Like all plants, aquatic plants need three main elements to grow and thrive: light, Co2 and nutrients. As they photosynthesise, plants use the energy from light to convert the Co2 to oxygen and sugars for food, allowing them to grow and propagate. They need a constant supply of Co2 during daylight hours or they will … Read more
Creating a beautiful aquascape with live aquarium plants is a goal for many people who keep aquariums. Not only do planted aquariums look good but they help to create a far more natural and healthy environment for our fish. Plants consume nitrates, phosphates and other excess nutrients caused by fish and food waste helping to … Read more
A heavily planted aquarium is a thing of great beauty and a joy to watch as the plants sway gently in the current while fish dart in and out of the foliage. It’s also far more natural looking than cheap plastic plants and ornaments but how easy is it to start a planted aquarium? The … Read more
When you first start out as a freshwater fish-keeper it can be somewhat bewildering when trying to decide which fish you want to keep. Guppies, Mollies, Tetras, Anglefish, Catfish, Loaches, Barbs, etc. which do you choose? Obviously, most people, when starting out go for the fish they most like the look of but it’s important … Read more
Everyone needs to get away at some point, be it for business or pleasure, and as aquarium keepers, our first thought in these situations is will my aquarium be ok while I’m away? Just that thought can cause considerable stress but we are here to help you find the best way of caring for your … Read more
One of the most upsetting things for fish-keepers is the occurrence of disease in our fish and the most common disease, by far, is Ich (or White Spot). It’s very easy to spot Ich as the fish will be covered in unsightly white spots which usually appear first on the fins and then spread over … Read more
Water, water…all around…water is water,right? Well of course it is…but not quite… The water from your tap is not the same as the water from a river, stream or lake and is obviously very different from the saltwater in the ocean. The water in different rivers and lakes is not quite the same either nor … Read more
Marine aquariums require special lighting if you wish to keep corals. Corals contain zooxanthellae, a kind of algae, that photosynthesizes light into food and oxygen for itself and for the coral… but not just any light… they require a particular spectrum of light… While this is a complex subject and can be overwhelming for beginners, … Read more
Ok, so you’re at the stage where you know you’ll need to dose your reef tank with Calcium, Alkalinity and Magnesium as your growing corals deplete it. Maybe you’ve already tried several different dosing supplements or even tried making your own. You could have already invested in a dosing pump or are thinking about it… … Read more
A reef tank dosing supplement is simply a chemical solution that you add to your tank to replace those used by your corals and invertebrates. The chemical elements of Carbonate (Alkalinity), Calcium and Magnesium are the main ones used by corals as they grow. Regular testing will establish which elements are being used up and … Read more