Freshwater Aquarium - Things I Learned About My Freshwater Aquarium

Introduction

When you do something new you will always learn something. When I developed my 75-gallon freshwater aquarium for the first time,I learned a bunch. Here is what I learned.

Maintenance

I initially thought that it would be very time-consuming to keep up. Surprisingly a freshwater aquarium is very easy to keep. It takes me less than an hour a week to do a 10% water replacement and to clean the debris.

I do not count feeding of the fish in this task because this is a chore I really enjoy.

Nitrogen Cycle

I initially thought you poured water in a tank, put some filters and an aerator in and then added your fish. How wrong could I have been? You have to make sure you have a bacteria colony established before you even add your first fish.

Most of the work performed in keeping a freshwater aquarium falls to the bacteria colony you have developed. I did not know that to keep the water clean and to keep toxic chemicals out, such as ammonia and nitrites, the bacteria colony you have to develop performs this work.

You can use fish to develop your bacteria colony, but you have to make sure they are tolerant of ammonia and nitrites and they are the fish you want. The fastest and easiest way to develop this bacteria colony is to buy your bacteria culture at your local pet store.

Adding Fish

Once you spent the time developing your bacteria colony, you cannot just dump your fish in the aquarium. Because I have a 75-gallon aquarium, and using the one-inch of mature fish for every gallon of water, I calculated I could put 15 fishes of the type I wanted in my aquarium.

I found out I should put just three fish of the same species in my tank every week. This is to prevent stressing the fish. Who would have thought?

I did violate this rule at the end when I added my Tiger Barbs. Since Tiger Barbs are schooling fish, they live in groups of six or more, anything less and they will become stressed.

So on the fourth week, after I had added nine fish already, I added my six Tiger Barbs with no problems to any of the fish.

Fertilizer

When I started replacing 10% of the water weekly, I found that this water was full of nitrates, phosphates and fish "poop". I had ready plant fertilizer.

I started pouring it on my houseplants and did they take off.

If you want more information on how to keep an aquarium, download a free eBook, titled "15 Tips On Building And Maintaining An Aquarium", at http://www.squidoo.com/homefreshwateraquariums or at Your Home Freshwater Aquarium.

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Five Tropical Stunners - A Feast For Your Eyes

What To Know Before Finding Freshwater Stingrays for Sale

Freshwater Aquariums - Electricty Made Freshwater Aquariums Possible

Freshwater Aquariums - 3 Golden Rules In Keeping A Freshwater Aquarium

Freshwater Aquarium - Common Problems

Freshwater Aquarium - 3 Obscure Problems With Freshwater Aquariums

If you are thinking about obtaining a freshwater aquarium or already have one, then you need to know about these three obscure problems that can happen with a freshwater aquarium. These three problems are not obvious but will eventually occur.

Nitrates

One of the biggest difficulties I had when I established my first freshwater aquarium was keeping the nitrates less than 50 ppm. No matter how many water change outs I performed, my nitrates were always up there around a hundred ppm.

After much research and asking on fish forums and at the pet store, I found out one of the reasons for high nitrates in my aquarium was I was feeding them too much. So instead of feeding them twice a day, I took the advice of more seasoned Aquarist and started feeding them once a day and only as much as they could eat in two minutes.

This helped cut my nitrates but they were still high. The other source of high nitrates in my aquarium was the decay of dead plants. When I started trimming my plants, when I performed my weekly water replacement, my nitrate levels dropped down to less than 25 ppm.

Less feeding and taking care of my plants proved successful in keeping nitrates at an acceptable level.

Tank Size

One obscure problem I avoided unintentionally was tank size. I struggled with determining which size aquarium I should get. Should I start small or go large. I decided to go large with a 75-gallon freshwater aquarium.

Little did I know that was the right decision. Most people who start their first freshwater aquarium go with a small aquarium. A small aquarium is more susceptible to huge chemistry swings than a large aquarium. These huge chemistry swings can have deadly effects on your fish.

Having a large aquarium created smaller chemistry changes, allowing me to learn about controlling the chemicals in my tank, such as nitrates, without jeopardizing my fish.

Fish Compatibility

Another problem I ran into was to find the right fish to put in my aquarium. Fish are classified as community, semi-aggressive and aggressive fish. The fish in your tank should all be of the same classification or you will have difficulties.

When I did my research on which fish fell into which group, I found conflicting information. The most reliable place I found to find which fish got along with other fish, was in fish forums.

In these fish forums you will find Aquarist who have years of experience and know first hand which fish can live in the same tank with other fish.

If you want more information on how to keep an aquarium, download a free eBook, titled "15 Tips On Building And Maintaining An Aquarium", at http://www.squidoo.com/homefreshwateraquariums or at Your Home Freshwater Aquarium.

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3 Things to Consider Before Buying Your BiOrb Life Aquarium

BySam Birch

The BiOrb Life Aquarium Collection is a modern, clean-lined and unique looking brand of aquariums. Its performance adds just as much satisfaction as the eye-catching curb appeal. This is definitely a recipe for love at first sight, but what things must be considered when selecting your aquarium?

Well lets see, it looks great, easily maintained, and you can stick it just about anywhere. Besides, the employee at the local pet store said everything you need is in the box. Sounds like all that is left is to grab the biggest one you can afford, select your favorite color, and off you go. Unfortunately, this is not the case.

There are a number of factors that must be considered when selecting either the 8-gallon BiOrb Life 30, 12-gallon BiOrb Life 45 or 16-gallon BiOrb Life 60. Some of those considerations are size, price, type of fish you wish to own, number of fish you want, type of tank (fresh, tropical or marine), placement, and your experience level. Yes, there is a little more to consider than the daunting task of trying match the color of the tank with your tile or carpet. Lets look at a few of them.

Price

BiOrb Life aquariums range from about $225.00 - $500.00. This is a sizeable difference compared to the traditional glass aquarium with a range of about $50.00 - $150.00 for the same sizes. Now comparing the difference between BiOrb tanks and the common glass aquarium is a whole new topic of discussion. For the sake of this article, you have to decide how much you can afford. Ask yourself if the gains in the looks, design, and maintenance are worth the price tag.

Size

Most consumers want to go big. This is why we had the huge SUV boom until gas prices shot through the roof. Now everyone wants a Prius. Well its a little different with the BiOrb Life aquariums. The maintenance is relatively the same regardless of size. So the next thing to look at is placement. Where do you plan on storing this cool looking water container. Will it be on your desk at work, a conversation piece in your home, or a calming element in a board room.

Once you figure out where it will go. You have to make sure it will fit in the space. Not only if the space is big enough, but aesthetically as well. Will it be nicely situated on a bookshelf or is it the smaller 8-gallon BiOrb Life 30 sitting in a conference hall in the corner going unnoticed. If you are spending the money to buy one of these unique aquariums, spend the time to place it in a site that everyone can enjoy.

Type of Fish

Lastly, and probably the most exciting, what kind of fish will you be placing in this fine piece of acrylic? Selecting the type of fish you will raise is very important. You want to avoid overcrowding and make sure there are no compatibility issues. Now would be a good time to mention a rule of thumb, one-inch of fish per gallon of water. So if you planned on buying a 6-inch baby hammer-head shark you probably want to reconsider. That is assuming they get a little larger than the recommended 16-inches of fish in the 16-gallon BiOrb Life 60, the largest of the collection. Now this one-inch rule is a guideline allowing for some flexibility but do not veer to far off the course. Always keep in mind the size the fish will grow to and do not be fooled by the size it is at the time of purchase.

If you would like to have the more colorful saltwater fish, the largest BiOrb Life aquarium the way to go. The larger the tank the more stable the water conditions remain equalling less work for you.

There are many reasons why purchasing a BiOrb Life aquarium is the right choice. Take the time to review the above items prior to making your selection and you will find the aquarium that is just right for your needs.

Get more information about the BiOrb Life Aquarium Collection and the 8-gallon BiOrb Life 30.

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The BiOrb Life Collection of Aquariums Explained

BySam Birch

Take a blend of fine decor and intriguing science, and add the ability to capture the beauty of the sea, and you have the BiOrb Life Collection of Aquariums. This is definitely an impressive line of fish aquariums. This is one of those products that everyone has to consider when making a decision on what aquarium to buy.

There are a number of reasons that thousands of consumers have been drawn to this particular collection of aquariums. Whether it is the feeling of life added by the vibrant colors, modern look, or ease of maintenance, this is a brand that has left its mark with retailers and consumers alike.

The BiOrb Life Collection consists of three models: the 8-gallon BiOrb Life 30, 12-gallon BiOrb Life 45, and 16-gallon BiOrb Life 60. Each model is available in three colors, which are chili red, ivory white, and piano black. Every aquarium is sold with everything you need in the box, minus the fish, to operate a freshwater aquarium. The option always remains to personalize it with the numerous life-like decor but at an added cost.

Shape and Design

With the exception of the 8-gallon model, these aquariums are rectangular in shape. The 8-gallon is the only BiOrb Life aquarium that is square. They have a clear back and face made of acrylic which is about ten times stronger than the common glass aquarium. The sides are the portion that is colored. They wrap around the aquarium as a tire wraps around rims. The colors although very simple, pop. The style, color, and design will bring life to any room.

Maintenance

Most aquarium owners purchase fish tanks for the joy and stress-free feeling of staring at their tank. They stare, and stare, and stare. This is because the main reason consumers buy tanks has nothing to do with the joy of maintaining it. The designers understood this and designed the BiOrb line with that in mind, and they nailed it. They have taken the undesirable task of cleaning the aquarium and made it simple.

Every four to six weeks, depending on the model, the filter cartridge must be replaced. Every three to four weeks, depending on the model, one-third of the tank water needs to be replaced. That is pretty much it on the routine maintenance. Not too bad.

Flexibility

There are many options with the BiOrb Life Collection of Aquariums. If you have limited space and need a smaller high-performing tank, there is a model for you. So the variety in sizes is definitely nice to have, and since they all use the same equipment (filter, air pump, air stone, etc.) if you decided to upgrade there would be no learning curve to adjust to. Even greater flexibility is the fact you can add a heater and make it a tropical aquarium. Take it one step further and implement a marine conversion kit. Now you have yourself a saltwater tank. There are many options with this line which makes it a solid choice for a tank.

