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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

Does CADE Make Good Aquariums for Beginners?

Choosing the right aquarium system as a beginner can be an overwhelming task. The honest truth is that this decision has the potential
Read More about Does CADE Make Good Aquariums for Beginners?

Ultimate Galaxy Pack

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
Read More about Introducing the Ultimate Galaxy Pack

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
Read More about Sand Stirrers and Detritivores in Reef Aquaria

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
Read More about The Nitrogen Cycle: Part Three (Denitrifiers)

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
Read More about The Nitrogen Cycle: Part Two (Nitrite Oxidizers)

Using the Aquarium Cycle Kit

One of the more fundamental tasks one must undertake when maintaining a saltwater aquarium is controlling nitrogenous waste. Most
Read More about Using the Aquarium Cycle Kit

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
Read More about Tuxedo Urchins for Hair Algae Control

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
Read More about Do I Need a Protein Skimmer?

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
Read More about Building and Maintaining a Peninsula Tank

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
Read More about Upgrading to the ULTIMATE Refugium Starter Pack

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
Read More about Natural Water Quality Management for Non-Photosynthetic Reef Aquaria

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
Read More about What Do I Need for a Saltwater Fish Tank?

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
Read More about 3 Saltwater Aquarium Pests

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
Read More about 4 Macroalgae for Beginners

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
Read More about Utilizing the Peppermint Shrimp for General Tank Clean-Up

a Beautiful Scopas Tang

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
Read More about 5 Overlooked Algae-Eaters

Aiptasia Anemones can be a horrible pest

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
Read More about How to Get Rid of Aiptasia

Green Bubble Algae

Identifying Saltwater Algaes

Hundreds or even thousands of species of microalgae and photosynthetic bacteria may appear in your aquarium. Before treating any type
Read More about Identifying Saltwater Algaes

There are tons of useful tools for aquarium maintenance

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.
Read More about Aquarium Maintenance 101

A healthy Reef is a beautiful thing!

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
Read More about Are Water Changes REALLY Necessary?

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