Chillquarium is a one man idle aquarium from Ben Reber, released 6 September 2023 and usually priced under six dollars. You buy booster packs of fish, drop them in a tank, and they grow on a wall clock whether the game is running or not. Grown fish either get sold for a lump sum or kept so they pay daily ticket money forever. There are 156 species across six packs, and each one can roll Painted, Golden or Rainbow colour variants behind long odds. Steam sits near 93 percent positive across more than 5,000 reviews, which tells you this is a screensaver you occasionally click rather than a game with a fail state.
Resource management and crafting determine how quickly your power scales. This guide covers what to prioritize, where to farm, and how to avoid wasting resources on the wrong upgrades.
Crafting Priority List
The order you should invest resources:
| Priority | Target | Why |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Primary equipment | Biggest damage increase per resource spent |
| 2 | Core build gear | Enables your build's key combinations |
| 3 | Defensive upgrades | Survivability for boss fights |
| 4 | Secondary equipment | Situational options for specific content |
| 5 | Consumables | Temporary boosts for hard content |
Resource Farming by Area
Starter Freshwater Tank
Key resources: Access to Freshwater Friends and Rivers and Ponds fish, first daily ticket income Farming efficiency: Low value per run, but safe and consistent
Focus on gathering materials for Rivers and Ponds pack upgrades here. See our maps guide for detailed area layouts.
Expanded Freshwater Tank
Key resources: 100 fish capacity, enough throughput to bulk open Rivers and Ponds Farming efficiency: Good early-game farming spot
Focus on gathering materials for Rivers and Ponds pack upgrades here. See our maps guide for detailed area layouts.
First Saltwater Tank
Key resources: Reef Fellas storage, roughly 60 additional slots, entry to the high income economy Farming efficiency: Best mid-game farming, worth revisiting
Focus on gathering materials for Rivers and Ponds pack upgrades here. See our maps guide for detailed area layouts.
Giants Tank
Key resources: Giants species, the highest daily income per slot in the game Farming efficiency: High-value materials for late-game upgrades
This is where you farm materials for Freshwater Friends pack max upgrades. See our maps guide for detailed area layouts.
Collection Screen
Key resources: Species and variant completion tracking, a reason to keep opening packs after money stops mattering Farming efficiency: Best resources in the game, requires strong build
This is where you farm materials for Freshwater Friends pack max upgrades. See our maps guide for detailed area layouts.
Upgrade Path
Early Game (Starter Freshwater Tank to Expanded Freshwater Tank)
- Upgrade your starting equipment to functional level
- Craft basic defensive gear
- Save specialty materials, since you'll need them later
- Focus on Rivers and Ponds pack once accessible
Mid Game (First Saltwater Tank)
- Push Rivers and Ponds pack to mid-level upgrades
- Start collecting materials for Freshwater Friends pack
- Craft situational consumables for boss fights
- Upgrade build-specific gear pieces
Late Game (Giants Tank to Collection Screen)
- Max out Freshwater Friends pack. This is your top priority
- Complete your build's core gear set
- Craft endgame consumables
- Optional: upgrade secondary equipment for variety
Crafting Mistakes to Avoid
- Spreading upgrades across multiple equipment: Focus one weapon to max before diversifying.
- Hoarding materials: Use them. The game provides enough if you farm efficiently.
- Upgrading the wrong gear: Check our builds guide before investing.
- Ignoring First Saltwater Tank farming: This area has the best resource-to-time ratio in mid-game.
- Crafting consumables too early: Save specialty materials for late-game recipes.
Resource Efficiency Tips
- Buy both freshwater tank upgrades before your first Rivers and Ponds pack. 300 dollars total buys 50 extra slots, and slots are the bottleneck for the whole early game.
- Farm First Saltwater Tank during mid-game for the best return on time
- Check the walkthrough to know when each resource becomes available
- Match your farming route to your build. Some classes farm faster in certain areas
More Chillquarium Guides
- Chillquarium Chillquarium Overview
- Chillquarium Best Builds
- Chillquarium Tier List
- Chillquarium Walkthrough
- Chillquarium Beginner's Guide
- Chillquarium Tips & Tricks
- Chillquarium Weapons Guide
- Chillquarium Combat Guide
- Chillquarium Boss Guide
- Chillquarium Maps & Locations
- Chillquarium Classes & Characters
Similar Games
If you enjoy Chillquarium, check out these related guides:
- Stardew Valley Crafting Guide: simulation game with similar mechanics
- Satisfactory Crafting Guide: simulation game with similar mechanics
- The Sims 4 Crafting Guide: simulation game with similar mechanics
