How can I get hired at a fish store? Every store is different, but when we hire retail staff, we are not necessarily looking for the person that knows the most about fishkeeping because a) there are a lot of passionate hobbyists who know a lot and b) much knowledge is gained after you start working with the other fish store employees and customers. Instead, we are interested in other qualities like how well you work with other people, how punctual you are, and if you're willing to promote the products and values that the sto...

Can you put too much dechlorinator in your fish tank? With Easy Dechlorinator, you can treat extremely high levels of chloramine, nitrite, or other toxic chemicals by dosing up to 5 times the recommended amount within the span of 24 hours. This is a very large range that allows much room for error. Just keep in mind that potent concentrations of dechlorinator will quickly reduce the amount of dissolved oxygen, so it may be best to add an air stone for the next 3-4 hours to increase oxygenation in the water. For more information, read the full ar...

How much salt is too much for aquarium plants? Aquarium plants generally do not well with salt (or sodium chloride), but a concentration of 1 tablespoon of aquarium salt per 5 gallons of water is generally considered to be safe. Also, in our personal testing, 1 teaspoon of marine salt per 20 gallons of RODI (reverse osmosis deionized water) water was beneficial to aquarium plants because of the added minerals. For more information on how to treat sick fish with aquarium salt, see our full article.

What fish can live in a 20-gallon tank? We often get asked "What can I put in a 20 gallon tank?," which is about as easy to answer as "What food can I get for under $20?" Fish stocking choices depend on your personal preference and what kind of animals appeal most to you. To help inspire you, here are several articles with our favorite ideas: 5 Best Fish Tank Ideas for a 20-Gallon Aquarium 7 Popular Fish You Should Try in a 20-Gallon Aquarium

What aquarium plants can grow in brackish water? While the internet has many forum posts and articles about brackish plants, we have not had much success in our testing so far. Anubias and java moss died, and the hornwort shed all of its needles in the water and made a big mess. The only two plants we've had luck with so far are mangrove trees and java fern. The java fern had to be slowly acclimated from freshwater to brackish water over the course of 2-3 months, and while it has not died yet, it does not grow very quickly either. In t...

Does Aquarium Co-Op sell to Canada? We do not ship directly to Canada from our website, but we have partnered with April's Aquarium so that they can sell our premium products online to Canadian customers. Go to their website at https://aprilsaquarium.ca to order some of our most popular items — such as Easy Green fertilizer, Magic Small Fish Feed, our brine shrimp eggs, and more!

Why is Easy Green raising my nitrate level? Besides light and water, plants require an exact mix of nutrients to give them the fundamental building blocks needed to grow new leaves and roots. Macronutrients are nutrients that plants consume in large quantities (such as nitrogen, phosphorous, and potassium), whereas micronutrients are nutrients that plants need in trace amounts (such as iron, boron, and manganese). Traditionally, it was thought that fish poop and uneaten fish food were sufficient sources of nutrients for plant growth, b...

Is CO2 gas dangerous for aquarium fish? It can be harmful for animals in large enough quantities if (1) CO2 causes the water pH to drop too quickly or (2) people try to be so efficient with the CO2 that they end up cutting off the oxygen that fish need to breathe. In the latter case, some hobbyists try to minimize surface agitation so that less gas exchange occurs and less CO2 escapes the water. However, less gas exchange also means less oxygen will enter the water, which can cause your fish to struggle and gasp for air. Our recomm...

Do all aquarium plants need CO2 injection? All aquatic plants need CO2 as one of their basic building blocks to survive and grow. However, some types like cryptocoryne plants are fine with the normal amounts of dissolved CO2 found in aquarium water and do not need extra CO2, while other plants like scarlet temple could benefit from CO2 injection but don’t require it. A third category of plants — which includes Blyxa japonica, dwarf hairgrass, and dwarf baby tears and other similar carpeting plants — has higher demands and necessitates...

Does CO2 get rid of algae? It’s a common belief that CO2 automatically fixes algae problems, but this is not true. A healthy planted tank must have three components in balance — lighting, fertilizer, and carbon dioxide. CO2 is just one of the primary nutrients that plants need to grow. Many beginners use too much light and fertilizer, so adding CO2 can help balance the aquarium. However, if a tank has high lighting and CO2 injection but, for example, too little fertilizer, then algae will appear because of the imbalanc...

Should I use a DIY CO2 or pressurized CO2 system? We have tested many types of DIY systems using yeast, citric acid, and other mixtures, and while they may be cheaper, they are not as stable as a pressurized CO2 system using a regulator and cylinder. The DIY reactions often make lots of CO2 at the beginning and then decline over time, and the inconsistent amounts of CO2 can make it difficult to balance a planted tank. Furthermore, the pressure is not as high, temperature can affect the reaction, and the overall process is time-consuming to m...

What size CO2 cylinder should I get for my planted aquarium? If you are running a high tech planted aquarium injected with high amounts of CO2, people recommend getting the largest size possible so you will not have to refill the cylinder as frequently. However, for the average customer, we often suggest: 2.5–5 lb. cylinder for 20-gallon aquariums or smaller 5 lb. cylinder for 25- to 40-gallon aquariums 10 lb. cylinder for 55-gallon aquariums or larger If you plan on using one regulator with five or six aquariums, then scale the CO2 cylinder size ac...

Do I need a check valve for my CO2 system? Check valves are used to prevent water from flowing out of the aquarium and pouring all over the regulator when it is turned off. The bubble counter on some regulators already come with a built-in check valve, but you can install a second one as backup if desired. We have personally used the regular plastic check valves with CO2 systems at our fish store, warehouse, and homes, and they have not broken down. That being said, CO2 does degrade plastic after a very long time, so we also offer a s...

Do I need to use special CO2 proof tubing or CO2 resistant tubing with my CO2 system? We use the Aquarium Co-Op airline tubing (i.e., a flexible, black tubing made from food-grade PVC) on all of our aquariums and have not detected any perceptible loss of CO2. In our experience, special CO2 tubing is more expensive, harder to bend, and not as readily available. For more information on CO2 systems in high tech planted tanks, read the full article.

What is the difference between a single-stage vs. two-stage regulator? A single-stage regulator reduces the cylinder’s gas pressure in one step, whereas a two-stage regulator reduces the pressure in two steps, resulting in a more stable and reliable flow of CO2. A two-stage regulator also helps to prevent “end-of-tank dumps,” in which a nearly empty CO2 cylinder may dump out the rest of its gas in one go. For more information, see our full article on CO2 systems for high tech planted tanks.

Where can I buy a CO2 cylinder for my planted aquarium? We like to get ours from local home brewing supply stores and welding supply stores. Usually, they also offer CO2 refill services if you bring back your cylinder when it’s empty. For more information on CO2 systems in high tech planted tanks, read the full article.