Dustin's Blog — Freshwater Planted Aquarium

Read Time: 5 mins If you want a killer background aquarium plant with a ton of variety, you'll want to Apono-get on board with these guys (no, I'm not even slightly sorry for that pun). This post will give you info on the background/history of Aponogeton, as well as a care guide and a list of some awesome species to try out in your freshwater planted tank. History/Background of Aponogeton Aponogeton belongs to the Alismatids order of plants, so it's a cousin to plants like taro and snake lilies. In fact, some places use the plants' roots for food. There are...

Read Time: 5 mins Have a cool aquarium plant and want another one without having to buy it? You have a way to make it happen. Most aquatic plant species are easy to propagate, and we'll give you the know-how.  What is Propagation / How Does it Even Work?  There are a few types of propagation (sexual and asexual), but when most folks think of plant propagation, they're thinking of asexual plant propagation. So when we say propagation in this post, that's what we'll be referring to. Plant propagation is just growing new plants / increasing the number of a particular plant. Sexual...

Read Time: 5 mins "LOOK a fish tank!" "Can we go see the fish?!" "IT'S NEMO!" Haven't met a kid yet who saw an aquarium and didn't immediately run over to press their face against the glass and ask me what all the fish's names were. If you're looking for a fun family project, a first pet, a healthy outlet/hobby, a classroom pet, or cool ways to teach and entertain your kids, aquariums are an epic option. We've got some tips and tricks to make it easier.  Freshwater or Saltwater Aquarium? For most families, freshwater is the easiest, most readily...

FAQ's and troubleshooting for aquarium air pumps, air stones, oxygen-producing plants, etc. Read Time: ~10 mins What is dissolved oxygen, anyway, and why do aquarium people keep talking about it?  Brace yourselves for a super technical definition.Dissolved oxygen (DO)...is the amount of atmospheric oxygen dissolved in the water. It's mostly introduced through water surface movement, so a white water rapid will typically have more dissolved oxygen than a still swamp. Why does dissolved oxygen matter in aquariums? Simply put, because your animals and plants need to breathe. It's a common aquarium myth that fish pull oxygen from water molecules when...

Read Time: 7 mins Welcome back to part 146,225,453 of aquarium concepts companies like to make complicated for absolutely no reason! You're starting a planted tank and you realize, "Oh, hey, my plants look good now, but I bet they'd look amazing if I fertilized them." You Google aquarium fertilizers and are blasted with dozens of products, ads, and advice forums and none of them say the same thing. Don't worry. Choosing and using aquarium ferts is a lot easier than it looks - and you may not even need them. Here, we'll answer some of the most commonly asked...