Half Off Ponds is one of those brands that comes up regularly when pond keepers are shopping for kits and pond supplies on a budget. I approach every vendor review the same way after 25 years in this hobby โ what’s the actual product quality, how does customer service hold up when something goes wrong, and is the value proposition real? Here’s my honest assessment.
Half Off Ponds is one of those brands that comes up regularly when pond keepers are looking to get more value out of their setup. I don’t take sponsorships or affiliate money from equipment brands, so when I review something like this I’m only looking at one thing: does it actually deliver for the pond keeper? Pond kits are appealing because they bundle everything you need into one purchase, and Half Off Ponds has built a reputation around competitive pricing on complete setups. Here’s my honest breakdown of what they offer and whether it’s worth your money.
As you may have read in my Best Pond Kit round up article, a pond kit is a efficient and cost-effective way of creating a great outdoor pond or koi pond. Half Ponds became the clear winner in the round up post, however, I didn’t have the space in the article to go really in depth about what makes these pond kits are so stellar.
My reviews are fairly structured. Iโm going to be reviewing the following with the categories with these kits:
Half Off Ponds offers high quality pond kits and water feature sets at incredible prices. All their pond kits are a complete package, focused on getting you all the essential components necessary to have a high quality pond. These components would be:
Pond Skimmer
Pond Pump
Waterfall Spillway
Pond Liner
Underlayment
Vinyl Tubing
Patriot Pond Lighting
Black Pond Foam
Beneficial Bacteria
Each one of these components have been carefully selected by the Half Off team. They do not skip out on quality by using generic or imported brands. Many of the kits they sell come with name brand like Savio and they also use their own private label components. The private label components are comparable in quality.
Their pond kits come with EPDM liners that offer a lifetime warranty. They offer EPDM or PVC liners. The PVC liners are about .40 cents less per square feet. You only get a 5 year warranty with the lifeguard liners. You get a lifetime warranty by purchasing their EPDM liner kits. I would recommend you pay extra for the EPDM. No one wants to be repairing a pond liner. They should last a lifetime and they can be a pain to repair.
Craftsmanship
A good way to measure craftsmanship is to see what the brand offers in terms of warranty. Half Off Ponds offers a lifetime warranty on their pond liners, a 25 year warranty on their tubing, a 5 year warranty on their waterfall, 5 year warranty on their pond skimmer, and 2 years on their pond and lighting. Overall, that’s pretty solid and you have one source of contact for their warranty claims.
The EPDM liner is a 45mm pond liner. This liner is the same brand (Anjon), that is installed in 1000’s of water features worldwide. It resists UV deterioration and is virtually indestructible by the natural elements of mildew, rot, and freeze damage.
The major components of the kits, namely the skimmer box and waterfall feature are made in the USA. The EDPM liner, Anjon is a family owned Company based in Missouri. There is a lot of home grown feel in these kits, something that is rare to see in a value priced pond kit. The Half Off team did an amazing job putting these components together in a single package.
Ease Of Use (Installation)
This is the biggest knock on these kits and it’s not entirely their fault. Pond kits in general require labor to be installed and the install process can be an art form to pull off an amazing water feature. There are some YouTube videos online that will give you an overview on how to install these kits, but resources a bit limited and there are not many videos out there on installing these specific kits. There are a lot of inspiring videos and photos on their instagram account though.
My recommendation is to watch a few videos to see what you are getting yourself into and if you feel that you need professional help, look into it. You save a lot getting a kit from Half Off. Find a friend who know how to dig and make a level ditch or hire some professional help if needed. I also know I do get contractors from time to time visiting my site to scope out pond kits for their projects. These pond kits the best value for completing a job and maximizing your project profits. They are easy to install in the hands of a professional and the install is a repeatable and trainable process.
Pond Kit Value For Money
Value for the money is off the charts with these pond kits. They have a great combo of quality brands, high quality components, and solid customer support. Their selection of sizes and price ranges are amazing.
Models – For All Budgets and Projects!
Below is a list of all the Half Off Ponds models and sizes. I’m only listing the models with EPDM liners as I do not recommend PVC liners for a pond install. As you can see from the chart below, Half Off makes kits from 350 gallons all the way up to 80,000 gallons.
Feature
Compact
Small
Medium
Large
X-Large
Mega
Picture
Price
$
$$
$$$
$$$$
$$$$$
$$$$$$
Models
1200, 2000
3000
4000
5200
6100
10000
Gallons
350 – 2,000
350 – 2,000
1,400 – 7,500
1,900 – 6,700
2,800 – 11,000
8,000 – 80,000
Link
Product Support
Of all the pond kits sellers, Half Off has the best customer support. This is because they cater to DIYers versus other companies like Aquascape that prefer a network of contractors and professionals to support their product. Because Half Off Ponds knows that they work with consumers directly they are happy to work with you on support. They are also easily reached as their phone number is right on their manufacture website. The only complaint I’ve heard about this Company was regarding install, which I stated earlier is not entirely their fault
Price
There is not a pond kit on the market that matches the mix of quality components and price that Half Off Ponds offers. You may find cheaper because they skip out on components or they use poor quality liners. I haven’t found anything similar at better prices. These are by far the best value priced water feature kits on the market today!
Closing Thoughts
These are the best pond kit for the money you can buy today. Great components, great support, and great prices. You can see the ratings below from me and my editor’s choice badge that the Half Off Ponds brand of kits earns. Since Iโm open to all reviews, you can leave your own reviews below. This provides the community with an unfiltered source of reviews. If you have any questions, please leave them in the comments below. Thanks for reading!
Planted tank lighting is one of those areas where the wrong choice sets you back months of growth and algae frustration. I’ve evaluated a lot of LED fixtures over the years for planted setups, and Twinstar has carved out a strong reputation in the high-end segment โ particularly for tanks that need both excellent PAR and a natural spectrum. Here’s my in-depth look at whether it lives up to that reputation.
Looking for the very best planted tank LED available for your aquarium today? If so, you have come to the right place. Today, I go in-depth and do a Twinstar LED review. I’ll go through what’s new, their features, and what makes them so superior compared to all other planted tank led systems on the market.
As you may have read in my Best Planted Tank LED round up article, LEDs have become the technology to use for growing plants. The energy efficiently and programmability of the units have created easy to use lights. Twinstar’s focus on their lights is performance and aesthics. What you will see in this review is that not all LED are created equal. Twinstar nails full spectrum and spread like no other planted LED maker on the market. among the various players out there.
My reviews are fairly structured. Iโm going to be reviewing the following with Twinstar LED light series:
The Twinstar prides itself as the a true full spectrum aquarium light system. When it comes to assessing the fit of an LED fixture for aquarium usages we look at the following factors
PAR Strength (Intensity)
Spectrum
Spread
PAR1 strength is something that many LED fixture will easily meet. LEDs in general are very intense so this isn’t the sole metric we should focus on in assessing a planted tank LED. However, it is something that is readily available from Twinstar. Below are the values of the 600E series. The PAR values below here are good enough to light up the vast majority of plants in a planted aquarium.
Having a true full spectrum is the big difference factor between a cheap light and a high quality light. Very few LEDs on the market can really bring out the reds of red plants. The benchmark for planted tank LEDs are the ADA Solar RGBs. The problem is the Solar RGB is not only hard to find, but also very expensive. The Twinstar LED light is considered a copy of the ADA Solar RGB spectrum. It’s the gold standard in planted LEDs, without the extreme price of the ADA. The Twinstar LED light also does not have fans, which make them excellent for quiet rooms
Let’s talk about another factor in these lights. These lights come with a diffuser built in. Look at the photo below. You can see the diffuser in action. A diffuser is a must in the planted tank world. If you are growing an aquascape of mostly tall plants like a Dutch Aquascape, shadowing becomes a major deal. The diffuser eliminates the problem. You won’t see this feature in many planted tank LEDs and I’m puzzled why it’s excluded is many other fixtures on the market.
The Twinstar is feature heavy on the core function of the light – PAR, full spectrum, and spread. Regarding controllability that’s where this fixture falls short. There is no fancy controller or app that runs on wifi and you can’t mess with the spectrum through a tuner. I rather like it that way. It makes it simple to use and less prone to electronic failure.
Craftsmanship
Twinstar’s craftsmanship is top notch. The thing I love about this light is there are no fans. That makes the light ideal for quiet rooms. The light is not made in China, and it shows. It’s sleek smooth, and looks very clean presented on a tank. They can either come in aluminum brackets or acrylic ones. I personally prefer the acrylic bracket
Ease of Use
This is by far one of the easiest planted tank LEDs for advanced hobbyists. The light comes with brackets that hold up the light at the ideal height for proper spread and PAR output. Because the LED is designed for the best full spectrum not the highest PAR, it is not necessary to use a PAR meter to adjust the intensity. It’s a plug and play system. All you need is a mechanical timer or smart timer. It’s completely dummy proof. Excellent marks overall by Twinstar!
Value For Money
The Twinstar LED family of lights actually come in multiple flavors that fit every budget and need. Twinstar has a model for all budgets starting from their budget friendly CA series to their premium S series. Their most popular model is the E series. The E series can handle the vast majority of planted tank needs and grow plants efficiency. I would say their E and S series have the most value of all their models. The CA series will have other competitors that may be a better value.
Models For Everyone!
Below is a table showing the main Twinstar LED light models
Feature
Twinstar CA
Twinstar E
Twinstar S
Picture
Price
$
$$
$$$
Output
Low-Light
Mid to High Light
All
Models
300C , 600C
300E, 360E, 450E, 600E, 900E
600S, 900S
BucePlant Link
Amazon Link
Product Support
Product support scores the lowest in my review. Twinstar as a whole doesn’t have much in the way of product support. They have a few videos and their distributor sites are not very helpful. The main source of support you will find is from hobby forums and other aquascapers who use the light to get success. That’s a big difference compared to say Fluval that actually does a number of videos and support behind them.
One way to migrate the lack of support is to purchase the fixture from a high quality seller like BucePlant. Buce has been around for a number of years and their know planted tanks well. Their customer service is excellent and I would prefer to purchase the fixture there over Amazon for that very reason!
Regarding warranty, Twinstar offers a 2 year warranty on all their lights. That is higher than most lower quality aquarium light makers that offer only 1 year, but lower than the 3 year warranty offered by Fluval. I have not heard of many Twinstar lights failing prematurely however. Many last for years due to their simple electronics design.
Price
For many of you looking at this point, the Twinstar will likely be the most expensive light fixture you are researching. There are more expensive units like the Kessil and ADA out there, but most will be comparing these to Fluval, Finnex, and cheap aquarium light alternatives on Amazon. The Twinstar offers the best spectrum and design of all these brands and models. From a spectrum and spread prospective, it’s not even close.
Closing Thoughts
This is the best planted tank LED on the market you can buy today. Best full spectrum, best spread, best value for money. You can see the ratings below from me and my editor’s choice badge that Twinstar earns. Since Iโm open to all reviews, you can leave your own reviews below. This provides the community with an unfiltered source of reviews. If you have any questions, please leave them in the comments below. Thanks for reading!
The EcoTech Radion sits at the top of the reef LED market, and it earns that position. I run a 125-gallon reef and I’ve watched the LED lighting space evolve considerably โ the gap between a premium fixture like the Radion and mid-tier alternatives has narrowed over the years, but EcoTech still leads in spectrum tuning, app integration, and long-term reliability. The honest conversation for most reefers isn’t “is the Radion G5 good?” โ it clearly is. It’s whether your coral goals and tank size justify the price over capable competitors. Here’s my full breakdown to help you decide.
As you may have read in my Best Reef LED round up article. LEDs are the it technology when it comes to coral growing. They have become the tech toys of our hobby and also have become very energy efficient over time. LEDs can be tricky however, as too many features can overwhelm a newcomer and the spectrum of the LED are not created equal among the various players out there.
EcoTech has prided themselves with spending the R&D time and listening to the hardcore Reef community about what is wanted from a proper Reef LED. This new G5 answers a lot of the asks our community has been wanting. Let’s dive in and see what’s new and what means this newest generation the best ever!
My reviews are fairly structured. Iโm going to be reviewing the following with this Radion G5:
The EcoTech Radion G5 is a huge improvement over the Generation 4. It starts with the HEI lenses that are the most sophisticated lens design available in the industry for LEDs. The new design cluster and optices cuts hot-spot PAR by 30% while also providing a 35% increase in total PAR output from the prior generation. This means you get a better spread and higher output then ever before.
The new generation 5s come in either a Pro version or a Blue version. For this product review, I’m going to concentrate on the Blue version. The reason why is because I feel that the Blue version is the way to go. Anyone who runs a hardcore reef tank knows the value of blues when it comes to coral growth. The blue version is also designed on the EcoTech’s well known AB+ spectrum setting. The model is completely optimized for this spectrum. This makes the new generation 5 the most plug and play friendly Radion ever. Below are the array outlines of the XR15 and XR 30 models for both the Blue and Pro models.
Just look at that array and see the difference between this LED and many others out there. The number of blues on the Blue model are amazing. What you end up is getting a spectrum that is very close to the gold standard ATI Blue Plus.
The generation 5 has 8 controllable channels. Aside from the new array and lens, the other major difference with the Radion Gen 5 is the new Mobius app. The App makes things so much easier to manage and it comes with the package. You no longer need Reeflink in order to connect your light to your phone. The spectrum and intensity is easily adjusted through the mobile app
The Mobius app also has a user friendly timer setting that allows you to set your light timing and your ramp up and down times. I love the ease of use for this app. I know some of our more hardcore reefers want more out of the app. I’m all about simplicity. EcoTech is really listening to the reef community by making everything so accessible for this Generation 5 model.
Did I mention that the Mobius app has the AB+ as a template within the app? This makes it super easy to set up your Radion to the most popular setting that the reefing community uses.
The blue model makes things so easy for the reef community. I love the new features, the app, and the ease of setup with the new blue model. Excellent job EcoTech!
Craftsmanship
The newest generation design is sleek and modern. It’s what we come to expect with the EcoTech Radion lights. Below is a photo of the external overview of the Radion G5
Regarding the mount options, unfortunately the mounting options from the prior generation can’t be used on the G5 Radion. However, the new design actually gives you more options to hang the unit from a DIY perspective. The mounting arm is raised more than the prior generation, which means you can mount your unit on a rail.
It’s a great design and well engineered. There isn’t much out there in the market today that comes close to the craftsmanship and aesthetics of the Radion. The coolness factor of these lights cannot be denied.