When everyone felt that it could not get any better, here appeared the BiOrb Life Collection of Aquariums. They are great to look at, easy to maintain, and provides you several options for the long term.

Get more information about the BiOrb Life Aquarium Collection and the 12-gallon BiOrb Life 45.

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Freshwater Aquarium - The Proper Way To Replace Your Water

Introduction

If you have a freshwater aquarium, you know that you need to replace 10% of the water every week to remove debris and keep nitrates down. You also need to remove other chemicals, such as phosphates. Without water replacement your water will become dirty, even though it looks crystal clear, and will hold less oxygen.

There is a choice you can make. You can either replace part of the water daily, so you have replaced 10% by the end of the week, or replace the total amount every seven days.

It may surprise you, but replacing 10% of the water at one time is more effective than replacing a small amount everyday. Not only is it less work to replace the water weekly, but it is more effective. You remove more of the debris and chemicals using a weekly replacement regime.

Using nitrates as an example, here is the proof.

The Equation

The equation I will use to prove my point is:

C1 V1 C2 V2C1

What You Should Not Do When Cleaning the Aquarium

As human beings who are out for self preservation and survival, the idea of germs being harmful to our health has always been instilled in our minds since we were young. Therefore, we would be doing everything possible to stay away from them. This also applies to making sure that everyone and everything inside the house is kept safe from them. Yes, even your pets would be taken care of properly. After all, they are your loyal animal friends and would give you endless hours of entertainment and stress relief. However, there are also times that they are the catalysts for this, especially when it comes to cats and dogs. They may end up making a mess in the house, nibbling and chewing away at our belongings, thus adding to our stresses. Thankfully, for people without much patience for this, they have fish to serve as pets. Fish would be living in an aquarium, which proves challenging in its own right. Many pet fish owners are often wondering how they can ever clean the aquarium properly.

Sure, there are many steps and guides we can follow that point things out correctly, but there are also some mistakes to avoid while doing so. In fact, below are just some of the things that you should never do when you want to clean their artificial habitat:

Do Not Clean Without Emptying the Tank

According to a number of websites posted all over the World Wide Web, you are required to remove the fish and every other thing inside the aquarium when you want to change the water. This includes your décor, plants and gravel. They would simply state that, once you're done, you can just fill the aquarium with fresh and clean water and put everything back inside. While this may seem logical, this is also rather detrimental to your fish. The fact is that, the water in the aquarium leaves a lot of room for beneficial bacteria to grow. Cleaning out the water way too much can interfere in the biological filtration of the fish's environment, and may even make things worse for them, health wise.

Don't Use Just Any Detergent

There are some individuals who use strong detergents in order to make sure that the aquarium is germ free. While you clean the aquarium with these agents, there is a possibility that some residue will remain. What this means is a strong possibility that your pet fish will be contaminated with the chemicals of these cleaning agents, thus affecting the stability of their health. Therefore, you must make sure that if you are to use detergents, they are cleaned thoroughly. Otherwise, you can just settle for some products which are guaranteed to be naturally safe for your fish. These products can be purchased at the pet store.

Bernard Yao invites you to http://www.petsinfoplace.com dedicated to sharing useful information on raising happy and healthy home pets for the online community.

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Freshwater Aquarium - Why Perform Water Replacement

Introduction

Water replacement is necessary to keep a healthy and happy aquarium. You are probably wondering what benefits are there in replacing the water in your aquarium. There are several beneficial benefits to replacing part of your freshwater aquarium water periodically.

How Much And When To Replace Your Water

When you read various articles on maintaining a freshwater aquarium, you will read about Aquarist who have different routines on how much water to replace and how often. Some Aquarist replace 20% of their water once every two weeks. I find this a little too much, to late.

I find that replacing 10% of my freshwater aquarium's water weekly is fine for my 75-gallon freshwater aquarium. Keeping to this routine has kept my fish healthy and happy.

Why Replace Your Water

There are several reasons why you will want to replace the water in your aquarium.

Remove Chemicals- One of the sayings used by people who follow the hobby of aquariums is "dilution is the solution to pollution". The most common chemical concentration you will want to dilute is nitrates that can only be removed by dilution or plants. If you have high levels of ammonia and nitrites you will want to do a water replacement of 40% immediately and check your bacteria colony to make sure it is working properly.Debris- Since you have an enclosed eco-system you will also need to remove any waste that builds up in your aquarium. In nature, tides and currents sweep the debris away, but with an aquarium you become the tides and the currents to remove this waste.Fertilizer- Another reason you will want to replace the water, especially if you are a gardening nut like me, is you can use the water in your plants or garden. This water is full of phosphates, nitrates and fish poop, just what your plants and vegetables love.Salton Sea- Without water replacement you aquarium becomes a mini Salton Sea. Salton Sea is a synthetic sea in Southern California, formed when water was brought to the Imperial Valley in California from the Colorado River. This lake has no outlets and was initially hailed as a lush resort in the 1950s. But because there is no outlet, just evaporation, salt has built up in this land locked lake. Today the place is abandoned and nothing lives in the water because of the high salt content. Your aquarium would turn into a mini Salton Sea if you did not offer an outlet by performing water replacement.

If you want more information on how to keep an aquarium, download a free eBook, titled "15 Tips On Building And Maintaining An Aquarium", at http://www.squidoo.com/homefreshwateraquariums or at Your Home Freshwater Aquarium.

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What to Look For When Finding All Glass Aquarium Fish Tanks?

When buying their first aquarium, a lot of people are undecided as to whether they should have their first aquarium be made of glass or acrylic, especially since you need to be looking for certain specifications when getting all glass aquarium fish tanks. This article will be solely focused on glass aquariums and we hope that will clear any doubts or uncertainty you may have about buying one of these.

The first thing that you should know if that the quality of the glass aquarium itself is pretty much dependent on the thickness of the glass that's used and the type itself. In terms of aquariums, there are essentially two major types. There are some which are mean to be completely filled with water and hold water based creatures like fish. There are others, on the other hand, which are made as a support for you to hold plants, turtles, lizards and others. If you're looking for an aquarium to hold fish, then you should first make sure that it is made to hold water, which translates to the need of having sealant on the corners to avoid getting some nasty leaks.

What Are All Glass Aquarium Fish Tanks Made Of

We mentioned before that the type of glass used in these fish tanks was important and in fact, it is. All glass aquarium fish tanks will be using either plate glass or tempered glass.

As for plate glass, we're talking about a type of glass that is much heavier than the most common plexiglass (sometimes weighing in at about twice the wight), but unlike the later, it'll be able to endure much more damage before starting to scratch, besides also being quite resistant to discoloration. On the other hand, tempered glass comes in as a glass that's not as smooth, perhaps even a bit on the rough side.

When breaking up, plate glass will usually breaks in larger pieces, and unlike a tempered glass, you'll probably still be able to have the aquarium holding up in case it breaks. While on tempered glass, the aquarium usually breaks into pieces, on a plate glass, it'll have a single crack and you'll be able to patch it up. And unless the crack is at the bottom you may just lose a bit of water and your fish will more likely still survive.

Remember that all glass aquarium fish tanks will not be great at keeping the temperature constant, so you should control the temperature if you life in an area when the temperatures differ a lot throughout the year to make sure that the water your fish are on has the right temperature for their survival. Of course that this is something that's dependent on the region you're on and not all regions will need it.

Special Care With All Glass Aquarium Fish Tanks

Being heavier than the regular acrylic ones, you must take extra care when choosing an aquarium stand for your all glass aquarium fish tanks. While most of the water in an aquarium actually comes from the water (so the acrylic to glass difference won't be big in comparison), it's will important to make sure that you get a stand that can hold it all to avoid rupture.

If you love fish tanks, then take a look at our website on All Glass Aquarium Fish Tanks.

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Freshwater Aquarium - What To Beware Of When You Get A Freshwater Aquarium

Introduction

Thinking about getting a freshwater aquarium? I have a 75-gallon freshwater aquarium and love it. But here are some things you need to beware of if you get one. If any of these things turn you off, then do not get one.

Here are some of those items to beware of:

Water Replacement - When you get your freshwater aquarium you are going to have to beware of having to replace 10% of the water on a weekly interval. If you do not do this, your aquarium will fail because of the build up of chemicals in the water.

To get by this predicament, I actually look forward to replacing the water, because I use the water I take out to water my plants and vegetables. This water has a lot of the nutrients needed by your houseplants and vegetables. So it is actually a fertilizer.

Debris Removal - Along with water replacement, you are also going to have to clean the debris that collects in the substrate. This debris consists of excess food and fish "poop".

To get around this challenge, I clean the debris from the substrate at the same time I remove the water. This debris is also great food for my plants and vegetables.

Feeding - Another chore you will have to beware of is feeding. Like any pet, they must eat. Your freshwater fish should be fed at least once a day, but only as much as they can eat in two minutes.

But actually becomes a joy for me, because when your fish get to know you and they know when you normally feed them, they will gather to greet you waiting for their food. This gathering of my fish gives me smiles and joy.

You must also make sure they receive their food when you are gone. Some suggestions are to have a friend come in and feed them, or do what I do, and have an automatic feeder.

Research - If you are new at developing and maintaining a freshwater aquarium and you want to be successful at keeping a freshwater aquarium, then beware, you are going to have to do some research.

Research is a must, because if you think all you have to do is buy a tank, put some water and fish in, then you will fail and your fish will die. There is a lot of research needed to receive the knowledge needed to keep a freshwater aquarium.

Conclusion

These are the items you need to beware of if you want to keep a freshwater aquarium. From my perspective, these items are nothing compared to the joy I receive from my freshwater aquarium.

If you want more information on how to keep an aquarium, download a free eBook, titled "15 Tips On Building And Maintaining An Aquarium", at http://www.squidoo.com/homefreshwateraquariums or at Your Home Freshwater Aquarium.

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Maintaining a Healthy Aquarium Using Proper Fish Treatment Methods

ByHarvey J Hamilton

There are many things to consider when it comes to maintaining a healthy fish tank. Medication for fish treatment depends on whether you have a Tropical, Coldwater or a Marine aquarium. For example, some medication affects the biological system which can kill certain bacteria required for a healthy aquarium. You must read the instruction manual carefully before you start any treatment.

