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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 maintenance equipment including siphon, bucket and water conditioner
Beginner2026.077 min read

How to Do an Aquarium Water Change: The 15-Minute Routine That Prevents Most Problems

The water change is the single most important thing you do for a tank, and most beginners either skip it or do it wrong. Here is the actual...

Rimless and braced planted freshwater aquariums on cabinets in a modern Dubai apartment
Beginner2026.076 min read

Rimless vs Braced Aquarium: Which Tank Style Fits?

A practical way to choose a rimless or braced aquarium without treating looks as a substitute for sound tank specification.

A planted aquarium under aquarium lighting on a timer
Algae2026.076 min read

Photoperiod: How to Increase Your Aquarium Light Hours Without Feeding Algae

Long light hours do not cause algae — light that outruns the plants does. Start at 6 hours, add time in tiny increments, and let the plants tell...

Aquascaping rocks, driftwood and tools laid out for building hardscape structure
Advanced2026.077 min read

Building Terraces and Slopes in an Aquascape: How to Stop Your Substrate Sliding

That dramatic "floating" carpet and the deep back-to-front slope in competition tanks are not magic — they are foam, aquarium-safe silicone and a few structural tricks. Here is...

Buying Guide2026.073 min read

Low-Iron vs Regular Glass Aquarium: When Is Ultra-Clear Worth It?

A practical comparison of low-iron and regular aquarium glass, focused on when clarity is worth the upgrade and which build checks come first.

Aquascaping rocks and driftwood laid out with planting tools
Buying Guide2026.076 min read

Choosing Driftwood and Rock for an Aquarium: What Is Safe, What Raises Your pH

Hardscape is not decoration — it changes your water chemistry, and in hard UAE water the direction it pushes matters. Which rocks are inert and which raise pH,...