Building a powerful aquarium in Dive Down isn’t about luck alone. It’s about smart upgrades, efficient dives, and knowing when to invest. If you’re just starting out and want to go from a basic tank to leaderboard-level income, this guide will walk you through everything step by step. Dive Down, developed by Dive Down Games on Roblox, combines active fishing mechanics with idle income systems. The better you understand both sides, the faster you scale. Also check out our Dive Down Codes for more rewards!
What Is Dive Down?
At its core, Dive Down is simple:
- Dive into the ocean
- Catch fish
- Place them in your aquarium
- Earn money per second
- Upgrade gear
- Repeat
The deeper you go, the rarer and more valuable the fish become. Your long-term goal is to build a high-income aquarium and climb the global leaderboard.
Step 1: Buy Your First Oxygen Tank
Before you can dive properly, you need oxygen. Your starter tank gives you very limited dive time. Upgrading your oxygen tank should be your first priority because:
- More oxygen = longer dives
- Longer dives = deeper zones
- Deeper zones = higher rarity fish
Early on, focus your money on upgrading from the starter tank to a double oxygen tank as quickly as possible.
Step 2: Catch Fish and Fill Your Aquarium
Once you dive, start catching any fish you can. At the beginning, quantity matters more than rarity.
After surfacing:
- Place fish inside your aquarium
- Avoid selling everything immediately
- Upgrade aquarium capacity when possible
Each fish generates money per second while stored. Even weaker fish help you build early passive income.
Step 3: Upgrade Aquarium Capacity
Your aquarium starts small. Once full, you must upgrade it to add more fish.
Upgrading your aquarium:
- Increases fish slots
- Boosts total income potential
- Scales your long-term earnings
This is one of the most important investments in the early game. More space = more money per second.
Step 4: Understand the Core Gear System
There are three major equipment categories in Dive Down:
1. Oxygen Tanks
Increase underwater survival time.
2. Fins
Improve swim speed and maneuverability.
3. Weights
Allow you to descend faster and reach deeper zones.
If you want a balanced upgrade path:
- Oxygen tank first
- Fins second
- Weights third
However, once you reach mid-game, upgrading weights becomes crucial for accessing rare species.
Step 5: Go Deeper for Better Fish
The game rewards depth. Shallow areas mostly contain low-value fish like clownfish and basic species. As you descend further, you begin finding:
- Swordfish
- Seals
- Anglerfish
- Blobfish
- Whales
Mythical and secret-tier fish only spawn in deeper regions. The deeper you go, the higher your earning ceiling.
Step 6: Feed Fish to Increase Income
Treats allow you to age your fish faster.
Aged fish:
- Become larger
- Generate more income per second
- Increase overall aquarium value
Focus your treats on your highest-earning fish first. Investing in your strongest units maximizes scaling.
Step 7: Watch Your Oxygen (Very Important)
If you run out of oxygen before reaching the surface:
- You lose the fish you just caught
- You lose potential profit
Always monitor your oxygen bar. It’s better to return early than lose a high-value catch.
Many beginners lose legendary fish because they dive too aggressively without proper tank upgrades.
Step 8: Weather and Mutations
Weather events can apply powerful multipliers to your fish.
For example:
- Chocolate Rain gives a 2.2x multiplier
- Storm weather can apply shock effects
- Mutated fish generate significantly more income
Some players purchase weather effects or server boosts to increase mutation chances.
Mutations can completely change your income growth speed.
Step 9: Server Hopping Strategy
Advanced players often switch servers to:
- Trigger fresh spawns
- Increase rare fish appearance
- Use private server luck boosts
Server hopping increases your chances of finding high-value fish like whales or mythical species.
This is especially effective in mid-to-late game progression.
Step 10: Invest in High-Tier Gear
Eventually, you’ll unlock top-tier gear such as:
- Candy Fins
- Goblin Oxygen Tank
- Anchor and Boulder Weights
These upgrades dramatically increase dive depth and efficiency. Once fully upgraded, you can consistently farm rare fish.
Reaching the Leaderboard
To compete for leaderboard spots:
- Max your aquarium upgrades
- Focus on high-rarity fish
- Prioritize mutated variants
- Maintain constant passive income
- Use boosts strategically
When you reach hundreds of thousands per second, your income scales exponentially.
For example:
- 500,000 per second = 30 million per minute
- 1.8 billion per hour
That’s how top players climb quickly.
Beginner Tips for Fast Progress
- Don’t sell every fish — build passive income first
- Upgrade oxygen early
- Focus treats on your best fish
- Dive deeper gradually, not recklessly
- Consider private servers for better spawn control
- Always track leaderboard benchmarks
Progress compounds quickly once your aquarium is optimized.
Every player starts with a small tank and limited gear. The difference between beginners and leaderboard players isn’t luck — it’s smart upgrading, efficient diving, and long-term investment. If you focus on depth progression, mutation advantages, and aquarium scaling, you’ll see steady growth in both income and collection progress. With the right strategy, even a brand-new player can transform a basic aquarium into one of the strongest setups in the server. Take your time, upgrade wisely, and most importantly, keep diving.