Aquarium Knoxville

Aquarium Knoxville Sunce 1985 The best combination of quality, service, and price. Aquarium the largest aquarium & pond store in the South. Pond season runs from March to October.
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Livestock & equipment for ponds, reefs, plant and tropical tanks. Join our VIP program to receive in-store specials and rewards! Freshwater Fish
We have over 8000 gallons of freshwater aquarium fish. We offer a variety of tropical fish including; tank bred fish, wild caught fish from Asia, South America and Africa. We we also carry Chinese imported goldfish. We have 4 large display ponds, multiple

plant troughs, and over 13,340 gallons of livestock ponds. We carry domestic koi, Japanese bred koi, and domestic goldfish varieties. We also carry tadpoles, Japanese trapdoor snails, and mosquito fish. Saltwater Fish
With over 8000 gallons of saltwater fish, invertebrates, and reef systems we offer the largest selection in East Tennessee. Plants
We have a large variety of live aquarium plants including; bunch plants, vallisneria, sword plants, anubias species, cryptocorynes, and many more! In our water garden section we carry hardy and tropical plants including; lilies, lotuses, bog plants, floating plants, and many more. Pond Season runs March to October. Call for in stock items. We are one of the largest resellers of Oase in the country along with other top level brands. Quality Koi and 80 species of plants is just the beginning. We help customers and professional installers with everything from design, to installation and care of the perfect pond or water feature. Reef
We have a large variety of reef safe fish, invertebrates, and corals. We carry many coral varieties from all over the world. We have an experienced staff to assist you in establishing and maintaining your unique reef system. Cured Live Rock
We carry cultured live rock from the Florida Keys as well as a selection of various Pacific cultured varieties. Fresh Mixed Saltwater
We use Seachem aquavitro Salinity Salt mix, which is individually lab tested and contains a higher level of essential elements than other mixes on the market. We mix our water to a salinity of 1.024


R.O. Water
We offer R.O. freshwater for top off or freshwater aquariums. Our R.O. water has a consistently tested low TDS level. Custom Professions Aquarium Installation Maintenance is available. Tennessee Water Gardens was the first licensed Aquatic Nursery in TN and proudly serves customers nationwide and locally through the Aquarium Papermill.

06/06/2026

We are hiring. Join the souths largest aquarium and Pond store.

When it come to nano tanks and desktop tanks, aquascapes, and equipment, we are the ultimate one stop shop. Ultra clear ...
05/29/2026

When it come to nano tanks and desktop tanks, aquascapes, and equipment, we are the ultimate one stop shop. Ultra clear museum glass, 45 degree mitered corners, not a single defect in 20 years. Same brands and tanks used in professional aquascape competitions.How creative can you get?

Many aquarists perform large water changes during the first few weeks of a planted aquarium to dilute dissolved organics...
05/29/2026

Many aquarists perform large water changes during the first few weeks of a planted aquarium to dilute dissolved organics, remove detritus, and export algae spores. But if that is the goal, why stop at 50% or even 80%?

For example, if a new aquasoil releases 10 ppm of ammonia, even an 80% water change still leaves behind 2 ppm. At aquaLife®, we began experimenting with near-100% water changes during the startup phase of our planted aquarium systems, and the results have been impressive.

Our planted aquariums settled in faster, plants adapted more quickly, and many systems skipped common nuisance algae phases such as diatoms and Green Dust Algae (GDA) entirely.

This is the updated aquaLife® planted aquarium startup protocol we now use for many new aquascapes:

aquaLife® High-Exchange Startup Method

Week 1

* Perform near-100% water changes every 2 days

Weeks 2–3

* Perform near-100% water changes twice weekly
* Increase frequency if visible algae begins to appear

Week 4 and Beyond

* Return to a standard 50–80% weekly maintenance schedule
* Increase water change frequency if the aquarium has not fully stabilized

According to planted aquarium researcher Tom Barr, another benefit of very large water changes is the temporary exposure of plants to atmospheric air as water levels drop. This helps saturate plant tissues and vacuoles with oxygen and carbon dioxide, invigorating growth and helping aquatic plants adapt more rapidly to their submerged environment.

Plants also transport oxygen into the rhizosphere around their roots, stimulating beneficial microbial development within the substrate. These microbial interactions can have a major impact on long-term aquarium stability and algae prevention.

In our experience, aggressive early water changes can dramatically improve the establishment phase of high-energy planted aquariums.

