TankBase guides

Aquarium guides, no waffle.

Clear, practical guides for marine and freshwater keepers — written for the UK, updated as we learn.

8 min read

Marine Tank Cycling: A Step-by-Step Guide

How to cycle a saltwater aquarium from day one to your first fish — with the exact parameters to watch.

7 min read

The nitrogen cycle in plain English, plus the fastest safe way to cycle a tropical tank.

6 min read

Temperature, salinity, pH, alkalinity, calcium, magnesium and nitrate — what good looks like.

9 min read

Eight hardy corals that thrive in young tanks — what they need and what to avoid.

7 min read

Tank size, diet, tankmates and breeding tips for the most popular saltwater fish.

6 min read

Why nitrate climbs, the fastest safe way to bring it down, and how to keep it there for good.

8 min read

Ten hardy, friendly fish that thrive together — tank size, temperament and what to avoid.

7 min read

Fair pricing, safe pick-up, how to photograph it, and where UK keepers actually buy used tanks.

8 min read

Green water, hair algae, cyano, diatoms — what each one means and exactly how to beat it.

6 min read

Everything you need to set up a tank properly the first time — equipment, sequence and budget.