Ease Of Use
The ease of of use of the EcoTech Radion G5 has been vastly improved over the last generation. With the Blue model, all you will need to do is tune down the intensity of the unit in order to get the PAR down to where you need it for your specific corals. The Mobius app makes this so easy compared to last generations. Below is the Mobius program overview video from EcoTech. By looking over this video, you should have what you need to get it started. This is the easiest to setup Radion I’ve ever worked with.
There is a fairly easy way to setup your Radion. Here is a quick guide. I would recommend that you rent a PAR meter from your local hobby club or an LFS so that you can ensure you have the proper PAR levels
Set height to 8″ for the best distribution of PAR
Set all channels on the Blue model to 100% and only adjust intensity for PAR
Photo period – 9 hour peak photo period with 30 minute ramp up and ramp down for a total of 10 hours total
LPS PAR Range – 75-150
SPS PAR Range – 200-350
Value For Money
Many retailers will recommend that you use a single XR30 for a 24 x 24 tank space. If you are using an XR30 for a 24 x 24 space, I would say your value for the Money definitely diminishes for this light. However, I firmly believe you can achieve ideal coverage for a 24 x 24 space, still get your ideal PAR coverage, and get way better value for your money by going with a single XR 15.
How is this possible? It is possible with the new Radion G5 diffusers. I would recommend that you purchase a single XR15 and the G5 Diffuser. This will achieve full coverage of the space and PAR spread for the vast majority of tank setups. Below is a video that discusses the new diffuser.
I actually think the diffuser should come with every G5 light. It was a neccessary item with the last generation for those with SPS tanks. With the new lenses, EcoTech claims that you do not need the diffuser to achieve proper PAR spread. The reason why I recommend it is so you can save money and go with a single XR15 instead of purchasing an XR30. If you are running an all out Acro tank, I would just recommend getting XR15s and mounting it to a hybrid fixture over the XR30.
Product Support
The main selling point for me when it comes to EcoTech is the large amount of reefers who use the Radion LEDs. It’s very easy to get advice on proper spectrum settings. This was a major deal with the prior generation models before AB+ became mainstream.
The biggest issue that always bothered me about EcoTech was their warranty. You only get a 1 year warranty with their LEDs. While this is pretty standard when it comes to lights (Giesemann and GHL are the only high end lighting manufacturer where you will see warranties beyond a year), I just expect if you going to spend the amount of money for this light that you get longer than a one year warranty.
Price
This is an expensive light. There is no way around it. It is one of the most expensive reef LEDs on the market and you truly get what you pay for with this Generation 5 model.
I will also point out that the Kessil 360X is more expensive that than the XR15 – and the XR15 is a superior light in my opinion when it comes to performance for coral growth. The XR15 is marginally more expensive than the Hydra 32 and Red Sea 90. The Hydra used to have a huge advantage with their smartphone app, but EcoTech has gained a ton of ground with the new Mobius app.
I do not feel that this generation of Radions are overpriced anymore. I felt that way with the G2, G3, and even the G4. The G5 has really changed my opinion. As other manufacturers come out with newer models, they pushed their prices up while EcoTech kept their prices with this newest generation. Good on EcoTech, and this light is worth every dollar.
Closing Thoughts
This is the best Reef LED light you can buy today. The newest generation is such a gigantic improvement over the G4. It raises the benchmark for all other LEDs on the market. With competitors looking to mimic what EcoTech does, their prices continue to go up which increases the value of the EcoTech Radion even more.
You can see the ratings below from me. The G5 Radion gets my editorโs choice rating and is now the light of choice for my high end setups. Since Iโm open to all reviews, you can leave your own reviews below. This provides the community with an unfiltered source of reviews. If you have any questions, please leave them in the comments below. Thanks for reading!
The return pump is the heart of any sump-based system โ it determines flow rate, heat input, noise level, and reliability for everything downstream. I’ve run various return pumps on my 125-gallon reef over the years, and the Sicce Syncra SDC caught my attention because of its DC motor and controller. Here’s my in-depth take on whether it delivers for serious reef setups.
Looking for the very best Aquarium Return Pump available for your tank today? Well, this is the very post you have been looking for as the Sicce Syncra SDC has solved may of the issues that have plagued DC pumps since they were first introduced in the hobby.
As you may have read in my Best Aquarium Return Pump round up article. DC pumps are cursed with multiple issues. The main thing are the failure points and the quality control of the manufacturing. So what happens when we combine one of the most reliable and high quality Italian manufacturers in our industry and DC pump technology? It sounds like a dream combination doesn’t it? It sounds like Sicce may have solved the very issue that has frustrated most us with DC pumps since they were released – reliability!
As a reminder for my viewers, this post will contain affiliate links. An affiliate link means I may earn advertising or referral fees if you make a purchase through my link. I’ve had the pleasure of working with some great partners in the industry and highly recommended working with these links as they happily help hobbyists and content creators support their work. With that disclose away let’s get started! Let’s find out what makes The Sicce Syncra SDC stand out from the crowd!
My Sicce Syncra SDC Review will be fairly structured. I’m going to be reviewing the following for this product:
I’ll start off by giving a quick disclaimer. I’m absolutely unashamedly bias to Sicce pumps. In the 15+ years I have been involved with this hobby, I have been very loyal to them. They have never done me wrong. This DC return pump is an absolute dream. Let’s discuss the crazy amount of features included with this pump:
You may have seen these features in other DC pumps, the main difference here is that Sicce delivers all if this with a FREE controller app that runs on your smartphone. There is no additional accessory to purchase (calling you out EcoTech), The app can actually run multiple Sicce pumps. In fact, it will run any Sicce related product that has wifi enabled. This is an amazing feature that Sicce has added. It’s simply the best in the industry that I have seen from an return pump.
The Syncra SDC is offered in 3 models all built with energy efficiency in mind. The pump meets the needs of advanced recirculating applications and are equipped with integrated intelligence systems.
Craftsmanship
Italian design and manufacturing. That’s the best way to start this section of the review. It’s not a secret in our industry that German and Italian engineering are highly valued. They are known for their quality, effectiveness, and reliability. With the large number of Chinese manufactured DC pumps these days, something that has the original high quality of the Germans and Italians is increasingly rare. It’s one of the biggest things I’ve been with the DC transition as many AC pumps are still made with German and Italian manufacturing and engineering.
The Syncra SDC is no exception. It is 100% designed and produced in Italy. The design if the pump is no frill and functional based. I actually prefer this over the cool looking DC pumps I have seen with blue and red colors. I just want the pump to work for ages. I could care less about the fancy colors of something I only see when I pop open my cabinet.
The biggest proof of craftsmenship by Sicce is their offer of a 5 year warranty. That blows away EVERY competitor on the market at it’s price point. It’s not even close. Ecotech and CoralVue can’t even sniff a 5 year warranty on their pumps. There are only two groups of competitors that will come close to a 5 year warranty. That would be going with an AC return pump or moving up to Abyzz DC pumps that have 10 year warranties. The Abyzz pump however is 3 times the price!
Ease Of Use
The Syncra SDC install is similiar with any DC pump out there that will involve plumbing.I won’t really cover that here since that is a whole separate discussion. However, what I will talk about how easy to use and install their Contrall App is. The video below walks you through the process. I found the install process pretty painless and the fact that you can get notifications on your phone is pretty amazing given this is all included in your purchase of the return pump.
Value for Money
The Sicce Syncra SDC is no doubt an expensive DC return pump. However, let’s talk about the value. It’s priced at the levels of a EcoTech and VarioS. This puts it at the higher end of the market. It is also the only pump that offers a 5 year warranty. If I’m going to invest over $200 on a return pump – I better get a long-term warranty. I’ve heard too many stories of EcoTech pumps failing prematurely.
I’m old school in that I believe a return pump is a purchase and forgot about it for the next 10 years. Sicce is the ONLY DC return pump in this price range that offers this assurance. As such, it’s the only DC pump I recommend for high end builds. It is the one DC pump that truly combines the energy efficiency of DC pumps with the reliability of AC pumps.
Product Support
Given Sicce is headquartered in Italy, they can be sometimes hard to reach. However, in my experience their customer support is responsive, just not in your desired timezone. I do like their registration process and there are plenty of videos online they provide that show how to operate their products. When you register your product, you create a registered customer login where you can login your tickets and get support. It’s a rather easy to use portal.
Price
The biggest con in this product review. They are one of the more expensive DC Pumps on the market. They also have the best reputation for their durability. There prices are more expensive then the Reef Octopus Varios, but on Par with EcoTechs. Given the superior warranty and durability history with Sicce products in general, I feel they are priced competitively. For those at lower budgets, you can’t do wrong with a traditional Sicce AC pump.
Closing Thoughts
The SDC Pumps are available in various sizes. The models are shown below:
Model
Watts
GPH
SDC 6.0
10 – 40 Watts
530 – 1430 GPH
SDC 7.0
20 – 65 Watts
800 – 1900 GPH
SDC 9.0
30 – 90 Watts
800 – 2500 GPH
There is a model for all aquariums. This is the best Aquarium DC Return Pump on the market today without a doubt. Well deserving of my Editor’s Choice badge. You can see the ratings below from me. As I’m open to all reviews, you can leave your own in the comments section and discuss your experience with this return pump. If you have any questions, please leave them in the comments below. Thanks for reading!
A quality CO2 regulator is one of the most important investments in a planted tank โ it determines whether your CO2 injection is stable, consistent, and safe for your fish. I’ve tested several regulators over the years and the CO2Art Pro-Elite stands out for specific reasons I’ll break down here. This is my honest review after hands-on use.
Looking for the very best CO2 regulator available for planted tanks today? Well you are in a treat today as I review the CO2 Art Pro-Elite Series CO2 Regulator. I had the pleasure of taking to the CO2Art people about their product and got the full scope on their latest CO2 regulator. If you are a serious aquascaper, or looking to be one, this is the product review for you!
As a reminder for my viewers, this post will contain affiliate links. An affiliate link means I may earn advertising or referral fees if you make a purchase through my link. With that disclose away let’s get started! Let’s find out what makes CO2Art’s regulator stand out from the crowd!
My reviews are fairly structured. I’m going to be reviewing the following for this product:
This is a world class CO2 regulator. It is designed for aquarium safety and precision. The unit can handle systems from nano systems all the way up to 1000 gallons. It is a dual stage regulator. This next gen model now comes with a fully customized solenoid block with a high precision needle value and bubble counter. The System is powered via DC with a power adapter that accepts universal voltage from 100V – 240V. It’s a nice plus from CO2 that they will offer you the plugs for your country and it is a product that is available in both the UK and US.
Having a dual stage regulator is a great idea for planted tanks because it allows you to directly control the consistently of the pressure of the CO2 system. This is a huge advantage compared to single gauge systems that will run into issues with pressure consistency as the CO2 tank empties. The gauges are very easy to read and the brand dial are nice features they have added to this new generation model. The prior generator had plainer looking gauges and the dial looked more standard like what you would see on a CO2 regulator at a bar.
The bubble counter and the needle valve on this regulator are top notch. The needle valve is extremely precise. It doesn’t take a ton of them to bed down. It is fast and accurate from the start!
Craftsmanship
Let’s talk about the craftsmenship of CO2 products and why they are amazing buys. They are top German quality, reliability built regulators. These are not your budget build short-term warranty regulators that you will find on Amazon. CO2Art backs up this top of the line model with a 10 year warranty. The stainless steel finish is great and the power adapter does a good job of getting too hot in your aquarium cabinet. Nothing in this regulator package looks cheap. No corners were cut with this regulator. Amazing work by the CO2Art team.
Ease Of Use (Installation)
Installing the CO2Art Pro Series is fairly simple with the YouTube videos that CO2 Art suppliers on their YouTube channel and with their offer of tech support to their customers. They have no problems getting on on customer support ticket to walk you through the process.
If you are lost on the install – CO2Art offers their instruction manual online here.
Value For the Money
The price for these units are not cheap. This top of the line model is up there with similar top end models. What makes their value stand out though is the warranty and customer support behind the product. There is also a wonderful combo package that CO2Art offers that gets you everything you need. This to me makes this Regulator the best value on the market.
This package comes with the following:
Pro Series CO2Art Regulator
Aluminum Aquarium CO2 bubble Counter
CO2 Art Inline Diffusor
Aquarium CO2 Drop Checker
CO2 Resistant Tubing
All of these comes together at an excellent price price and backed by a 10 year warranty. Want a better discount? Try my discount code ASD10%Off at checkout.
Legendary Customer Support
The biggest differentiating standpoint from CO2Art and every other CO2 regulator seller is their customer support. The customer support is top notch and CO2 offers lifetime technical support for all their customers. The CO2Art team patiently answers all your questions and concerns about install and setup. They will also happily ship this product to multiple countries – US, Canada, UK, Signapore, etc the CO2 will ship internationally. The support team offers you a support portal with online instructions, articles and FAQS. I love their support and they have always been there for me to answer any questions I had.
Price
This is the biggest knock on the Pro-Elite Series CO2 Regulator. It is premium priced and may be too expensive for some. CO2Art does offer a more budget friendly version in the Pro-Series Model. You can also purchase the product off Klarna’s pay later program, which will break up the purchase in 4 installments.
Closing Thoughts
This is the best CO2 Regulator you can buy today. It has it all. The features, the quality, the customer service, and warranty. You can see the ratings below from me. The product gets my editor’s choice rating. Since I’m open to all reviews, you can leave your own reviews below. This provides the community with an unfiltered source of reviews. If you have any questions, please leave them in the comments below. Thanks for reading!
I’m really frustrated and tired of the news about Chloroquine Phosphate. There is so much bad information about Chloroquine Phosphate it has gotten to the point where it’s affecting my business. I’ve been in the marine fish keeping industry for over 20 years. I’ve used this substance on marine fish in quarantine for ages. I’ve been quietly speaking its praises to my fellow hobby club and group members. It’s been my secret weapon for years in battling the most deadly marine fish diseases over the years.
It is a sad day for me today. Today, I had to take down my Choloroquine Phosphate product from my store. I can no longer sell it, and it all started with a generic announcement that became a bad news story. I tried to dispense with the myth that it was a cure for COVID. I was even on the news to talk about it. I was verbally abused by prospective customers through live chat and the phone because I refused to sell the product to them after they openly admitted to me that they were planning to use it for human consumption. I was threatened 3 times by my merchant provider to take off my product from my store or face losing my merchant account and getting my site completely shut down.
