Free ebook from Gus Brookfield
The First Tank
Survival Guide
Cheap, honest fixes for a healthy aquarium, without the expensive bottles.
Send me the free bookFree PDF. Just pop in your email and it's yours.
Pull up a chair, friend.
If you've just set up your first tank, or you're about to, you've probably noticed two things. Everyone online has a different opinion, and every shop shelf has a bottle that promises to fix everything.
This book is the calm version. What actually matters, what you can safely ignore, and the cheap, old-school habits that keep fish healthy. No jargon, no brand names, and nobody paying me to say anything.
What's inside
From an empty tank to a steady, healthy one
Eleven short chapters, in the order you'll actually need them. Read it start to finish once, then keep it handy for the day something looks off.
- 01
Pull up a chair, friend
Who this book is for and how to use it.
- 02
Before you buy a single fish
The nitrogen cycle in plain words. The one idea every bottle on the shelf is trying to sell you.
- 03
Setting up your first tank
Tank size, filter, heater, light and substrate, without overspending.
- 04
Choosing your first fish
Easy starters, and the fish that quietly wreck a planted tank.
- 05
Your cleanup crew
Snails and shrimp. What they really do, and what they don't.
- 06
Plants that do the work
Floating and underwater plants that compete with algae for you.
- 07
Feeding
Why less is more, plus live foods you can grow in a jar.
- 08
Water changes done right
Five quiet mistakes, and a safe routine you can follow every time.
- 09
The emergency kit
Power cuts, heater failures and the mesh bag rescue.
- 10
Products to skip
What beginners waste money on, and what to do instead.
- 11
When something looks wrong
A calm checklist, and when it's time to ask a fish store or a vet.
Pages to print and stick by the tank
- Daily, weekly and monthly routine card
- Water test log
- First tank shopping checklist
- Short glossary of fishkeeping words
A taste of the book
Every tip comes with an honest catch
Bottled "special" water for a betta is mostly paying extra for something you already have. For most homes, tap water plus an ordinary conditioner that handles chlorine and chloramine is all a betta needs.
The honest catch:
If you're on well water, or your tap water is unusual, test it first. A basic liquid test kit will tell you what's in it.
About Gus
A calm voice in a hobby full of hype
Gus is a long-time fishkeeper with a fish room full of planted tanks. On his YouTube channel he gives beginners honest, practical advice, plainly and without the hype.
This book puts it all in one place, in the order a first tank actually needs it.
Watch Gus on YouTubeQuestions
Before you grab it
Is it really free?
Yes. You enter your email, and the PDF is sent straight to you. No card needed.
I've never kept fish before. Is this too advanced?
It's written for exactly you. It starts before you buy a single fish and explains every term in plain words. There's a glossary at the back too.
My tank is already running. Is it still useful?
Very much. The chapters on water changes, feeding, cleanup crews and what to do when something looks wrong are for tanks that are already up and running.
Can I read it on my phone?
Yes. It's a PDF, so it opens on a phone, tablet or computer. The routine card and logs at the back are made to be printed.
Will it tell me which brands to buy?
No. Just like on the channel, there are no brand names and nobody's paying for a mention. You'll learn what to look for on the label instead.
Your fish will thank you. Quietly, but they will.
Send me the free bookFree PDF, sent to your email.