How I Set Up My First Planted Tank (And What I Wish Someone Had Told Me)
I’m looking at a large 55-gallon tank sitting in my garage that my friend was about to throw away and I said, “What could go wrong?” Yeah, famous last words.…
Why I’m Obsessed with 5-Gallon Tanks (And You Should Be Too)
You know what’s funny? Most people assume the larger the tank, the simpler the task; however, I’ve found that my five-gallon setups (a 5-gallon-betta-tank-aquascape-creating-a-perfect-micro-habitat-for-your-betta-2/”>5-gallon-masterpiece-creating-an-award-winning-nano-planted-aquascape/”>5-gallon-betta-tank-aquascape-creating-a-perfect-micro-habitat-for-your-betta-2/”>5-gallon-masterpiece-creating-an-award-winning-nano-planted-aquascape/”>5-gallon) have taught me more about aquascaping…
Aquarium Plant Maintenance Schedule and What Weekly Care Looks Like
Establishing a planted tank is one thing. Maintaining that tank is something else entirely. More often than not the tanks that stay stable long term have a predictable weekly maintenance…
How to Remove Dead Leaves From Aquarium Plants Without Making a Mess
It’s easy to look at those brown or yellow leaves decorating your aquarium plants and decide to leave them be for now. After all, there’s no need to stress your…
Aquarium Plant Supplements and Whether Extra Additives Are Worth the Money
Walk into any aquarium shop and you’ll be forgiven for thinking you’ve stumbled into a chemistry lab’s marketing department. Bottles upon bottles of every imaginable supplement promising faster growth, healthier…
How to Keep Live Plants in an Aquarium Looking Good Long Term
You spend ages getting your planted tank looking exactly how you want it too. Your carpet plants are spreading into the open areas, your stem plants are growing vibrant red…
Water Changes in a Planted Aquarium and How Often You Actually Need Them
Arguably no topic causes more debate and argument amongst aquarists than water changes in planted aquariums. One website will tell you to change 50% every week, another that you never…
The Complete Guide to Cleaning and Maintaining Aquarium Plants
# The Complete Guide to Cleaning and Maintaining Aquarium Plants > **TL;DR: Start Here** > > **Three foundational steps:** First, establish a proper trimming routine using clean, sharp scissors to…
Saltwater Aquarium Plants and Whether They Actually Exist or You’re Thinking of Macroalgae
One of the first questions I had when I started getting serious about marine aquariums was “what can I grow”? After years of successfully keeping “okay” freshwater plants, I wanted…
Planted Marine Aquarium and What Growing Plants in Salt Water Really Involves
When people think planted tanks, they automatically assume freshwater tanks with carpeting plants and CO2 dosing. However, there is a whole world of marine planted aquariums that I knew nothing…
Reef Aquarium Plants and the Difference Between True Plants and Coral
I’ll admit that when I started looking into reef tanks, I spent countless hours looking at pictures of gorgeous coral reefs completely enamored. “Coral trees? Brain coral? These things look…
Mangrove Plants in an Aquarium and Setting Up a Brackish or Marine Refugium
Keep mangroves! That’s right you vegetarians who inhale Marineland® vegetable slickcover™. I know mangroves seem intimidating, reserved for people with saltwater fishrooms and money to burn. I thought so too…
12 Aquatic Mosses That Changed How I Think About Underwater Landscapes (Plus My Biggest Moss Disasters)
To make myself sound less like a total geek, I need to confess that I have over 300 photos of moss on my phone. This isn’t aquarium moss; this is…
Chaetomorpha in a Saltwater Aquarium and the Macroalgae That Doubles as Filtration
Living in San Jose means your flats aren’t always big. After setting up my reef in just four square feet of living space, I learned to appreciate every piece of…
The Complete Guide to Setting Up a Planted Aquarium From Scratch
# The Complete Guide to Setting Up a Planted Aquarium From Scratch > **TL;DR: Start Here** > > Set up your planted aquarium in three foundational steps: First, establish proper…
The Complete Guide to Growing and Caring for Aquarium Plants
# The Complete Guide to Growing and Caring for Aquarium Plants ## TL;DR: Start Here > **The Essential Three Steps for Plant Success:** > 1. **Get the basics right first**:…
The Complete Guide to Keeping Terrestrial Plants in Your Aquarium
> **TL;DR: Start Here** > > Getting terrestrial plants to work in your aquarium comes down to understanding what survives partial submersion and what doesn’t. Start with pothos cuttings rooted…
The Complete Guide to Planting Specific Aquarium Plants the Right Way
# The Complete Guide to Planting Specific Aquarium Plants the Right Way > **TL;DR: Start Here** > > 1. **Remove all rockwool from store-bought plants** and trim damaged roots before…
The Complete Guide to Dealing With Algae on Aquarium Plants
# The Complete Guide to Dealing With Algae on Aquarium Plants > **TL;DR: Start Here** > > 1. **Prevention first**: Start new planted tanks with 4-6 hours of light daily,…
Caulerpa in a Saltwater Tank and Why Some Countries Have Banned It
Many people who have spent time on saltwater aquarium forums or watching YouTube videos about marine tank setups are probably familiar with Caulerpa. Often touted as one of the best…
Reef Tank Hardscape and Building a Foundation for Coral and Macroalgae
Building your reef tank hardscape correctly is what decides if your corals will flourish or suffer for the coming years. Do it wrong and you’ll be battling algae outbreaks for…
Marine Refugium Plants and How a Separate Growing Chamber Cleans Your Water
Marine Refugium Plants: How a Separate Growing Chamber Cleans Your Water The first time I actually watched my refugium working I was astounded by how effective it was. This thing…
Saltwater vs Freshwater Planted Aquariums and Why the Approaches Are Completely Different
Saltwater vs Freshwater Planted Aquariums (and why the approaches are completely different) I stopped dead the first time I walked past a proper reef tank display. Here were corals swaying…
Red Macroalgae in a Saltwater Display Tank and the Species That Actually Look Good
While many reef keepers associate macroalgae with refugiums, not display tanks. Growing it out of sight in its own chamber and utilising it to pull nutrients without competing with their…
The Complete Guide to Saltwater and Marine Aquarium Plants
Saltwater Aquarium Plants: The Honest Beginner’s Guide (& What Works) TL;DR: Click Here Plant keeps turning brown in saltwater? Want marine aquarium plants that actually work? Add Chaetomorpha to your…