Why This Method Works

Near-100% water changes during startup can help:

* Reduce ammonia spikes from fresh aquasoils
* Export dissolved organics before algae can utilize them
* Remove algae spores and free-floating waste
* Improve water clarity
* Accelerate plant adaptation
* Encourage stronger root and microbial development
* Reduce or skip common algae phases

Recommended aquaLife® Products

For best results during the startup phase, aquaLife® recommends:

* aquaLife® Complete — Advanced water conditioner for chlorine, chloramine, ammonia, nitrite, and heavy metal detoxification
* aquaLife® Activate — Beneficial bacteria blend designed to help establish microbial stability and biological balance
* aquaLife® Andisol® — Premium volcanic aquasoil engineered for planted aquariums with excellent structure, nutrient support, and root-zone development
* aquaLife® Lush® — Comprehensive macro and micronutrient fertilizer system for vibrant aquatic plant growth
* aquaLife® Evoke® — Advanced plant enhancement formula designed to support coloration, vitality, and stronger plant development
* Hydra Aquatics® CO2 Systems — Stable CO2 delivery for accelerated plant growth and improved aquascape performance

If something is good, is more of it better? When it comes to strategic water changes during the initial startup phase of planted aquariums, the answer may very well be yes.

Aquarium approximately 30 days old.

Grown with:

* aquaLife® Andisol®
* aquaLife® Lush®
* aquaLife® Evoke®
* Hydra Aquatics® CO2 Equipment
* aquaLife® Complete®
* aquaLife® Activate®

This layout usually starts arguments because a lot of hobbyists would trim it much harder, while others think this sligh...
05/28/2026

This layout usually starts arguments because a lot of hobbyists would trim it much harder, while others think this slightly matured, filled in look is exactly when an aquascape feels most alive. The difficult part is keeping moss growth this dense without losing depth, water movement, or plant health underneath. Tanks that reach this balance often look effortless to viewers even though they usually require very careful long term maintenance.

Chili Rasbora isn’t actually a rasbora. Boraras brigittae was reclassified out of the Rasbora genus in 1993 by Kottelat ...
05/26/2026

Chili Rasbora isn’t actually a rasbora. Boraras brigittae was reclassified out of the Rasbora genus in 1993 by Kottelat & Vidthayanon the trade name just never followed.
In a group of six, usually only one male is showing full red the dominant fish suppresses the others the same way cichlids do. Most people blame water quality and never figure out the real reason.
You need fifteen or more before the males start genuinely competing and the color makes sense.
Nobody mentions that the fish in the shop and the fish in actual blackwater look like two completely different species.

Memorial Day Sale. VIP Sale.  Pond Plants are fully stocked and starting to show.  Refer and show this post when you com...
05/23/2026

Memorial Day Sale. VIP Sale.
Pond Plants are fully stocked and starting to show. Refer and show this post when you come in and receive 15% off your pond plants. Sale good today Sat 23rd, and Sunday 24th to VIP customers. We are closed memorial day.

Come in this week and check out some of our aquarium bundle discounts! Some amazing savings and prices on this restock o...
05/21/2026

Come in this week and check out some of our aquarium bundle discounts! Some amazing savings and prices on this restock of aquariums.

Huge Plant order this week folks and we reloaded with a ton of cleanup crew along with some other goodies an Octopus and...
05/16/2026

Huge Plant order this week folks and we reloaded with a ton of cleanup crew along with some other goodies an Octopus and Peppermint shrimp!! Come take a look...we hope to see you soon!!! Remember we will be closed tomorrow for a family event.

New aquarium plant shipment just came in! Get what you need before they are gone, when the plants look this good they do...
05/16/2026

New aquarium plant shipment just came in! Get what you need before they are gone, when the plants look this good they don’t last long.

Just a reminder for everybody. We will be CLOSED this Sunday May 17th! So be sure to get everything you need tomorrow!
05/15/2026

Just a reminder for everybody. We will be CLOSED this Sunday May 17th! So be sure to get everything you need tomorrow!

Address

6410 Papermill Drive
Knoxville, TN
37919

Opening Hours

Tuesday 11am - 5pm
Wednesday 11am - 5pm
Thursday 11am - 5pm
Friday 11am - 5pm
Saturday 11am - 5pm
Sunday 1pm - 5pm

Telephone

+18655882073

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