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The Journal

The Journal

Field notes from YoloLife: species we keep, tanks we build, and the routines that keep them healthy.

Aquarium starter setup showing a hang-on-back filter, small pump, heater and substrate
Beginner2026.079 min read

Do You Need an Air Pump? Oxygen in a UAE Aquarium

Bubbles do not add oxygen the way you think. Here is how dissolved oxygen actually works in a warm UAE tank, when an air pump is genuinely necessary,...

Algae2026.077 min read

Do You Need a UV Sterilizer for Your Aquarium? What It Helps With—and What It Cannot Fix

A UV sterilizer can be useful in the right aquarium, but it is not a substitute for water tests, filtration or a diagnosis.

A planted aquarium with shrimp and a cleanup crew grazing on plants and hardscape
Algae2026.075 min read

Algae Eaters That Actually Work: Otos, Nerites, Amanos and the Pleco Mistake

A cleanup crew is a finishing tool, not a cure for algae. Here is what each species genuinely eats, which one is the most common regret in a...

A set-up freshwater aquarium showing the substrate layer at the bottom of the tank
Beginner2026.079 min read

Sand, Gravel or Aquasoil? Choosing Aquarium Substrate in the UAE

Substrate is the one decision you cannot undo without tearing the tank down. Here is what gravel, sand and aquasoil actually do, which one suits Dubai's hard tap...

Beginner2026.076 min read

Do Aquariums Need Lids? A Dubai Guide to Covers, Evaporation and Fish Safety

A practical way to choose a glass lid, mesh cover or open-top aquarium without treating one setup as right for every fish or room.

Fish packed in transport bags and containers, ready for a move across the city
How-To2026.075 min read

How to Move a Fish Tank in Dubai Without Losing Your Fish

Dubai runs on one-year leases, and every renewal season a wave of aquariums crosses the city in the back of somebody's car. The glass almost always survives the...