Aquarium Resources

In this part of the articles library we have gathered a lot of articles about general aquarium maintenance. If you do not find what you are looking for here, the information is probably located in some of the other article categories. If you for instance are looking for information about general saltwater aquarium maintenance, you can take a look in the category named “Marine Aquariums” as well, since categories frequently overlap. If you are looking for spawning advice, you can find the information in the “Breeding” category or by looking up your specific species in the species database.  

This section of AC Tropical fish have articles that are addressed to the beginner aquarists, as well as articles that will be more useful for the experienced aquarium keepers. If you are in the process of setting up your first aquarium, or if you have encountered problems with aquarium keeping in the past that you wish to prevent this time around, we have several articles where experienced aquarists will provide you with comprehensive guidelines and share their favourite tips for successful fish keeping. We also provide helpful tips about how to choose the right fish store and purchase healthy fish.      

The more advanced aquarists will find articles about less basic subjects, such as why, when and how you should stimulate seasonal changes in your aquarium. Simulating seasonal changes is sometimes used by fish breeders that keep fish species that rarely spawns in captivity. The lack of seasonal changes can be one of the reasons behind a fish’ reluctance to reproduce even in a large aquarium where the water conditions are superb and it is fed a nutritious diet. Tropical fish that inhabit regions subjected to seasonal drought will for instance usually breed only once a year, and that is at the start of the rainy season.

There is also a lot of hands-on information to be found in this section of the articles library, e.g. guidelines regarding basic filter management, how to test for toxicity in aquarium ornaments and how to make your aquarium electrically safe. Combining water with electricity is always risky even though our modern aquarium equipment is much safer than the old types of electrical appliances. It is important to understand that even a comparatively small amount of current can hurt you. If you use a 240 volt supply, a 10 milliamp current that flows through your body will be enough to give you a severe electrical shock. This should be compared to the current in a standard 200 watt aquarium heater, which is usually around 800 milliamps. Currents stronger than 50 milliamps can be lethal to humans.

Some of the articles in this section cover controversial subjects where there really is no right or wrong answers. How do you feel about snails in the aquarium?  Do you see them as appalling plant eaters and strive to keep your aquarium as snail free as possible? Or do you view them as helpful scavenger that will eat any rotten plant material or left over fish food before it begins to decompose and pollute the water? Perhaps you find your Mystery Snails just as fascinating as your fishes? If you disagree with any of the authors, or if you have information or ideas regarding aquarium maintenance that you wish to share, please contact us. We will be happy to publish articles written by our readers. You can also share your opinions, experiences and ideas in the forum.

Aquarium Articles

Aquarium Cycling - A guide on how to cycle your aquarium.
Aquarium Lighting - Learn the basics of aquarium lighting
Breeding Fish - Overview of How To Breed Tropical Fish
Beginner fish - Great Beginner Fish for the Beginner Aquarist
Bad beginner fish - Horrible Beginner Fish for the Beginner Aquarist
The beginners tank - A guide to your fist aquarium
Cleaning your filter - Basic filter management
Carbon and aquariums - Information on the effects of using carbon in your aquarium.
Cycling - A guide to aquarium cycling and how it works.
Don’t trust the staff in the fish store! - A text about why you shouldn't alway trust your fish store.
Dry and Rainy Seasons in the Tank - A detailed account of how to simulate seasons in aquariums
Electrical Safety and Aquariums - How to prevent electrical accidents.
Filtration pro and cons - thoughts about filtration
Fry Growth rate - Thoughts on how to optimize growth in fry.
Fish keeping for beginners - An introduction for beginners.
Aquarium Filtration- Llists and describes the different methods of aquarium filtration, and then discusses their benefits and drawbacks.
Finding the Triggers - Information about how to find breeding triggers in different fihs species.
Fry Savers - Information about fry savers and how to construct fry savers.
How to Buy Healthy Fish - A gew tips on choosing healthy fish.
Making a Pebble Cave - A guide on how to make your own pebble cave for your fish.
Modifying Water Chemistry - A technical article about modifying hardness, alkalinity and pH.
Optimizing Growth of Fishes - The factors affecting fish growth - some may be manipulated, others not.
Setting up a tropical freshwater aquarium - Detailed guide on how to setup a freshwater aquarium..
Reverse Osmosis and aquariums - RO is a way to get very pure water in which fish such as dicus and neon tetras can breed and raise their fry.
Safe Rock and Wood Aquascaping - How to make sure that the materials you use in your aquascaping are aquarium safe.
Selecting Community Tank Fish - A guide that will help you choose the right fish for you based on tank size and experience level.
Setting Up A New Aquarium - Help beginners setup their first aquarium
Slime coat - Protecting your fishes vital slime coat
Snails in Aquariums - The biology of snails. Their advantages and disadvantages in an aquarium. How to keep them in check.
Amazon Biotope Aquarium - How to set-up, stock and maintain an aquarium that replicates the Amazon watershed.
Wall mounted aquariums - Information about Wall mounted aquariums
Water chemistry in the aquarium - Hardness, alkalinity and pH are discussed technically, from a chemistry point of view.