Today enough is enough, the product is getting de-listed. But I’m not simply going away. I redirected my old product to this page to educate folks on what Choloquine Phosphate REALLYis, why it’s an amazing product FOR FISH, and my story as to why I ultimately ended up pulling it from my store. So sit down, relax, and enjoy my story. It’s going to be a doozy!
What Is It?
Chloroquine Phosphate, is an antiprotozoal drug used by marine and aquarium hobbyists to treat fish suffering from Cryptocaryon (Marine Ich), Marine Velvet, Brooke, and Uroema.
Chloroquine Phosphate is so well regarded in the marine hobby that it was covered by Advanced Aquarist as a wonder drug. It became the drug of choice for many public aquariums including the Georgia Aquarium. It has been widely used by hobbyists in the early days of the marine aquarium hobby and used in the aquaculture industry since the 70s and 80s.
It is typically unavailable to the majority of the reefing community due to it normally being available through a Veterinarian via a prescription. As you can imagine, it can be very difficult to obtain a prescription for this wonderful medication as there are not many fish vets available who know about the medication or would be willing to prescribe it.
How I Got Started With It
I started the reefing hobby in the late 90s and was a member of the local aquarium club in my area at the time. I was introduced to the process of quarantining marine fish after having several issues with Marine Velvet. Chloroquine Phosphate became an amazing medication. The biggest advantage to it versus copper was that it would work with zero ramp up. This was a huge development because Marine Velvet and Brooke work very quickly against a marine fish. Within 24-48 hours, most fish will die from getting overwhelmed from these diseases.
Chloroquine Phosphate was simply amazing. I never lost a battle with Marine Velvet using this medication. Back then, it was easy to obtain this medication without a prescription because there was this amazing product from Aquatronics called Marex. Marex had just enough pure Cholorquine Phosphate to be effective and also was inexpensive. It was also available without a vet’s prescription. It was my go to until Aquatronics went out of business in the early 2000s.
I have been a promoter of this medication for many years, so much that I have a blog post on how to quarantine fish that details how to use the product. You can see my video below.
How I Got Started With Selling
After Aquatonics went out of business, I was frustrated on how I couldn’t get this medication. The vets around me had no clue what I was talking about and I was hearing more and more that vets weren’t prescribing it anymore. You had to go to a vet who either specialized in marine fish or koi ponds to get the medication. There simply weren’t that many vets around who specialized in fish. So where could I get this medication so I could have a chance against the deadly 3 (Marine Velvet, Brooke, Uroema)?
This is when I found out about Fish Pharmacies. They sold medications to public aquariums and aquaculture facilities who needed the medication to cure their livestock. I was amazed that I could get this medication from them, but the amount they sell you in bulk was quite a lot. You would have to purchase a kilogram at a time while most marine fish keepers would maybe need 50-100 grams max in their medication drawers to get what they need.
I had my stash of Cholorquine Phosphate for my incoming fish for my reef tank. I heard so much on the reefing forums of people racking their brains trying to fight off Marine Velvet with Seachem Copper. It was sad to see so many people fail. Copper is tricky to use while Cholorquine was a one-time medication then you just replace with more medication as you change water. Super easy!
As I heard more and more about people losing fish to marine velvet, I started to sell Cholorquine Phosphate on this site. I had a certificate of analysis showing 99.9% purity of the product. I was the only seller on the web that had such a certificate at the time.
As the availability of Cholorquine Phosphate became more scarce, I started to obtain the medication through labs that would sell to universities. Since I had a commercial license, I was able to procure the product. I was rocking and rolling selling to customers who were saving marine fish life everyday with this wonder fish medication. It was really rewarding getting the emails thanking me for selling them the medication.
COVID-19 And “Chloroquine”
COVID-19 has been a mess for everyone. My own business was affected not just with the general downturn of the economy, but the affect on prices on livestock in the marine hobby. Price for fish and corals skyrocketed 2 -3 x times their usual price as imports closed up and supply became restricted. My fish medication product also became part of the news cycle when the President of the US announced that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) had approved the use of hydroxychloroquine against COVID-19.
Unfortunately, the President and most of the media shortened the name of the drug to Chloroquine. In came all the new articles talking about Chloroquine and how it would aid in the fight against COVID-19. Search results exploded for everything Chloroquine. Everyone wanted their hands on it.
It became very easy to confuse the abbreviation Chloroquine with Chloroquine Phosphate. The price of this well loved fish medication exploded overnight. Once an affordable medication, Chloroquine Phosphate was all of a sudden selling for over $400 for only 10 grams. People wanted to use it for human consumption.
At @Storyful, we found an interesting phenomenon: sales of a version of chloroquine phosphate used in fish tanks – yes, fish tanks – have skyrocketed in recent weeks. Jars of the drug not intended for human consumption have gone from $10 to over $400 or higher this month. pic.twitter.com/vAe5dzwUBa
I started getting messaged on my live chat from people asking me if they could use this medication on humans. I told them that it is a fish medication and it is not for human consumption. I got several angry messages in my live chat when I refused to sell them batches of the medication as they openly said they were going to use it on loved ones affected by the virus.
My Interview With NBC News
This was starting to get crazy. I was contacted by a BBC journalist who wanted to talk about the product I sold in my store. They had told me that a man had died ingesting this medication in Arizona. I was horrified and concerned for the public health. I was also cringing when I read the article and it mentioned that the product was a fish tank cleaner (it’s a medication not a fish tank cleaner). They asked me if I was interested in being interviewed on TV about my experience. I was happy to do so. I wanted to dispel the myths about this medication. I spent about 2 hours in meetings with BBC and then my interview was displayed on NBC News.
I felt much better getting the word out. I had chosen to place the medication product as out of stock in my store when I first heard of the FDA announcement. I had a feeling that it would get confused. I was planning to keep it out of stock until this COVID-19 mess was behind us. I wasn’t ready about what was going to happen next…
Shopify Threatens To Shut Down My Store
A couple of weeks passed since my interview with NBC. I was getting ramped up on some new content I was writing and went to check my email. I got a notice from Shopify that my product was removed from my store. The product was marked as high risk due to it being related to the Coronavirus. They sent me a notice stating that there was a risk that I was price gouging and had to provide proof that this wasn’t the case. They wanted to me to provide proof of my historical price of the product and also prove that a major retailer sold the product near the price I sold mine for. I was surprised that my store was threatened to be shut down thinking I was price gouging. I never increased my prices and had positive reviews for my product. I explained myself to Shopify and got everything lifted.
A few days later after my product went offline, it was pulled again for the same reason. I responded to the risk department with all my past communication. I took it further and gave them the interview link to my talk with NBCNews. They apologized and I was listed again. I was told all was good after that.
Shopify Labels My Product As A Pharmaceutical
A few weeks past. My site was getting a curiously high amount of traffic since my interview. Likely due to folks landing on my product page and seeing my product in the search results. Things were looking pretty good for me. I was having a great month despite the lockdown orders and my biggest challenge was supply chain restrictions. I woke up one morning and received another letter from Shopify.
This letter was a bit different. I was having my payments held because Shopify’s risk department had labeled my product a Pharmaceutical. Looking at the terms of service, the fish medication product I sold was being placed under regulated or illegal products or services. This labeled my product as no different than cannabis dispensaries, tobacco sales, age restricted goods or services, weapons, etc. I was floored.
I tried to explain the situation to the risk department. They said my best course of action would be to find another merchant supplier who would be willing to work with my product. This put me in a tough spot. I had my payments withheld during this time and no merchant services provider that was referred to me was answering emails or picking up the phone due to staff reductions related to COVID-19. I was a rock in a hard place.
Since I couldn’t get anyone on the phone and there was risk that this could happen again, I decided to remove my product permanently from my store. I felt bad for my past customers who came to rely on this product to save their sick fish. There wasn’t much else I could do.
What It Isn’t
Now that you know the story and why I won’t relist my product. Let’s talk about what Choloroquine Phosphate isn’t.
It Is Not Fish Tank Cleaner
I have no idea where the news got this information from. It is not used to clean fish tanks. While it does have anti-algae properties, its primary purpose is as a antiprotozoal medication. I said this in my talks with BBC, but for some reason it never showed up in the news article or the interview.
It Is Not A Medication for COVID-19
It was hydroxychloroquine that was approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. They are two completely different drugs. Cholorquine Phosphate is used for humans to treat malaria. The brand name for the drug is called Aralen. Is not the same thing that I sold. My product was the substance in it’s purest form. The drug designed for humans is not pure Choloroquine Phosphate. This is likely why that poor man in Arizona died ingesting it. He had likely overdosed on the drug.
The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Warns Against Using It
On March 27, 2020, the FDA sent an public health letter to stakeholders warning to not use use Chloroquine Phosphate intended for fish as treatment for COVID-19 in humans. The FDA closed the letter with the following:
People should not take any form of chloroquine unless it has been prescribed by a licensed public health care provider and is obtained through a legitimate source.
You can find the full letter here. Amazingly enough, the letter itself did not receive much news coverage.
What It Is
Let’s talk about what this medication is for fish. It is
Superior to and more gentle on fish than copper
A 10 Gram bottle treats 250 gallons at a 40mg/gallon dosage
Chloroquine Phophate (CP) is the drug of choice for diseases like Ich (Cryptocaryon irritans), Marine Velvet Disease (Amyloodinium), Brooklynella hostilis, & Uronema marinum
One time medication – only replace medication in the event of a water change
Chloroquine Phosphate acts as an algaecide eliminating algae in the quarantine tank.
How to Use It On Fish
Since my product got taken down, I’m going to use the how to use instructions that were on my product page for anyone who attempts to use this on their fish.
For Quarantine (Prophylactic) Treatment – Typical dosage for quarantine is 40mg/Gallon
When dosing Chloroquine Phosphate, treat water with a pre-dissolved solution using a cup of tank water
For Ich – 30 day active treatment
For Velvet – 14 day active treatment
For active infection – up to 60mg/gallon
For Uroema – up to 80mg/gallon
Highly recommended that you use a digital scale to measure your dosage to ensure accuracy
Keep medication in a cool, dark, and dry pace. Chloroquine Phosphate is heat and light sensitive
If a water change is performed, Chloroquine Phosphate will need to be re-dosed for the amount of water changed. You do not need to dose Chloroquine for top off water.
Additional Warnings about Using It On Fish
Here are the additional notes and warnings that were on my product page that I’m displaying for anyone looking into this medication.
NOT RECOMMENDED FOR PIPEFISH, PUPPERS, LIONFISH, SEAHORSES, WRASSES, ANTHIAS, & BLUE HIPPO TANGS!
Not reef safe – Chloroquine Phosphate is meant to be used in a quarantine for prophylactic treatment or in a hospital tank for active infections.
No one ships Chloroquine Phosphate next day If you have an infected fish and you need treatment now I highly recommended going to your LFS and obtaining Copper. Most of the diseases Chloroquine phosphate treats are extremely deadly and can kill a fish overnight
Closing Thoughts
I’m sad to no longer offering this life saving treatment for what I call the deadly 3 marine fish diseases. Hopefully COVID-19 gets past us sooner than later and we can all return to normal. I hope clinical trials go well with the vaccine being developed. Maybe we will see Chloroquine Phosphate offered again as a treatment for marine fish diseases in the future. Right now, the supply chain is on hold due to concerns that people will use it for human consumption. Stay safe. My thoughts are with you all. We will all come out of this stronger. Take care and thank you for reading.
๐ Want to learn more? This article is part of our complete Saltwater Fish & Reef Guide โ your ultimate resource for marine fish, coral care, reef setup, and more.
Freshwater shrimp tanks are one of my favorite recommendations for hobbyists who want a low-maintenance setup with high visual impact. I’ve set up dedicated shrimp tanks and kept shrimp in planted community setups โ both work well when you understand what shrimp actually need. Here’s how to set one up right from the start.
Freshwater Shrimp tanks are getting very popular these days. Shrimp with their small size, active nature, and appealing personality has increased in popularity, especially with nano or smaller tanks. Shrimp tanks have some special considerations though to be successful. They can be intimating at first because they can be more delicate than fish and require a bit more planning than first.
That is not to say they are difficult to keep. In fact, most shrimp are relatively easy to keep, they just require proper planning. That’s what this article is for – to get you on the right track. In this article, I will discuss everything you need to know to get started right.
Key Takeaways
A sponge filter is the go-to for most shrimp tank keepers
If you are going the planted tank route, you must ensure your substrate and fertilizers do not contain copper as it could kill your shrimp
TDS meters are beneficial to determine if your source water is okay. Consider RO or RODI + mineralizing if your TDS is too high
Tank mates are tricky as many fish will prey on shrimp. If they don’t prey on the adult shrimp, they will likely eat the baby shrimp
Freshwater Shrimp Tank Equipment – Getting The Proper Equipment
Below is a video from our YouTube Channel all about how to setup a freshwater shrimp tank. We go over more details in our blog post below. If you like our content, be sure to subscribe.
The first step is figuring out what we need exactly to get started. Let’s start with the biggest consideration – the tank itself.
Tank Size
Bigger is better and more stable. Although shrimp can technically survive in a very small aquarium, the water is prone to fluctuations in parameters and temperatures. This can lead to premature death of shrimp. Shrimp do not like a lot of parameter fluctuations in their tank. In addition, healthy freshwater shrimp will actively breed, meaning you want a bigger tank to support the offspring.
There is also a drawback with going too big. Too big with how small the shrimp are will make your aquarium look underwhelming. Due to this, I would recommend not going larger than 40 gallons with 20 – 29 gallons being an ideal sweet spot to start. A 2 foot long tank will be the cheapest overall to setup.
If you are looking for a cheap used tank, you will need to do some extra diligence when shopping around. Any used tank that has been treated with copper is going to be a major problem with freshwater shrimp. Copper will leech from the silicon seems in a used aquarium and will kill off new additions to your tank. It is critical that you purchase a used tank that has never been treated with copper to ensure long-term success.
Freshwater Shrimp filtration gets a little more complicated with shrimp as you have to account for shrimp fry then the general small nature of Shrimp. A filter can easily suck up shrimp babies and even adults. It is easy to modify your filters to prevent this though. Usually, shrimps tanks go with one of the following:
We do not consider Canister Filters with freshwater shrimp. It’s just overkill for this application. Internal filters could work, but the sponge filter is just a great choice to use if you are going internal. If you are going with a Hang On Back Filter, you can’t go wrong with an Hagen Aquaclear Filter.
