Tank Notes
Practical writing about aquascaping, hiding places and keeping decor safe for the fish already in the tank.
What a shop on Delancey Street sees people get wrong
The same handful of questions come across the counter every week, and they are all avoidable.
Aquascaping a small tank so it does not look crowded
Small tanks are harder to lay out than large ones, because every piece takes a visible share of the space.
Substrate and river rock: the layer everything else sits on
Substrate is chosen last and matters first, because everything in the tank rests on it.
Silk plants and why they beat plastic in a small tank
Artificial planting is a legitimate choice, particularly in a small or low-light tank. The material makes more difference than the look.
Choosing a cave or hideout that a betta will actually use
Bettas need somewhere to hide and rest, and the wrong shape of hide causes more problems than no hide at all.
Rinsing new aquarium decor before it goes in the tank
The most common problem caused by new ornaments is not the ornament. It is what was on your hands or in the sink when you cleaned it.