You have to take into account the size of the fish tank. When treating fishes some certain type requires isolation and hence having a big fish tank is advisable. If you have a small size fish tank, it is highly recommended to buy a portable one as a backup in case you have to isolate certain fishes.

All problems in a fish tank are bacterial, parasitic and environmental in nature. The bacterial infection is characterised by white patches instead of spots and this is cured by using bacterial fish medicine. The parasitic infection can be easily identified as it is characterised by individual white spots on the fish and this can be cured by treating the water. The environmental infection is caused due to improper handling and maintenance of the aquarium. It can be easily prevented by constantly checking the water quality and maintaining fresh stock for the fishes all the time.

Cotton mouth is a type of bacterial infection and takes place due to poor water quality and improper diet. It spreads very easily and in cases causes the death of all the fishes in the tank. Symptoms of this disease are white colouring and disintegration on the fins. Treatment of this infection can be done through change of water, vacuuming the gravel, use of antibiotics, adding aquarium salt and discontinuing carbon filtration throughout the treatment.

Velvet or otherwise known as rust or gold disease is a type of parasitic infection. It is caused by a parasite that penetrates into the skin and gills of a fish and feed on the nutrients. After feeding and maturing it releases itself into the water and thereby creates an unhealthy water quality for the fishes. Symptoms such as rapid breathing, discolouration of skin, and peeling of the skin will occur. To treat this infection raise the water temperature, reduce lighting of the aquarium, use aquarium salt and discontinuing carbon filtration.

Ammonia poisoning is a type of environmental infection and occurs when too many new fishes are added to the tank. Symptoms of this disease can be detected when you notice the fishes gasping for breath on the water surface, gills will appear to bleed as a result of change in colour, fish laying at the bottom of the tank and red streaks on the body will appear. You can treat this by using chemicals that neutralises the ammonia and discontinuing feeding for a certain period of time.

If you are starting up a new fish tank using Evolution Aqua Pure Aquarium Bacteria Gel Balls as a treatment is advisable. It is a bacterial treatment which provides the required ammonia and nitrite in water to provide fishes with a clear and healthy environment. Take note that treating the water is important because poor water quality leads to all sort diseases for the marine life in the tank.

Your contributor Harvey J Hamilton is highly skilled in all things aquarium and has been advising customers for many years on the best aquarium fish treatments available. For anybody who is looking for fish disease treatments then reading the useful resources drafted by this writer will certainly help you to locate the best solutions available.

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Freshwater Aquarium - What If Your Power Fails?

Introduction

If you have a freshwater aquarium, one of the things you fear the most is a power outage. Depending on where you live, you can lose your power for hours, or like we did after a hurricane, for almost two weeks.

What Is Important

When your aquarium is operating normally one of the most important items you have is your aerator. This provides much-needed oxygen to the water so your fish can breathe.

You should also have a mechanical filter to remove large and small debris particles and it also houses some of your bacteria colony that removes toxic chemicals.

Heaters are also necessary to keep the water in your aquarium at a constant temperature.

All of this equipment, aerator, mechanical filter and heater need electrical power to run. Without this equipment your aquarium is in jeopardy and you could lose your fish.

What To Do If You Lose Power

If you do lose your electrical power here is the action you should take in the order of importance:

Aerator - The first thing you should do is get oxygen to your aquarium's water. Ahead of time you should buy a battery-operated aerator that they sell at sporting goods stores. Fishermen use these to keep their live bait alive.

You can also get a battery operated air pump at most pet stores or do an Internet search for a battery operated aerator.

These are relatively inexpensive and a must for any one with an aquarium.

Filters - Though not as important as getting your aerator operating, you should also get your filter operating. You can do this by purchasing, ahead of time, a device that converts DC power (battery) to AC power that will power your filter.

Heater - If you lose power to your heater, your aquarium's water temperature will equalize with the temperature that is in the room. If you can control the temperature in the room then you can control the temperature in your aquarium.

Your biggest concern is if the temperature in the room drops. If this happens try wrapping the tank in blankets, better yet use staged Styrofoam to place on your aquarium to stop the heat loss.

If the problem is rising temperatures, place ice in plastic bags and float in your aquarium. You want to make sure it is in plastic bags so you do not contaminate your aquarium's water with water that has not been treated.

Conclusion
Once you have all these items to power your important equipment, do a walk through and make sure the actions you have in place, in case of a loss of power, will work. You do not want a surprise when you actually need the equipment.

If you want more information on how to keep an aquarium, download a free eBook, titled "15 Tips On Building And Maintaining An Aquarium", at http://www.squidoo.com/homefreshwateraquariums or at Your Home Freshwater Aquarium.

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Freshwater Aquarium - How To Use An Automatic Fish Feeder

Introduction

One of the things that is important for any person who has an aquarium is to have an automatic feeder. This piece of equipment is important if you do a lot of travel for business or if you just want to go on vacation and get away.

The Automatic Fish Feeder

An automatic fish feeder is just that, a device that will automatically feed the fish in your aquarium. It is good to have if you will not be able to feed your fish when they expect or if you just want to get away.

You can find them at most pet stores or do what I did, buy it online. You can find them at prices ranging from ten dollars on up. I bought one for about 70 dollars and am quite pleased with it.

The reason I bought the more expensive feeder is because I read the reviews on the cheaper models and there were some bad reviews. I did not want to have any troubles with mine, especially if I was not at home. I wanted one that was reliable.

Setting It Up

Most automatic fish feeders use pellet food better than they use fish flakes. So if you feed your fish flakes, I suggest using pellets with your automatic fish feeder.

Once you receive your automatic feeder you need to adjust it so that it will deliver the correct amount of food. I found that this took the most time. Adjusting the right amount of food is mainly trial and error. It will take some time till you get it just right.

The feeder adjustment cannot wait, do it the day you receive it and not the day you plan on leaving. This will make sure it works correctly and you can make any adjustments before you need it and not when you need it.

Some of these feeders come with the ability to use an AC electrical source. I would not recommend this because if electrical power is lost, then the feeder will not work. Plus since the feeder sits on top of your aquarium there is a danger of electrical shock.

Conclusion

An automatic fish feeder is a must for anyone with an aquarium. With it you are not tied to your aquarium with no chance of escape.

The most important thing to remember is to set it up before you need it, not the day you need it.

If you want more information on how to keep an aquarium, download a free eBook, titled "15 Tips On Building And Maintaining An Aquarium", at http://www.squidoo.com/homefreshwateraquariums or at Your Home Freshwater Aquarium.

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Freshwater Aquarium - Stopping Nitrites

Introduction

When you start your freshwater aquarium, you need to make sure that your aquarium goes through a nitrite spike. Having this nitrite spike will help you in keeping nitrites out of your aquarium. This spike is a sign that you have established a bacteria colony that consumes nitrites.

After this spike your nitrites will go down to zero ppm, but you must continue to measure for them and keep them out of your aquarium to prevent endangering your fish.

Why Nitrites Are Bad

You do want nitrites in your aquarium because they are toxic for your fish. This is one of the most common killer of aquarium fish for people starting freshwater aquariums, right after ammonia.

To prevent affecting your fish, keep nitrite levels less than 0.5 ppm, preferably at zero ppm. If the nitrite levels reach 20 ppm or more they will be deadly to your fish after a few days.

Where Nitrites Come From

The most common cause of nitrites in your aquarium is not properly cycling your tank. This cycling process creates bacteria that eats the nitrites that develop in your aquarium. If you have a well established bacteria colony you should not have problems with nitrites.

But even after you have a strong bacteria colony you can generate nitrites by not cleaning your aquarium or replacing the water in your aquarium. This cleaning and replacing process will remove excess foods and fish poop that can break down and create nitriles.

How To Stop Nitrites

The best way to stop nitrites and keep them at zero ppm, is to have a well established bacteria colony. You do this when you start your aquarium and you keep it by not replacing the filter wheel on your mechanical filter unless absolutely necessary.

The major source of nitrites that new aquarium owners create is by overfeeding their fish. Believe it or not, keeping your fish lean and mean and not fat and lazy is a must. This means feeding your fish only as much as they can eat in two minutes.

Anything more than two minutes and the excess foods will settle in the substrate and decay into nitrites. The other problem with too much food is that they will eat more and poop more. This poop will also settle into the substrate and decay into nitrites

Conclusion

Having an effective bacteria colony is important at keeping nitrites at zero ppm. Vacuuming your substrate and removing 10% of the water weekly will also help prevent the build up of nitrites.

If you want more information on how to keep an aquarium, download a free eBook, titled "15 Tips On Building And Maintaining An Aquarium", at http://www.squidoo.com/homefreshwateraquariums or at Your Home Freshwater Aquarium.

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Information on Weedy Sea Dragon

This sea dragon is the marine emblem of the Australian State of Victoria. Weedy Sea Dragons are protected by the government and are subjected to strict export controls in Australia. Get to know more about it in the Article below:

Weedy Dragon Physical Description

Adults are red in color, with yellow and purple markings. There are appendages which are like leaves. This helps the fish to camouflage. There are short spines too which protects them. Males have narrow and dark bodies in contrast to females. These spiny fishes have quite a long dorsal fin along the back side and small pectoral fins on either side of their necks. This helps in providing them balance. They can reach a size of up to forty five centimeters in length.

This dragon is found in central New South Wales coast around the southern coast of Australia to southwestern part of Western Australia.

The habitat of this type of fish

This camouflaged fish frequently stays in kelp-covered rocky reefs located at a depth of about three meters to fifty meters. They live in areas ranging from deep offshore reefs to shallow estuaries. The places are related to sea grass meadows, rocky reefs, structured colonized sea weeds and sea weed beds.

Weedy Sea Dragon Behavior

They camouflage to defend themselves from their predators in their habitat area. These fishes cannot swim well.

Weedy Sea Dragon Diet

The carnivorous weedy sea dragon feed on sea lice and small crustaceans.

Weedy Sea Dragon Reproduction and Life Cycle

The breeding season is during early summers, with generally 1 brood per season. These sea dragons can have 2 broods per season if the condition is favorable. Before mating, the male prepares for the area in his tail where he will keep eggs. This area becomes slightly swollen, spongy and soft. The female pushes the eggs in the tails of the males. The eggs get fertilized in their tails. The males carry around one hundred and twenty to three hundred eggs in his tail. He carries the eggs for around two months. The eggs get hatched over a period of six days.