Sponge Filter – Cheap, easy, and not dangerous to shrimp out of the box. Many shrimp breeders use these in their tanks because they are so easy to use and they work!
Hang On Back (HOB) Filter – Also known as power filters. These are excellent choices, but you have to modify your intake to prevent any accidents. I would suggest you place a sponge pre-filter on your intake in order to prevent any losses.
Heating
An Aquarium Heater can be a controversial subject among shrimp keepers, especially those who keep Neocaridina Shrimp, which can live in cooler water. Ideally, you will want your freshwater shrimp in water temperatures of 70 – 79 degrees Fahrenheit though many breeders will say that a heater is not exactly needed with Neocardina shrimp as long as your area does not get too cold during the winter. For heaters, I would recommend Eheim Jagers.
Substrate
With Aquarium Substrate, we have to consider either going with an inert or active substrate. An inert substrate will not affect our water parameters, but will require more supplementation to maintain plants. An active substrate is more suited for shrimp that need softer water, like Caridina shrimp. You will also have more success with active substrate growing rooted plants as nutrients will be available through the substrate. If you are going with an active substrate, consider going with ADA Aquasoil or Fluval Stratum, which is designed for freshwater shrimp.
If we are looking at shrimp that like KH, like Neocaridina shrimp, you may want to consider an inert substrate. I would recommend CaribSea EcoComplete if you are looking for an inert substrate.
If you go with an active soil, keep in mind that your cycle time will be longer. Active soil will produce a lot of ammonia when new and freshwater shrimp are very sensitive to ammonia spikes. Be patient with your cycle and introduce your shrimp when parameters have stabilized.
If you are going with an active substrate, you can consider carpet plants like Monte Carlo. Duckweed and Rotalas do a very good job at protecting your shrimp from high nitrate spikes as they tend to explode in growth when nutrients are high. Also stay on top of your pruning and leaf clean up to prevent decaying matter build up in your aquarium.
Lighting
Freshwater Shrimp and lighting is pretty simple. You can use any decent Planted Tank LED system and you should be able to house the main plants listed. For the best features, I would recommend the Serene RGB Pro LED light if it’s in your budget.
Ammonia, Nitrite are very important to measure when you get started with your tank. As you tank matures, you will mostly worry about your nitrate levels. pH, GH, and KH need to be regularly tested in order to ensure they stay stable with your desired shrimp.
TDS is a new parameter to test when it comes to shrimp keeping. TDS is a measure of total dissolved solids in water. Too much TDS can affect the health of your shrimp and some shrimp are so sensitive, it is more ideal to use water from an RODI System and then re-materialize the water with a supplement like Shrimp Mineral. Below is a chart that lists out the range of TDS levels for specific types of shrimp:
TDS Meters are readily available online and do a great job at getting accurate readings for you. Make sure when you are testing for TDS, that you test your other parameters as well. Everything affects TDS so just measuring TDA alone is not sufficient! Check out our posts on Aquarium Test Kits for more recommendations on test kits. For KH and HG tests, an API Test Kit should work for most shrimp keepers.
Parameters for Neocaridina are as follows:
pH: 6.5 – 7.5
KH: 1-4
GH: 6-8
TDS – 80-200
Water Temp: 65 – 73 F
Parameters for Caridina shrimp are as follows:
pH: 6.2 – 6.6
KH: 2-6
GH: 4-8
TDS: 80-100
Water Temp: 70 – 73 F
Keep in mind these are general guidelines. Caridina and their bee varieties can have various ideal parameters so you will want to do your research accordingly!
How To Set Up
I’m going to borrow a video from my good friend Aaron from Aaron’s Aquatics. This video shows an example setup and the start up process. Aquascaping for Shrimp Tanks are best using the Iwagumi styleaquascape. This is because the large rocks create mountain that are still smooth for shrimp to venture around on. Cholla wood is also great to use for shrimp. Aaron’s video also has a few other recommendations like Catappa Leaves.
Species – Choosing The Right Ones
So you heard me earlier in this post talk about Neocaridina and Caridina shrimp. I’m going to focus on these two types of shrimp in this post.
Neocaridina shrimp are going to be hardier than Cardina shrimp. They are a hardwater species and like KH, which means them best for an inert substrate. If the Neocardina shrimp, the Cherry Shrimp is the most beginner friendly and has the most variety.
Cherry Shrimp have grades that are easy to follow with Red Cherry being the lowest grade and Painted Fire Red being the highest. Their grades are as follows:
Cherry
Sakura
Fire Red
Painted Fire Red
Each grade is more rare and more expensive than the other. Cherry shrimp will breed and grow quickly.
Other examples include Yellow, Blue Dream, and Green. All come from the Neocardina Davidi species. You can get multiple colors, but be aware that over time they will cross bred and you will have hybrids. A variety only tank is more ideal to keep consistent colors.
Caridina shrimp are a soft water, more delicate species of shrimp. They tend to be imported from other countries making them larger when shipped and more prone to die off for a variety of reasons that I will explain later. Caradia shrimp and bring in some exotic colors and adapt better to active soils like ADA Aquasoil because they prefer softer water and tend to fit better in a professional level planted tank because the plants one will go for will demand softer water. Caradina shrimp are highly sensitive to parameter fluctuations and the reason why shrimp tend to get labeled as hard to keep in our industry. One common Caradina shrimp is an Amano shrimp.
There is another type of shrimp that is available called Sulawesi shrimp. These are exotic shrimp that usually imported. They have high mortality rates when shipping and are considered an advanced care shrimp to keep.
Here is a simple chart below on Neocardina and Caradina shrimp varieties:
When purchasing freshwater aquarium shrimp, sourcing becomes a major component in your success. With shrimp, you have two sources, importing shrimp and homebred shrimp.
Importing shrimp is what you will typically find at your local fish stores. If you haven’t seen my Quarantine post, you may not be familiar with the sourcing cycle of imported livestock in our hobby. It is below for your reference:
Imported livestock in general are going to go through multiple distributions to get to your home. This increases stress and the likelihood for diseases. Imported shrimp will also be larger in size, meaning they will have a harder time adapting to captivity. It is common for imported shrimp to experience die off when shipping (picture reference from the University of Florida).
Homebred shrimp on the other hand are going to be hardier in general. They are used being in captivity and tend to be less prone to diseases. Homebred shrimp can also have issues as well if your breeder is not experienced or they are only a generation or two removed from being imported. In general, it’s going to be better to get your shrimp homebred from a local breeder in your area as they will use the similar source water as you (e.g. – tap water). Check your local aquarium societies and social media groups for sources of homebred shrimp.
For those who do not have a local breeder available, I would highly recommend Buceplant. They sell a variety of Neocardina shrimp that would all be excellent choices for your shrimp tank.
Pests – Dealing With Them
Freshwater aquarium shrimp have pests that we need to deal with. Most will come from freshwater plants we purchase. The main pests are:
Planaria is a type of flatworm that will attack and eat shrimp. You can use a Planaria Trap or a No Planaria medication to eradicate the problem.
Hydra is a small aquatic vertebrae. They will sting and poison your shrimp killing them. They can also be treated with No Planaria medication.
Scuds are especially dangerous for newborn shrimp. It is another hitchhiker from live plants. Manual removal is best for these. The reproduce very fast. Another option is to use Bettas or Killifish as they they will happily eat the scuds. Betta are a wildcard for shrimp tanks. Some people go the nuclear route, remove as many shrimp as they can, drop the Betta in and let it eat all the scuds over time. Once the scuds have been eaten the Betta can be removed and the shrimp can be reintroduced.
Dragonfly Nymphs are nasty predators. They will kill and eat your shrimp and will hunt non-stop. Manual removal is your best bet. There are other options you can do, but they will harm your shrimp.
The best way to deal with pests is prevention though. Consider dipping your plants in a bleach solution (19 parts water to 1 parts bleach) and rising with Primeconditioned water before introducing them into your aquarium or consider quarantining your live plant additions. See the video below from LifeWithPets on how to do a bleach dip for your live plants:
Compatible Tank Mates
You may not be interested in shrimp only tanks, so this list of fish will help with picking ones that will work with your shrimp. One thing you will need to keep in mind is if you add fish, it is going to be very likely that the shrimp babies will get eaten so don’t expect to breed shrimp with fish. There are very few fish that will not eat a baby shrimp if given a chance. You can increase your chances of success by choosing a larger species of shrimp like an Amano. Here is a limited selection of small fish that may work in a shrimp tank:
You need a mix of natural and prepared food to be successful with shrimp tanks. The main natural food we are looking to have available is biofilm. Biofilm is the structure bacteria build to support themselves and grow on surfaces. Shrimp will eat this in the aquarium. Biofilm can grow on your sponger filter, leave litter, mosses, and rocks. The more surface you have available the better for your shrimp. You can also provide “permanent food” like Cholla Wood.
The next is prepared food. Powered Shrimp Baby Food by GlasGarten is a great choice to sustain shrimp babies. For adult shrimp, commercial shrimp food is available for purchase and will do the trick.
It is also a good idea to use a Feeding Tray when feeding your shrimp. This will prevent excess food getting lost in your substrate and keeping the rest of your aquarium clean from food debris. It’s also a nice way to observe your fish.
Tank Maintenance
Shrimp in general are more prone to parameter changes than fish. Staying on top of maintenance is a big deal with shrimp tanks. Many shrimp tanks are also smaller tanks, which make them more susceptible to parameter changes.
Water Quality
Shrimp are sensitive to ammonia, nitrite, and higher levels of nitrate. Weekly water changes are especially important with shrimp tanks. Another factor to consider with shrimp tanks is water top off. When water evaporates, parameters can change. Evaporation just pulls out water, but leaves your trace minerals in. You will want to added pure replacement water. This would be something like RODI water or distilled water to replace your evaporated water. You can use an Auto Top Of System to make things easier.
Shrimp Tank Maintenance Tasks
Additional tasks aside from water changes and top off water would be once a month filter cleaning. Make sure when you clean your filter media that you use your pulled tank water and squeeze the foam or sponges. This will clean out the debris, but will maintain the bacterial colonies in the media. Sponges should last a very long time and shouldn’t need to be replaced. Don’t replace a sponge unless you absolutely have to, and be very careful if you do because of the bacterial colony loss. It’s better to seed a sponge beforehand if you have to replace a sponge.
Another key thing to note about shrimp tank is you need to be very careful when you put your hands in your aquarium. Shrimp are very sensitive to toxins. Detergents, chemicals on plants, flea treatments from pets, flea shampoo, and cleaners are prone a risk for your shrimp. Always make sure you wash your hands before putting your hands in your tank. Reef Safe Soap is your friend and a recommended purchase if you are going to handle a shrimp tank.
Problems – Why They Die
There a number of challenges one can come across with a Shrimp Tank. I’ll try to cover several of them in this post.
Parameter Swings
Shrimp are sensitive to water parameter swings. Having proper tests kits and a TDS meter are you friend. Get in the habit of regularly testing your water on a weekly basis.
Uncycled Tanks
Shrimp are very sensitive to ammonia in the aquarium and with their prolific breeding, they can add on to your bioload overtime. If you are using active substrate like ADA Aquasoil, keep in mind that the substrate will generate ammonia when it is first introduced. You will want to give an active soil like this a good two months before introducing shrimp.
Molting Issues
A common aliment in beginner shrimp tanks. This indicates a lack of iodine in the tank. Most staple food and powered food will serve this function. Fertilizer that is made for shrimp tanks will also include iodine to help support the shrimp’s molting process. Additional items to add if needed would be montmorillonite material powder that you can readily purchase online.
Too Many Males
If you have a shrimp tank with too many males to females, this will present a problem to your population. Males in abundance will overwhelm, stress out, and harass females to the point of death. If you are seeing your females are dropping fast, consider removing a portion of your male population to balance out your numbers. I have provide examples of a female and male shrimp to show you the visual differences. The male is typically longer while the female has an expanded abdomen section.
Aquarium Heaters
Heater failure is pretty common in our hobby. A failed heater can lead to many shrimp deaths. Heaters will usually fail on the on position, which will overheat your tank. Consider an Aquarium Heater Controller to prevent a catastrophic event.
Pests
As we mentioned earlier, pests are a major problem in shrimp tanks. Consider using a bleach dip to prevent nuisance pests in your tank.
Toxins
Toxins – especially copper are especially deadly to shrimp. Make sure if you are using fertilizer that your fertilizer is shrimp safe meaning that there isn’t copper in the mix or purchase a fertilizer specially designed for shrimp. Check our our Aquarium Plant Fertilizer post for recommended products.
Poor Source Water
Let’s talk about your source water. In general for freshwater tanks, you can be okay using tap water that is treated with a Dechlorinator. If you are going to keep harder to keep shrimp like Caridina shrimp, you will probably need to go with better source water.
Shrimp are very sensitive to copper levels and high nurtients, things that could be present in tap water. You will want to look at your city’s water reports to see what is in your water. RODI water is 99% pure H20 for your aquarium and ideal for sensitive species of shrimp. If you use tap water with Caridina shrimp, it’s possible to get quick die off of your shrimp. If you are using RODI water, you will need to remineralize the water when making water changes. You will want to use a remineralizer supplement in order to get the proper elements in your water changes so your shrimp can stay health.
Having baby shrimp dying in large numbers can indicate an inadequate source of biofilm for the babies. Focus on building this up in your tank with more rocks, mosses, leave litter, and consider using powdered food to keep them fed.
Life Span
Shrimp don’t actually live very long. Most shrimp will live 6-12 months in an aquarium, but they breed a lot. This is also why having a single variety of shrimp is a big deal because generations pass quickly and within a couple of years you will have hybrid shrimps in your tank from the new generations.
Closing Thoughts
Freshwater shrimp tanks are loaded with personality and if bigger shrimp are selected, they can be manageable for a beginner. Shrimp tanks are a niche in our hobby with challenge levels for everyone and it can be really exciting to have an actively breeding tank.
They can really be a lot of fun to keep and with their smaller sizes, your wallet will thank you versus going for a much larger tank :). If you have any questions, please leave a comment below. Thank you for reading.
