Guides
How-to guides
Clear, ordered walkthroughs for the jobs every fishkeeper faces — starting with cycling a tank properly, the single thing that saves the most fish.
Aquarium Ammonia: What It Is, Safe Levels and How to Lower It
Aquarium ammonia comes from fish waste and rotting food, and the safe level is 0 ppm. What a reading means, why pH matters, and how to bring it down.
Read →Aquarium Bacterial Bloom: How Long It Lasts, Is It Bad for Fish, and What to Do
A bacterial bloom is the milky-white water common in new aquariums. How long it lasts, whether it's bad for fish, water change or wait, and how to clear it.
Read →Aquarium CO2 System: Types, Parts, Setup and Whether You Need One
What an aquarium CO2 system is, pressurised vs DIY vs liquid carbon, the parts you need, how to choose a CO2 regulator, and how to run it without harming fish.
Read →Black Beard Algae: What Causes It and How to Get Rid of It
How to identify black beard algae, what triggers it, a step-by-step plan to remove it, whether liquid carbon or algae eaters help, and how to stop it coming back.
Read →Dr Tim's Ammonia: How Much to Add for a Fishless Cycle
How to dose Dr Tim's ammonium chloride for a fishless cycle: drops per gallon, when to add more, why your test kit won't read 2 ppm, and what to do if it stalls.
Read →Fluval Cycle: How to Use It and Does It Actually Work?
Fluval Cycle is a bottled bacteria starter. What Fluval says it does, how to use it, what independent testing found, and how to tell your tank is really cycled.
Read →How to Cycle an Aquarium: The Complete Beginner's Guide
Cycling an aquarium grows the bacteria that turn toxic ammonia into harmless nitrate. How to do it fishless or fish-in — and how to know when it's done.
Read →How to Treat Ich in Aquarium Fish: A Step-by-Step Plan
A husbandry-first, step-by-step plan to treat ich (white spot): heat, clean water, and the right medication at its label dose. US and UK options included.
Read →Lighting for Planted Aquariums: How Many Hours, How Bright, and Which Light
How many hours a day to run a planted tank light, how bright it needs to be (PAR), and what to look for when you buy one — with where the experts disagree.
Read →New Tank Syndrome: Why New Aquariums Kill Fish (and How to Fix It)
New tank syndrome is the ammonia and nitrite spike that kills fish in a tank's first weeks. How to recognise it, fix it fast, and prevent it for good.
Read →Quarantine Tank: How to Set One Up and How Long to Quarantine Fish
A quarantine tank keeps new fish apart for about 4 weeks before they join your main tank. What you need, how to set it up, and what to watch for.
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