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Koi vs Goldfish

KOI VS GOLDFISH – WHAT IS BEST FOR YOUR PONDS (7 Differences)

April 3, 2021

Have you ever been to fishing exhibitions? If you have, chances are that you have had a hard time distinguishing between Koi and Goldfish amid fish galore.

And that’s not just you! Anyone can confuse the two breeds because of their uncanny resemblance. Even though Koi and goldfish look so much alike, they are actually two completely different varieties with distinctive characteristics.

In this article, I’ll put my years of experience to use and show you some of the obvious differences between Koi fish and goldfish that should help you identify the two easily.

Best Place To Buy Fish Online

What’s The Best Place To Buy Fish Online? Here’s My Top 15

March 14, 2021

Looking for the best place to buy fish online? I get this asked to me a lot and it brings back memories when I started out in the saltwater tank hobby back in the early 90s. Back then you just went to the local fish store to get your fish, live plants, and corals. I remember there was a store called Flying Fish Express and me trying to myself how crazy this is that you can get a fish shipped to you overnight.

Best Canister Filter Reviews

11 Best Canister Filters Of 2024 [Tested & Reviewed]

January 7, 2021

For those hobbyists getting serious about aquarium keeping, high quality filtration is top of mind for keeping the best fish only and planted tank systems. While hang on back power filters have their place in community community setups, there are setups with heavier demands like planted and predator tanks that require a high end filtration solution. This is where canister filters come in.

Best Nano Reef Tank

The 7 Best Nano Reef Tanks Of 2024 – Tested And Reviewed

January 3, 2021

For someone who is a seasoned hobbyist, a nano reef tank offers a challenge with great rewards for either home or office. For a new hobbyist, a nano reef tank offers an entry into the wonderful hobby of reef aquarium keeping for those who take the proper steps.

Best Driftwood for Aquariums

The 9 Best Driftwood For Aquariums For 2024 – Reviewed

April 7, 2020

Driftwood in an Aquarium can look stunning and offer lot of options for designing your aquarium. They can make some really amazing aquascapes, especially heavily planted ones. We need to be careful in our driftwood selection process though.

Today’s post discusses the best driftwood for aquariums. Much like the best aquarium rocks post earlier, driftwood is not as simple as picking it out of of your local pond or aquarium. Driftwood if not selected or prepped properly can have disastrous results in your aquarium.

Gold Fish Tank

Goldfish Tank – Your Guide To Successful Goldfish Care

February 29, 2020

The Goldfish is one of the most popular fish in our aquarium hobby. It may even have been the first fish you had when you first got introduced to aquariums. You may have even come across this article thinking about setting up a Goldfish tank for the first time or for a loved one. They really are an amazing fish that are also easily misunderstood. Because they are usually a first-time fish, a number of us enter into Goldfish care and keeping with little knowledge on what is needed to have them thrive.

Best LED Lighting For Reef Tanks

The 12 Best LED Lighting For Reef Tanks Of 2024 – Tested And Reviewed

February 5, 2020

LED lighting systems are the rage these days for Reef Tanks. It makes a lot of sense why. The best LED lighting systems will have a lot of user friendly features like timers, ramp up and ramp down features, the ability to adjust spectrum, and multiple mount options. The main attraction for LED though, is the power savings features. LEDs are a lot more energy efficient than traditional T5s and metal halides.

In today’s post, I’m going to go through the best LED lighting for Reef Tanks. I will break what these systems are best for, what they are good and not good at, and offer our recommended picks. The end goal is to provide the necessary information you need to make an informed decision as to what is the best LED lighting system for you. Let’s get started!

Bubble Tip Anemone Care Guide (Have Success with BTAs)

April 16, 2019

Many of us got interested in saltwater fish by seeing clownfish and anemones. It is a very common desire to eventually want to pair your clown with an anemone. While a captive raised clownfish is a easy to care for fish, an anemone is considered a more difficult to keep invertebrate. They require stability, a high amount of light, and good flow. I’m writing this guide because I get asked a lot from clients how they can keep an anemone. I’m going to focus today on the easiest to keep anemone that a clownfish will host – the bubble tip anemone.

About Aquarium store depot

Who are we?

Our Philosophy

Aquarium Store Depot was established by fellow aquarist, Mark, to simplify the hobby.

As a regular shopper on other aquarium e-stores, he often grew frustrated at the overwhelming selection of products and the general nature of seeing companies trying to sell the latest and greatest tech (toys) to the industry.

At Aquarium Store Depot, we seek to change that by offering a limited selection of products vetted out by our creator’s experience as a fellow fish enthusiast.