Let me be straight with you: no fish tank truly cleans itself. That’s marketing language. What “self-cleaning” actually means in practice is that certain tank designs minimize manual maintenance through better filtration, bottom-draining systems, or biological setups that handle waste more efficiently than a standard aquarium. After testing dozens of tanks over 25 years, I’ve found some genuinely reduce the time you spend on upkeep โ and some are just all-in-one tanks dressed up with clever branding. The ones worth your money share a few traits: solid filtration for their volume, easy water change access, and build quality that holds up. Water changes are still non-negotiable โ no tank eliminates them โ but the right design can cut your maintenance time significantly. Here are 7 that actually deliver.
Are you wanting to keep a fish tank, but don’t want to deal with the hassle of cleaning it? Do you want a low-maintenance aquarium? Perhaps you want to try out aquaponics and grow vegetables with your aquarium? If any 3 questions peak your interest, than purchasing a self cleaning fish tank for you is the answer.
That’s what this post is all about today. Finding self-cleaning tanks that are easy to use and maintain.
What Makes A Good Self Cleaning Fish Tank (My Criteria)
When selecting determining the best self-cleaning fish tank on the market we looked at the following factors:
It is easy to use and setup?
Can you grow vegetables with it?
Is the price reasonable?
It is really low maintenance or is it just a gimmick?
So now the moment you have been waiting for! Below is the list of the best self-cleaning fish tanks on the market today. I put the preferred choices at the top for ease of selection for you. There will be affiliate links below. An affiliate link means I may earn advertising or referral fees if you make a purchase through my link.
With that disclosure out of the way, let’s get into the reviews!
I absolutely love the concept behind the Aquasprouts Garden kit. It is completely nature focused. The goal of the kit is to have the the plants and vegetables grow and take in the nutrients from the inhabitants in the tank. At 10 gallons in capacity, this not only gives you enough space to grow a sizable amount of vegetables, but also house a good amount of fish. In my opinion, this is the best aquarium kit to introduce yourself to aquaponics and is a poster child for a self-cleaning fish tank.
It is based off a custom-molded garden bed that fits over a 10 gallon tank. The kit also comes with a light bar where you can mount a grow light to grow your plants. I love how the bar can be extended to accommodate taller plants. The light bar allows you to place this aquarium where you want. You will not have to worry about getting enough natural light with this kit.
The water pump that comes with the kit pushes water up to the grow bed, which feed up to the clay pebble grow filter media. The dirty water with fish waste provides nutrients to your plants. The grow bed then drains down to your aquarium providing clean water that is aerated from the surface agitation.
The company mission for AquaSprouts is very heart warming. Founded by Jack Ikard, his original goal was to grow organic food in an urban environment. They were established in Austin, Texas. They are a home grown company. Their award winning AquaSprouts kit has been featured in The New Year Times, Good Housekeeping, and Wired.
This is a true self-sustaining aquarium and is low maintenance. This is the best kit on the market. There are many imitators, but this is the original. If you want to get involved in Aquaponic or just have a self cleaning aquarium, this is the aquarium kit to buy.
The only drawback with this kit is the price. It is a well made and created and manufactured in the US. You get what you pay for with this tank kit.
If the price of the Aquasprouts garden steers you away or if you are looking mostly a tank that cleans itself, this is a great alternative. This Tank by Back To Roots is a good blend of Aquaponics and a self-cleaning fish tank.
The aquarium kit comes with everything you need to get started and will go plants year round. Weighing in at 3 gallons, it is large enough to host a small pet fish. It functions like the Aquaspourts is that the fish waste from the aquarium feeds the plants above.
This tank like the AquaSprouts is also made in the USA. As a certified B Corporation, they have dedicated their mission to have the highest standards of social and environmental impact.There mission is to reconnect family and kids to where food comes and experience the joys of growing food themselves. The makers of the product have a solid social following and the founders have featured on Forbes, NowThis, and even received The Champion of Change Award from President Obama. Below is a video from the founders explaining their product.
This is a great product at a great value. The only downfall is the size. It is isn’t designed for large vegetables, but it is more user friendly and cheaper than the Aquasprouts. It also does not come with a light stand, so you will need to place this near a window or get a clip on light source for it.
The biOrb Aquariums by OASE are a aquariums that are built for simplicity. If you read my Best Canister Filter review blog, you know that I’m a big fan of OASE. Their filtration units are the best of the best and they have the same commitment with this aquarium.
I’m not a fan of fish bowls myself, but this aquarium is the exception. This aquarium is small and simple. It has everything you need to get started – lighting, pump, filtration and solid instructions. At 4 gallons, it is just the right size to house some quality nano tank fish, including Bettas.
The filtration is air driven and works a lot like the old school under gravel filters. The difference is that there are filter cartridges in the bottom of the intake.
What you get here is a filter that is designed like a professionally built commercial pond. The filtration unit pulls in dirty water to the bottom and filters out clean water from the top. It’s a genius design and makes this simple and self cleaning.
The biOrb has the potential to be self cleaning with modification. You can grow low light plants in this kit. In fact, there is a great video by charlieflyte who nailed it. Check out his video of his biOrb.
It is cheaper than the Aquasprouts and Back to Roots kit and is perfect for you if you just want an aquarium. For the quality that you get from OASE, the price cannot be beat. It is well deserving of my budget option badge.
Pros
Big for a fish bowl
Complete filtration
Built for simplicity
Cons
Not true self cleaning
Won’t grow vegetables
4. EcoLife Aquaponics Indoor Garden System – Biggest Aquaponics Kit On The Market
The EcoLife Aquaponics Indoor Garden System is the heavylist on this list. This is an aquaponics kit that supports a 20 gallon aquarium. You can grow plenty of vegetables with this kit and keep a good amount of fish. This is the only tank on self cleaning tank that can support a goldfish due to its size. Others can, but goldfish get large so over time they would outgrow the tank. They also tend to be hard on a tank’s bioload.
This kit includes the LED light fixture to grow vegetables. I really like this. It takes away a lot of the guess work. The LED light is also a natural spectrum versus a glow light spectrum. This compliments your home better versus having that weird red grow led light shining above your aquarium.
This is the most expensive aquarium kit on the list by a long-shot. It’s a bit too expensive for me to put this as my top choice. It is a great choice if it is within your budget.
Looking for something bigger than the biOrb Classic? The biOrb flow is a step up in size and functionality. At 8 gallons in size, it is a a great potential first time aquarium. It is built off the same principals as the Classic with a filter than pulls from the bottom and pushes out to the top.
This aquarium is made of acrylic instead of glass. Acrylic makes this aquarium super durable, lightweight, and clear. The best benefit from acrylic is the clarity. Even a low iron aquarium has less clarity than acrylic. This also explains the price for this aquarium. it’s more expensive then similar sized aquariums.
It won’t grow vegetables like the aquaponic kits, but for a fish keeping focused aquarium, the concept is great. It is a simple to use aquarium.
Pros
Size
Complete filtration
Built for simplicity
Cons
Expensive
Not true self cleaning
Won’t grow vegetables
6. EcoQubeC Aquarium – The Kickstarter Project With Potential
The EcoQubehas a ton of potential. My favorite part of this aquarium is the filtration box located in the back of the aquarium. This houses the intake and 3 stage filtration unit away from the rest of the tank. This give this aquarium one of the cleanest presentations among all the others in the list. The light that comes with it is adequate to grow vegetables.
Now let’s get to what I do not like with this product. The grow area will only hold one plant. This really limits what you can grow and do with it. The tank is only 1 gallon in size, which theoretically is inappropriate for most fish. I’m always a bit annoyed when I see Betta fish advertised in these products knowing that long-term a tank this size is not healthy for them.
Lastly, it’s not readily available. It’s still a kick starter project. Perhaps over time as it improved I can rank it higher on the list. I really love the concept and they are still improving the product. If they can get the product to a 3 or 5 gallon aquarium, then I can see it’s potentially fully realized.
As Seen On TV My Fun Fish Tank is a straight to the point concept — Namely, how to make an aquarium that truly cleans itself. It accomplishes this by sucking out dirty water with gravity when you add new water in. What happen is dirty water gets sucked out as your new water gets added in. This is as easy as it gets for a self-cleaning fish tank.
The price on this product is rock bottom. It’s easily the cheapest self-cleaning fish tank on this list, it is also the smallest. The concept is amazing and I know it sells like hotcakes online.
My biggest gripe is that it’s too small for fish. At only 1/2 a gallon in capacity, I couldn’t recommend this tank to anyone for keeping fish. This makes the list because the price is so attractive and I wanted to keep it on here so I can talk about how it’s too small for fish.
I would probably put a ghost shrimp in here at most. It’s a novelty item and I would expect to upgrade to something more in the future. If it was a 3 gallon tank that removed fish waste like it does on the infomercial, I feel the concept would be amazing and would have the potential to bounce the biOrb out of the top of budget option list.
Pros
Cheap!
Truly self cleaning
Simple to use
Cons
Too small for fish
Cleaning system has issues clogging
More novelty than function
My Recommendation
The best self-cleaning fish tank in my opinion is the Aquasprouts Garden kit. It has the ideal size at 10 gallons, it will grow plenty of vegetables, and the decision is mean to be true self cleaning with nature doing all the work for you.
The Back To Roots garden is the best value on this list. It is cheaper than the Aquasprouts and still big enough to achieve the self-cleaning goal and will grow simple vegetables.
The BiOrb is a great budget option. It nails self cleaning with its bottom up filtration approach and can become fully self cleaning with the right plant setup.
Who Should Buy One?
They should work for practically anyone, but I feel they fit best for the following people:
If you dislike the cleaning an aquarium
If you do not have time to clean or feel like it’s a tedious job
You want to give the tank to a child
The last option is what I feel puts you in the best category to purchase a tank like the ones on the list. If you have a child, they can learn a lot from having an aquarium and if you are growing vegetables from it, it is a great family activity and learning activity.
Frequently Asked Questions
Below are usual questions I get from readers. I’ll do my best to add more as people ask. Let a comment below in the post if you have further questions.
Does Water Have To Be Treated In My Aquarium?
Yes, you will need to treat your tap water before you add it to your aquarium. Tap water untreated will likely kill your fish due to the chlorine and other anti-bacteria/pathogen additives in our city water.ย
Do I Need An Aquarium Heater?
Yes, your will need a heater all these aquariums. The only commonly available fish that wouldn’t need a heater would be a Goldfish, and they are going to grow too large for every tank on this list except for the Ecolife. See our Best Aquarium Heater blog post for a detailed review on aquarium heaters.
Are There Aquariums That Clean Themselves?
There are self-cleaning fish tanks as you have seen in this review roundup post. There are some on this list that require no powered pumps or filters and others do. A true self cleaning systemย is a aquaponics systems where nature does all the work for you.
How Do You Clean Them?
Most of these self-cleaning fish tanks will require cleaning via water changes if the nitrate parameters get high. The As Seen On TV My Fun Fish Tank has a gravel siphon built right into it. This is a true self-cleaning fish tank, but executed at a small aquarium level.
Is There An Aquarium You Don’t Have To Clean?
Yes, it is possible to build a fish tank that you do not have to clean. Theoretically, if you have enough plants that can absorb the nutrients produced by your livestock, you can have a balanced ecosystem. However, there will still be algae and dead spots to clean up over time. This maintenance will be a lot lower than other aquariums as you will not need to change water as frequently. Many go months without water changes.
Which Species Are Best For Beginners?
In my opinion, the pet fish that is best for beginners is the Zebra Danio. Other good fits are guppies, mollies, and smaller tetras. A Betta works if you have a tank big enough for it. See our Betta Fish Care guide for a full overview on proper Betta Fish care.ย You can also check our our best fish for a 5 gallon fish tank post if you are looking for a smaller setup.
Can Aquatic Pets Live Without An Air Pump?
Fish can live without an air pump. A tank that is full of live plants can supply plenty of oxygen to a fish. You may need an air pump if you stock level is high in the tank, but generally with a filter or live plants you will get plenty of surface agitation to produce oxygen in your tank.
What Are The Drawbacks To Owning This Type of Setup?
The drawback to owning a self cleaning tank is that the concept is relevantly new. There is no true master kit available. The Aquasprouts is very close to nailing the concept, but I know some people just want an aquarium not a tank that grows vegetables. The BiOrbs gets a lot of things rights with their bottom filtration approach and with some low light plants, you can make this self cleaning in the long-term. You cannot grow vegetables with it.
Another Alternative
Another alternative to self cleaning fish tanks is creating a low light planted tank where the plants soak up the nutrients and your fish load is on the lighter end. This is a techique that has been popularized by a few YouTuber influencers.
There is actually a local fish store that has successful run without water changes for years. Cory at Aquarium Co-Op interviewed them on his YouTube channel. Check it out below:
Admittingly, a no water change freshwater tank is something I have little experience. I have achieved a successful reef tank with no water changes overtime. The main hurdle you run into with freshwater systems is the need to fertilization if you are aquascaping. Running no water changes is more of a natural style that conflicts with many aquascapers. Nevertheless, it is achievable and something you can look into if you want a self cleaning fish tank that runs off nature. The video gives you a lot of food for thought :).
Closing Thoughts
Self cleaning fish tanks are a new concept in our hobby. I really like the approaches I’m seeing from manufacturers. Some want to tackle it with aquaponics and others want to build an easy to use system. I feel that big approaches are great and one approach will fit your wants. If you have any questions, please let a comment below. Thanks for reading. Until next time
Local aquarium clubs are one of the most underrated resources in this hobby, and I say that after 25+ years of keeping fish. The knowledge inside a good local club โ from breeders who’ve been at it for decades, to members willing to share cuttings, fry, or equipment at cost โ is genuinely hard to find anywhere else. I’ve made some of my best hobby connections through club events and auctions. If you haven’t looked into your local club yet, I strongly encourage it. Below is a comprehensive list of aquarium hobbyist clubs and societies organized by region to help you find one near you.
Aquarium hobbyist clubs and societies can provide incredible learning experiences with the vast number of hobbyist veterans willing to help you out. Many are closer to you can you think. We encourage anyone who keeps freshwater or saltwater aquariums to join an aquarium club. They can provide many learning opportunities, mentorships, and a great way to make new friends. The tank tours alone are worth stopping by!