The hatchlings are big in size ranging from 2.5cm to 3.5cm in length. There is a yolk sac attached to them, which helps them for about two days while the snout grows. Once the snout is grown they begin to feed. By the end of fourteen weeks, the juveniles can reach about fifteen centimeters.

Get To know more about the Other types of Australian Animals only at http://www.australiananimallearningzone.com

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Freshwater Aquarium - Frozen Or Unfrozen Food for Your Fish

Introduction

There is a raging debate among Aquarists, should I feed my fish frozen food or food that is not frozen? Let's look at both sides of the argument and see if we can come to a logical conclusion.

I really did not think there was an argument but I guess there is. Be advised, this article is bias because I already have an opinion.

The Unfrozen Food Argument Side

People who argue for feeding their fish unfrozen food remind us that humans do not eat frozen food. Well I beg to differ; I eat Popsicles and ice cream that are frozen as a treat for myself. Even my children eat them.

I cannot buy into this argument that since humans do not eat frozen food, fish should not eat frozen food. It is like saying that humans cook their meat so our pets or all animals should cook their meat.

Another argument is that the digestive lining of freshwater fish is very sensitive and the cold food will damage the lining of their digestive system. But when I watch my fish eat the frozen bloodworms, they are usually eating the parts that have broken off and are not frozen any more.

If the food was frozen by the time the food gets to the digestive tract it is unfrozen. So how will frozen tidbits clean out the digestive system after it becomes unfrozen?

The Frozen Food Argument

Here are the arguments presented by the side that supports feeding your aquarium buddies frozen food. One argument is that it cleans out the digestive system of your fish. How it cleans out the digestive system of our fish is difficult to comprehend.

By the time a frozen piece of food is dropped in the 75-degree water and enters the mouth of your fish and finally makes it down to the digestive tract, it is unfrozen. So how does this clean out the digestive tract compared to the fish-eating unfrozen food?

The last argument used by this group is that there are no warning labels on the packets the frozen fish food comes in saying to defrost it before feeding your fish. Every thing else has warning labels, so why not a precaution on feeding your fish frozen food.

My Position

I feed my fish frozen bloodworms and brine and cannot help but notice that most of the frozen cube will have melted in the 75-degree aquarium water by the time the treat is consumed.

I have been feeding my fish frozen food for many years with no adverse affect on my fish.

Conclusion

So the debate rages on, but my position is and will remain, to continue feeding my fish frozen treats.

If you want more information on how to keep an aquarium, download a free eBook, titled "15 Tips On Building And Maintaining An Aquarium", at http://www.squidoo.com/homefreshwateraquariums or at Your Home Freshwater Aquarium.

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Choosing The Right Tropical Fish

BySteve Royle

When you fist start planning for your new aquarium the choice of fish and options of equipment can be a little overwhelming. Firstly there is the tank, what size? Where will I locate it? Then comes the question of what type of equipment should I choose, this is before you think about the type of species you are going to keep.

The first decision you should make is what type of Tropical Fish are you going to keep there are plenty of options, Community (Neon Tetras, Corydora etc), African cichlids, South American Cichlids, Biotope (an aquarium perfectly matching a species requirements). If you are going to keep large species then a large aquarium with good filtration is a must but if you're only keeping small species perhaps a community aquarium then a smaller aquarium will be fine.

You should ask yourself the following questions before deciding on a species:

-How large will the fish be once fully grown
-Once fully grown will the fish attack smaller fish in my aquarium
-Is the fish territorial
-What water parameters does the fish require (ph, hardness) and can I provide these
-Will it eat my plants
-Will it dig up the substrate in my tank
-Is the lighting suitable for the given species (too bright or too dim)
-What does the fish eat some fish are very fussy and will only take live foods
-Is the fish happy living alone or does it need a group of its own in the aquarium

Now you have decided on the type of fish you are going to keep you need to choose a location for the tank, avoid direct sunlight, loud noises and ensure the floor it is going to be placed upon will handle the load (a square meter of water weighs 1 ton!).

Now that you have chosen the type of fish you are going to keep and chosen a location it is time to think about decoration. The choices here are endless however you should match the natural habitat fish you intend to keep also do some research in to the species if you intend to plant your aquarium, Cichlids and some other species will destroy plants in a matter of days.

As a rule Community aquarium should have a gravel or sand substrate with places for the fish to take refuge and plants (presuming the kept species will allow) African Cichlids if you intend to keep mbuna (rock dwellers) then the aquarium should be full of rock with lots of places to hide. Some Africans are open water swimmers so need plenty of free open water.

There is a mass of products for decorating the aquarium on the market, some are novelty the traditional bubbling diver with his treasure chest for example. There are also some very realistic artificial bog woods which give your aquarium a very natural feel. The other advantage is you are making your fish feel at home and fish that feel comfortable in their surroundings are more likely to show good colouration as well as being more likely to breed.

When selecting new tropical fish for your aquarium, its important you are well informed if new to it, and have a good selection of healthy fish to choose from.

View a great selection of the Finest Tropical Fish online.

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The Responsibility That Comes With Keeping An Aquarium

ByKevin A. K.

Whenever you visualize an aquarium, all sorts of wonderful images spring to mind. You may picture the brilliant colors of a coral reef or perhaps the lush vegetation of a planted tank. But what you most likely don't picture is you, arm deep in that aquarium attempting to reactivate a blocked filtration system. For every gallon of water in that amazing tank you observe, there's a gallon of blood, sweat, and tears which went into making it what it is. There are several points to consider before choosing to set up an aquarium.

Obviously before you do anything you must determine just what it really is you wish to keep. A successful tank may last several years. You have to sort out exactly what it is you would like to keep, and discover whatever you can regarding it's requirements. Some fish can be unbelievably gorgeous yet if they demand a particular diet or maybe grow to several feet in length they may not be right for you.

Every aquarium requires time dedicated to maintenance on a daily to weekly basis. With no regular attention small problems can easily grow. Putting aside a little time at normal intervals, like every Sunday afternoon for instance, will go a long way towards maintaining your tank in tiptop shape. This can include things like changing water, cleaning filters, as well as feeding the aquarium's inhabitants. Moreover, problems can occur unexpectedly that may demand immediate attention, like a busted water pump. Having a schedule that permits for such predicaments being handled rapidly is really a definite plus. Some setups have increased maintenance requirements over others and could demand daily attention. If you travel regularly plans might need to be generated to allow for this.

Depending on the size and complexity of the initial setup, the start-up cost can be quite significant. A small freshwater setup might be had for easily below $100 while a basic saltwater aquarium may run a couple of hundred dollars at most. The sky's the limit after that obviously. Even so, just because the aquarium is up and running doesn't mean your spending is complete. An aquarium additionally requires regular expenses. Recurring costs such as filter media and fish food do mount up over time. Depending on just what you intend to keep livestock costs can also get rather high. A bigger setup can also have a visible effect on your power bill.

Needless to say there exists an incentive for your work and investments- an incredible aquarium! And appreciating that beauty is all the more special if you realize it was due to your hard work.

To learn more about aquarium setup please visit http://www.aquarium-setup.net/.

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Freshwater Aquarium - Monitor Your PH When Replacing Your Water

Introduction

One of the chemical parameters you will have to measure when you have an aquarium with fish is pH. PH is a measurement of how acidic or alkaline your water is, and freshwater fish like various pH levels.

Some fish like it as low as 5.5 or as high as 8.5. So when you select the fish for your aquarium, make sure they like the same range.

What Is pH

As I mentioned before, pH is a measurement to determine how alkaline (basic) or acidic your water is. A pH of 7.0, found in distilled water, is neutral; it is neither acidic nor basic.

Water that has a pH lower than 7.0 is acidic, while water with a pH greater than 7.0 is basic.

The pH of the tap water where I live is 7.4, or slightly basic. When I let this water sit overnight, the pH drops to 7.0 because the chemicals dissipate and the water reacts with the air (carbon dioxide in the air will lower the pH).

Adjusting pH

Before adding replacement water to your aquarium you will want to know what the pH is. Usually when you sample your tap water for pH, it will be slightly basic but when you let it sit overnight the pH will drop to where it is neutral or 7.0.

If it is not at the desired level you need for your aquarium, you can buy chemicals that can lower or raise the pH for you. But make sure you follow the directions carefully or you might end up chasing pH.

If your pH is not that far away from what is in your aquariums water, you should consider adjusting the pH after you add your replacement water. If you are like most good Aquarist, you will replace 10% of your water every week.

As an example on how little the pH will change we will use my aquarium as an example. I have a 75-gallon aquarium and replace 10 gallons of water every week.

Here are the numbers used in my calculation to see how much pH changes by replacing 10 gallons of water, with a pH of 7.0, in my 75-gallon aquarium with which has a pH of 6.8.

10 gallons of replacement water with a pH of 7.065 gallons of water in tank with a pH of 6.8pH change in aquarium after adding replacement water is 6.862.

Using a free calculator I found on the Internet calculate the amount of pH change, you can see that the pH in your aquarium is only changed by 0.062. This amount of change should not stress your fish.

If your calculations show that the change in pH will be greater than 0.1, adjust your replacement water so that the change in pH in your aquarium will be less than 0.1.

Conclusion

If your aquariums replacement water is higher or lower than the pH in you aquarium, perform a calculation to determine the amount of change. If the change will be less than 0.1, then go ahead and add the water. If greater than 0.1 then adjust the pH in the replacement water so that the change will be less than 0.1.

Minimizing the pH change to less than 0.1 will decrease the stress of your fish.

If you want more information on how to keep an aquarium, download a free eBook, titled "15 Tips On Building And Maintaining An Aquarium", at http://www.squidoo.com/homefreshwateraquariums or at Your Home Freshwater Aquarium.

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Freshwater Aquarium - Understanding PH

Introduction

When you install a freshwater aquarium in your home or office you need to become a part-time chemist. There are several parameters you need to watch, one being pH.

Having been a nuclear chemist in the Navy, I became quite familiar with what pH was and how to measure it. It was important to protect the piping in the nuclear plant and the steam generator. In a freshwater aquarium it is important to prevent stressing your fish

What Is It

PH is a measure of how alkaline (basic) or acidic a substance is. In this case we will be measuring the pH of water in your freshwater aquarium.