We only sell what works, brands we trust, and products we know will make a difference to you.

Our mission is to simplify the aquarium hobby so the beginner can thrive.

About The Site Owner

Thank you for visiting my site. My name is Mark Valderrama and I have been involved in the aquarium community since I was 11 starting out with a saltwater tank (yes, I went for the hard stuff first).

Yes, I am a real person. I’m not some fake AI image or persona that you may see from other aquarium blogs. I go to trade shows and have known aquarium influencers like MetroKat and Robert Lupton for years.

Back when I started in the 90s, there wasn’t a lot of information out there on the internet and your local fish store or other hobbyist was all you have. I started this site originally as a way to put my notes down as many aquarists over the years asked me for advise. It’s growth organically over the years and I feel blessed to have this opportunity to share my insights with you.

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Floating Aquarium Plants

Floating Aquarium Plants – 16 That Work Amazing in Aquariums

September 1, 2025

Do you have any floating plants in your freshwater aquarium? If not, you could be missing out on a whole new dimension for your planted aquarium.

Floating plants don’t only look great, they also provide some other amazing benefits. In this article, I’ll cover everything you need to know to get started growing floating plants and provide you with a list of amazing plant options. Let’s get started!

Coolest Freshwater Aquarium Fish

21 Of The Coolest Freshwater Aquarium Fish (With Pictures)

August 22, 2025

Are you looking for some cool new fish for your aquarium? Maybe you’re setting up a new tank, or maybe you just want a few new fish for your community tank. Either way, we’ve got you covered. This article introduces 21 awesome fish that you will love watching in your tank!

Aquarium Background Plants

Aquarium Background Plants – 15+ Great Picks (With Pictures!)

August 21, 2025

Are you setting up a planted aquarium? Growing a wall of vibrant live plants can add depth and movement to your aquascape, but which plants should you choose?

This article introduces 15 amazing tall aquarium plants for the background of your tank. Read along to learn more about each species and how to grow and care for them.

Community Fish

Community Fish – 21 Great Choices (With Pictures)

April 5, 2025

Many fish keepers love a freshwater community aquarium that is full of different types of fish, but how do you choose compatible fish species? Choosing fish for your freshwater aquarium that won’t fight or hurt each other is very important for a successful community tank! That’s why I’ve put together this list of the best community fish to make your life a little easier.

Aquarium Sizes

Aquarium Sizes – A Complete Guide (With Charts)

April 1, 2025

Are you looking to get a new aquarium? Choosing the right size for your space, and the fish you want to keep is extremely important, and that’s why I’m writing this practical guide. We’ll take a look at the standard tank sizes, their measurements, and the pros and cons of each of the aquarium sizes we overview.

Aquarium Carpet Plants

11 Great Aquarium Carpet Plants (With Pictures!)

March 5, 2025

An aquarium with a green carpet of living plants is one of the most impressive sights in the hobby. Many new aquarists think achieving this look is too advanced for them, but the truth is that anyone can grow aquarium carpet plants with the right knowledge and equipment.

In this article, I’ll introduce the 11 best carpeting plants that you can grow in your aquarium and teach you the basics on how to grow and maintain them too. So let’s dive right in!

Types Of Saltwater Fish

21 Popular Types of Saltwater Fish (With Pictures!)

February 25, 2025

If you’re like me, you probably love spending time looking at different types of saltwater fish. It’s so much fun to admire their beauty and colors. The thing is, there are a lot of different types of saltwater fish out there and it can be tough to keep track of them all. It’s also harder to know which ones work with the aquarium you are planning to keep! That’s why I’ve put together this list of 21 popular types of saltwater fish, complete with pictures! So if you’re curious about what kinds of fish you can find in the ocean, read on!

Best Beginner Aquarium Plants

The 11 Best Beginner Aquarium Plants – Grown And Reviewed

January 10, 2025

Starting up a planted tank for the first time can be intimating for a beginner. You see all these wonderful photos of incredible aquascapes and see videos of others using high end CO2 systems. It makes it seem it may take lots of money and expertise to create a stunning planted tank. Some of you have visited here looking to add a few plants to add variety in your aquarium. Today’s post, I’m going to go over the best beginner aquarium plants that anyone can try out and be successful today.

Types Of Geophagus

9 Types Of Geophagus (With Pictures)

April 28, 2024

Cichlids are some of the most popular freshwater fish families in the aquarium trade, famous for their bold markings and colors, interesting behavior, and vibrant personalities. While many species have a reputation for aggression, one group of cichlids, the ‘earth eaters’ are known for their relatively peaceful temperament and amazing colors.

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