How do I reduce the fast current from my aquarium filter?Some fish have long and flowy fins, are small in size, or originated from slow-moving waterways and aren’t built to handle torrents of water. Perpetually fighting against fast flow can cause your fish to get whipped around the tank, start hiding in shelters, and potentially develop illnesses from the constant stress. So, if you own a betta fish, goldfish, cherry shrimp, or other slow-swimming animal, consider implementing one of these techniques to reduce the current in your aquarium by readi...
Top 10 Easy Aquarium Plants for BeginnersPlanted aquariums are very popular nowadays because of their natural beauty and amazing ability to consume the toxic nitrogen compounds produced by fish waste. However, many beginners excitedly try and then fail to keep their green foliage from turning brown. After more than a decade of keeping, propagating, and now selling aquarium plants, we’ve thoroughly vetted out our list of top 10 easy aquarium plants that can stand up to a beating and won’t break the bank. 1. Marimo Moss Ball Known ...
The Best Algae Eater for your Pond 🐌This week at the Aquarium Co-op retail store in Edmonds we received some very exciting fish deliveries! We were sent some very colorful fish like the Electric Blue Acara, and Red Neon Rainbowfish! We also have Japanese Trapdoor Snails in stock just in time for pond season! Last but not least we received a manager favorite the Schoutedeni Puffer! For this week's plant delivery we are excited to see that Water Sprite, Dwarf Hairgrass, and Tiger Lotus are particularly healthy, happy, and re...
How do I plant vallisneria, dwarf sagittaria, or other grass-like plants?"Grass-like plants" refers to vallisneria, dwarf sagittaria, micro sword, and other stoloniferous plants. These species propagate via stolons or runners – little horizontal stems that produce a small plantlet at the end, eventually creating a long chain of connected plants. As with rosette plants, plant the roots into the substrate, and don’t cover the base of the plant’s leaves. Oftentimes, one pot comes with several individual plants, so plant them separately (not in one, single bun...
How do I plant my Amazon sword or other type of sword plant?Swords are classified as a rosette plant, which means all the leaves grow out of the base of the plant in a circular pattern. Examples include the Amazon sword, red flame sword, and dwarf chain sword. Many sword plants grow very tall, so make sure to plant them in the midground or background of the aquarium so they won’t block your view of other plants. Use your fingers to dig a hole in the substrate and bury the roots of the sword, or you can use planting tweezers to push the plant roots int...
How do I plant my bulb plant?The banana plant, dwarf aquarium lily, tiger lotus, and aponogetons (also sold as “betta bulbs” at pet store chains) are all types of plants that grow from a bulb or tubers. Rinse the bulb or tubers to remove any rock wool or loose substrate covering it, and place it on top of the substrate. If the bulb starts floating, you can either wait for it to sink or place it loosely under a piece of hardscape to keep it weighed down (until it develops roots that will firmly anchor it into the substrat...
What are UV sterilizers in aquariums used for?UV sterilizers slowly pass aquarium water pass an ultraviolet (UV) bulb, which irradiates microorganisms like bacteria, algae, and protozoa. By damaging their DNA, it can shorten their life cycle and limit population growth. UV sterilizers do not seem to affect beneficial bacteria as much since that type of bacteria is mostly found growing in filters and on surfaces, rather that freely floating in the water column. We like to use our UV sterilizers when dealing with green water. Green water i...
How to get rid of green waterIf your aquarium water looks like pea soup, you probably have green water, which is caused by a proliferation of free-floating, single-celled phytoplankton. Unfortunately, they replicate so quickly that you cannot flush them out with large water changes. Green water can come from too much lighting (especially if the tank gets direct sunlight sometime during the day), an excess of nutrients (such as accidentally double-dosing fertilizers), or an ammonia spike (such as from a new tank that has ...
How to get rid of hair, staghorn, string, and other filamentous algaeFilamentous algae refers to the many types of algae that look like wet hair when you take them out of the aquarium (e.g., hair algae, staghorn algae, string algae, and thread algae). These algae can be problematic because they grow so rapidly or are hard to get rid of. They’re generally caused by an excess of certain nutrients (such as iron), too much light, or not enough nutrients (to match the long lighting period). Therefore, try decreasing your lighting period, increasing fertilization, o...
