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Yes, Autumn is a good time to build a pond because terrestrial vegetation is starting to die back yet the ground is moist, but not frozen, so easy to dig. Create a pond now and you’ll get to watch is develop and flourish right throughout spring and summer next year. It’ll be there for when frogs and newts spawn in early spring too. Mark it outUse a hosepipe, some rope or line mar...

The key to managing disease in your fish tank is to observe your fish. Watch your fish every day but at the same time look for signs of ill health and disease.Are they swimming where they should be in the tank for their type of fish, or are they sat motionless on the bottom or hanging just below the surface when they are usually active in midwater? Are their fins erect and free of white fluf...

Part of the appeal of a marine aquarium is the bright coral sand base that transports the viewer to a beach on a tropical island. Those white tropical sands are actually coral sand, tiny fragments of long-dead coral skeletons and shells which have been worn down into sand-sized granules.Its coral sand that you need for your home aquarium too, not normal beach or playpit sand as that contains ...

Plecos are popular aquarium fish, known for their sucker mouths and their algae-eating capabilities. Some plecos get big however and others have specialised care requirements. Here’s our guide on how to keep plecos in an aquarium.DiversityThink of a pleco and you’ll probably imagine a common plec, sailfin plec or Bristlenose, but there are over 680 different species from 92 genera, wi...

A leaking tank can be a worrying time for fishkeepers. Here are some pointers for what to do in an emergency:Can you see the leak? Or can you just see water around the tank? First, establish if the tank itself is leaking or if its any associated equipment. Does the tank have an external power filter and if so are its inlet and outlet pipes in the tank as they should be? Have you maintained th...

The weather is definitely turning now, with more rainfall and lots of leaves. If you have one, open the drain valve on your filter to purge excess water from the pond. Leave at least a 4” gap from the surface and the edge of the pond so that it doesn’t overflow with the next lot of rainfall.Keep the pond cover net suspended tightly over the pond and not touching the water as if it does, ...

Heres the scene. You’ve been keeping marines and running a reef tank for six months now and everything is going well. You’ve got high spec LED lighting, wave-making pumps and your KH, calcium, magnesium, nitrate and phosphate are all as they should be. You’ve got a mix of soft and LPS corals and they have their polyps extended and are visibly growing. Now its time for the next step. Now its...

If you’ve never kept fish before then the best fish you can start with are danios. Danios are small, very active freshwater fish which are known for their extreme hardiness and ease of keeping. They look like small minnows and are related to them, being part of the Cyprinidae family which includes carp, goldfish, rasboras, barbs and loaches. They come from South East Asia and inhabit everything...

Set up a reef aquarium and your lfs will quickly steer you towards soft corals. “Softies” are generally easier to keep than hard corals, less expensive and more tolerant of tanks where parameters aren’t buffered on a daily basis. They’re not always the most colourful corals but they make up for it in growth and movement. They’re less likely to die too!The soft corals we keep are pho...

Everyone loves a clean tank but a grubby, algae-covered tank can really detract from the beauty of the fish. It can even make you want to give up fishkeeping! But by maintaining your tank, filter and decor regularly it will keep the tank clean and looking great while at the same time avoiding a big strip down or worse still a permanent tank close-down.Getting startedTake the ornaments out...