Fish Tank Guides
Aquarium Snails – Friend or Foe?
Aquarium Snails Snails are a common sight in aquariums. Many people add them intentionally and some gain these ‘pets’ by accident. Snails can unintentionally enter the aquarium in various ways, the most common being eggs attached to live plants. It’s very common to see aquarists requesting an identification on their new shelled friends, often also enquiring on whether this crustacean is a keeper or a pest.
All Pond Solutions External filter (EF range) review
All Pond Solutions External Filters Most UK Aquarists have come across a company called All Pond Solutions by now. They offer more than just pond equipment and cater for a range of aquarium setups too. They produce a range of external filters that have caught the attention of many due to their very low prices in comparison to many other brands.
Aquarium water purifier – Gimmick or miracle?
Aquarium water purifier - Carbon cubes I have seen loads of adverts recently advertising 'Aquarium water purifying cubes' and many people are asking, 'What are they?', 'Do they work?' Great questions! So we're going to take a look...
Seachem Matrix tested and reviewed – Best bio media?
Seachem Matrix Bio media is the most important part of our aquarium filtration system, so it is important that we choose the best bio media for the job. Bio media is where the vast majority of the bacteria that keep our aquariums clean and healthy live. This bacteria converts ammonia to nitrite, then another bacteria convert nitrite to less toxic nitrate. Nitrate isn't very toxic, but it does build up in the aquarium and can become dangerous to our fish in high quantities. So, to keep it low we change the water out in our aquariums to dilute it.
Aquarium Photography – by Aquarium Adventures and Jordan Stirrat
Aquarium Photography As aquarists, we love to show off our fish and our aquascaping skills. With the widespread use of social media, such as Instagram and Facebook this has become easier than ever. But how do you get the best shot of your fish? There are loads of additional challenges when taking pictures of our fish, glare from the glass, fish moving too fast, the list goes on.
Choosing an Aquarium Filter – Quick guide
Choosing an Aquarium Filter For new aquarists, choosing an external filter can be a minefield. Which is the best brand? What size do I need? How many litres per hour should I be looking for? There are a whole host of questions such as the above that are often asked, so in this article, we're going to answer them and help you on your way to choosing the perfect filter for your setup and budget.
Fluval Bug Bites review
Fluval Bug Bites Fluval Bug Bites have been around for a while now and have become a very popular food source amongst fish keepers. Bug Bites are created from Black Soldier fly larvae and other ingredients, to produce a nutrient-rich, easily digestible food for our fish. It makes a lot of sense to create fish food from bugs as, in the wild, bugs would make up a good proportion of most fish' diet.
Aquarium Cycling – An easy and complete guide
Aquarium Cycling If you're new to fish keeping, you have no doubt heard the term 'Aquarium Cycling' or something similar and you're probably either already confused or you're trying to learn what that means. This article will cover every base of aquarium cycling in an easy to follow step-by-step manner, so by the time you have finished reading this, it will all make perfect sense......hopefully!
How to culture Vinegar Eels – Fry food!
Vinegar Eels - Fry Food How to feed fish fry is a common concern for aquarists, particularly if you haven't bred fish before. With the fry of many species being so tiny, they can be difficult to feed, especially as their natural instinct does not tell them that flakes and pellets are food. So what do we feed them?
What Rock can I put in my Aquarium? – Aquarium Rock quick guide
What Rock can I put in my Aquarium? As an aquarist, I have always been aware that certain Rocks should not be put in the aquarium. I've seen loads of rocks in local rivers that would have looked great in my tank, but I have always avoided them as I am no rock expert and would be unable to identify exactly what they were. Many aquarists have thought this for years and you will regularly see lists of rock that are deadly to your aquarium fish. This is why many aquarists spend a fortune on rocks from aquarium shops as that rock is deemed 'safe'. But this week I got into a conversation on this with someone much smarter than I am and was slightly more educated on the topic. So now I'm passing this knowledge to you: "Almost all Rocks are safe for the aquarium".
Epistylis – Fish illness
Epistylis - Fish illness Epistylis is a disease commonly found in aquarium fish. In many cases, it can easily be confused with White spot/Ich, or as a fungus, due to the visual effect it creates on the fish. Epistylis is just as common in the aquarium as White spot and it most commonly occurs in new aquariums. But Epistylis is more deadly than White spot is.
