Jun 09 2021
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aquarium
beginner
guide
maintenance
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How to Prevent Aquarium Plant Melt Written by: Tammy (@aquarist_tl) It is very common for planted aquarium keepers to experience the leaves of their aquatic plants turning brown and translucent, which is also referred to as “melting.” This can be discouraging to some, especially those new to the hobby. However, the process of a few leaves melting on newly added plants is actually natural in most cases. As long as the aquarium meets the proper conditions needed for the plants to thrive, they will bounce back! In this article, we will go over the main reasons why aquarium plants melt and how...
May 27 2021
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algae
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AQUASCAPER'S GUIDE TO AN ALGAE-FREE TANK Written by: Gracie Mandel Algae, (or as some of our British friends pronounce it “Al-Guee”), is a pain that almost every aquascaper or aquarium-keeper in the hobby will experience at one point. You invest your time, money, and patience into building a beautiful landscape of aquarium plants and animals, just to be bombarded the unexpected nuisance of an algae bloom. Now, you find yourself with the ultimate predicament: how to get rid of algae. But, you may have forgotten the most important aspect of keeping a planted tank; research. With proper research, you...
May 20 2021
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fish
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Discus Care Guide: How to Keep a Discus Aquarium Written by: Tammy (@aquarist_tl) Often known as the “king of aquarium fish,” discus earn their title through their gorgeous colors, patterns, and variations. Particular strains of them are highly sought after, and some can easily reach a price of hundreds of dollars for just one. Even though this species of fish is so beautiful, they are not as commonly found in the hobby as other fish. This is likely because there is another connotation about discus being one of the most difficult freshwater fish to keep. While discus fish care may require...
May 13 2021
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How to Take Quality Photos of Your Planted Aquarium Written By: Chris (@shrimpery) Aquascaping is a visual hobby. The planted tank is analogous to a canvas, and just like with painting, there is a certain amount of taste needed to achieve a pleasing composition with aquarium plants. While that composition should be appealing to you first and foremost, it’s nice to share it with others. In order to effectively capture the spirit of a beautiful planted aquarium, having some basic understanding of photography is helpful. I’m not talking focal length or apertures here- all of my photos are taken on...
May 06 2021
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How to Remove Pest Snails from Your Aquarium Written by: Tammy (@aquarist_tl) If you’re having a pest aquarium snail infestation in your tank that’s getting out of control, then keep reading! A large number of snails can not only make planted aquarium maintenance more stressful, but it can seem as though there are snails in every spot of the aquarium you look at! Don't be discouraged - this overpopulation is a common occurrence. If you’d like to learn more about pest snails like where they came from or the common types, feel free to check out All About Pest Snails in...
Apr 30 2021
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anubias
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How to Plant Aquatic Plants: Epiphytes Written by: Simon Epiphytes are one of the most popular types of plants in the aquascaping hobby. Although, they can't be planted into substrate like your normal stem plants. Aquatic epiphytes are aquarium plants that naturally grow on the surface of other plants, rocks, and wood. In the wild these plants obtain their moisture and nutrients from the air, rain, and surrounding debris. Epiphytes commonly grow from a rhizome, a modified stem that grows horizontally, producing both leaves and roots. The roots are used to firming attach and anchor the plant to whatever surface they...
Apr 22 2021
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algae
aquarium
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How to Quarantine New Aquarium Plants Written by: Tammy (@aquarist_tl) Most of us are eager to get our newly received aquatic plants into our established planted tanks, but there are potential pests and even dangers that could be transferred into the aquarium through these plants. Many of these dangers can be extremely harmful to your fauna, resulting in the loss of your fish and shrimp. In this article, we’re going to go over why it's important to quarantine new plants before putting them into a fresh water aquarium, and methods to ensure that they’re safe to be added. Before we dive deeper, I’d like to note...
Apr 02 2021
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Aquascapes
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7 Tips to Make Your Aquascape Look Professional Written By: Chris (@shrimpery) Do you ever see a photograph of an aquascape that looks objectively great while still feeling a bit… off? The key elements (healthy plants, clear water, thoughtful hardscape) are all there, but something is undeniably amiss, preventing the scape from reaching the next level. Here are some simple aquascaping tricks that can have a surprisingly large impact in terms of making your scape appear higher quality. 1. Keep your substrate very shallow at the front of the tank An unnecessarily thick line of substrate abutting the front...
Mar 12 2021
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beginner
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plants
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7 Best Aquarium Plants for Beginners Designing a beautiful aquascape can be difficult for beginners. Learning about the specific care needs of each aquatic plant is a start, but actually meeting those needs in practice is easier said than done. Fortunately, there are a number of beginner aquarium plants that are not only easy to care for, but will also make your planted tank look amazing from front to back! Best Foreground/Carpet Plants: Java Moss (Taxiphyllum barbieri) Originally from Vietnam, Java Moss has become a staple carpet plant in beginner aquarium setups. It is easy to propagate, and its tiny green leaves...
Mar 05 2021
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anubias
beginner
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Top 5 Aquarium Plants for Your Breeding Tank Written by: Tammy (@aquarist_tl) When it comes to tanks set up specifically for breeding, they will look a lot different than the typical aquascaped display aquariums that many aquarists strive for. Some may even have nothing but the fish themselves! This is largely because one of the goals for the design of breedings tanks is to be as easy to maintain as possible. It is much easier to keep a bare-bottom, mostly empty aquarium clean because you can see all the detritus that needs to be removed. In a tank with substrate...