First of all pH has no units. It is just a number that goes from 0 to 14. If your water is measured as having a pH of 7, it is said to be neutral. That is it is neither basic nor acidic.

If your water has a pH less than 7.0 it is considered acidic and greater than 7.0 your water is considered basic.

How To Measure It

When you measure for pH you are actually measuring the concentration of the hydrogen ion (H

Freshwater Aquarium - The Solution To Pollution Is Dilution?

Introduction

Most if not all Aquarist know that the best solution they have to keeping their water in the proper specification is dilution. So the term all Aquarist know is "The solution to pollution is dilution". But what does this mean?

If you have a freshwater aquarium you need to monitor several parameters. If any of these get above the required specification, usually you will need to take action by diluting the water in your aquarium.

Dilution

The definition of dilution is taking a substance, such as water, and mixing it with another substance to make it weaker. Lets look at an example.

You have a 75-gallon freshwater aquarium and your nitrates are high endangering your fish. Steps you can take to cut nitrates are to feed your fish less because the decay of excess food creates nitrates.

You can also add more plants in your aquarium because they will consume the nitrates that have been created. But both these actions are slow and take time to cut the level of nitrates in the water.

For immediate action, to reduce the level of nitrates is to replace some of the water in your aquarium. If the nitrates are real high, most Aquarist will replace 40% of the water to get the level of nitrates down.

This action of removing the polluted water, high nitrates, with water that does not have any nitrates in it is called dilution. So you can see "the solution to pollution is dilution".

When To Use Dilution

Other times you will want to use dilution are when other parameters are high, such as ammonia and nitrites. These two, ammonia and nitrites, are toxic to your fish at very low levels so you should immediately dilute your aquarium by up to 40% if you have indication of ammonia or nitrites in your aquarium.

When Not To Use Dilution

You probably should not use dilution to solve a high pH level in your aquarium. If you are like me you use tap water to replace the water in your aquarium. Because of the chemicals added to the nations tap water, it makes the water basic.

So if you have high pH, replacing the water will probably not do much. In this case the best thing to do is add some chemicals specifically designed to lower the pH in an aquarium.

Conclusion

If you have high levels of chemicals in your aquarium, in most cases, "the best solution is dilution".

If you want more information on how to keep an aquarium, download a free eBook, titled "15 Tips On Building And Maintaining An Aquarium", at http://www.squidoo.com/homefreshwateraquariums or at Your Home Freshwater Aquarium.

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Going On Vacation - Checklist Of Things To Do With Your Freshwater Aquarium

Introduction

When you have a freshwater aquarium you do not need to forsake vacations just to care for it. Here is a checklist of what you need to do before you go on vacation.

Short Term Vacation

If you are going on vacation for less than five days here are the actions you need to take:

Automatic Feeder- Set your automatic feeder up and test it out for three days before you leave. Just before you leave make sure the automatic feeder is full of food.
Batteries- Ensure the batteries in your feeder will last for the time period you are gone. This may need you to change the batteries to new ones.
Lighting- Ensure your automatic timer you have on your aquarium is set correctly.
Plants- Feed your aquarium plants before you leave.
Water Replacement- Perform a 10% water replacement just before or the on the day you leave.
Mechanical Filter- Clean your filter and make sure the Bio-Wheel is rotating properly.
Remove Debris- When you do the water replacement make sure you vacuum the substrate to remove any debris.

If you are going to be gone longer than five days enlist a reliable friend to care for your aquarium on at least a weekly routine. Train your friend to do the actions you would take on a vacation of less than five days (see check list above).

Other actions you may need to train your friend to do is:

Mechanical Filter- Depending on how long you are gone, you may want to teach your friend how to clean or change the pad on your mechanical filter. Also show them how to clean the Bio-Wheel to keep it rotating.
Plants- Besides feeding your plants in the aquarium you will need to teach them how to remove dead plant material.
Testing- Train your friend on how to measure for chemicals in the water. You will also need to discuss what actions need to be taken if certain chemicals in the water are out of specifications.
Phone Number- Leave an emergency phone number where you can be reached or a phone number for your local pet store if your friend has any questions.

Conclusion

Having a freshwater aquarium does not mean you need to stop taking vacations. Following the check lists above will allow you to take both short and extended vacations without worrying about your aquarium.

If you want more information on how to keep an aquarium, download a free eBook, titled "15 Tips On Building And Maintaining An Aquarium", at http://www.squidoo.com/homefreshwateraquariums or at Your Home Freshwater Aquarium.

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Freshwater Aquarium - What Your Freshwater Plants Need To Thrive

LED Aquarium Lighting

Freshwater Aquarium - Why Measure For Ammonia And Nitrites

Freshwater Aquarium - The Improper Method Of Doing Water Replacement

Freshwater Aquarium - How To Stop Ammonia

The Best Tropical Fish for a Home Aquarium

Introduction

Having been an Aquarist for many years, I have the good fortune to keep several aquariums. Because I have several aquariums, I also have several different species of tropical freshwater fish. Here are two of the best tropical fish I have found.

Tiger Barbs

This is the first one on my list of the best tropical fish for your aquarium. If you want some color for your freshwater aquarium, then you definitely want to put Tiger Barbs in your aquarium.

These little guys are orange or gold in color, depending on how you look at them, with four black stripes. Hence the name Tiger Barbs.

I really enjoy watching them dart around the tank, or resting with their heads pointed at the substrate. They are good fish to occupy the middle of your tank.

Now here is the problem, you cannot just have one. You need six or seven because if you have less than this, you could stress the fish out and they become very aggressive. They are schooling fish and like to stay in a gang, I mean groups, of six or more.

Other characteristics about them are that the males have redder fins and a redder nose than their female counterparts. They are classified as omnivores, which means they eat a mixture of protein and vegetable matter.

They are also classified as semi-aggressive, but will usually not bother other fish in the aquarium if they are kept in groups of six or more.

African Featherfin Squeakers

My second choice for the best tropical fish is the African Featherfin Squeakers. They are brown with black spots over the length of their body. They are related to the catfish family and have the whiskers you would find on a catfish.

They will grow to about six inches and because they are omnivorous, eat fish flakes and algae tabs.

The unique personality of this fish is they usually spend the day hiding in my ornaments and they love to swim upside down.

They are classified as semi-aggressive and are bottom feeders. These are excellent fish for the bottom of your tank.

When I put a frozen cube of brine shrimp in the aquarium, the Squeakers will rise to the top and aggressively compete with the Tiger Barbs for the treat.

Conclusion

The best tropical fish for your aquarium that I have found are the Tiger Barb and the African Featherfin Squeaker. Both types of fish are compatible with each other, since both are classified as semi-aggressive.

If you want more information on how to keep an aquarium, download a free eBook, titled "15 Tips On Building And Maintaining An Aquarium", at http://www.squidoo.com/homefreshwateraquariums or at Your Home Freshwater Aquarium.

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Aquarium Bottom Fish - Great Fish for the Bottom of Your Tank

Introduction

Bottom feeding fish are quite interesting, they add intrigue to your aquarium and can be quite beneficial to the maintenance of your tank. But what are the best bottom feeders to put in your tank.

Why Add Bottom Feeders To Your Tank

One of the great benefits of bottom feeders is that they eat the algae that form in your aquarium. Take such freshwater aquarium fish as Plecos (Hypostomus Plecostomus), these are omnivorous fish (they eat plant and animal food) that will eat algae off the substrate and can even be seen on the side of the aquarium glass eating algae.

Not only do they eat algae but because they are omnivorous they will eat the fish flakes that fall to the substrate. This helps keep the nitrates down in your tank, because the decay of extra fish flakes adds appreciably to the nitrate levels in your tank.

If you have a large aquarium, greater than 30 gallons, you would want fish that occupy the top of the tank, the middle and the bottom. So adding bottom feeders will help balance your large tank.

Great Bottom Feeders

As I mentioned they add intrigue to your tank. I have three Plecos, which in my eye are rather ugly fish. But they are great bottom feeders and really keep my aquarium clean.

I also have three African Featherfin Squeakers (Synodontis Eupterus) that are beautiful fish. Most of my other fish cost about two or three dollars, but these cost around fourteen dollars apiece.

These really add beauty to any person's aquarium. They have feathery fins, catfish like whiskers and dark spots.

When I first received them they each picked a hole to hide in. After several months they started to become more active and now can be seen feeding and chasing each other around.

African Featherfin Squeakers are not only beautiful, but they are also omnivorous. They will also help keep the algae down and will also eat the fish flakes that will settle in your substrate.

Did I mention they swim upside down? Though they can be seen eating off the substrate, they hide upside down and prefer to swim upside down.

They can also be very aggressive. When I place a frozen brine cube in the tank the Squeakers will rise up and muscle in to dominate the cube. The other fish in my tank settle on eating the bits that escape the Squeakers, which is quite a substantial amount.

Conclusion

If you want to keep your tank clean and add intrigue to your aquarium two great bottom feeders to get are Plecos and African Featherfin Squeakers.

If you want more information on how to keep an aquarium, download a free eBook, titled "15 Tips On Building And Maintaining An Aquarium", at http://www.squidoo.com/homefreshwateraquariums or at Your Home Freshwater Aquarium.

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Freshwater Aquarium - Cleaning Your Mechanical Filter

Introduction

The mechanical filter is an important part of keeping your freshwater aquarium operating correctly. So proper maintenance and cleaning is very important.

Purpose Of Mechanical Filter

Your mechanical serves many purposes in keeping the water in your freshwater aquarium safe for your fish. Here are some of the functions it serves:
Bio-Wheel- The Bio-Wheel is an important part of keeping your aquarium operating properly. Not only does it remove small particles but it also builds up a bacteria colony that removes ammonia and nitrites.Filter Pad- The filter pad removes large debris particles from your aquarium.Activated Carbon- Activated carbon is used to remove tannins leached from driftwood you have in your aquarium and foul odors that can build up in your tank.Aeration- Your mechanical filter does give a small amount of aeration to your aquarium.

Weekly Cleaning

When you do your weekly water replacements, you should do some maintenance on your mechanical filter. If your Bio-Wheel is not turning you should clean the rotors with a small cotton swab. Also pull on the axles slightly to loosen them up. These actions will allow your Bio-Wheel to turn freely.