Since many of these clubs do not market themselves, Aquarium Store Depot has provided a list so that you can find the closest one to you. There are aquarium clubs popping up throughout the States all the time so if you have one that we have not listed, please e-mail us at info@aquariumstoredepot.com or contact us and we will get the list updated:
High nitrates are one of the most common problems I see in freshwater tanks โ and one of the most misunderstood. Regular water changes are always the foundation, but in heavily stocked or planted tanks, a dedicated nitrate remover can genuinely help bridge the gap between maintenance days. I’ve tested plenty of products and methods over 25 years, and I can tell you which approaches actually move the needle.
https://youtu.be/E0YnjkKaGn8
“Help, my nitrate levels are over 50 PPM!” This is a common email or text I get on my live chat. High nitrate levels can be a major problem for freshwater aquarium keepers. In today’s post, I want to talk about the best nitrate remover for freshwater tanks. Nitrates, for some of us, are the bane of our existence. We obsess over the nitrate level in our fish tanks because our local fish store and fish guides told us that high nitrate levels is bad and stresses out our pet fish.
This is all true, however, instead of stressing out over them let’s talk about how to take proper action in tackling the issue. I want to revisit the nitration cycle and talk about ways to remove and lower nitrates in your aquarium water. I want us to reflect on how we got to this place. Once we know, let’s talk about the best nitrate removers to solve our problem.
Revisiting the Nitration Cycle
Let’s first revisit the nitration cycle. I know some of you reading this already know it, but I also know some of you may not and have become successful by listening to your local fish store on what to buy. Part of having a nitrate problem is because we are out of balance. The nitration cycle has 5 stages:
Nitrogen is introduced with fish food
Ammonia is excreted either by fish waste (fish poop) or decaying material
The above is the natural way of how an aquatic ecosystem would work. The issue most likely with your aquarium water is that you are missing #5. If you lack live plants, nitrate levels can build up. Also, the stock media from your aquarium filters will not address #5. It is not common for filter makers to provide media that will remove nitrates. This is to keep costs down as the media designed to lower nitrates is more expensive and some buyers may not even want it.
Ways To Remove It
So now that we know the cycle, and likely what our deficiency is in the cycle, let’s talk about how to remove nitrates. You can see our video from our YouTube Channel for some visuals.
1. Water changes
This is the most common way. Water changes will reduce nitrates in the aquarium environment and bring in clean water to your fish tank. While this is an all-around fix, too many water changes can be disruptive to our closed systems. They are also labor intensive. We do not want to be a slave to the water change. Our goal is to get down to changing the water tank every other week, or every month.
2. Live Plants
A large live plant population can actually act as an effective nitrate remover for your aquarium. This works great for planted tank setups. However, I do know many people who have had nitrate problems and cannot have planted tanks. This usually happens when you’ve got fish who eat live aquarium plants, aggressive fish that uproot or damage them, or people who do not want to regularly prune live plants and maintain them.
3. Reduce livestock
Sometimes an aquarium has high nitrate levels because the fish tank is overstocked. This is common with people who follow the 1 inch per fish rule. Your biological filtration products are working overtime when your fish tank is overstocked. Other times, you have fish that are hard on your bioload such as gold fish or large aggressive fish.
4. Filters
Nitrate removers are filter media designed to remove nitrate from your aquarium either through chemical or biological means. They either come in disposable media or permanent media. They are not dangerous to the inhabitants in your tank, and will reside in your filter compartments. Some nitrate removers have mixed media, meaning that they handle other things aside from nitrate in your tank water. Some will have carbon while others use resin to remove other impurities in your aquarium water.
A dedicated nitrate removing media is a great way to target the problem immediately, but they need to be replaced regularly. A permanent media will grow anaerobic bacteria in the media. This anaerobic bacteria will consume nitrates in your tank water. If you’ve considered all these ways to reduce nitrates in your aquarium water, and are still at the point where nitrate removers are necessary, then read on for our buying guide.
The Candidates
Below is a list of the best nitrate removers for freshwater aquariums. All products here have been selected through our field experience and all are safe to use in a freshwater tank. Each have their pros and cons, which I will discuss below. There is a product for you on this list.
In a hurry? I recommend Biohomefor a permanent solution and Seachem Purigen for a disposable solution.
Bio-Home, in my opinion, is the best biological filtration media you can purchase, and is the best nitrate remover for freshwater tanks. It has the ability to control ammonia, nitrite, and nitrate on it’s own. Bio-Home got its start from PondGuru, one of the bigger Youtubers on pond care. PondGuru developed this product to resolve high nutrient issues in ponds. It also does an amazing job as a nitrate remover for freshwater tanks. I highly recommend it for anyone with a fish-only or lightly planted tank.
Because it is a biological based filter media, it is permanent in your system and allows for less water changes. You add it in your filter unit and forget about it. The media will house both aerobic and anaerobic bacteria and the mini-version will fit in some power filters.
It’s a great biological media, but it has one drawback. It is a very expensive nitrate remover and you will need 2-4 lbs for a mid-sized aquarium. Also, because it is biologically based it will need to establish in your fish tank before it will remove nitrates. Bio-Home offers the following guidelines when trying to figure out how much media you need to purchase.
Environment
Amount of Biohome Required
Avg Community Tropical Tank
1 kg/26 gal (100 lt)
Avg Cold Water Tank
1-1.5 kg/26 gal (100 lt)
Predator Tank
1.5-2 kg/26 gal (100 lt)
Large Cichlid Tank
1.5-2 kg/26 gal (100 lt)
Malawi/Tanganyikan Tank
1.5-2 kg/26 gal (100 lt)
Avg Mixed Fish Pond
1 kg/52 gal (200 lt)
Avg Koi Pond
1 kg/39 gal (150 lt)
If you want a filter media that will free you of being a slave to constant water changes, this is worth every penny.
Pros
Biological based – permanent
less water changes
Small enough to fit in power filters
Cons
Expensive
Needs to establish in your aquarium water in order to get results
2. Seachem Purigen – Instant Removal In A Small Package!
Seachem Purigen is a fast acting nitrate remover that uses resin to remove a number of organic compounds in your aquarium water. It is resin based and its color changes as it depletes. This makes it easy to identify when to replace or recharge the resin. Recharging the resin involves using an unscented bleach solution. The bleach burns off the organics that have been removed from the fish tank.
This type of regeneration is superior to API’s salt solution of regeneration. A salt based regeneration only replaces the removed ionic compounds. It will not destroy the large compounds that were removed. This can be risky over time as the organics can potentially leech back into your aquarium water over time. You do not really run this risk with Seachem Purigen because the price of this nitrate remover is so reasonable that many who use it don’t even bother to recharge it. It is fast acting and has great field results.
Seachem Purigen is easy to find online and at stores. It will also fit in power filters and you do not need that much to get great results for your freshwater aquarium!
If you are looking for a budget friendly nitrate remover, the EA Premium Nitrate Reducer is a great product to look at. Like Acruel’s pad, it works instantly as it is an infused filter pad. I would install this in the second chamber of your canister filter after your mechanical stage. It will work with a power filter, but you may have difficulty getting enough of the product to be effective in smaller filters.
Make sure you rinse it before putting it into your aquarium. It’s dusty and can cloud up water if you don’t rinse it before it goes into your filter. This is a great nitrate remover for those who need fast results and are on a budget.
Acurel’s Nitrate Reducing Pad has been around for years and is well known for quickly taking care of nitrate problems in a freshwater aquarium. It comes in a large 10 x 18 inch pad that you can cut to size. I find this pad works best in a canister filter if the media chambers are large enough to accommodate a pad. I would put this in the chemical media chamber below your carbon media or in-lieu of.
This nitrate remover has amazing field results. It has taken down nitrate levels in a 180 gallon Cichlid tank from 60-80PPM to 20PPM or less. The biggest problem is that it’s difficult to get enough of the product into a power filter as you need to use a sizable amount of it to get the desired results. It is generally hard to find locally, making this best to purchase online. The price is very reasonable, making this a great nitrate remover if you own a canister filter.
Pros
Can be cut to size
Very effective
Works quickly
Cons
Not enough surface area to work with most power filters
Hard to find locally
5. API Nitra-Zorb – Resin Based Carbon Replacement
API Nitra-Zorb is a resin based filter media that works to eliminate ammonia, nitrite, nitrate, and harmful chemicals in your aquarium. It is a great all around filter media that replaces carbon in your aquarium. Because it is resin based, it can be recharged. The recharging instructions are simple. You only need aquarium salt and warm tap water to soak the media bag for 2 hours.
This makes it a really attractive media to buy for nitrate removal since you can buy a bag and reuse it, granted you are willing to recharge it regularly.
The biggest problem with using Nitra-Zorb as a nitrate remover, is that it is designed for canister filters. The bag can be too large for most power filters. Another concern is that since the bag can handle a complete nitrogen cycle on its own, it can hurt the natural biological filtration that you have set up in your filter or your aquarium plants. I feel that a nitrate remover product should be a supplement for your cycle in your aquarium, and not a replacement.
Pros
Resin based – replaces carbon
Media can be reused
Cons
Bag is large and is meant for canister filters
Expensive
6. Boxtech Aquarium Media – MarinePure Like Media That Fits In A Canister Filter
In the saltwater aquarium side of the hobby, there is this wonderful product called marinepure that is a ceramic block that acts as a superior biological filtration in sumps. The blocks are massive and have superior surface area. These blocks by BoxTechoffer the same advantages as marinepure, but are designed to be small enough to fit in a canister filter.
The ceramic block will achieve a full nitrogen cycle removing nitrates. Because it is a permanent solution, you won’t have to worry about replacing media overtime. This is a less expensive long-term nitrate remover for freshwater tanks.
Unfortunately, like many products on this list, it can be difficult to fit in most power filters. It’s a 3×3 block so it may fit in larger power filters. It will also need to establish in your tank in order to achieve results.
Pros
Convenient shape – fits in canister filters
Incredible surface area for bacteria
Permanent
Cons
Won’t fit in most power filters
Needs to establish to get results
7. Dr. Tim’s Aquatics All-Natural Aquarium Pearls – Designed By A Marine Biologist
Dr. Tim is well known by keepers of reef aquariums and public aquariums. He has designed unique products that solves issues like cycling a tank. These NP-Active Pearls by Dr. Tim are natural bio-polymers that remove nitrates and phosphates in your aquarium. They work in both freshwater and saltwater aquariums and do a great job.
Because it is a bio-ball based media, it is best run in a media reactor versus a canister filter or power filter. It will still lower the nitrate level in any of them, it’s just more effective in a media reactor.
An algae turf scrubber is well known in the saltwater aquarium hobby for it’s ability to remove nitrates, phosphates, and harmful chemicals in your aquarium. It does this all by growing algae on a mesh sheet. This algae once established will filter all sorts of nutrients out of your aquarium water.
A good turf scrubber will do wonders to getting your levels down, and have had field results bringing nitrates to nearly undetectable levels. This is all done naturally and is a permanent nitrate removing solution. It will also reduce algae in your display tank since the algae growth in your scrubber will compete with it. IceCaphas done an excellent job at making these scrubbers as affordable as possible for hobbyist with a well made solution.
Turf scrubbers are complex to install and dial in. They require a separate pump and are best run in a sump. They are expensive and you have to remove the algae every 7-14 days. This can be messy and smelly. If you have a sump and some very high nitrate levels, this could be the best nitrate remover for you.
Seachem Denitrate is a biological media that has the ability to house anaerobic bacteria. Anaerobic bacteria can survive because of the porous nature of this media. It allows for areas to be depleted of oxygen which is what creates these anaerobic pockets. It functions as both basic biological media and nitrate reducing media since it is a dual purpose media.
This product from SeaChem is basically the same as SeaChem Matrix, which I will discuss next. The main difference between the two nitrate removers is that the media for SeaChem Denitrate is smaller, making it far easier for your power filters to house it. It is one of the few nitrate removing media here that will fit and be functional in a power filter. There is also a big advantage with SeaChem products in general. They are readily available online and in stores.
This 1 liter package will work for a larger size tank up to 50 gallons. It is a permanent solution, and the price is reasonable for its capacity. Because it is a permanent nitrate remover solution, it will need to establish first before any results can be seen. To function correctly, SeaChem recommends that you lower the gallons per hour on your filtration unit down to 50 gallons per hour.
Given its availability, it’s a great choice for your fish tank if you are using a power filter.
Pros
Biological based
Fits in power filters
Permanent solution
Cons
Needs time to establish
10. Seachem Matrix – Superior Biological Media Replacement
Seachem Matrix is the flagship biological media product of SeaChem. It offers superior biological filtration that will house both aerobic and anaerobic bacteria species. It is a permanent nitrate reducer solution that is designed to work in canister filters. It is a larger media version of denitrate. This is done on purpose so the inner core can hold more anaerobic bacteria.
It will take time to establish given its biological nature. It is readily available in stores. This is a great solution if you are starting up a new tank and want to have great biological filter media to start.
Pros
Biological based
Permanent solution
Reasonable price
Cons
Designed for canister filters
Takes time to establish
Our Expert Pick
There are two categories when naming a best nitrate remover. We have permanent and disposable solutions. Permanent solutions take time to establish and will solve your problem over time. Disposable solutions will work immediately and require replacement to keep levels down. We also included a video of our channel that summarizes the products from our blog post. Please subscribe if you like our content!
Best Permanent Product
This honor goes to Bio-HomeUltimate Filter Media. It has proven field results and does not have a gallon per hour limitation like some of the other permanent solutions out there. They are able to do this because the core of the media will hold anaerobic pockets for nitrate removing bacteria to thrive. I have seen bio-home reduce nitrates in pond filters pushing through 1700+ gallons per hour and still have stellar results. It is worth every penny.
Best Disposable Product
This honor goes to Seachem Purigen. The Purigen resin works immediately and is very effective. It changes color so you know when it is time to replace the media. This nitrate remover is so cheap that you don’t have to recharge the product, and you don’t need much of it. This makes it ideal for power filters. It is also readily available online and in most fish stores.
Closing Thoughts
Nitrate reduction can be a tough nut to crack in a non-planted freshwater aquarium. Overstock fish tanks have an even harder time. The great thing is that there are products that are very effective at resolving your issues with your aquarium water. I hope the overview and the product reviews I provided have helped you to make an informed decision. If you have any questions, please leave a comment below. Thank you for reading my buying guide and see you next time!
Hello again fellow readers. Over the past few years, I have gone through a full dive into the freshwater aquarium hobby. As many of my friends and hobbyists know, I started in the hobby straight into saltwater aquariums and then into reef tanks. A couple of years ago, I posted a big piece of content titled words of wisdom I wish I knew before I started. As I got more into the freshwater side of the hobby, I thought to myself I should do the same with freshwater aquariums.
