Knowledge Base
Shirley Aquatics has a vast knowledge base to help you care for your aquatic life. Learn more about how to appropriately care for your aquatic life from our online articles and downloadable guides.
The Shirley Aquatics guide to STENDKER discus fishkeeping. Part 2.
Keeping STENDKER Discus is going to become a specialism as the breeding programme finishes. Here’s all you need to know to do it yourself.
The Shirley Aquatics guide to STENDKER discus keeping – Part 1.
STENDKER discus will no longer be available to buy from 2023. If you’ve always wanted to keep discus check out our guide to keeping them!
The new OASE Filtoclear and why we love it.
The OASE FiltoClear is vying to take the top spot from Hozelock’s BioForce Revolution for pond filters – here’s why we think it’s managed it.
5 basic breeds of koi and how to spot them.
The most common breeds of koi and how to identify them. Sanke, Showa, Ogon, Kohaku, and Chagoi all simply explained.
Koi for dummies – our practical guide to koi keeping
Simply written and easy to understand. Koi for Dummies is your useful guide to koi husbandry. How to get the best out of your hobby and fish!
How to maintain garden waterfalls
Garden waterfalls and watercourses are very popular, so how do you look after one once your’ve invested in it?
Pond Lighting. What you need to know.
Pond lighting can be an afterthought in outdoor projects. Here’s everything you need to know about pond illumination before you get started!
Pond Project | Everything you need to know
A pond project need lots of planning! Read this to ensure you’ve got your bases covered before you start so there are no nasty surprises!
Leopard Gecko Vivarium – create an environment in 10 minutes
Our guide to setting up an attractive, natural habitat in your Leopard Gecko vivarium quickly. Go from ’empty’ to ‘environment’ in 10 mins!
Feeding Koi. The what, when, and why.
Feeding Koi can be a delicate balancing act. Our Koi feeding chart will allow you quickly & easily identify the right food for your fish.
Aquarium Essentials – The 3 things your tank must not be without!
The top 3 aquarium essentials you must make sure you have in place, and are done properly, to ensure a healthy, happy aquarium.
The best starter aquarium options for 2022.
All you need to know before taking the plunge with your starter aquarium. Set up, hints n tips, & our preferred starter tank recommendations!
Complete beginners guide to Aquascaping
A complete step by step guide to aquascaping for the complete beginner. From design inspiration & styles through to equipment & inhabitants.
Water features: Everything you need to know
Our guide to selecting the right water feature for your garden, maintenance, & some tips on building your own!
Top 10 Tips for Perfect Koi Keeping
Shirley Aquatics top 10 tips for perfect koi keeping conditions. From koi food and pond plants, to ideal pond filters and pond design! Everything you need to know to make sure you’re giving your pride and koi (sorry) the best possible care.
Ponds – Top 5 most overlooked pond pointers
We’ve all felt it. The excitement, the giddiness. You have a new project. You will be the proud owner of a pond. So many things to think about – what marginal pond plants will I have? What fish will I keep in my pond? Am I really ready to tackle Koi? Is the fountain of […]
How much should I feed my pet reptile?
The species of reptile you own will dictate how much and what you should be feeding, for example: A hatchling bearded dragon – omnivore: Live insects up to 10 per portion 4-5 times per week Leafy greens and salad 1 per week Fruit or flower treat 1 feed per week An adult bearded dragon (12 […]
Top 5 OASE pond products.
OASE are considered by many to be the last word in water gardening. Here are our Top 5 favourite OASE products we stock and use ourselves!
How often should I do Water Changes?
Like the majority of fishkeeping, there are lots of different opinions online about water changes. All we can do is tell you what works best for us in the form of questions regularly asked….
How to look after Pond Lilies?
Lilies are an attractive addition to any pond. They produce a beautiful flower and their pads offer great shade for your fish and wildlife, offering somewhere to hide from predators. The shading a lily provides can also help with the prevention of algae!