AquaCalc Blog
Science-led guides on CO₂ injection, water chemistry, filtration biology, and planted tank practice.
Lily pipe placement: the geometry of whole-tank CO₂ distribution
A well-placed lily pipe drives a single gyre that carries CO₂ to every corner of your tank. Here is the Coanda effect, the gyre geometry, and the placement mistakes that create dead zones — with animated flow diagrams.
Black beard algae: what the science says, what is debated, and what actually works
BBA is the most feared algae in planted tanks. The popular CO₂ fluctuation explanation is well-supported by observation and plant physiology — but direct controlled evidence is limited. Here is what is established, what is hypothesis, and what to actually do.
Flow in a planted tank: why the 10× rule was never about your plants
Everyone says you need 10 times turnover. Takashi Amano ran tanks that became benchmarks for the entire hobby on half that. So who is right — and what does the science actually say you need?
What "stable CO₂" actually means — busting the 30ppm myth
The advice sounds simple: get to 30 ppm and keep it there, or you will get algae. But the science does not support a rigid fixed target — and chasing one may be making your life harder than it needs to be.
Comammox: the bacteria rewriting the nitrogen cycle
For a century, aquarium science held that two separate groups of bacteria were needed to process ammonia into nitrate. In 2015, a single organism was discovered that does both — and it may already be living in your filter.
Chlorine & chloramines: the danger hiding in your tap
Aquarists worry about ammonia spikes and nitrite cycles. Chlorine and chloramines are more immediately lethal than either — and they arrive with every bucket of tap water you add to the tank.