Also clean the pad off to free it of large debris. Do this by rinsing the pad with warm water. Do not use any chemicals such as soap to clean the pad because it can contaminate your aquarium's water.

Monthly Cleaning

On a monthly routine you should replace the filter pad with a fresh one. This not only puts a fresh clean pad in but will also put new activated carbon in your system.

You should also take your Bio-Wheel out and rinse it in the tank to remove any particles. This action will not only remove particles but will keep the beneficial bacteria that are growing on your wheel.

Other than freeing up the Bio-Wheel's axle, to allow it to rotate freely, and the monthly rinsing, no other action is needed. Do not replace the wheel unless it is damaged, because you will lose a large part of your bacteria colony.

If you do have to replace the wheel place the damaged wheel in the bottom of your aquarium till the new wheel builds up with bacteria. This minimizes the impact of losing more bacteria than is necessary.

Conclusion

You should perform routine maintenance on your mechanical filter such as cleaning and periodic replacement of the filter's pad

If you want more information on how to keep an aquarium, download a free eBook, titled "15 Tips On Building And Maintaining An Aquarium", at http://www.squidoo.com/homefreshwateraquariums or at Your Home Freshwater Aquarium.

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Keep Your Aquarium Water Clean With Reverse Osmosis and Protein Skimmers

ByFerenda Quispe

One of the most important things for a well-functioning aquarium is clean water. Given that the aquarium water is standing still, waste from the fish and food accumulates easily and this provides an environment for harmful bacteria and toxic material to develop. The wastes also tamper with the PH level of the water by increasing the nitrates concentration in the water. This is why regular aquarium maintenance is necessary and crucial for the health of the fish. You can be able to detect this using the aquarium test kits but since you cannot keep on changing the water and to avoid any such incidence occurring, you will have to use reverse osmosis filters and protein skimmers.

These two are effective ways of keeping your aquarium clean and safe without you having to constantly be there checking and unsettling the fish. Starting with reverse osmosis, this is a basic filtering method that uses simple technology yet very effective. It works by having the water passed through different layers of barriers, which remove impurities and bacteria. From large particles to the smallest of impurities, this method provides clean pure water yet retains the most essential minerals. It also helps control the PH of the water in the tank. The aquarium water is thus ridden of the bacteria and viruses and the food particles and other wastes thus clearing up the water from cloudiness. The great part about the device is that it is affordable.

There are several such filtering devices in the market and you will have to select one that fits your budget, and also depending on the impurities you will be dealing with. When it comes to protein skimmers, these have the role of ridding your aquarium of organics, oils, and proteins, which facilitate the outbreak of algae and also harm the coral hindering their growth. The skimmers also have other functions in the aquarium, these include improving water clarity, improving dissolved oxygen, preventing the buildup of carbon dioxide, and lowering nutrients loads, which if unchecked could turn toxic. They thus save you much effort in aquarium maintenance, as you do not have to keep on cleaning the water. The skimmers function 24/7 and the only work you have to do is clean them at least once a week for improved performance.

The working of the skimmers depends on the bubble size and contact time. The smaller the bubble size the larger the surface area that can be cleaned meaning much of the waste is removed. On the other hand, the longer the contact time the skimmers have with incoming water, the more the waste and harmful organic matter is removed. The aquarium has to be kept clean yet too much physical maintenance unsettles the fish and also interferes with your time making the exercise tedious and unwelcome. However, with reverse osmosis, aquarium filters and protein skimmers, you can avoid this problem yet keep the aquarium clean. It is important to keep in mind that the larger part of maintenance is in getting the right quality accessories.

Ferenda Quispe is the author of this article on Aquarium Air Pumps.
Find more information, about Dosing Pumps here

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Basic Equipment For A Freshwater Aquarium Setup

ByKevin A. K.

Even the simplest tank requires some basic gear to keep running. Generally for any basic freshwater setup this equipment may include a filer, an air pump, a heater, as well as a cover with a light. Lots of other gadgets and gizmos are offered to fix many different problems or make the tank more interesting, yet these are the core objects you will need.

Filtration
The filtration is probably the most critical piece of equipment for just about any aquarium, freshwater or otherwise. Without one, the water quality will quickly decline and the tank's inhabitants will start to pass away. The filtration system will keep the water clean in three key ways. One, by physically screening out particulate, two by absorbing dangerous substances, and finally three by encouraging advantageous microbes to grow which eat any leftover waste products.

On the subject of filtration systems there are a couple different choices each with its own advantages and drawbacks. The most typical for simple setups are hang on back filters. These are essentially a box that hangs over the side of the aquarium that has a tube to draw in water and an overflow to return it to the aquarium. These are perfect for smaller easier setups since they are generally simple to maintain and typically free of a lot of problems. Another favorite selection is a canister filter. This consists of a sealed canister full of filter media that can be positioned somewhere away from sight. It is connected to the aquarium by way of a few tubes. Canister filter systems offer a great deal of versatility because they can hold lots of different types of filter media simultaneously. They, however, do need somewhat more work to maintain.

Air Pump
An air pump is advised to deliver water movement along with greater oxygenation. It can also be utilized to add an attractive bubble curtain or power an air driven ornament. When deciding on a pump select one rated for a tank slightly larger than the one you intend to use it on. You may also require one rated for deep aquariums if your tank is above about 18 inches high.

Water Movement
Excellent water movement is vital to almost any aquarium. A powerhead is merely a pump created to stick to the interior of the tank and provide this water motion. They typically feature a screen to stop small fish from being pulled in and a fan shaped outlet in order to uniformly distribute the outflow stream. You might want to think about adding one if you have chosen an especially long or deep tank to avoid any dead spots where the current produced by the filter cannot reach.

Heater
Even if you feel the room in which your aquarium is located is warm enough a heater is still suggested. A heater supplies a constant even temperature throughout the day. For the majority of tropical freshwater fish the temperature you're targeting is about 76 degrees. To find a heater of the appropriate power, take the size of your aquarium, in gallons, and multiply by five to determine what wattage you'll need. So, for example, a ten gallon aquarium would require at least a 50 watt heater. For larger as well as longer tanks you may want to make use of two heaters located at opposite ends to deliver more even heating.

Substrate
Substrate is merely the material you pick to place in the bottom of your aquarium. Although not crucial, it will offer lots of additional area for helpful microorganisms to cultivate, not to mention can tremendously improve the appearance of the aquarium. For basic freshwater aquariums the most typical choices are gravel and sand. Gravel can be purchased in numerous brilliant colors as well as its own natural hues. Sand likewise is increasingly becoming obtainable in an array of colors. Whatever you choose, ensure it is labeled as safe for aquarium use. Long term, gravel is easier to maintain. Even so, if you intend on keeping any bottom dwelling fish sand is usually recommended.

Cover and Light
Last but not least, you will require a cover and light for the top of the tank. The main purpose of covering the tank is to lower evaporation and also to prevent fish from jumping out. For a basic freshwater setup, an all in one unit is the simplest way to go. Nevertheless, a cover and light may also be purchased individually which provides you more freedom in which kind of light you select. In any case, you may want to check out some of the different bulbs available for your light fixture. While another color of light bulb won't have a huge impact on the occupants of your aquarium it could significantly adjust the appearance. And at the end of the day, there's absolutely nothing much better than a more beautiful aquarium!

Interested in learning more about setting up your first aquarium? Visit aquarium-setup.net to start learning today!

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Fish In Aquaponics

Who does not like fish? If you have been looking for information on how to integrate new fish into a newly established aquaponics system, chances are, you are a full-blooded fish eater.

You may have a good appetite for healthy, fresh fish. Which could be one of the reasons why you want an aquaponics system in your backyard in the first place.

A successful aquaponics system is dependent on three main factors: fish, bacteria, and plants. Without fish, your organic vegetables will not survive. And without the plants, the fish will die off quickly due to the water becoming toxic with nitrates, ammonia, and other waste products.

Without bacteria, plants cannot absorb vital nitrates from the water. So each component is dependent to the system. Remove one component, and the system will fall apart.

Focusing on the fish

Tilapia are the best choice for aquaponics systems, regardless of the setup size.

If tilapia are not for you then look to raise a variety of other freshwater fish such as koi fish and crappie fish. Most common edible freshwater fish can be used in aquaponics systems.

A few people breed bass in their backyards. I only recommend tilapia because this fish grows very quickly and are one of the hardiest edible fish around. Tilapias are cichlids and are usually found in the tropics.

Question how many fish can i raise in a holding tank? First it really depends on how much space you have and the type of filtration system you've installed in your tank. For Small-scale producers a rule of thumb is half a pound of fish for every one gallon of water in their tank.

The number of fish will have a bearing on how much vegetation your aquaponics system can support. Three main factors come into play when determining how much vegetation your fish can support (indirectly):

- The amount of fish you have in the tank

- Maturation, weight, and size of the fish

- The amount of food being added to the holding tank on a daily basis

If you are using a simple raft setup (elevated growing beds), then one square meter of growing vegetation will require around sixty grams of fish food on a daily basis.

If you are looking after more demanding vegetables such as squash, you will need at least one hundred grams of fish food every day. Important, your plants will be completely dependent on the waste products of the fish and the excess fish feed in the water.

If there is insufficient fish waste, the vegetables will not grow because the water will have very minimal levels of organic matter and usable nitrates.

If you add too much food to the holding tanks, you will run the risk of poisoning the fish because too much food directly translates to excess waste in the water.

If you like the idea of setting up your own aquaponics system then have a look at http://www.aquaponics4u.com.

It is a great site that offers plenty of instruction to help you get started.

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Top 3 Most Popular Saltwater Fish

There is easily well over a hundred thousand different types of saltwater fish in sea. Today I am going to simply focus on some of the smaller and more popular ones that live around coral reefs. Coral reefs are host to many creatures and organisms. People tend like to recreate these habitats in their homes in aquariums so that they may view them year around.

Selecting fish for your saltwater fish tank should be done wisely. Adding the wrong type of fish to a tank could end badly for everyone else living in the aquarium. Some fish are more aggressive and may tend to go after other fish. Others may be territorial and will need to be added to your marine tank after it has already been established.

Please note that the following list is in no particular order.

