It is designed to research all facets of fish keeping. HARS was created to develop new products, test and refine old ones and to explore all areas that have potential benefit to aquarists and their fish.
In the most basic sense, the HARS mandate is to make fish keeping easier and more enjoyable for everyone while ensuring a safe aquatic environment for fish. This translates into the added responsibility, beyond research, to educate the hobbyist, retailer and sales force. As time goes by, there will be more and more releases of HARS findings and interpretation of those results to help improve the overall knowledge level within the hobby.

One of the major thrusts in HARS research is to provide a safer and simpler way to keep fish. Active research is conducted on a variety of aquatic myths. Proper stocking and maintenance protocols need to be examined in detail. Quantitative results, as well as aesthetic benefits of live plants in the aquarium are also explored. The interaction of the bacterial level with the visible inhabitants is another important research area of research. By understanding these interactions and ensuring accurate information is released to aquarists, the chances of success in the hobby increases.

HARS is committed to developing commercial products. The goal is not to simply mimic existing items, but to constantly re-invent them. The entire philosophy is to ensure the product is the best possible one for the problem. This requires stepping back to the very beginning, often researching causes and redefining the problem in a different light. HARS is committed to finding a solution to a given problem in the most effective and SAFE way possible. In many cases, the strongest solution is not the best. Many solutions detrimentally impact the entire aquatic environment. HARS researchers examine the effects of the solution on the long term health of the aquarium. They attempt to provide as little impact on the environment as possible. This approach has led to success with bacterial and enzymatic products - proven to be as effective or even more effective over the long term than harsh chemical treatments. Instead of harming the aquatic balance, they actually improve the overall conditions in the tank.

Another example of examining the overall solution of a problem, rather than from a microscopic perspective, is the control of high pH in aquariums. Most preparations use phosphoric acid to effect acidic changes. This solution is as effective as most, but can create phosphate pollution in the tank, leading to algae bloom and problems associated with green water. By recognizing this side-effect through a careful examination of the problem, HARS is able to suggest alternatives that will do the job just as effectively, but without the visible repercussions of an uncontrolled algae population.

HARS has a Biological Quality Control program. This set of strict protocols ensures an overall total quality and consistency of all liquid products. Every biological and chemical liquid product must now successfully pass three independent quality control checkpoints. The physical characteristics, chemical characteristics and any biological toxicity are carefully studied to ensure they will not create problems in the established aquarium. If just one of these strict protocols fails, the products cannot be shipped and the entire batch is destroyed.


HARS is committed to the protection of the environment and its inhabitants. As such, HARS has adopted the five "Freedoms of Animal Husbandry" as guidelines for every test and research project.

• Freedom from hunger
• Freedom from thermal and physical discomfort
• Freedom form pain, injuries and diseases
• Freedom from fear and distress
• Freedom to carry out most normal patterns of behavior.

Fish are used in tests. There is no way to reproduce the same environment found in an established aquarium, but the above rules are carefully adhered to, to ensure the fish are not hurt or stressed by the testing. HARS is operated by Rolf C. Hagen Inc. As a major aquarium supplies manufacturer, it is important that the information provided to the Hagen sales and marketing teams is accurate and reliable. One of the major thrusts is to provide reliable and useful comparisons of competing products. There is no way that these can be entirely unbiased. Hagen recognizes this. As such HARS uses outside resources such as universities and independent laboratories to ensure that collected data and experimental protocols can be reliably replicated and verified. Development of entirely new products is also part of the job of the HARS technicians. The experience brought to bear by these trained professionals can be measured in decades. All are constantly on the look-out for new product ideas. Preliminary development on new concepts in filtration and other aspects of fishkeeping are an ongoing part of the daily routine of HARS.

HARS Staff