Aquarium Keepers

16/05/2023

I think one of the hardest parts of setting up an aquarium is being patient. Popular TV shows and online videos make it seem like you can set up a totally healthy and happy system in a day. That just isn’t the case.

Aquariums take time to build up beneficial bacteria. It takes time to build an entire ecosystem of symbiotic and interconnected relationships. It takes time to test water flows and coral or plant placements and get the lights tuned in right. Certain fish types are more hardy and others are more difficult. Some fish or corals and plants arrive in not the best health and don’t thrive, while others do.

Our 400 gallon tank has been set up for almost a year, and it is finally getting to a pretty stable point with a collection of healthy fish and happy corals. Even though we have quite a bit of diversity in the tank, it can still feel a bit “empty” as the corals continue to fill in and the fish grow. The biggest thing you can do is go into an aquarium build with some patience and the understanding that each aquarium will have its own unique challenges and will mature in its own way.

Keep at it and you’ll have something you really enjoy!

14/02/2023

The Shedd Aquarium is my favorite aquarium to visit. And they make great content like this.
Happy Valentine’s Day!

06/12/2022

One of the main reasons people don’t start an aquarium is because they are daunted by the set up processes or they feel like they don’t know enough to get started. When you have The Aquarium Keepers] on your side, you don’t have to worry!

Our aquarium experts can lead you every step of the way:

🐠 We can help you decide what kind of fish you want! Maybe you want colorful fish, lots of plants, or even a coral reef!

🦐 We will set you up with an entire ecosystem to help it stay in tip-top shape.

⁉️ Knowing what size equipment to get isn’t a problem - we will walk you through an equipment list, or we can make the purchases on your behalf and deliver them to you!

🔧 Set up is also easy when we do it for you! We can set up your tank, connect the plumbing, and make sure your equipment and lights are working properly.

🌱 We can set up in inside of your tank with gravel, plants, and make sure it has lots of good microbes to jumps start your tank ecosystem. When it’s time, we can add in your favorite fish, too!

👨🏻‍🏫 The best part is you have our experts to teach you want you need to know (or want to know!!) along the way. We will help you and guide you to make sure your aquarium is a success.

🧽 Then, every two weeks we will be back to keep it clean and looking beautiful!

Ready to get started? Send us an email or give us a call. We would love to help you have the aquarium you’ve always wanted!

Find us at www.theaquariumkeepers.com or give Austin a call at 605-218-0050. We primarily serve the greater Sioux Falls Area, but we will travel to you or can troubleshoot with you via zoom! 

03/12/2022

🐠 Fishy fact coming at you! 🐠 Can you tell if your fish is a male or a female?

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Sexual dimorphism is the systematic difference in form between individuals of different s*x in the same species. They are key identifying characteristics that all males or all females have.

Did you know that a majority of fish are NOT s*xually dimorphic? Most saltwater fish like tangs and most angelfish look the same regardless of gender. Common freshwater fish that are not s*xually dimorphic include tetras, discus, and angelfish.

However there are some fish that are s*xually dimorphic in both fresh and saltwater. This includes my favorite marine fish, the Japanese masked swallowtail angelfish, pictured here. Pretty cool!!

09/10/2022

Thanks to for sharing this photo from the conference! I do love a good pun.

06/10/2022

This last weekend I was honored to be a presenter at the 2022 Pet Sitters International Pet Sitter World conference.

Aquarium care can seem really overwhelming and scary, especially when you don’t have much experience or background knowledge. I wanted to best set pet sitters up for success with their clients. We first covered basic fish tank equipment, and then we got into fish sickness and things to watch out for. We left lots of time at the end for questions, but we still couldn’t get to all of them during the session. I know this session helped these professionals become more familiar with aquariums and also provide the best care possible for their clients.

I had a great time getting to know the attendees more over the weekend. As a pet sitter myself, it was a lot of fun to be there and meet so many passionate people.

14/07/2022

Pet sitters - this is for you! Aquariums are complex, but they don’t have to be hard. I’ll be walking you through an info-packed mini session to help you understand how to care for your clients’ aquariums, what not to do, and how to spot signs of trouble. I’ll see you in Cleveland!

18/06/2022

Happy Pride, friends!

17/06/2022

Morgan spent a few hours yesterday helping me work on one of our new aquarium set up projects. She found this shirt for me a few weeks ago and it is becoming a new favorite. I know you also want to see the shirt in person, too, so come see us at Sioux Falls Pride this Saturday at 8th and Railroad! We’ll have games and are happy to talk aquariums and fish!

25/05/2022

Lighting is an important part of building a great aquarium. Not all lights are created equal - they each serve a different purpose based on the needs of different aquarium types.

Here are a few things you or your aquarium installer will want to consider:

🧮 Calculating coverage - you will need to decide how many lights you need to adequately light your tank. Each light type comes with a coverage footprint, as well as output intensity (called PAR). You will use that information to decide how many lights you need, which orientation to hang them, and which light type you need to meet your goals.

💪 Deciding your goals - When you are investing in a high dollar item like lights, you want to give yourself some flexibility. It is easy to get addicted to your aquarium! Even if you originally didn’t want to grow plants or corals, you might change your mind once you get into the hobby more. It can be wise to have an expansion plan in mind when purchasing your lights so you can easily adapt to a new tank goal without having to start over with your lights.

