All Posts
Browse all blog posts
Saltwater Aquarium for Beginners: Setup Order, Cycling, and Stocking
Setting up a saltwater aquarium for beginners works best in this order: choose a system and a tank of 30 gallons or more, cycle it fully, then add livestock slowly enough that bacteria keep up.
API KH Test Yellow on the First Drop: What to Record
A yellow first drop on the API KH test is the endpoint, reported as the chart's lowest step: 1 °dKH, 17.9 ppm as hardness. What the count means, what it cannot resolve, and the checks to run before changing water chemistry.
Betta Fish Tank Size: Minimum, Ideal and How to Judge a Tank
A betta fish tank size of 5 gallons is the working minimum for one adult, and 10 gallons is where heating, filtration and swim room stop competing. Judge footprint, not the label.
API Ammonia Test: Total Ammonia vs Free Ammonia
An API liquid ammonia kit reports total ammonia, NH3 and NH4+ combined, not free NH3. What the manufacturer leaflet says, why the same total can mean different free levels once pH and temperature differ, and which checks make two readings comparable.
Cichlid Tank Mates: What Can Live With Cichlids?
Safe cichlid tank mates come down to the cichlid group you keep: dwarf and South American species tolerate far more company than mbuna, peacocks, or the larger Central American cichlids.
API Nitrate Test Bottle 2 Needs 30 Seconds of Shaking Before the Drops
In the two-reagent API nitrate kit, shake the Solution 2 bottle vigorously for at least 30 seconds before its 10 drops, then shake the capped tube for a full minute and wait five minutes. What to do if a mixing step was skipped.
Oscar Fish Tank Size: Minimum Gallons, Footprint, and Liters for One or Two
One adult oscar needs at least 75 gallons (284 liters) in a 4-foot tank; two oscars need 125 gallons or more, and footprint width matters more than height.
How to Prepare RO Water for a Freshwater Aquarium
RO water usually leaves little GH or KH behind, but how much depends on your source water and the membrane. Choose a remineralizer or a measured tap blend, then test the batch.
Aquarium GH vs KH: What Each Test Tells You
GH measures calcium and magnesium; KH measures carbonate and bicarbonate buffering. They are independent readings, so a tank can be hard yet poorly buffered.