Hands siphoning gravel in a planted aquarium beside a bucket and water care tools

How-To Guides

Step-by-step how-to guides: setting up and cycling a tank, cleaning and maintenance, and fixing common problems like algae, cloudy water and pH.

How-To Articles

22 articles
A planted aquarium with pale gravel and rocks How to Raise pH in an Aquarium: Safe, Slow Methods (KH First) Raise carbonate hardness slowly with crushed coral, limestone rock or small doses of baking soda during water changes,… October 29, 2026 · 5 min read A glass aquarium beside a small fan and a digital thermometer How to Cool Down a Fish Tank (and Fix a Cold One Too) Remove heat sources, add a fan across the surface and cool the room, never dropping more than 2… October 29, 2026 · 6 min read Anubias on the left and an Amazon sword on the right growing in gravel in an aquarium Easy Aquarium Plants for Beginners: Hardy Picks and Tips Anubias, java fern, crypts, java moss and vallisneria thrive in low light without CO2, as long as rhizomes… October 29, 2026 · 7 min read Aquarium with a hang-on-back filter on the rim Aquarium Filter Types: HOB, Sponge, Canister and More Compared Hang-on-back filters are the easiest start for most tanks, sponge filters suit small tanks, canisters suit large ones,… October 29, 2026 · 7 min read Pouring clear water from a bucket into an aquarium Aquarium Water Conditioner: What It Does and How to Dose It A water conditioner neutralizes the chlorine and chloramine in tap water, so dose it for the new water… October 29, 2026 · 5 min read Large planted freshwater aquarium with driftwood and small fish in clear water Cloudy Aquarium Water: Causes by Color and How to Fix It Cloudy aquarium water is usually a bacterial bloom, dust, overfeeding or algae. Match the color to the cause,… October 29, 2026 · 7 min read Planted freshwater aquarium with stem plants, rocks and a few small fish Aquarium Substrate Guide: Types, Depth and How Much to Buy Choose gravel or sand for most tanks and aqua soil for heavy planting, then plan on about 1… October 29, 2026 · 8 min read A planted freshwater aquarium with a gravel vacuum and bucket set out beside it ready for cleaning. How to Clean a Fish Tank Step by Step (Fish Stay In) Unplug the equipment, scrape the glass, vacuum the gravel while removing no more than half the water, rinse… October 29, 2026 · 7 min read Four planted glass aquariums of increasing size lined up on a wooden cabinet Fish Tank Sizes Chart: Dimensions, Gallons and Weight Standard aquariums run from 2.5 to 225 gallons, and you can find any tank's volume by multiplying length,… October 29, 2026 · 4 min read