How to Share 1 Air Pump with Multiple AquariumsAs you may know, we are big proponents of using sponge filters in all of our aquariums, but what happens if you have multiple tanks running sponge filters? Is there any way to save money (and improve cable management) by only using one air pump to run all the filtration? It depends on how many tanks need air and how strong your air pump is, so here are some different configurations to try: 2 tanks next to each other can share a dual-outlet air pump. If you only have a single-outlet air pump,...
New Colorful Fish This Week at Aquarium Co-Op! 💐From our wholesalers and local breeders this week at the Aquarium Co-Op retail store we got in some beautifully colored fish including Peacock Gudgeons, Electric Blue Acara, Cherry Barbs,and Green Neon Tetras. We also got some work horse cleaners like Baby Bristlenose Plecos and Clown Plecos. For my favorite plants this week the Red Melon Swords and Crypt Spiralis are fully converted, and some even have multiple plants in the pot! We also got in some very nice looking Water Sprite and Ludw...
Fast Shipping PolicyHands down, we have the fastest handling time and ship quick. We overstaff so that your orders go out as fast as possible. If you order during business hours, we often ship it the same day. Live plants will arrive with a 1- to 3-day transit time when there are no delays from weather or holidays. Dry goods such as LED lights, fish food, medication, filtration products, etc. will ship UPS Ground which has a 2- to 6-day transit time, depending on delivery location. Most other companies use the ...
Red Lizard Whiptail Catfish: A Special Addition to Your Nano Tank!This week at the Aquarium Co-Op retail store in Edmonds, we received a handful of amazing new fish! We received Red Lizard Whiptail Catfish, Dwarf Neon Rainbows, Marble Hatchet Fish, and last but not least Sterbai Corydora! We also received some incredible new plants! We brought in Dwarf Sagittaria, some huge Pogo Octopus, and the long awaited Anubias Nangi! For this week's tank tip, I wanted to highlight the Aquarium Co-Op Med Trio! The Med Trio is important to always have on hand. ...
Top 10 Easy Aquarium Plants for Beginners
Planted aquariums are very popular nowadays because of their natural beauty and amazing ability to consume the toxic nitrogen compounds produced by fish waste. However, many beginners excitedly try and then fail to keep their green foliage from turning brown. After more than a decade of keeping, propagating, and now selling aquarium plants, we’ve thoroughly vetted out our list of top 10 easy aquarium plants that can stand up to a beating and won’t break the bank. 1. Marimo Moss Ball Known ...
The Best Algae Eater for your Pond 🐌
This week at the Aquarium Co-op retail store in Edmonds we received some very exciting fish deliveries! We were sent some very colorful fish like the Electric Blue Acara, and Red Neon Rainbowfish! We also have Japanese Trapdoor Snails in stock just in time for pond season! Last but not least we received a manager favorite the Schoutedeni Puffer! For this week's plant delivery we are excited to see that Water Sprite, Dwarf Hairgrass, and Tiger Lotus are particularly healthy, happy, and re...
How to Share 1 Air Pump with Multiple Aquariums
As you may know, we are big proponents of using sponge filters in all of our aquariums, but what happens if you have multiple tanks running sponge filters? Is there any way to save money (and improve cable management) by only using one air pump to run all the filtration? It depends on how many tanks need air and how strong your air pump is, so here are some different configurations to try: 2 tanks next to each other can share a dual-outlet air pump. If you only have a single-outlet air pump,...
New Colorful Fish This Week at Aquarium Co-Op! 💐
From our wholesalers and local breeders this week at the Aquarium Co-Op retail store we got in some beautifully colored fish including Peacock Gudgeons, Electric Blue Acara, Cherry Barbs,and Green Neon Tetras. We also got some work horse cleaners like Baby Bristlenose Plecos and Clown Plecos. For my favorite plants this week the Red Melon Swords and Crypt Spiralis are fully converted, and some even have multiple plants in the pot! We also got in some very nice looking Water Sprite and Ludw...
Red Lizard Whiptail Catfish: A Special Addition to Your Nano Tank!
This week at the Aquarium Co-Op retail store in Edmonds, we received a handful of amazing new fish! We received Red Lizard Whiptail Catfish, Dwarf Neon Rainbows, Marble Hatchet Fish, and last but not least Sterbai Corydora! We also received some incredible new plants! We brought in Dwarf Sagittaria, some huge Pogo Octopus, and the long awaited Anubias Nangi! For this week's tank tip, I wanted to highlight the Aquarium Co-Op Med Trio! The Med Trio is important to always have on hand. ...