Top 3 Saltwater Fish found in Saltwater Fish Aquariums

Clownfish - More particularly the Ocellarish Clownfish (Nemo). Clown fish are a great addition to just about every tank. These fish stay fairly small. Adults will typically reach a size of only about three inches. These are one of saltwater fish varieties that will do okay in a smaller size tank (20

Ornamental Fish Breeding - An Interesting Hobby

The process of keeping and breeding ornamental fish is becoming one of the fast growing hobbies in the world. There is a wide variety of ornamental fishes grown in our homes and office space. Some keeps them by believing that they are a kind of lucky charm to be kept in our place. But, one thing is sure; the process of caring and breeding aquarium fishes is a highly satisfying hobby. A well kept 'koi pond' or an indoor aquarium will also add to the aesthetic appeal of your place. As the demand for ornamental fishes are rising, they are being imported to western countries from eastern side of the world.

If you are planning to take up the hobby of keeping ornamental fish in your home or office, it will be better to get some information concerning their keeping. Here we will be discussing some of the things to take note of. The aquarium fish exported from different parts of the world are mainly of two kinds. They may be the egg laying variety like zebra Danio, Black Widow Tetra, or Gold fish; or else can be live-bearing ones. It is easier to rear them in a closed place, but getting them to breed is a really talented task requiring good skills.

It is recommended to do a survey in the internet about the kind of fish which is high in quality, and what to look for when you are at the aquarium. The price changes according to the patterns and coloration on the fish's scales. Since the business of selling ornamental fish is not a standardized one, the chances are high that the price of each fish will vary from one place to another. It would be better if you could shop around a bit to see the best available options.

More than the fish itself, it is the aquarium accessories like tanks, filters, plants, pebbles, tank roofs which play a major role in installation of small scale aquariums in your homes. Otherwise you should be well into the idea of rearing them for making profit. For whatever reason you are buying ornamental fish, it is better to get some information about the different aspects of each kind of fish. This includes their habitat liking, feeding habits, breeding habits; required water temperature etc. Knowledge about such things will give you an idea about which all fishes can be reared together in the same tank. Another important thing needed is the ability to analyze the health of the fish.

Click here to know more about an ornamental fish exporter.

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Keeping the Yellow Lab Cichlid

Looking after the Labidochromis caeruleus
The Yellow Lab Cichlid is the most popular to keep Cichlids and for very good reason. Apart from the fact that they are exceptionally colourful, they are relatively easy to keep and make few demands. In short, they are a perfect beginner Cichlid. Their history is also worth reading about as this species is an excellent testimony to the work of explorers and breeders.

It wasn't until 1986 that this fish was made available to buy in aquarium stores. Despite this, it's popularity has rocketed very rapidly. The name Labidochromis caeruleus actually refers to a blue fish and it was indeed first discovered blue in colour. The yellow morphology is to be found along the north east coast of lake Malawi.

Labidochromis caeruleus do not grow particularly large and can obtain a maximum size of roughly 5 inches for males and usually around 3 to 4 inches for females. It is the males of this species that exhibit the most amazing coloration and often have black stripes along their dorsal and anal fins. Females are a lot less bright in colour and do not have any such black markings. Females can become brighter when ready to breed.

Keeping Labidochromis caeruleus is easy and an aquarium decorated with rocks and good hiding places is best for this species. Good water quality and oxygenation are both very important to this fish. As with most Cichlids, it is used to living in a lake where any pollution becomes very well diluted. As a result, the water in any Cichlid aquarium must be very well filtered. Most Cichlid owners use an external filter to provide sufficient filtration and circulation. Ensure plenty of surface agitation to provide plenty of oxygen to your fish. Labidochromis caeruleus produce a lot of waste so expect to vacuum your tank on a regular basis.

Special care must be given to the types of food you are feeding to this fish. It does not like to eat copious amounts of protein in one sitting and would naturally be found grazing on algae in the wild. Be very wary of this and supplement their diet with leaves like lettuce to replicate a more natural diet. Your fish will thank you for this and will display the best health and colour. Feeding them too much protein can lead to a condition known as Malawi bloat, something that can be tricky to cure.

A very beautiful aquarium fish, the Labidochromis caeruelus is easy to keep and perfect for beginner Cichlid keepers.

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Confused With the Many Options? How To Choose the Right Fish Tank Filter

ByFrancis Lang-Mosby

Collecting a breed of fishes and growing them inside the comforts of your own home can be fulfilling for most fish enthusiasts. It is not just a relaxing hobby but it can also add up to the attraction of your home.

For beginners, it is important that you understand the basic things about fish care, their maintenance and more importantly, the upkeep for their fish tank.

Aquariums will serve as your pet's habitat from now on. That is why it is very important to keep it clean and healthy at all times. How to do this?

Fish tank filters are a number one necessity in keeping your fishes alive. Without it, the aquarium your fishes will inevitably die of suffocation. These are mechanisms that help maintain the cleanliness of your aquarium.

There are tons of aquarium filters that are being sold in the local pet stores. What is important is that you choose the one that blends harmoniously with the creatures and decors inside your aquarium. What to keep in mind when looking for fish tank filters?

1. Consider the Size of Your Aquarium

In most cases, the bigger the aquarium, the bigger fish tank filters you need to keep the water from clouding. This can be theoretically true most of the time. However, sometimes, to save up space inside the fish tank, two small filters can do the job. Small external fish tank filters that are five or six foot long can be installed. This can actually do practically the same amount of work as the bigger ones.

2. What are the types of fishes are you keeping?

There are some fishes that tend to be messier than others. Take for example the Oscars. They eat a lot more food compared to the Discus. This makes them produce more waste in the tank. It is also important to understand the diet of the fishes that you intend to keep. Remember, the bigger the fish, the bigger the fish tank filters that you need.

3. Aquarium plants can also contribute in contaminating the water

Fish tanks are definitely more attractive with plant decors. In order to keep both your plants alive and maintain the water's cleanliness at the same time, you have to choose a well-run undergravel filter. These types of fish tank filters are more conducive to the healthy growth of your plants. It can serve both your fish and plants altogether.

4. How much are you willing to spend on fish tank filters?

A limited budget can put a strain in aquarium shopping. Keeping fishes is indeed an expensive hobby. If you are on a tight budget, you may be better off in going for the old-fashioned sponge filter and air pump. These may be old-school, but they are still dependable. Another option is to purchase an undergravel filter with two powerheads. This can be used for larger aquariums.

Whatever filter it is that you may deem to choose, it is still your primary responsibility to keep the water clean at all times. There is only so much that a water filter can do. Maintaining an aquarium may take a lot of effort. However, at the end of the day, if those colorful fishes can relax you, then go for it.

Francis Mosby breeds fish as a hobby. He takes care of several seawater and fresh water fish at home. He enjoys diving rather than fishing, and he makes sure that the fish he keeps are happy in the environment they live in. His rule#1 is that fish should have more than enough space to swim in.

Francis writes for the blog of http://www.RosesPetSupplies.com. You can check out his articles about fish care in our blog.

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Selecting Beautiful Fish Tank Decorations for Your Aquarium

Choosing to have an aquarium of beautiful fish in your home is quite a popular hobby for many people these days. The wonderful thing about having an aquarium is that the fish give so much back to you when you care for them properly. They even offer companionship as well as the opportunity to just sit and relax while gazing at the antics of these mesmerizing creatures. In fact, aquarium fish are the perfect pets to have for people that lead lives too busy to care for dogs, cats or other like pets. In addition, once you have everything set up, you don't have to put in a lot of time, money or effort in maintaining them.

One of the ways for both you and your fish to enjoy the aquarium is through the choice of fish tank decorations you make. These are what add background for you to enjoy viewing and for the fish to have fun playing in, around and with. In fact, decorating your aquarium is an essential part of caring for your fish. They enhance the beauty of the fish's living quarters while making it a focal point of your home. If you arrange them carefully, you'll always have a sense of peace, elegance and harmony even when the rest of your house is a wreck.

Some Decorations Are a Must

Before you start selecting your "fun" fish tank decorations, there are a few things that you must have in the aquarium to keep the fish healthy. Such things as gravel and plants will need to be a part of their home but you also need a filter to keep the water clean and a method of checking the temperature of the water. While these are things that will, admittedly, take up some room in the aquarium, they must be there to insure that you have healthy fish. They most likely won't have the appearance of decorations but they're sure to keep your fish healthy, happy and thriving in a safe underwater environment for them.

Once you have the "must haves" in place, then you can start choosing the fun and pretty decorations that will enhance the beauty of the aquarium while showing portions of your own personality. It doesn't matter what direction you lean in for decorations. You can choose to be elegant or quirky. It's totally up to you in the end what sort of atmosphere you want to create for your fish, yourself and others who may want to view the aquarium.

Sea Gravel and Plants

The most common decorations you typically find in fish tanks are those of sea gravel and plants. The gravel lines the bottom of the tank and can be chosen in clear, white, or neon colors. This adds a lot to the visuals of an aquarium, especially if you choose colored gravel that matches or contrasts nicely with the fish you've chosen to keep. The ideas that can be implemented in using sea gravel is unlimited and you'll have a great time choosing the gravel as well as setting up your tank with it. It's never a disappointing effect.

Plants are also used as fish tank decorations. These can be real plants or they can be plastic and artificial ones. Your fish won't really care nor will they have a preference. The fish will just use them as a way to play Hide and Seek with the other fish as well as you. As soon as you've set up the chosen plants, sit back and watch how the fish use them for recreational purposes. It's so much fun to see them playing with their tank mates. You'll probably get caught up in this for hours at a time.

The Use of Mirrors as Fish Tank Decorations

You may want to consider setting up a mirror in your aquarium. When you add them in effective ways, it makes the tank look larger than it actually is. Not only that, your fish will swim around and play with their reflections. If your tank is a smaller one, mirrors can be used to add more movement overall without putting too many fish into the tank. It's actually pretty easy to install these mirrors effectively. You simply attach one to the back glass pane or put one mirror on each end of the tank. If you mount the mirrors on the inside of the tank, be sure that any rough edges that may be present are completely smoothed away. Otherwise, you'll risk injuring the fish if they should accidentally hit one of those sharp edges. That's something you definitely want to avoid happening. But once the mirrors are installed correctly, you'll love watching how much fun your fish have playing with those "new" fish that seem to have been added to their home. They can amuse themselves, and you, for hours on end just from those mirrors.

