growth. There is no need to add extra CO2 if you have fish in the aquarium. Guppies will release CO2 that live plants will absorb in the availability of tank lights, & plants will release oxygen that fish will absorb. For more oxygen you can always use a filter or a pump for aerating water.
Extra Fertilizers are not needed for live plants:
Live plants will naturally oxygenate water in the presence of lights. Adding many live plants in the fish tank will help in fast & effective cleaning of the dirty water. Ammonia is released from fish waste & other debris that fertilizes live plants. Plants do not need any additional fertilizers if your tank contains guppies or other fish.
