How do I become an Aquarium Co-Op member?We currently offer free content, like weekly blog posts and YouTube videos, but if you would like to support our efforts, you can help by purchasing from our store and/or become a member of our YouTube channel. Membership perks include: Exclusive members-only videos Photos and status updates Members-only questions during live streams Loyalty badges next to your name in comments and live chat Custom emojis to use in comments and live chat To join, you must create a YouTube account and sign ...
Why doesn't my four-way gang valve work?If you are using a gang valve or T-splitter to share one air pump with multiple devices, sometimes air does not travel down all of the outlets. One of two things could be happening. In the first case, your pump is not strong enough to push air into more than one outlet. In the second case, the air always chooses the path of least resistance, so you need to use air valves on each path to ensure that air reaches all the devices. Connect the air pump, gang valve, and air-driven devices (e.g....
What is hydra and how do I get rid of it?These tiny, freshwater organisms of the genus Hydra are the distant relatives of jellyfish, corals, and sea anemones. Growing up to 0.4 inches (1 cm), they range in color from translucent white to green to light brown. Much like a sea anemone, hydra has a stalk or foot that attaches to surfaces (like plants, hardscape, or glass) and a mouth at the other end that is surrounded by long, wispy tentacles. These tentacles have stinging cells that are used to paralyze and catch their prey. Scientis...
Why doesn't my T airline splitter work?If you are using a T-splitter to share one air pump with two devices, sometimes air does not travel down one of the outlets. One of two things could be happening. In the first case, your pump is not strong enough to push air into more than one outlet. In the second case, the air always chooses the path of least resistance, so you need to install air valves (plastic or metal) on each path to ensure that air reaches all the devices. Connect the air pump, T splitter, and two air-driven devices...
Do fish really need water conditioner?Maybe. If your drinking water comes from a municipal water supply or other public water system, then most likely it is disinfected with chemicals like chlorine or chloramine to eliminate bacteria, viruses, and other microorganisms that can cause diseases. These chemicals are toxic to aquatic animals and beneficial bacteria and therefore must be removed from the water using a dechlorinator. If you forget to add water conditioner to the tap water, your fish’s gills may become burned, causing th...
How do I clean an aquarium filter without killing bacteria?Remove the filter media and rinse them in old aquarium water or dechlorinated water to remove any accumulated waste. Coarse sponge pads are the dirtiest and can be vigorously wrung to clean it as much as possible. Bio media houses beneficial bacteria and should be gently agitated (not scrubbed) in the water. Chemical filtration needs to be replaced entirely when used up (unless you’re using Purigen, which can be cleaned with diluted bleach). The frequency of filter maintenance depends on many...
Do I have to quarantine my first fish?If you are setting up your first tank, you can theoretically add new fish directly into the aquarium without setting up a separate quarantine tank since there are no existing animals to protect. One situation where you might want to use a separate hospital fish tank is if your aquarium is very large and the fish are small enough to go in a scaled-down quarantine setup. It will cost less money to dose medication in a smaller volume of water rather than an entire display tank. Another instance ...
Can a power head be used as a filter?Yes, power heads can be used as part of your filtration system. Many people use them to transfer water from their aquarium sump filter (which is a type of custom filtration) back into the fish tank. We also designed our powerhead pump to fit perfectly with the Aquarium Co-Op sponge filters. Normally, an air pump is used to run a sponge filter and gently draw water through the foam material. By attaching a power head to the sponge filter instead, water is pulled through the foam at higher spee...
How do I get rid of algae in my fish tank?Algae is a natural part of the aquarium ecosystem because it helps to purify the water from toxic waste chemicals and serves as a food source for algae-eating fish and invertebrates. However, most people see it as an unwelcome guest since too much algae can obstruct your view of the fish tank and slow down healthy plant growth. Let’s talk about 5 easy methods for cleaning algae off your aquarium walls and decorations. Use tools to manually remove algae Get help from algae eaters Remove exces...
Is it better to medicate the fish’s water or their food?Medicated fish food is a little tricky to manage. Sick fish often won’t eat very much (or at all) because they don’t feel well. Also, it can be hard to monitor how much medicated food each fish is getting, so some fish may be consuming too much medicine while others are consuming too little. If you are only treating one fish that is still eating well, then medicated food might be a viable option. If you are treating multiple animals, we recommend medications that dissolve in the water and tre...
Which aquarium air pump should I get?You can see our full lineup of air pump equipment and accessories, but after testing dozens and dozens of air pumps over the years, we have settled on three units that have superior reliability, low noise level, and reasonable cost. Each pump is best suited for different types of applications, so choose the right one that fits your needs: Recommended Air Pump for Small to Large Tanks Aquarium Co-Op air pump Our favorite air pump is the Aquarium Co-Op air pump because of the included battery ...
My fish is bloated. What should I do?If your fish has a swollen abdomen, it could be caused by several things. Run down this checklist to see which disease your fish may have: Obesity: If you are overfeeding your fish, it may be overweight. In this case, fast the fish for 3-7 days and then decrease its food portion size. Constipation: If the fish is unable to pass any waste, its digestive system becomes backed up with food. Stop feeding the fish for 3-7 days and then feed it high-quality fish food with lots of roughage, such ...
How do I convert my established fish tank into a planted aquarium?If your fish tank has already been running for a while, it should be fairly easy to transition to a planted aquarium. Change the lighting to a planted tank LED light if needed. For example, if you have an aquarium hood and want to upgrade the light, you may need to replace the hood with a glass top so that you can use a planted aquarium light instead. See our LED Aquarium Lighting Guide for our recommended lights based on your tank size. Change the substrate if desired. Most beginner plant...
How to get rid of black beard algae (BBA)BBA is one of the most problematic algae that people run into because not many things eat it. As per its name, it grows in very thick, bushy clumps that are usually black or grey in color (but sometimes reddish or brownish). This algae likes to grow on driftwood, aquarium decor, and plants, and if left unchecked, it can completely engulf an aquarium in one to two years. Unfortunately, there’s a lot of different things that can contribute the growth of BBA, so there’s no one simple way to trea...
How to use an air valve for aquariumsAn air valve sounds similar to a check valve, but instead it is used to control the amount of air flow coming from your air pump into the aquarium. Some air pumps come with an adjustable knob that allows you to increase or decrease the air pressure, but if your air pump doesn’t have one and the bubbles are too strong, then this is the perfect tool for you. To install an air valve, cut the airline tubing between the air pump and the air-driven device. Then connect the recently cut ends of the ...
How do I get rid of snails in my fish tank?In general, snails are not harmful to aquarium fish or plants. As detritivores, they tend to consume leftover food or dying plant leaves, which helps to clean up your aquarium. However, some people do not like how quickly they reproduce, so here are some tips that may help. If the snails are already in your fish tank, you can control the population by decreasing the amount of food available to them. Snails will only breed if there is available food, so only feed as much as your fish can entir...
