Karl Kjer is a scientist who has been studying insects for over 20 years. In his free time, he enjoys maintaining his aquarium, a hobby he has had throughout his life. For beginners starting an aquarium, he recommends cycling the tank for a week before adding fish to cultivate healthy microorganisms, and acquiring a water test kit to regularly monitor nitrate, nitrite, ammonia and pH levels and ensure they don't become toxic.

1. Karl Kjer: Tips for Aquarium
Beginners
Karl Kjer is a longtime entomologist, taxonomist and
research scientist. Currently a scientific consultant
and science editor/writer, Kjer has been devoted to
better understanding and unlocking the secrets of

2. insects, insect phylogeny and biodiversity his entire
career; a quality evident in his many contributions
to the field over the past 20 years (1KITE,
Trichoptera Barcode of Life Database, numerous
publications, etc.).

3. When Karl Kjer isn’t engaged in scientific pursuit,
however, he can often be found enjoying his
aquarium; a hobby he has maintained and remained
devoted to throughout the course of his life.

4. As Karl Kjer knows, maintaining an aquarium, an
enclosed, often delicately-balanced underwater
ecosystem, can be a challenge, particularly for those
new to the craft. For those interested in starting a
new aquarium in their home, yet don’t have much
experience at doing so, the following steps may
help make your initiation into aquarium
maintenance just a bit easier.

5. Cycle the Tank Beforehand
Before adding fish to your aquarium, it’s important
to “cycle the tank,” an activity that involves
cultivating the growth of healthy micro-organisms
in the aquarium to create the healthiest
environment possible for your fish. This process
may sometimes take a week or so, though it is
absolutely essential to ensuring the environment is
safe and livable.

6. Constant Tank Maintenance and Monitoring
The levels of nitrates, nitrites, ammonia, as well as
the pH, tend to change in a tank over time.
Acquiring and regularly using a water test kit is
essential to ensuring these levels don’t reach levels
that border on the toxic; those which can kill many
or most species of fish fairly quickly.