Dustin's Blog — blog

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...

Read Time: 4 minutes If there's one thing everyone in the aquarium hobby might actually agree on, it's that aquascaped carpets look epic and we all secretly (or not so secretly) want one in our tanks. "How do I get my tank to look like that?" is one of the most frequently asked questions when it comes to carpeting plants. Unfortunately, a lot of people jump in head first, can't get a carpet established, and get discouraged without realizing where they went wrong. Carpets can definitely feel daunting, but they don't have to.  If you've ever asked the questions "How...

Read Time: 5 mins “Can I have a planted tank without special lights, fertilizers, or a CO2 system?” This is a question everyone in the freshwater aquarium hobby has asked at some point, and we have good news: the answer is a resounding yes. If you want beautiful aquatic plants without feeling like you have to sell a kidney to afford tech to keep them alive, we've got you.   This is the first of a two part series on which aquarium plants are right for you based on how much maintenance they need. In this post, we'll list out some...