Dustin's Blog — Aquarium Tip and Tricks

Read Time: 12 minutes How to set up a planted tank, tips and tricks for beginners, and freshwater aquarium plant recommendations  This is the start of a two-part series, so buckle up, fish tank people. In part one (this post), we'll help you start a planted tank from scratch. In part two, we'll tell you how to put live aquarium plants in an existing, non-planted tank and convert it to something amazing. Those of you who have an empty tank and want to get some plants going, this post is for you. Here's how to do it:    Step 1: Answer Some Questions, Decide What You Want,...

Read Time: 9 mins AKA: More Than You Ever Wanted to Know About Algae and Then SomeAlgae and pond/aquarium hobbyists have been at war for centuries. It's not always the ultimate opponent like many people think, but it can be a royal pain if it takes hold. Fortunately, we have an analgesic (an-algae-sic?) with the info in this article. We'll cover why and how algae takes over your tanks and ponds, types of algae, and treating/preventing excess algae.  Why Algae Can Cause Such a Headache First off, understand that algae is kind of a plant, kind of not, so you have to...

Read Time: 5 minutes Tips and Tricks for Tall and Vertical Aquariums: Pros/Cons, Aquascaping, Maintenance, and Stocking Tall tanks: you love 'em or hate 'em. There's no denying that seeing a bright column of water with fish swirling up and down and tall plants swaying makes you want one. But do they stand tall against criticism? Vertical tanks have unique challenges and advantages, and we'll give you the rundown.  Pros and Cons of Tall/Vertical Aquariums The most obvious pro? They look cool. Even if you know nothing about aquariums, if you see a big tank at eye level or higher, you're going to...

Read Time: 7 minutes How to Keep Your Aquarium Safe in Power Outages, Natural Disasters, etc: Your Of-fish-al Aquarium Disaster Plan  We like to keep the good vibes flowing at Dustin's Fishtanks, but in light of hurricanes, climate that needs to eat a Snickers, and everyone's favorite upcoming winter weather, there's a topic more folks need awareness on: what to do when times aren't so sunny. It's rare to find a detailed disaster plan in place for most families, much less for aquariums.  If the power went out for a week right now, would you know what to do to...

Read Time: 4 minutes In the criminal justice system, aquatic plant people are represented by two separate yet equally important groups: the fish tank enthusiasts, who buy and love the plants; and the ecologists, who need therapy every time they see them. These are their stories.  One of the most overlooked topics for planted tank beginners is agriculture and fish/wildlife law. If the idea crosses their minds at all, the most common thought is, "It's available and I can buy it; therefore, it must be fair game." Technically, I can buy the pet red panda I've always wanted, but that doesn't mean I'm...