# AquariumTested

> Aquarium equipment guides: tanks and stands, canister, HOB and sponge filters, heaters, planted and reef lighting, protein skimmers, test kits and aquascaping, sized to your tank and livestock.

AquariumTested publishes aquarium equipment reviews, buying guides and reader discount codes. Every review states who the product suits, the current price from the brand's own store, and any active reader code.

## Key pages
- [Reviews](https://aquariumtested.com/reviews): every product we recommend
- [Buying guides](https://aquariumtested.com/guides): how to choose
- [Glossary](https://aquariumtested.com/glossary): aquarium equipment terms defined
- [How we test](https://aquariumtested.com/testing-methodology)

## Topics
- [Tanks & filtration](https://aquariumtested.com/category/tanks-filtration): Nano to large tanks, stands, canister, hang-on-back, sponge and sump filtration.
- [Heat, light & flow](https://aquariumtested.com/category/heat-light-flow): Heaters and controllers, chillers, planted and reef LED lighting, pumps and wavemakers.
- [Water & testing](https://aquariumtested.com/category/water-testing): Freshwater and reef test kits, conditioners, RO water, salt mixes and refractometers.
- [Reef systems](https://aquariumtested.com/category/reef): Protein skimmers, dosing pumps, reactors, auto top-off and controllers.
- [Aquascaping & care](https://aquariumtested.com/category/aquascaping): Substrates, hardscape, CO2 systems, tools, automatic feeders and maintenance gear.
- [Breeding & quarantine](https://aquariumtested.com/category/breeding-quarantine): Quarantine and hospital tanks, breeding setups, livestock transport and battery backups for outages.

## Buying guides
- [Aquarium Filter Types and Sizing: Canister, HOB, Sponge and Sump](https://aquariumtested.com/guides/aquarium-filter-types-and-sizing): Hang-on-back filters are simple and good for small to mid tanks; canister filters hold more media and stay quiet under the stand for larger tanks; sponge filters are gentle and cheap for fry, shrimp and quarantine; sumps give the most capacity for big and reef systems. Many keepers size a freshwater filter to turn the tank volume over about four to six times per hour, adjusted for stocking and fish that prefer gentle flow.
- [Aquarium Heater Size Guide: Watts per Gallon and Controllers](https://aquariumtested.com/guides/aquarium-heater-size-guide): A common starting point is about 3 to 5 watts per gallon, using the higher end when the room is much cooler than the target water temperature. Larger tanks often use two smaller heaters so one failure does not crash or cook the tank. An external temperature controller adds a safety cutoff. Place heaters in good flow, guard them from large fish, and always unplug before water changes.
- [The Aquarium Nitrogen Cycle: How to Cycle a New Tank](https://aquariumtested.com/guides/aquarium-nitrogen-cycle-guide): Before adding fish, a new aquarium needs a colony of beneficial bacteria that turns toxic ammonia into nitrite and then into less harmful nitrate. Fishless cycling adds an ammonia source, then you test until ammonia and nitrite both read zero within 24 hours of dosing and nitrate is present. It often takes four to eight weeks. Bottled bacteria can speed it up.
- [Aquascaping Basics: Substrate, Hardscape and CO2](https://aquariumtested.com/guides/aquascaping-substrate-and-co2-basics): Aquascapes start with substrate and hardscape. Nutrient-rich aqua soils feed root plants and lower pH slightly; inert gravel and sand need root tabs. Slope substrate from about 2 inches at the front to 3 to 4 inches at the back. Rinse stones and wood, and check stones do not raise hardness for soft-water species. Add pressurized CO2 when you want fast growth and demanding plants under stronger light.
- [Freshwater vs Saltwater Aquarium: Startup and Running Costs](https://aquariumtested.com/guides/freshwater-vs-saltwater-aquarium-cost): Freshwater tanks cost less to set up and run, need simpler equipment and are more forgiving for beginners. Saltwater fish-only tanks add salt mix, RO water, a refractometer and stronger flow. Reef tanks add high-output lighting, protein skimming and careful chemistry, and cost the most. Plan for the tank size the animals need as adults; bigger tanks are often more stable.
- [Planted Aquarium Lighting: PAR, Spectrum and Photoperiod](https://aquariumtested.com/guides/planted-aquarium-lighting-guide): Choose a planted tank light by PAR (photosynthetically active radiation) at the substrate, not watts. Roughly 15 to 30 PAR suits low-light plants, 30 to 50 medium, and over 50 high-light plants that usually need CO2 and fertilizer. Deeper tanks need more output. Run a photoperiod of about 6 to 8 hours, increasing slowly, and balance light with nutrients and CO2 to avoid algae.
- [Reef Tank Water Parameters: Salinity, Alkalinity, Calcium and More](https://aquariumtested.com/guides/reef-tank-water-parameters): Reef tanks thrive on stable water. Common targets are salinity of about 1.025 to 1.026 specific gravity (about 35 ppt), temperature 76 to 80°F, alkalinity about 7 to 11 dKH, calcium 400 to 450 ppm, magnesium 1,250 to 1,400 ppm, with low but measurable nitrate and phosphate. Stability matters more than chasing exact numbers, so test regularly and change parameters slowly.

Contact: info@aquariumtested.com