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Sponge Filter Guide: How It Works, Setup and Cleaning
How a sponge filter works, sponge vs hang-on-back, what size filter and air pump to buy, setup with a check valve, and how to clean it in tank water.
Time's Ripple
Aquarium guides and essays that linger.
Time's Ripple
Aquarium guides and essays that linger.
Aquarium
Practical, research-based guides for keeping a betta fish or a planted aquarium. Each guide explains the numbers behind the decision, such as tank size in gallons, heater wattage, water temperature, light output and CO2, so you can choose equipment for your own tank.
New to fishkeeping? Read the guides in this order:
Betta Fish Tank Setup: how big the tank should be, filter flow, heating, and cycling the tank before the fish arrives.
Betta Fish Heater: the right water temperature, how many watts your tank needs, and safety features to look for.
Planted Aquarium Light: what the numbers on a light mean, matching it to your tank, and how long to run it.
Aquarium CO2 for Beginners: whether your plants need added CO2, generator or cylinder, and setting it up safely.
Browse by topic: Betta · Planted Tanks · Equipment.
Shrimp Tank Setup for Beginners: Start a Cherry Shrimp Tank
How to set up a cherry shrimp tank: tank size, sponge filter, heater or not, water parameters, cycling, drip acclimation and why new shrimp die.
How Much Electricity Does a Fish Tank Use? (And How to Cut the Heater Bill This Winter)
What a fish tank heater, light and filter cost each month, how to measure your own tank, and which changes lower the bill.
Betta Fish Heater: Do Bettas Need One, and How to Choose the Right Size
Do bettas need a heater? Water temperature, heater size by tank, safety features and how to check that yours is working.
How to Choose a Planted Aquarium Light: What the Numbers Mean and What Your Plants Need
Choosing a planted aquarium light: how much light your plants need, what PAR and Kelvin mean, and sizing by tank length and depth.
Aquarium CO2 for Beginners: Do Your Plants Need It, and Which System to Choose
Do your aquarium plants need CO2? How to tell, generator or cylinder, the parts of a system, and how to set one up safely.
Betta Fish Tank Setup: A Buyer’s Guide to Getting the First Tank Right
Betta fish tank setup for beginners: how much water a betta needs, what kits leave out, and why to cycle before buying the fish.
