Thursday, 3 November 2011

LED Aquarium Light 101

ByHuey B

When LED aquarium lights first came out, aquarists really liked them for lighting up their tanks at night. Nowadays, savvy aquarists know that LED lights are also the best choice for daytime illuminations for a number of reasons. One main benefits of LED is that it saves money. It simply takes less power to run an LED light than a standard bulb - up to 70% less, in fact! LED aquarium lights have long operational life. With proper care and handling, your LED aquarium lighting system will last for years, even if you light your tank almost continuously. Another benefit of LED is that your tank won't get overheat. This sort of lighting generates little or no heat, which is one reason why they do not burn out quickly. To make them last even longer, keep a fan near your tanks to disperse excess heat. Additionally, there are even "green" varieties of LED aquarium light that are recyclable and have very little risk of being broken due to being made from very tough polycarbonate tube. This type of aquarium light is water-resistant and reduces the risk of overheating and even electrocution that can be posed by standard bulbs.

LED aquarium lights are great looking both in style of housing and in the natural quality of light. These lights are particularly suited to freshwater fish living in lakes and rivers. Tropical freshwater fish, such as guppies, goldfish, Siamese fighting fish and other commonly kept freshwater tropical fish also do well with LED lighting; so do freshwater plants. Additionally, fish that thrive in brackish water (slightly salty) do well with LED lighting; however, you must keep in mind the kind of lighting that is natural to the habitat of the fish when choosing the strength and type of lighting you will use on your tank.

Commonly kept saltwater fishes and fauna such as sea cucumbers and coral can also do well with LED lighting, however, you should discuss the precise type of LED lighting necessary for this type of tank when you visit your local fish store. Be aware, though, that you should not simply take the word of the clerk at the local fish store. Take his or her recommendations with a grain of salt. Do your own research online regarding the types of fish you are considering. Read books about fish care. Read the information contained with the LED aquarium light you are considering purchasing. Visit online forums to get information from people who have had experience. This is always good advice when thinking of setting up a tank, adding fish to an existing tank or making any kind of changes in your aquarium setup.

LED aquarium lights are great alternative to traditional aquarium lights and more energy efficient. You should consider looking at LED aquarium.

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Wednesday, 2 November 2011

An Aquarium Vacuum Cleaner Helps With Aquarium Maintenance

ByZach Winsett

There are a huge number of aquarium vacuum cleaners on the market today. Many do a fine job when it comes to performance, but ultimately what makes the difference is how well it handles gravel. You want to be sure that you are using a product that can handle the work load and deal with gravel without shortening its lifespan or cleaning capabilities.

An aquarium vacuum cleaner can range anywhere from ten to fifty dollars in cost. Like most products, when it comes right down to it, cost does not equal quality in all cases. It is best to know about the product you are planning to buy and to also be aware of the kind of job you will need it to perform before you make any kind of investment.

One key feature that you may want to be aware of when shopping for an aquarium vacuum is how well it cleans without removing aquarium water. Many battery operated vacuum and siphons are not designed to clean objects without removing the water. In fact, many siphons meant for changing water are used as vacuums themselves! The battery operated Mr. Clean by TOM Aquarium Maintenance is a product that vacuums without removing valuable water. The product is inexpensive and has grown to be fairly popular among aquarium enthusiasts. This product uses an external filter and a gravel brush as well. This brush is reported by many to simply be a hindrance to the actual vacuuming action.

In the high range vacuums, judging strictly by cost is the EHEIM Quick Vac. In this case, the money really does make a difference when it comes to the actual product. While still battery operated, this model of aquarium vacuum requires no buckets or hoses to function and works seamlessly in up to three feet of submersion. The product is ideal for complete cleaning of any aquarium but is also not much of hassle when it comes to spot maintenance. This vacuum does a thorough job of cleaning without removing excessive amounts of water or completely redistributing the gravel. It is designed to capture both minor and large debris as well. While prices hover around the sixty dollar mark, the investment is worth the expense.

Having a quality vacuum for your aquarium not only helps with the transparency of the water in your aquarium, it also helps to keep your fish or plants healthy to enjoy a longer and fuller life. A quality vacuum also extends the period of time in which you must change the water in your tank, minimizing the effort on the part of the aquarium owner. Invest in a quality aquarium vacuum today and enjoy watching your aquarium thrive with ease.

If you are having trouble keeping your aquarium clean then an aquarium vacuum cleaner might do the trick. These devices make it easy to perform water changes and clean your gravel with ease.

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Tuesday, 1 November 2011

What to Do If You See Your Goldfish Floating

It might be a surprise to some that even the smallest of goldfish also suffer from various ailments. Some pet owners might not be aware of this, but one of the illnesses that these fish might suffer from causes them to float. If your pet is currently experiencing this, do not be worried. This is a fairly common occurrence among goldfish. Fortunately, it is also easy to solve.

There are some things you need to be aware of if you see your goldfish floating towards the top of the tank. Fish from the tropical areas are rarely affected by this ailment. If, however, you happen to pass by a pet shop that has at least one goldfish in an aquarium swimming higher than its companions, then chances are its domestic environment is the one to be blamed.

One of the most suggested reasons for this phenomenon involves buoyancy. Different types of fish suffer from various buoyancy problems. In some cases, the fish can also be seen swimming too low. Both cases are curable in a matter of days. In some cases, however, the buoyancy problem can be pinpointed with the fish's swimbladder, a problem that might prove harder to correct. It is therefore important to know the reason why your fish has a swimbladder-related problem:

1. It might be due to the consumption of too much air whenever it eats on the surface.
2. There is probably a build-up of gas within its bladder that causes it to bloat and float to the top of the water.
3. Bacterial infection is possible which can lead to a build-up of toxic fluids within the fish's body.
4. Physical damage resulted from fellow fishes.
5. Genetically incorrect growth process.

Whichever the reason is, rest assured that they are all treatable as long as you have the right knowledge regarding the matter. Here are things you can try if you see your goldfish floating:

1. Avoid feeding it its normal diet for a day and see if it will expel any form of gas. Small peas are helpful once in a while as these serve as aids to allow the fish to eliminate unnecessary gases inside its stomach.

2. Try to increase the temperature of the water by a few degrees. This can help the fish flush away excess gas that might be the cause of the ailment.

3. An old-fashioned cure involves adding salt to the water. There are also certain products available in the pet shops that can help your fish. Try to buy sodium chloride, better known as tonic salts. According to experts, these work wonders on a fish's swimbladder problem.

4. An anti-bacterial medication is oftentimes done by veterinarians. Whenever one sees a goldfish floating, the person must be responsible enough to know if it is severe or not. It may prove a bit expensive compared to some the methods listed above, but this is one of the surest ways the swimbladder problem will be cured. Moreover, the buoyancy of the goldfish will be returned to normal.

For more information on a goldfish floating in your tank, please visit My Goldfish Care: http://MyGoldfishCare.com

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