Salt in the Aquarium – is it necessary?
Salt in the Aquarium I have seen a lot of cases recently of advice being given to add Salt to Freshwater Aquariums. This has been given for various reasons, including as a remedy for illness. But it seems that some fishkeepers are adding Salt to healthy freshwater Aquariums. Why? Aquarium Salt is often found for sale in Aquarium stores, and it is ultimately no different to the Salt you use on your dinner. But Freshwater fish are not accustomed to Salt, in fact, in Freshwater rivers, there is very little to no Salt content at all. This means that many freshwater fish do not tolerate Salt in the Aquarium.
Aquarium water changes – How much? How often?
Aquarium water changes Aquarium water changes are vital to keeping a healthy aquarium and a very common question amongst new aquarists is, how often do I do a water change, and how much? Unless you are lucky enough to have a tropical river running through your home, there is no escaping water changes if you want to keep a happy, healthy aquarium. So in this article, I am going to cover the ins and outs of water changes, so that by the end of this you will understand why water changes are necessary and how to work out when you need to do them.
The best Aquarium Water conditioner? – Quantum Freshwater UK
The best aquarium water conditioner A common question amongst aquarists is, what is the best aquarium water conditioner? A water conditioner is an essential part of keeping fish and there are loads on the market, but which one is the best?
JBL Cristal Profi e1902 filter Review – New top contender?
JBL Cristal Profi e1902 Review For a while now I have been planning a filter upgrade. My main tank has been running on a Fluval FX5 for some time and it's getting on a bit now. The FX5 has done a great job, but its certainly time to modernise the filtration a little. The natural choice would have been to get a new FX6, but I wanted to move away from these filters for a couple of reasons:
Aquarium filter setup – for efficient filtration
Aquarium filter setup Filter setup can seem relatively straight forward, with many filters arriving with pre-installed media. You may also think that as long as each type of media is somewhere in the filter, it will do its job. You would be right. But there are ways to make it far more effective.
Northfin Jumbo – Quality fish food for larger fish!
Northfin Fish food As a keeper of Cichlids, I have been familiar with Northfin foods for a while. As a Fishkeeping enthusiast, I am always on the lookout for high-quality foods that contain what is best for my fish. Northfin delivers this. They produce high-quality fish foods that are easily digested and provide all the nutrition that your fish need. On top of this, they are packed with natural colour enhancing ingredients to keep your fish looking at their best.
Aquarium air pumps – do you need one?
Aquarium air pumps - There is a common misconception that this air is adding oxygen to the water, it is, but not as it's flowing upwards. Gas exchange takes place at the surface of the water, so as the bubbles hit the surface and pop, it creates surface agitation. This adds oxygen to the water, and that is great for your fish. Oxygen in the aquarium is vital, despite living underwater, fish need oxygen.
Nicrew LED review – Budget aquarium lighting
Nicrew LED lights - If you are looking for a new LED light for your aquarium, you have no doubt come across options from Nicrew. Nicrew have a range of LED's available for aquariums of all sizes that are budget-friendly.
Dealing with an Ammonia spike – Kaveman Aquatics
Ammonia Spike - There are many reasons why an ammonia spike can occur in your aquarium. One of the most common is that the tank is new and has not been cycled (If you have a newly setup aquarium and arent sure about cycling, give our short book a try, FREE on kindle). Whatever the reason for the ammonia spike, it needs to be dealt with quickly. Ammonia is highly toxic, so it won't be long until you find you have very ill or dead fish.
Maintaining aquarium plants – easy guide from Tropica
A video guide on maintaining aquarium plants from the experts at Tropica
Free fish food! – Feeding fish for free from nature – (2 videos)
Free fish food from nature - 2 videos from Marks aquatics and Mr Andy Woods on how you can cut feeding costs for your aquatic friends
Tannins in the aquarium- The advantages of blackwater
The advantages of Tannins in the aquarium - the blackwater effect.
Feeding Fish Fry – with Mr Brightfryed!
A review of the JBL brine shrimp hatchery and quick guide to feeding fish fry.
