The Aquarium Home
A simple approach to freshwater aquascapes
Hey scapers!
My name is Dom and I’ve been keeping aquariums since I was a kid. My aquarium journey started with a simple 15-gallon tank my Lolo (that’s what I call my grandpa) gave me – complete with plastic plants, generic gravel, and other artificial decorations.
It was my first real chance to dive into the hobby and I was hooked from day one.
I thought I had it all figured out. I leaned heavily on an old, slightly outdated book called Tropical Fish by Douglas Gohm – my aquarium bible.
I set up my tank, let it run for a few weeks, and excitedly added my first fish: cherry barbs, mickey mouse platies, and guppies. Things were going great … until they weren’t.
My tank started getting dirty and I panicked. I ended up making three huge mistakes …
- I drained the entire tank
- Scrubbed everything clean (even the filter media!)
- And refilled it all with untreated tap water.
By the end of the afternoon, almost every fish had died.
Over the years, I’ve kept all sorts of aquariums … some as small as 2 gallons, others over 100, some planted, and some with nothing but rocks and driftwood.
Through trial and error, I’ve learned what works and what doesn’t, and I want to make this journey as fun and rewarding for you as it has been for me. I’m all about making aquascaping accessible to everyone, no matter your experience level.
I know what it feels like to be overwhelmed when starting out. You’re doing all the research, watching videos, and reading guides, but there’s just so much information out there and it’s hard putting everything together in a way that works.
And that’s why I started the Aquarium Home – to give you a simple approach to freshwater aquascapes.
I want to help you and new aquarists everywhere avoid mistakes and set up an aquarium that looks beautiful, fits your budget, and – most importantly – keeps your fish happy and healthy.
If you’re brand new to the hobby and want to get started, or if you already have a tank, I want to show you how to:
- Set up a tank that you’re proud of, without breaking the bank
- Choosing and growing the right plants for your aquarium without worrying about algae outbreaks
- Avoid common mistakes like the ones I made, so you don’t lose your fish
When I’m not elbow-deep in one of my tanks, you can usually find me on a disc golf course, fishing in my local river, or doing something new in a different country. But no matter where I am, aquariums are always my passion.
Oh, and one more thing – my favorite fish is the corydoras catfish.
Happy scaping,
Dom
The Aquarium Home 