Choosing the right aquarium system as a beginner can be an overwhelming task. The honest truth is that this decision has the potential
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Aquarium Maintenance
Building and operating a healthy aquarium system is a lot of work. There’s no getting around that. The only thing an aquarist has some control over is the amount and kind of maintenance that is necessary. More specifically, you can make the task easier and more enjoyable by following certain rules and choosing your tools/equipment wisely. This begins the moment you add your first livestock. Stocking a system too soon or, especially, overstocking, can make routine maintenance a total nightmare long after the initial set-up. Fish in particular can dirty up a tank in little time; without exception, nuisance algae follows. It is far easier to prevent these algal blooms than it is to eliminate them! Beyond this key consideration, minimizing long-term aquarium maintenance is a lot less straightforward. It requires constant and thorough visual inspection, water testing, etc. In the least (and before you even get your hands dirty), it requires a plan! A reactionary aquarium maintenance routine simply swings at problems (most of which are totally avoidable) as they appear. The alternative is a consistent, carefully and thoughtfully regimented plan of action that focuses on putting in place natural controls. These biocontrols help to prevent harmful excesses of detritus and dissolved nutrients--as well as the “bad” algae and pests that these issues give rise to. In this section, you will learn how to prevent common reef aquarium problems (thereby reducing the need for intensive maintenance) by effectively utilizing clean-up crew animals, planted refugia, beneficial bacteria, etc.
40 Posts
Introducing the Ultimate Galaxy Pack
We would like to introduce our newest feeding system – The Ultimate Galaxy Pack! As reef keepers, we know all too well that coral reef
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Sand Stirrers and Detritivores in Reef Aquaria
These days, a pretty good number of aquarists (a majority of them, perhaps) prefer bare-bottom tanks. Bare, as in, no sand or gravel on
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The Nitrogen Cycle: Part Three (Denitrifiers)
Perhaps it is a poor choice of words to say that ones tank “is cycled” in the past tense--as if the keeper no longer needs to monitor
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The Nitrogen Cycle: Part Two (Nitrite Oxidizers)
So, you’ve squirted some stuff in your home aquarium, waited a few weeks, watched the ammonia rise and fall, and now you know
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Using the Aquarium Cycle Kit
One of the more fundamental tasks one must undertake when maintaining a saltwater aquarium is controlling nitrogenous waste. Most
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Tuxedo Urchins for Hair Algae Control
Hair algae is not just one of the common forms of nuisance algae, it is also among the most difficult to eradicate. Indeed, despite the
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Do I Need a Protein Skimmer?
There are a lot of tough calls in reef aquarium keeping. While the focus of attention should be on creating the healthiest and most
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Building and Maintaining a Peninsula Tank
Unlike other types of animal enclosures (bird cages, rabbit hutches, etc. ), an aquarium is a piece of exhibitry. Often, the keeper
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Upgrading to the ULTIMATE Refugium Starter Pack
You might be setting up a brand-new reef tank. Maybe you’re doing some upgrades to an existing aquarium. Either way, you’ll have a lot
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Natural Water Quality Management for Non-Photosynthetic Reef Aquaria
There was once a time when zooxanthellate corals (especially SPS corals) were considered impossible to keep in captivity. Then
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What Do I Need for a Saltwater Fish Tank?
Whether scouting for your first aquarium, or “graduating” from a freshwater aquarium, there is something about a saltwater aquarium
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3 Saltwater Aquarium Pests
There are a few things that any hobbyist dreads finding in their aquarium. Aquarium pests can appear out of nowhere and can spread like
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4 Macroalgae for Beginners
Macroalgae are a great addition to any aquarium. They remove excess nutrients in the water column (such as phosphates and nitrates) and
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Utilizing the Peppermint Shrimp for General Tank Clean-Up
Maintaining a squeaky clean aquarium environment is no easy task. It requires frequent water changes, constantly rinsing mechanical
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5 Overlooked Algae-Eaters
When it comes to your clean-up crew in your saltwater aquarium, you usually will think of snails, crabs and starfish. However, there
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How to Get Rid of Aiptasia
When you're first starting out your aquarium, you usually will spend all day checking on everything in your tank ensuring everything is
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Identifying Saltwater Algaes
Hundreds or even thousands of species of microalgae and photosynthetic bacteria may appear in your aquarium. Before treating any type
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Aquarium Maintenance 101
So, you've set up your first tank and it finally finished cycling and you're just starting to stock it with fish and invertebrates.
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Are Water Changes REALLY Necessary?
We are asked this all the time: “Is it absolutely necessary to perform regular water changes?” Let us waste no time in answering that
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