Today’s post is going to be a long. Each one of these points can be a post on its own. My purpose is to place all these words of wisdom into a single post so you can reference it to anyone starting out in the freshwater aquarium hobby. I got a video below as well you can check out from our YouTube Channel.
Key Takeaways
Education is the number one factor to have success. Research and trust authoritative blogs and experts in the field
Don’t cheap out on your setup, invest in quality equipment
Be careful with your livestock choices
Be patient with your setup and keep calm when things go wrong
Maintain your aquarium and avoid getting multiple fish tanks
Freshwater Aquarium Words Of Wisdom – What I Wish I Knew Before I Started
#1 – Educate Yourself
The freshwater hobby is very broad. I would say it is about 3-4 times more broad than the saltwater aquarium hobby. A saltwater hobbyist goes to corals at the ultimate goal while a freshwater aquarist can have many goals. You can go with a large predator tank, a planted tank, a small betta fish tank, or even a pond. This means that the hobby is always evolving. There are new breakthroughs every day and new subsets of the hobby. Such as in life, dedicate yourself to never stop learning about this hobby if you are passionate about it. Seek blogs like this one, videos, authoritative figures, etc.
#2 – Patience Is Your Virtue
Read the image above and understand what it comes. Freshwater aquariums is all about doing everything you can to set yourself for success then letting go. You have to be patient about the results after you have taking the actions or setup the proper routines. Impatience will wreck you in this hobby.
#3 – Know The Nitrogen Cycle
The nitrogen cycle is the cornerstone piece of knowledge you must have to succeed in the fish hobby. The nitrogen cycle is a 5 stage process:
Nitrogen is introduced with fish food
Ammonia is excreted either by fish or decaying material
Nitrosomas bacteria convert Ammonia to Nitrite
Nitrobactor bacteria converts Nitrite to Nitrate
Plants use Nitrates and Ammonium as fertilizer
Your aquarium is a closed biosystem. Your biosystem needs to have a balance of enough bacteria to keep levels in check. Knowing your balance will keep you from overstocking and overwhelming your biosystem. You can check out the video below by Girl Talks Fish for a more detailed explanation.
It is important to know that most stock filtration equipment will not offer you a full nitrogen cycle out of the box. There are two ways to resolve this. Either get live plants or invest in the best nitrate removers for freshwater aquariums. I recommend Biohome Ultimate for permanent solution or Purigenas a disposable solution.
#4 – Involve Your Family
Freshwater Aquariums offer a greater opportunity to get your family or loved ones involved in your hobby. The hobby is easier to understand and perform compared to saltwater aquariums and anyone with proper guidance and training can have fun and get involved. Do not isolate yourself in your hobby or passion. Invite your children if you have them or your loved one into your hobby. You can have reliable tank sitters when you are away and not panic when things go wrong and you are not present to fix them. A family that keeps fish together, stays together.
#5 – Watch Out For Multiple Tank Syndrome
Freshwater aquariums are more approachable and far easier to get lost in multiple tank syndrome than with saltwater tanks. For one, it’s way easier to handle water changes and multiple tanks since the you do not need a RODI system for the vast majority of setups. The other thing is that the freshwater hobby is so broad. It’s better to have specialty tanks then to attempt mixed community aquariums not to mention the various aquascaping styles with planted tanks.
Avoid stretching yourself too thin as well as your wallet. Take your time to enjoy your current aquarium and learn from it. When you are ready for the next steps, consider an upgrade and not an additional fish tank.
#6 – Join A Local Club
A local aquarium club or society can be transformation in journey in this hobby. You can meet many people of different backgrounds and experience. One of the biggest benefits to joining a club is the mentorships you can obtain if you are looking for advanced techniques and freshwater fish keeping methods. You can check out a list of local aquarium clubs in our prior blog post.
#7 – Don’t Take LFS Advice at Full Value
There is a higher likelihood that you will get a knowledgeable employee at a local fish store (AKA LFS) when it comes to freshwater aquariums. However, remember that the freshwater hobby is vast. It’s very possible that the employee can be an expert on say Discus Tanks and be completely clueless on how to dry start an Iwagumi aquascape. Always do your research, be prepared, and have a plan before you walk into your local fish store.
#8 – Everyone On A Forum Has An Opinion
There are many great forums online that you can join to learn more about the hobby. Be careful of bad information and people trying to give you an answer to help but may not know the best answer.
When it comes to freshwater aquariums I would look at social proof. Is the person giving you advice have the type of tank that you want? Does this person have proven knowledge in the hobby.
To provide you a good example, there are many blogs on the internet about tank equipment. Some of them are written with bad advice to sell you a product rather than educate you. Others I would have serious doubts if author bio on the bottom is a real person.
This blog and site was founded by me, Mark Valderrama. I have been featured on NBCNews, Slate, Buzzfeed, and Huffington post regarding care about our hobby. I am the peer adviser of two books written about aquariums, Freshwater Aquariums for Dummies 3rd edition and Saltwater Aquariums for Dummies 3rd edition. I have owned both freshwater fish and saltwater aquariums.
There are many influencers in the freshwater space, more so than the reefing hobby. Many are true experts in the field versus entertainers. Take your time to do your due diligence.
#9 – Don’t Overstock
The general rule you hear in the freshwater hobby is the 1 inch of fish per gallon. I cringe when I hear this rule, because it’s way too broad. Some freshwater fish, like goldfish, are big and bulky, and are hard on a bioload. Other fish, like Cichlids, are territorial and need shelter and space. The 1 inch of fish per gallon is okay for schooling fish like Tetras, but it fails on just about everything else. Too many fish can also lead to poor quality water and a cloudy fish tank.
If you want to look up stocking levels, I would highly suggest using AqAdvisor as a tool. It will provide a comprehensive calculation for your stock, and allow you to plan correctly for your aquarium.
#10 – Betta Fish Do Not Belong In A Bowl
You see Betta all the time at local pet stores in bowls. You also probably see a bunch of Betta Fish Tank sets available at the same said stores. I will tell you right now that this is not healthy long-term for a Betta. Bettas are best served in at least a 5 gallon aquarium. Give your pet Betta a better life by giving it an environment that it would enjoy. Check out our Betta Fish Care guide for more info on these wonderful fish.
#11 – Goldfish Do Not Belong In A Bowl
This is another soapbox moment for me. Goldfish get large and need a lot of space to get to their full size. A goldfish bowl is not healthy for them long term. They are also freshwater fish that are very hard on a bioload since they eat so much and produce a ton of waste. Treat your pet goldfish to a proper aquarium setup so they can reach their full size and potential. Check out our Goldfish Tank care guide for more info on these popular fish.
#12 – Leave Large Aggressive Fish For The Vets
You may walk into this hobby wanting to get large aggressive freshwater fish. After all, many like Arowanas, Oscars, Jewel Cichlids, and Jack Dempsey are very beautiful large fish. The problem with these fish are multiple. They get very large and require very large aquariums. This means you have to invest a lot in getting the proper sized tank for them. They are very aggressive and so you have to be very careful who you house with them. Some of these fish are so aggressive that they have no issues with trying to go after your hands when feeding them! Worse yet, some of these fish are large and powerful enough to crack aquariums that are too small for them. The wolf cichlid is notorious for their super aggressive nature as an example.
Large fish also require a ton of food. Due to their aggression, they are known for getting wounds from fighting or just thrashing about in your tank. These wounds can lead to infections. Keep large aggressive fish for the experts or those with the budgets you can handle them.
#13 – Filtration Matters
It can be really tempting to just buy a cheap filter to get you started on your freshwater aquarium. The hobby makes it very easy to get into with entry level filters or cheap filters made in China. The problem is not all filters are created the same and as your tank matures, you need better filtration. I would recommend at minimum an Aquarium Power Filter for most freshwater aquarium setups and a Canister Filter for planted tanks. Save the sponge filters for specialized tanks like Freshwater Shrimp Tanks or fry raising. There are very good brand names in the freshwater hobby make quality equipment like Hagen and Eheim. Their equipment is built to last for many years.
#14 – Start Bigger Than Necessary
If you are starting out in the hobby, the best advice is to buy the biggest tank for your setup that you can afford. The bigger the tank, the more stability you would have. If you are going for a smaller aquarium like a 5 gallon or 10 gallon aquarium, I would suggest going with an all in one aquarium so you have everything setup and ready to go for you. The main issue with smaller tanks is it is hard to grow with them and often times you outgrow the tank quickly or get overzealous and overpopulate the tank.
Keeping a successful aquarium means you are in tune with your tank and its water quality parameters. You want to get in the habit of regularly testing your water so you can spot changes in your biosystem before its too late. Not all test kits are created equal. See our post on the Best Freshwater Aquarium Test Kits for our picks. Don’t have time to read that post? No problem, I would recommend the API Freshwater Master Test Kit for most freshwater setups.
If you have an aquarium substrate, a gravel vacuum is a critical tool. A quality gravel vacuum can pull out all sorts of junk out of your substrate. There are lots of waste that accumulates in your gravel bed and without vacuuming you run of having waste decay and cause nutrient spikes down the road. The best gravel vacuum in my experience is the Python gravelvacuum. It connects directly to your sink and is very convenient to use.
#17 – Set A Maintenance Schedule
Setting a maintenance schedule and sticking to it is a long-term habit in our hobby. There are a lot of things to consider when keeping a fish tank, so it’s best to write things down as set reminders for yourself in order to keep up with your tank. Here are suggestions I would have of maintenance tasks to keep track of:
Daily
Dose fertilizer
Check bubble counter and drop checker color
Check water level – top off if needed
Observe your fish for any obvious signs of disease or stress
Weekly
Water change 15-20%
Check all your equipment to ensure working order
Clean glass, hardscape, and plant leaves
Trim your live plants if you have them
Check CO2 canister – refill as needed
Test your water
Monthly
Clean out your filters – wash down after cleaning with aquarium water
Clean pipes and strainers
Some setups are easier to maintain then others. You can always look into a self cleaning fish tank, if you want something less maintenance heavy. Most will be powered by natural filtration.
#18 – Have Backup Equipment
The harsh reality of our aquarium equipment is that they are subjected to being in hard conditions being underwater with our livestock. Eventually, equipment does break and they can be expensive to replace. The unfortunate fact is our equipment tends to go down at the worst times. The best way to prevent a disaster is to have a back up plan. Having back up equipment is the best step we can make. Here is backup equipment we want to have in for our freshwater aquarium.
Fish Tank Power outages are one of the most common cause of tank crashes in our hobby. It is a really helpless feeling when the power is out and you watch all your livestock slowly die because you have no backup plan. Don’t let this be you! Be proactive and develop a plan of action when it happens (because it will!).
As we have learned in our Best CO2 System for Planted Aquarium post, the golden ticket to fast grow in plants is CO2. 50% of your plants dry mass is carbon. A live plant will use 10 times more carbon than any other macro or micro nutrient. Knowing these fact, many hobbyists are still intimated by CO2. Sometimes it’s the cost to setup and other times it’s being intimated by the complexity.
CO2 systems are much easier to setup and dial than you think. One you have one setup and running, it’s mostly just reading your drop checker and adjusting your inject levels to stay within level. Many hobbyists I talked to post install usually tell me they wish they did it earlier. Take the plunge and get some killer growth in your plants!
#21 – No CO2? Go Low Tech!
Is a CO2 setup out of your budget? If so, pivoting to a low tech planted tank is a great alternative. A low tech tank is a freshwater aquarium with live plants that do not use CO2 injection. Building a thriving low tech tank requires proper selection of live plants. You want to work with plants that do well under low light, will generally feed in the water column, and are hardy. Check out our best low light aquarium plants and best beginner aquarium plants post for a full list of plants that are ideal for low tech. For those who don’t have the time to read, my go to for low tech are Java Fern and Anubias.
We learned in our Best Aquarium Plant Fertilizers post that fertilization is one of the 3 cornerstones of planted tank success. Unfortunately, we also learned that fertilizers are not all created equal. The most popular fertilizers sold in planted tanks are usually designed for low tech planted tanks. Those with full planted tanks or high need better fertilizers. In addition, many fertilizers do not have guaranteed analysis info and hide behind their brand names. We swear by APT Complete for our fertilization needs.
#23 – Red Plants Are Harder To Grow Than Green Plants
Red plants are typically harder to care for than green plants. This is due to their stronger light requirements, more specific spectrum requirements, and nitrate needs.
They generally should be avoided by beginners. If you want to try out a red plants, consider an easier to care for species like Cyptocoryne ‘flamingo’ or Red Amazon Swords.
We learned in our Best LED Lights for Planted Tanks post that lighting is one of the 3 cornerstones of planted tank success. Lighting is broken down into three elements that we need to know are adequate in the lighting fixture we purchase:
Spectrum
PAR
Spread
We learned that there is an ideal plant spectrum and that different plants have different PAR requirements. Shading can also be problematic with taller plants so spread is a major factor in our decision for our fixture.
The Serene Pro RGB LED we feel is the best comprehensive planted tank light in the industry. It excels in all 3 elements and will work with most planted tank setups.
#25 – Dip Your Plants
Dipping your plants should be something all planted aquarium owners should do before introducing plants in their aquarium. Plants can introduce pests and disease such as snails and parasites like ich and planaria. By using this method by Lifewithpets above, you can eliminate pest hitchikers from your plants. For parasites, you can consider a quarantine period for your plants in a separate tank. You can do even better by select lab grown plants, which tend to be pest and disease free for extra safety.
Proper Aquascaping tools are amazing when it comes to maintaining your planted tank. Curve scissors make it easy to cut down ground cover and smaller plants while prune shares will cut your taller plants. The tweezers are great for moving plants around and handling new arrivals. The substrate spatula is excellent for keeping your substrate tidy and even. I can’t imagine handling a planted tank without one. It’s a must purchase in my mind if you are serious about keeping a planted tank.
In our best aquarium substrate for planted tank post, we talked about active vs inactive substrates. Active substrates are ones that alter our water chemistry and break down over time. As this substrate breaks down, they fertilize our aquarium plants. This means active substrate amazing for rooted plants and ground cover. They are also preferred for dry starts as you can grow some plants in the substrate before you flood your tank. This results in healthy plant growth from the start, a short/nearly instant cycle, and less algae problems.
In contrast, an inactive substrate will not alter your water chemistry. It will not breakdown. However, some inactive substrates are designed to absorb nutrients and still work well for rooted plants. If you are going with a traditional gravel bed, you may want to consider column feeding live plants since it will be more difficult to support root plants in gravel.
