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FAQs

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What are the dimensions of the Aquarium Co-Op low iron rimless tanks?
Aquarium Co-Op currently sells low iron rimless fish tanks at our retail store in Washington state, and they are not available for sale online. The aquariums come with a rim on the bottom, no rim at the top, a clear lid, and rounded corners on the front two corners. The dimensions are as follows: Aquarium Size Dimensions (length x width x height, rounded to the nearest half inch) 2.5-Gallon Tank 12 x 7 x 8.5 inches 4-Gallon Tank 14 x 9 x 9.5 inches 6.5-Gallon Tank 16 x 10.5 x 11 inches...
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Do water test strips expire?
  In general, the industry standard is that water test strips expire in 2 years. In reality, it is exposure to moisture that causes them to "go bad." If you open up the test strips in a humid area with wet fingers every single day, they will expire faster, whereas if you open them in a dry area with dry fingers, they will last longer. For more information, see our ammonia test strips and multi-test strips.
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How does beneficial bacteria stay alive in a bottle?
Bacteria starter products like Fritz Zyme 7 contain live, nitrifying bacteria to help kick off your aquarium cycle and grow your biological filtration. This beneficial bacteria helps to consume toxic ammonia waste (produce by your fish) and convert it into nitrate, which is much safer for fish.  According to the Fritz Aquatics website, "Unlike some heterotrophic bacteria, which can survive in a long-term spore state, only true nitrifying bacteria can cycle an aquarium. True nitrifying bacteria are fragile and temperature-sensitive, which is difficult to produce and package. FritzZyme® 7 is...
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What is velvet (or gold dust disease)?
Freshwater velvet is caused by external parasites from the Oodinium genus. Under a bright light, it looks like gold, dust-like particles covering the fish's head, body, and fins. It often starts in the gills, so the fish is very sick by the time you see external symptoms on the skin. Flashing, or sudden rubbing against surfaces, is another common symptom.  Unfortunately, this disease is quite difficult to treat, spreads rapidly, and does not respond to most broad-spectrum medications. Some hobbyists recommend using UV sterilizers and very strong, copper-based medications, which can be hard on an...
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Where do you get custom aquariums made?
Our founder Cory orders custom glass aquariums from CustomAquariums.com. For fish tanks larger than 125 gallons, he orders custom acrylic aquariums from Clear Fabrications. They are more expensive than many other acrylic tank manufacturers, but the high-quality aquarium you get will last you a lifetime.
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Why does the hardness (or GH) look fuchsia on the Multi-Test Strips?
On the Aquarium Co-Op Multi-Test Strips, the hardness (or GH) reading ranges from 0 ppm (blue) to 300 ppm (purple). If you get a hardness color of fuchsia, magenta, or reddish-purple, then it means that your GH reading is above 300 ppm (or 17 degrees). The multi-test strip is still working properly, but your water is very hard and the GH level is outside the bounds of the test.
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What should I feed wood-eating catfish?
Only certain genera of loricariid catfish are known to munch on wood: Panaque spp. such as Panaque maccus (clown pleco) and P. nigrolineatus (royal pleco) Hypostomus cochliodon group Because of the lack of wood-digesting microbes in their gut and fast digestion time of less than 4 hours, scientists believe that these catfish are not actually digesting the wood. Instead, they are digesting the microorganisms, microbal byproducts, algae, fungus, and other organic matter found on the rotting wood, whereas the wood itself is passed as a waste product. In our experience,...
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How to adjust the Aquarium Co-Op heater
To adjust the heater to the desired temperature, press the SET button once on the temperature controller. While the temperature display is still blinking, press the SET button again to change the desired temperature by 1°F increments. (The desired temperature cycles from 64°F to 91°F, meaning that you need to increase the heater up to the highest temperature setting of 91°F before it goes back down to 64°F.) When the desired temperature is reached, do not touch the SET button for 3 seconds. Once the blinking stops, the desired temperature...
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What do the red and yellow lights on the Aquarium Co-Op heater mean?
When you first plug in the heater, a yellow indicator light will briefly turn on and then turn off again. The yellow light will only turn on again once the unit has run for 17,520 hours, which is 2 years of being plugged in full time. At this point, the heater will still continue to work, but the yellow light reminds you that it has reached the end of its expected life and it may be time to start thinking about replacing the unit to ensure the highest performance. The...
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Why don't the suction cups on my heater (or other device) stay attached?
If the suction cups are new and do not stay attached, please make sure to clean the aquarium wall before attaching the heater. We recommend using an algae scrubber, razor blade, gift card, or other appropriate tool for wiping off any algae or debris to ensure that the surface is completely clear and flat. If the suction cups are old and worn out, the Aquarium Co-Op heater comes with 4 replacement suction cups. 
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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.
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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 the use of CO2 injection for the best chances of success.  For more information on CO2 systems in high...
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