Caves for Exploring

There are various rock formations that you can buy especially for your fish tank. These work out to be very entertaining for your fish as most of them love to dive into and explore these little "caves." You can even set up some tunnel like arrangements with these rocks to give the fish a chance to really explore their own caves. Again, you'll find that the fish love to play Hide and Seek with their tank mates with the perfect environment to do so. You may not have thought of your fish as being spelunkers, but once you set up their cave kingdom for them with the rocks, you're going to be in for one of the most amazing times you've experienced while watching your fish enjoy themselves.

You don't have to use only rocks, either. There are plenty of tank ornaments that allow your fish to dive, hide in and explore. These can be underwater castles, houses, and anything else that you can think of. Manufacturers have been very creative when it comes to fish tank decorations. Any theme that you want your fish tank to have, you'll be able to find exactly what you need.

Take Your Time

Don't feel that you need to do all fish tank decorating at once. Take your time in choosing the theme you want to follow as well as each item you select after that. Add an item here and there so that you're not rushed when choosing them. In the end, you'll have an aquarium that reflects your personality and provides a great place for your fish to play and grow.

Having had fish tanks for over ten years, enjoying freshwater tropical fish, and especially betta fish, I now blog about my experiences at FreshwaterTropicalFish.org. You can download a free report on tropical fish care on my site too.

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Discus Fish - The King of the Aquarium

Discus Fish are beautiful pets to have but understanding their environment and learning how to keep them happy, healthy and breeding can be a huge job for a beginner or even for someone who has been a fish lover for a while. If you are a beginner or have not had much success with discus fish, no worries because you will have all the information that you need for success.

What is the Origin of Discus Fish

They are known as the "The King" of tropical fish. They originate from the Amazon River and surrounding rivers and lakes. They get their name from the shape of their body. Their bodies are disc-shaped. They are part of the cichlid family but they grow much larger in size. They like deep water and you will need to get a big aquarium to make them happy.

They are very sociable fish and they like in a groups. It is common to have least 6 of them in the tank at one time. You will have better results if you keep them grouped together. This is good for a couple of reasons. By having a group is a good way to see if they will partner up and breed and it also keeps them from misbehaving.

One thing that I have discovered about them is that they look for food all day long. It is perfectly fine to feed them a couple of times a day. Make sure not to feed them more than 5 times a day because you don't want to over feed them.

Discus Fish Colors

One of the things that I have found so unique about them is that you can change the color of them by the food that you feed them or with hormones. Most owners and pet stores will feed the fish food that will change their colors like beet juice, shrimp, paprika, and lobster roe. If you feed your fish foods that will change their color, you will have to continue or their color will slowly fade away.

Another way to get your discus fish to change colors is through hormones. The perceptions is that the more colorful the fish is, the more likely someone is going to purchase it. As with feeding fish to make their change color, hormone -treated fish will also start to lose their color once the hormones stop.

Keeping your Discus Fish Happy

Keeping them happy can be a job. The secret to having the happiest, healthiest discus fish is to make sure that their water is clean. Unclean water will make the fish stressed and it can cause illness. They are very shy and are sensitive to loud noises. For the optimal setting in the aquarium, purchase stones, corals and plants so that they can rest and be able to hide. They are highly sensitive and you want to keep them out of stressful situations. It is also a good idea to put them in a quiet area in the home.

In conclusion, they are beautiful to have in your aquarium. They do require a little more work to keep them happy but if you do you will have beautiful, happy, healthy long living fish.

Discus Fish are delicate fish and you must provide them with proper care. To learn more about discus fish and how to care for them visit: Discus Fish Care or check out the fan page at: Discus Fish

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Saltwater Aquariums - An Introduction to a Rewarding Hobby

ByCameron Porter

Why a Saltwater Aquarium?
There's nothing more spectacular than the diversity of the ocean. A Saltwater aquarium setup allows you to bring a little sample of that spectacle into your own living room, containing beautiful saltwater fish, live corals, and more. Compared to plain freshwater tanks (which commonly contain goldfish and other lake-bred fish varieties), there are many more options if you're planning to choose a saltwater aquarium setup. The fish and other ocean creatures you'll be able to host range from beautiful to fascinating to downright weird, some displaying flashy colors while others exude a quiet grace.

Types of Saltwater Aquariums?
There are several different setups for a saltwater aquarium, ranging from the simplest to the most complex: a fish only tank, a FOWLR (fish only with live rock) tank, and a reef tank. While containing only fish in your tank is the cheapest and easiest to maintain out of the three options, it can be quite exciting to watch coral formations grow and develop over the course of your saltwater tank's life. The choice comes down to one of investment.

The most popular choice and my personal favourite is a reef tank. This is the pinnacle of saltwater aquarium setup and will allow you to host a number of fish, corals and invertebrates in your new saltwater aquarium. It takes the most effort to set up and maintain however if you are going to make the effort initially you might as well go all out. Seeing a reef develop before your very eyes in your aquarium is mesmerizing and worth the time and money invested.

Setup Overview
Saltwater aquarium setup is more involved and complicated than it would be with a freshwater tank, but the results are stunning when done correctly. While you can do much of the planning and decision-making (about which fish and corals and invertebrates to feature), it often pays off to call in an expert for the more technical components of aquarium setup.

You'll need to ensure that your tank is leak-proof and level. A filled aquarium can weigh as much as 10 pounds per gallon, meaning that placement and careful setup is critical to ensure that you don't have hundreds of pounds of water crashing down on your living room. Water needs to be de-chlorinated (or treated via reverse osmosis), before being treated with a salt mix. Checking the pH balance (as well as the balance of nitrite and nitrate) is critical to ensuring that your fish will survive in the water. Before being adding to the tank, and fish need to be quarantined and acclimatized to the water content that they'll be added to. This is a lot to manage when first setting up the tank, however, the results are that you'll have a stunning and well-maintained attraction in your home.

This is a just a brief overview of what is involved when deciding to establish a saltwater aquarium. MySaltwaterAquarium.com is designed to help you navigate all the decisions you need to make in considering a saltwater aquarium setup - which fish to get, how big a tank, how to set it up, and how to treat the water before introducing the fish into it.

A complete guide to Saltwater Aquarium Setup all in the one place at http://www.mysaltwateraquarium.com. Join our community and learn from real life experiences!

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Saltwater Aquarium Sand - The Importance of Live Sand

ByCameron Porter

What is Saltwater Aquarium Sand?
Saltwater aquarium sand is not just any old sand; it generally comprises of what is commonly known as "live sand". Live sand is a substrate that has been sourced from a coral reef, or alternatively it is cultured from non-living coral sand. The term "live" refers to the micro and macro-organisms that are naturally present within the substrate. Live sand provides your underwater ecosystem with beneficial bacteria aiding in water purification and general stability. The micro organisms within your aquarium sand will assist in consuming organic waste within the substrate layer in addition to providing a natural source of food for many of the inhabitants.

Regular types of sand such as beach or builders sand must be avoided at all costs. Not are many of them unsightly in an aquarium, they commonly contain silicates which will almost guarantee algae problems in your aquarium that you will find impossible to rectify. Saltwater aquarium sand must consist of live sand or aragonite material.

Where to Buy Live Sand?
It is recommended that saltwater aquarium sand be purchased from reputable dealers specializing in reef aquariums. You should source live sand from suppliers who obtain it directly from the ocean or specialize in cultured live sand. It is not possible to visually identify live sand therefore buying from a reputable dealer will ensure you are buying a quality product. If you are having your live sandsand shipped, ensure that the transit time is minimal as die-off can occur. The quicker you can get it, the better and more effective it will be during the cycling process of your tank.

How Much Sand Should I Use?
It is important to regulate how much live sand is being used as too much will increase the biological load of the tank therefore putting higher strain on your filtration equipment. If filtration equipment is not filtering water at the correct levels the saltwater aquarium eco system will be under threat and algae growth will occur. As a general rule of thumb, enough saltwater aquarium sand should be added to the tank to provide a 1-3/4 to 2 to 2 inch substrate layer. For a more accurate measurement you should be using approximately 1.45 pounds of saltwater aquarium sand per gallon. Therefore for a 55-gallon tank you will require 80 pounds of substrate.

How to Add Saltwater Aquarium Sand
Essentially when it comes to adding your substrate there are three different setup options available. When setting up your aquarium you can choose to have 100% live sand, however this can be very costly. Sometimes this can be detrimental due to the large biological load added to the tank at once and can strain your filtration equipment.

Alternatively a combination of live sand can be mixed with another suitable substrate. Mixing the two will allow the conversion of the non-living part into live sand as the bacteria and micro organisms multiply and colonize through the entire mix. This is much more cost effective and will only require a slight increase in cycling time. Aragonite is a common type of substrate used to mix with live sand and is much cheaper at approximately $1 per pound.

If you are on a tight budget, the final option is to use 100% non-live sand. Non-live substrate will convert to live sand overtime with the increase of bacteria and micro organisms in the tank naturally, alternatively there are additives to speed up the process. Generally however this method will increase your overall cycling time greatly. This is not recommended if you are impatient!

When adding the saltwater aquarium sand it should be done at a slow pace as to avoid disturbance to the water and clouding. Do not pour the substrate directly over any live rock as this will suffocate them causing oxygen depletion and possible death.

Maintenance of Saltwater Aquarium Sand
Your substrate layer will also require cleaning as part of your ongoing saltwater aquarium maintenance. Essentially regular siphoning of the saltwater aquarium sand may be required to remove any excess waste or uneaten food matter. However the secret to this task is the addition of janitors or cleaners to your tank.

Your aquarium should incorporate inhabitants that will stir or turn over the live sand. This will ensure excess food matter and waste is filtered and keeps the saltwater aquarium sand in a continual cleaning cycle. There are a variety of crustaceans, fish and invertebrates from hermit crabs to starfish that will not only turn over the substrate but also recycle waste matter and excess food, making your job easier. Just like adding any inhabitant to your tank it is important to do your research and ensure that they are compatible with your existing creatures.

A complete guide to Saltwater Aquarium Setup all in the one place at http://www.mysaltwateraquarium.com Join our community and learn from real life experiences!

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