The Simple Guide to Freshwater Aquariums (Second Edition) was first written in 2001 and has helped thousands of beginning aquarists get their first aquariums started.  The second edition updates this great resource to cover how fish care techniques have evolved, highlight some new equipment that has since come onto the market, as well as give [...]

Once you’ve chosen the location for your aquarium and your aquarium size and shape, it is time to actually buy your glass or acrylic aquarium and your basic aquarium supplies.  Your local fish store may actually include many (or all) of these aquarium supplies if you purchase a beginner acquarium kit.  But if not, here are [...]

Choosing your aquarium location is an important consideration for your fishkeeping hobby.  Before you buy your new aquarium, you want to spend some time choosing the location where it is going to go.  You want to provide your fish with a stable and secure environment, and as a result want to be sure that you [...]

Here is a handy chart listing popular glass aquarium sizes and their typical corresponding dimensions and weights.  Please note that the “Filled Weight” measurements account for the weight of the glass aquarium itself and the maximum capacity of water for the aquarium.  Actual finished weight will usually be higher as you add gravel, rock and [...]

In this post we look at an alternative to the typical method of cycling your fish tank with fish.  Called Fishless Cycling, it is a method of starting the Nitrogen cycle with something other than fish.
All that is needed to start the Nitrogen Cycle and begin the building of beneficial nitrifying bacteria is ammonia.  Ammonia [...]

Tank cycling is a very important step in establishing your new aquarium, and improper cycling of your fish tank is a common cause of failure among beginning aquarists.  “Cycling your tank” means that you are giving your aquarium enough time to run through the Nitrogen Cycle and establish a biofilter.
What is a biofilter?  Basically, a biofilter is [...]

Popularized by the movie “Finding Nemo” the Ocellaris Clownfish is one of the more popular fish for the saltwater aquarium and make fantastic aquarium inhabitants.
For the starter saltwater aquarist, the Occellaris Clownfish are a hardy and a fun fish to have because of their unique swimming motion and their interesting behavior.  They are not too [...]

Live baby brine shrimp are an easy live food source to hatch at home and are an excellent supplementary food source for small freshwater or saltwater fish, as well as marine invertebrates.
Supplies you need to hatch baby brine shrimp:

Air pump
Airstone
3 ft section of air pump tubing
Baby brine shrimp cysts ()
2 quart or larger canning jar [...]

In times of economic distress, many people abandon expensive entertainment, and turn to less-expensive hobbies and forms of entertainment that keep them closer to home.  Is it possible that fish-keeping and the aquarium industry is able to actually benefit from this downturn?  At least one company is proving that to be the case.  AquariumPlants.com experienced [...]

Starting your fish tank is just the first step in your fish keeping hobby.  Proper aquarium maintenance and cleaning will help ensure that your aquarium stays clean and maintained, and your freshwater or saltwater fish alive and happy.
Regular fish tank maintenance is needed because your aquarium is a closed system.  Your aquarium has a much higher [...]