Air Pump Troubleshooting
An aquarium air pump is a simple device, but a problem anywhere between the pump, airline, valves, and airstone can reduce or stop the bubbles you see in the tank.
Guides & advice
Aquarium Guides
Cleaning Aquarium Glass
Clean aquarium glass inside and out: tools for glass and acrylic, stubborn algae, waterline mineral deposits, and how often to do it.
Cleaning Driftwood
How to clean driftwood before and after it goes in the tank: inspection, soaking and tannins, when boiling helps, and dealing with mold and biofilm.
How Often Should You Vacuum Gravel?
How often to vacuum aquarium gravel based on stocking and feeding, how to do it properly, and how to treat planted tanks, sand and aquasoil.
Filter Flow Problems
Fix aquarium filter flow problems: causes of weak flow, cleaning, flow that is too strong, dead spots, air locks, and when to repair the filter.
Filter Noise Solutions
Find and fix filter noise: splashing, a rattling impeller, gurgling air, humming and vibration, restricted flow, and noises that signal a hazard.
Ideal pH for Freshwater Aquariums
Why there is no single ideal pH: how pH and KH buffering work, how fish and shrimp respond, what shifts pH, and when to adjust it.
GH vs KH Explained
GH and KH explained: what each measures, how they relate to pH, how to test, raise or lower them, and the right levels for your livestock.
Ammonia Explained
Ammonia is one of the most important substances for a freshwater aquarium keeper to understand because it is produced continuously from animal waste, uneaten food, and decomposing organic matter.
Nitrite Explained
What nitrite is, where it fits in the nitrogen cycle, why it harms fish, how to read a test, and what to do when nitrite is detected.
Nitrate Explained
How nitrate forms, what test readings mean for fish, shrimp and plants, how to bring rising nitrate down, and how to check unusual results.
TDS Explained
TDS, or total dissolved solids, is often treated as a single water-quality score in aquarium discussions. It is not.