📱 Considering connectivity & controllability - There is a wide variety of lights to meet a wide variety of budgets. A budget light can be a good fit for a smaller budget, but it will just be a light that turns on and off. As you go up in price, lights start to come with features that can be managed by an app. These can include more basic features like turning the lights on and off, changing the color of the lights, adjust the intensity, and even ramp the lights up to mimic a sunrise and back down for a sunset.

💡There are many great lights on the market to fit your needs. Aquarium pros, knowledgeable retail staff, and product reps can all answer questions and help you find the best light for your specific aquarium and your goals.

25/05/2022

We are making progress on something big at our house - a 400 gallon something to be exact!

This set up will soon be the new home to the inhabitants of our 125 gallon reef tank. We are pretty excited to create the showpiece aquarium, but also excited for the different fish and inhabitants we can add with the extra water volume.

Stay tuned as we continue the installation!

10/05/2022

We have something big and new coming for one of our clients! We are installing this beautiful aquarium this week. Once the water and beneficial bacteria mature into a healthy ecosystem, we will stock it beautiful saltwater corals and fish. We can’t wait to show you more as we go!

04/05/2022

Do you like doing the maintenance on your aquariums?

The work we do to keep an aquarium clean varies from tank to tank. Every tank gets a scrub and a water change, filters get changed, and sometimes chemicals, plant fertilizers, or special coral foods are added depending on what the inhabitants need.

Here is a quick time lapse of one of our water changes this week! If you live in the Sioux Falls, SD area and want a beautiful aquarium without the work, give us a call or send an email through our website and Austin will be in touch!!

www.theaquariumkeepers.com

03/02/2022

Here is another view of the peninsula tank we set up in 2020 and continue to maintain. It is such a fun, dynamic tank to watch! 🐠

0 Likes, 0 Comments - The Aquarium Keepers () on Instagram: “Here is another view of the peninsula tank we set up in 2020 and continue to maintain. It is such a…”

02/02/2022

Just a little look at the short side of one of our set up and maintenance aquariums from way back this summer. This aquarium sits at the back of a couch and looks great from the two long sides and a short side, making it a showpiece in this family room. 🐠

28/01/2022

Which business do you wish had an aquarium? It is no secret that aquariums are relaxing. Studies say that can significantly reduce blood pressure, heart rates, the need for pain medications, and feelings of stress and anxiety. In addition, they are just gorgeous!

If you could pick any business or office to have a relaxing, beautiful aquarium, who would you pick? Tell us in the comments who you think should add an Aquarium Keepers tank to their lobby or offices and why! 🐠

24/01/2022

Choosing the right fish type for your tank comes down to asking a lot questions. Here are a few:

🐠 Do you want a lot of activity or slow swimmers?

🐠 Do you prefer more small fish or fewer big fish?

🐠 Do you want bright colors or more monotone?

Knowing what you like can help make sure you enjoy your tank for the long term and best set it up for success.

13/01/2022

Can I tell you a secret? 🤭 My spouse used to think aquariums were a waste of time and money. She had only seen really basic tanks with neon colored fish and she didn’t really see what the fuss was all about. That is until I said it was an aquarium 🐠 or a snake 🐍. She said, I’ll take the fish, please. 😂

It didn’t take long for her to start really enjoying the aquarium. I would find us pulling a chair up together and just watching the fish, the little crabs, and the snails.

Our breathing would get deeper, our heart rates slow down, and muscles would relax. Even the soft water sounds were soothing.

It didn’t take long to add aquariums throughout our house so we could enjoy their relaxing nature in every room.

21/09/2021

Remember when we said that that the biggest problem with loving your aquarium is wanting a bigger one? It’s true!!

These lucky kiddos got a serious upgrade today. We installed this 30 gallon tank for them just under a year ago. Check out the 75 gallon tank we replaced it with!

Not only can we add more fish with the larger tank, but we also have a wider variety of fish available to choose. This is because the tank can now accommodate fish that grow to a larger size or need more swimming room. This means a more diverse, interesting tank to watch.

We can’t wait to show you what this saltwater set up looks like once it gets fully stocked! 🐠

09/09/2021

One side effect of loving your aquarium is trying to decide where to put a bigger aquarium. This side effect can’t be helped, but we can help make it a reality. 🐠

05/09/2021

Happy Sunday! Remember us for all your tank multiverse needs. 😉 🐠

23/08/2021

Today is an exciting day for our new client Big J's Roadhouse: it is aquarium set up day!! 🥳

Aquariums might seem pretty simple - they are just water and fish, right?! In reality, they are so much more than that. Thankfully Austin - our Chief Fish Guy - has over 7 years professional experience working with fish and aquariums, so our clients are in great hands.

Today we will set up the foundation of the ecosystem. The tank and equipment will be plumbed and tested and the “landscaping” set.

We have to get the habitat balanced for a few weeks before we add any fish or corals. The aquarium needs lots of beneficial bacteria and other behind the scenes things that make the ecosystem flourish. We only use “live” sand and as much natural, live rock as possible to make sure the aquarium has a solid foundation.

We can’t wait to show you more in the coming weeks! 🐠

12/08/2021

Have you been wanting to set up a tank with but haven’t started yet? Get your dreaming cap on, because we have something fun coming for our vendor booth at !

Come on out to SiouxperCon 2021 - Heroes Homecoming on Oct 1-3 to see us. We’ll have a deal you definitely don’t want to miss! 😍 🐠 💥