Hot Topics

Superior nutrition can make a world of difference, but not in ways that we might think. Here we cover 3 scenarios where a little prep work is required for APT to do its magic.

Leaving for a holiday? It can be frustrating to return to a 'crashed' tank. We cover the steps we can take to prepare our tanks to run smoothly when we are away.

Bucephalandra are growing in popularity. Their varied forms add depth and complexity to aquascapes, and their slow growing nature allows for easier long term maintenance. However many hobbyists struggle with melting and algae infestation. These can easily be avoid if we understand a little more.

How do I know if I'm injecting enough CO2? If my drop checker is green or if my bubble count is above 3bps, surely that means I have enough? Maybe not...

What is an ideal temperature for freshwater planted tanks? Does it really matter if mine is hotter or cooler? Does temperature influence algae? How does temperature affect aquatic plants?

“Aerial roots” refer to roots that often grow out of the internodes of stem plants midway up the stem, above the substrate. Why do these roots appear? Are they cause for concern? What can we do if we find them unsightly?

How is it that after investing in enhancements, existing leaves do not appear to improve? What is wrong? The answer lies in how how plants respond to changes in the tank environment.

Struggling with Java Fern or Anubias? These hardy plants have certain vulnerabilities. We explore them in this post.

Hair / fuzz / thread algae on plants in a new tank? Avoid the common mistakes in tackling them.

What is that oily, milky film on my tank surface? Is it bad? What can I do to reduce, avoid and/or remove it? Surface Scum- let's find out more.

Is it really necessary to use a dechlorinator? Is it one of those common but unnecessary additives for a planted aquarium?

Holes in leaves are often associated with nutrition deficiency.
And they might be. But a lot of the time, they are simply the victim of hungry fish and shrimp, what we call ‘herbivore damage’.

If your plants don't seem to be able to survive for long in your aquarium, one reason might be that these are not aquatic plants in the first place. Or rather, these plants need to grow emersed (i.e partially submerged) and cannot survive permanently under water. We cover 3 common plants in this category.

In using wood in an aquarium is it a good idea to soak the wood prior to use? What happens when wood is submerged in water?

Is deeper substrate a problem? Why are many hobbyists concerned over deep substrate, and what to look out for.

A small breakdown of how we set up a planted CRS shrimp tank. Includes plant and equipment choices, and pictures of how the hardscape was constructed.

Floating plants such as Salvinia minima / Water Spangles are popular and can be beautiful (and useful) to have in a planted tank. So why do we need to be so careful with them?

Do plants absorb nutrients from their leaves? How does it matter to planted aquariums?

Are water changes really necessary? Does it matter how much water I change and how much is too much?

HC refers to Hemianthus callitrichoides 'Cuba', sometimes also called dwarf baby tears. MC refers to Micranthemum 'monte carlo’. Both are common and popular. However while they look quite similar, they are actually vastly different.

With so many test kits on the market, what should you focus on for a planted tank? We go into our Top 3 choices.