#28 – Driftwood Can Leach Tannins
In our Best Driftwood for Aquariumspost, we talked about tannins and how to prevent your aquarium for getting that unappealing tea color. The best two ways to prevent this are:
Select a driftwood with a low tannin count
Prep your driftwood properly
We learned from our post that Manzanita, Spider wood, and Tiger wood have a low amount of tannins and are the preferred driftwood types to work with.
Prepping your driftwood will also save you a world of headache getting that tea color out. Boil your driftwood until the tea color is gone and use carbon media to get rid of any discoloration that comes from the leftover tannins.
In our best rocks for freshwater aquarium post, we learned that not all rocks are safe for aquariums. Some rocks can alter our water chemistry. Some like limestone will raise the pH and hardness, which is great for an African Cichlid Tank, but bad for the majority of tropical freshwater fish. Other rocks, like the ones you can pick up at your local river could contain harmful chemicals or bacteria that can wipe our your tank.The preferred rock for freshwater aquarium is granite and there are many types of available in our hobby. I would recommend Seiryu Rock for most aquarium projects.
#30 – Learn To Aquascape
Learning the types of freshwater aquascape styles and how to design them will take your tanks to the next level. If you want to have stunning award winning looking tanks, it all starts with learning how to aquascape. Start by learning the various type of styles and design concepts like the rule of two thirds and tension vs harmony. What makes aquascaping amazing in this hobby is it is all derived from art, photo techniques, and garden scape designs. It is a true art form that is very rewarding when you create a major work of art. You can get started by learning about a few of the aquascape styles below
That was a long post wasn’t it :). Well, I hope you enjoyed reading and took away some words of wisdom. As always, please share and subscribe to our newsletter. If you have any tips you would like to share, please leave us a comment below. Thanks for reading and see you next time!
๐ Want to learn more? This article is part of our complete Freshwater Fish Guide โ your ultimate resource for freshwater species, care tips, tank setup, and more.
Driftwood is one of my favorite elements in any aquarium setup โ it adds natural structure, gives fish and shrimp places to explore, and anchors plants like Java fern and Anubias beautifully. I’ve used many types over the years in both freshwater and reef setups, from Manzanita branches in planted tanks to spider wood for a more dramatic look. The key things most people don’t consider upfront are tannin leaching, how long different woods take to waterlog, and which types are safest for sensitive fish and shrimp. This guide covers the best driftwood options with all of that in mind.
With over 25 years of experience in the aquarium hobby, Iโve assisted countless clients, hobbyists, and readers like you in overcoming their aquascaping setup dilemmas. Iโve personally used these wood pieces in real world scenarios to determine the best aquarium driftwood in the hobby.
There are so many quality driftwood to pick here it’s really hard to pick a winner. Let’s separate these into separate categories, as there is a piece for everyone’s needs here.
Manzanita driftwood is friendliest driftwood to work with in the industry. This wood from Buceplant has it all. It is well priced, looks amazing, and the support team at BucePlant are the best in the business. You can’t go wrong with them. They sell small and medium sizes. These are valued priced pieces that offer all the advantages of Manzanita.
Like many Manzanita sellers, availability is limited. I would suggest jumping on a purchase if pieces are in stock.
More aquascaping goodness with these amazing show pieces by BucePlant. BucePlant arts offers tiger wood in all sizes. This driftwood has thick branches with great shapes that will look great in longer and larger aquariums. Because of tiger wood’s low tannin count and ease to water log, it is easy to prep for aquarium usage.
Because Buce offers these in all sizes, there is a tigerwood piece available for any aquarium setup
If you are looking for spider wood, I would highly recommend Buce’s Spider Wood. These pieces are offered at various sizes from 4 – 18″. There are even massive showpieces available for sale on their site that are simply amazing! They are offered at super low prices. It’s really hard to find something of similar quality at the price these are sold for.
Pros
Exotic looking pieces
Great Price
Sizable pieces
Cons
The look is not for everyone
4. Buce WYSIWYG Wood โ Showpieces for Award Winning Aquascapes
Are you looking for top quality aquarium driftwood pieces? If so, BucePlant is where you want to go. This is a WYSIWYG vendor with large and impressive show pieces for sale. Every showpiece they offer has low tannins, wonโt alter pH, and easy to place.
The other thing I love is this is the only vendor on our list that offers truck style driftwood. If you know anything about nature aquascape, truck style driftwood offers amazing forest like backdrops.
All the pieces they offer are giant pieces. Make sure you take your measurements on your aquarium before purchasing.
This is the some best quality driftwood you can buy online. It has a high price tag as a result and expect slower shipping times due to their size.
Pros
WYSIWYG
Lots of selection
Gigantic pieces
Cons
Price
Slower shipping
5. Bonsai – Create An Underwater Japanese Garden Today!
Bonsai driftwood offers a unique looking background in your tank. With the proper plants attached to it you can truly get a forest like look in your tank
These Bonsai Driftwood pieces offered for size are amazing looking in your aquarium. They have the added benefit of lowing your pH and softening your water, making them ideal for the vast majority of planted tank setups.
Bonsai trees cans be different to aquascape. They require a high amount of touch not only to get the moss down correctly, but also to keep them well groomed. If you are up for the challenge and want something stunning, this could be the wood piece for you!
The Fluval name brand enters our list with their Mopani Wood product. This is the same Mopani Wood you saw me explain earlier, but backed by the Fluval name. The result is you get high quality specimens that are well picked by Fluval. You also get a competitive price due to Fluval’s scale of operations. They offer both small and large sizes so you can find the right size for your aquarium in their selection.
The only thing I do not like is the Mopani wood itself. Mopani is notorious for its tannin leeching. Fluval puts in their product description that it “adds a slight tint water, creating a more natural looking water conditions.” Honestly, that is just covering the for the tannins here. Take your time to prep this wood and have your carbon ready if you want to use this driftwood. They are great looking pieces if you can handle the tannin leeching.
Pros
Fluval Name
Well picked specimens
Great price
Cons
Tannin leeching from Mopani
7. Koyal Wholesale California – Old School Bogwood
Koyal Wholesale’s driftwood pieces are known in the wedding industry due to the hit wedding TV show My Fair Wedding. However, these pieces are also great for aquariums. This product from Koyal reminds me a lot of the old bogwood pieces that used to be offered at fish stores. There is also a Grapewood Branch variant that is offer that looks more like the the other driftwood pieces on this list.
Given the popularity and supply of the product, they are offered at a competitive price. They are sold at 12″ pieces, which should be fine for most aquariums. The major complaint with these have been the wood takes a long time to water log and there have been shipping mishaps.
If you are looking for budget driftwood these pieces from Hamiledyiare what you are looking for. They are ideal for smaller tanks and the pieces have good variation. The price is very reasonable and wood is lightweight.
Hamiledyi does not state the origin of this driftwood. From what we know from the review this is a high tannin count wood. It is likely this wood is a variation of Malaysian Driftwood, which is a common wood found at local fish store. Given it’s budget price, it’s not a finished wood as well. Expect to sand down edges to make it smooth to the touch.
Pros
Small Sizes
Good variation
Price
Cons
Mixed Driftwood โ you do not know the type or source
High tannin count
Raw wood
9. NiloG Cholla Wood – The Choice for Freshwater Shrimp Tanks
If you are looking for wood for a shrimp tank, this is the product to buy. This Cholla Wood by NiloG is a great buy. It is cheap and your shrimp will love you for it as they feed off it all day.
Cholla wood is not for every fish tank. It decays fast and needs an inhabitant that will happily eat it while it decomposes. This is why they are ideal for species of shrimp like Cherry and Amano Shrimp as they will scavenge off the remains.
Pros
Great for shrimp tanks
Cheap
Cons
Decays fast
What Is Aquarium Driftwood?
Aquarium driftwood is wood that has been washed over through a beach, river, or a lake. This driftwood provides shelter and food for inverts and fish in freshwater aquariums. They also provide cover and a source of food for birds that live near the waters. Most driftwood are the remains of trees. Driftwood has also been discussed in Norse mythology. In the mythology, the first humans were formed out of two pieces of driftwood made of ash and elm by the god Odin.
The Trouble with Tannins
Before I go over the types of aquarium driftwood, let’s talk about what Tannins are a natural compound contained in driftwood. They are released into your aquarium as the driftwood soaks. When tannins are released into your aquarium, the compound will discolor your aqyuarium water. At low levels, it will look like a light yellow color and at high concentrations, it will look like the color of tea (as showed by the fishlore forum member GreeksGills) . While tannins will not harm your fish, it is not very pleasing to the eye.
There are ways to mitigate tannins in your aquarium. The first is to boil your driftwood before it goes into your aquarium. You can also add carbon media to remove the discoloration. I will go more into Driftwood prepping later in this post.
Types of Aquarium Driftwood
Before we look at a list of driftwood we can buy, let’s talk about the types of aquarium driftwood available in our hobby. They all have different looks and characteristics.
Bonsai
Bonsai Driftwood is a designer driftwood that is handcrafted by artisans to create unique works of art. These wood pieces resemble a bonsai tree. They are amazing piece alone in an aquarium and are eye catching with live plants growing on them. The favorite type of plant to grow on this driftwood are mosses. They are sharp and not ideal for Fancy Goldfish or Betta Fish Care. They are pricey and each piece is unique. They contain a moderate amount of tannins and will lower pH.
Cholla
Cholla driftwood is one of the cheapest and readily available driftwood you can find. It is native to the Southwest United States. It is actually the dried remains of a Cholla Cactus. It is one of the go to driftwoods for Freshwater Shrimp Tanks. The reason why is because the Cholla wood surface is ideal for harvesting biofilm. It has a moderate tannin count and takes some time to get waterlogged.
Manzanita
Manzanita Driftwood is becoming a highly desired aquarium driftwood for aquascapers. It is wood that comes from shrubs native to Oregon, Texas, California and New Mexico. It has many advantages over other types of driftwood. It has a low tannin count and looks amazing. It has a branch like structure, which creates unique looking scapes. It waterlogs the fastest among all other driftwood available. It is one of the few driftwoods you can buy that is pH neutral. No pH change is a big game changer for those who want driftwood but may have fish that are not compatible with lower pHs. It is very resistant to decomposition. This makes this driftwood very long lasting and strong.
It really is in my mind the driftwood of choice. What’s the catch? Well, it’s difficult to find. The best sources are going to be smaller sellers online.
Mopani
Mopani is a unique looking wood comprised of 2 tone color combinations. It will lower your pH and has a high tannin count. It is becoming a more popular driftwood for aquariums as larger aquarium brands are starting to sell in in stores. It is a readily available driftwood. They are imported from the plains of Namibia by local tribesmen.
Spider Wood
Spiderwood is well known for its varied branched appearance. It is found in Mongolia and looks like a spider (hence the name). It matures into a beautiful Mahogany color in the aquarium. This wood has a low tannin count and is quick to get water logged. Since this is an imported wood, it is usually on the cheaper end compared to others.
Tiger Wood
Tiger wood derived it’s name by its shape. It looks like the strips of a tiger or the claws of one. It is pale in appearance and has a branched look that is thicker than most branch type driftwood. They generally are only available as larger show pieces. This type of driftwood is ideal for attaching ferns and mosses. It has a light amount of tannins and will get waterlogged quickly.
How To Prep for Tank Usage
So now that you know what the best driftwood is to buy, let’s talk about getting them into your aquarium. There are two things we want to do to prep our driftwood for aquarium usage:
Removing Tannins
Waterlogging the wood
There are two options two achieve both. One would be soaking the driftwood. This takes a long time, usually 2-4 weeks. While this may work for very large show pieces, it’s not a fun method for the those of us excited to scape our tanks. Boiling would be our next option and the preferred way of prepping our aquarium driftwood.
The video below by Long Island Fish Guy illustrates the process. When boiling, you want to boil until you the water in the boil pot is clear. You will also want to utilize carbon media to mitigate any residual leeching of tannins afterwords.
If you have a large piece of driftwood, you can boil it in sections boil. Put what you can fit in your pot as you go. If the wood is very large, you may have to consider the soaking method
One thing to note is Tannins do have benefits in an aquarium. It just doesn’t make your aquarium look pleasing to the eye for most. My preference is to purchase driftwood with low tannin count like Manzanita or Spiderwood. This helps with ease of prep and keeps your aquarium clear of that tea color.
How To Attach Live Plants
Attaching live plants to your driftwood really makes your aquascape come alive. There are two type of live plants that are ideal for attaching to driftwood.
For moss, you can use super glue to attach the base of the moss to your driftwood. Below is a great video by Roma Aquatics that shows how to do this. What I love about attaching plants on wood is you can do this outside of your aquarium and take your time with it.
The next video by Fishaholic shows how to attach a column feeding live plant to driftwood. This example is Java Fern. You can do this with any other column feeding live plant. Both methods I’m showing here are done with super glue. I prefer this method over fishing line or tiebacks since glue is invisible and easier to work with in my experience.
FAQ
What Kind is Safe For Tanks?
The safest driftwood are ones sold are pet stores, local fish stores, and online stores. Common trade names that are safe are Manzanita, Tiger, Spider and Bonzai driftwood.
Which Wood Is Ideal?
The best wood for driftwood are the ones sold at pet stores. Of these, Manzanita and Tigerwood are the easiest to deal with because they produce low tannins and waterlog quickly
Is It Good For Freshwater Tanks?
Yes – driftwood is good for freshwater aquariums. Driftwood lowers the pH and softens the water, which most tropical fish and live plants prefer. Your fish see it as a natural habitant and will feel safe with it around them. You can also attach plants and moss to the driftwood to produce a stunning planted structure!
Does It Cause Ammonia?
Driftwood can cause ammonia, if it hasn’t been treated. Untreated wood can contain organic matter that will decay in the aquarium and spike ammonia levels. To avoid this, you can boil driftwood as a safety precaution even if the wood has been treated.
Closing Thoughts
Driftwood adds a lot of beauty to your aquarium. I hope through this post I was able to help you make an informed decision on what the driftwood you want to purchase for your aquarium. If you have any questions, please leave them in the comments below. Thank you for reading and see you next time!
๐ฟ Want to learn more? This article is part of our complete Planted Tank & Aquascaping Guide โ your ultimate resource for aquarium plants, aquascaping styles, substrates, and more.
