Saltwater Aquarium - Terms You Need To Know

Introduction

A saltwater aquarium is easy to develop and maintain if you know what you are doing. Knowing the definition of the words used by Aquarist who operate saltwater aquariums will go a long way toward keeping a successful aquarium.

Saltwater Aquariums

People believe that keeping a saltwater aquarium is difficult, but if you know what you are doing and understand the terms, then it is really not that difficult. Here are some words and their definitions that you must know if you want to be successful at keeping a saltwater aquarium.

Ammonia (NH3)- Chemical produced in your aquarium by plant material and fish waste when they decompose. They are toxic to your fish but are removed by the nitrosomonas bacteria.
Aragonite- This is calcium carbonate that is one of the best substrates for a saltwater aquarium. When the pH in the aquarium falls below 8.2, aragonite will dissolve keeping the pH at the proper level for your aquarium.
Bacteria Starter- Rather than using the natural method to create beneficial bacteria, bacteria starter can be purchased to shorten the development of this bacteria.
Biological Filter- Natural method used in a saltwater aquarium to purify the water in your aquarium.
Chemical Filter- Carbon and filter media used to remove dissolved material from your aquarium.
Mechanical Filter- Removal of waste by filters and/or pads.
Nitrate (NO3)- Last chemical produced in "The Cycle". Least toxic of the chemicals produced by "The Cycle" and is normally removed by water replacement or by the plants in your aquarium.
Nitrite (NO2)- Toxic chemical produced by "The Cycle". Removed from your aquarium by the bacteria Nitrospira.
Nitrospira- Bacteria in your aquarium that consume nitrite that is toxic to your fish.
Nitrogen Cycle - Also known as "The Cycle" that is the break down of fish waste and plant material into ammonia, then nitrite and lastly nitrates.
pH- This is a measure of how acidic or basic the water in your aquarium is. When your pH is above 7.0 the water is basic, below 7.0 the water is acidic. Most saltwater fish will require a basic pH, above 7.0.
Substrate Vacuum- The process of cleaning the debris and waste that collects in the substrate. Normally performed by the use of a siphon.
Specific Gravity- Used to measure the salt in an aquarium by a hydrometer. It is actually a comparison of the mass of a liquid to the same amount of distilled water. For salt water aquarium the ratio should be 1.020 to 1.028.

Understanding these terms will help you succeed at developing and maintaining a successful aquarium.

J.W. Chase is an amateur Aquarist who has successfully been keeping both fresh and saltwater aquariums for over 35 years. He has extensive knowledge on how to manage an aquarium, keeping all his fish healthy and smiling. His web site has information on keeping salt water aquariums so if you want more tips, strategies and secrets on how to manage a saltwater aquarium go to his site http://homesaltwateraquariums.blogspot.com.

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Tropical Fish Tanks Temperature Guide

ByCharlie Knowles

For people who own a freshwater aquarium, there are lots of things that you should monitor closely. For one, chemistry plays a big role in the growth of tropical fishes. In addition to that, there is also a required temperature range for your fish. With this in mind, it is a must that you ensure that your tropical fish tank is within proper temperature range. By doing so, your fish will not only be the ones to benefit from these, the plants in the fish tank will be benefited as well. In order to have a thriving freshwater fish tank, you must always check if the tank temperature is within range.

What Is The Desired Temperature Range of A Freshwater Tank?

The desired temperature range of fishes would be 72- 79 degrees. However, most freshwater tank owners think that it is best to maintain their fish tanks at a temperature of 77 degrees. You may or may not follow this standard. For better results, you can try asking the sales representative in the fish store. Different breeds of fishes have their own preferred temperature. By asking the store representative, you will be able to know what is the perfect temperature for the fish that you want to take care of.

There are actually some fishes which prefer lower temperature range. For instance, Goldfishes can best thrive on a temperature range of 52 to 65 degrees. Because of this, Goldfishes and tropical fishes cannot live together in one tank.

By ensuring that your is at its required temperature, you will be taking care of a strong and healthy fish. If the temperature in your tank is lower than the required range, your fishes will be stressed out and they will be more susceptible to diseases. On the other hand, exposing them to higher temperatures will deprive them of their oxygen requirement.

However, there are instances that will call for higher tank temperature. For one, fish breeding requires high temperature, preferably a couple of degrees to 79. Another instance that you may need to raise the temperature of your tank is when your fishes develop a certain disease called Ick. This disease usually is due to the different conditions of your tank. It may also be due to the stress that your fishes are experiencing. When treating such diseases, raising your tank temperature to 80 degrees would be a big help.

How To Raise The Temperature of Your Tank?

Any changes in the temperature should be introduced slowly. In the event that you need the temperature should be elevated to 80 degrees, you should allot two days to do so.

Changing the water requires careful process too. If you wish to change out the water, the best thing to do is to out in hot water first then allow it to sit overnight. The next morning, add the new water, little by little. By doing so, the replacement water will be maintained within room temperature.

These are some things you should take note of in maintaining your freshwater fish tank's temperature. For more information about Tropical Fish, please visit our website.

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Feeding Bettas Live Food

One can only hope that by now you've read about the importance of feeding a variety of foods to your betta. And live foods are high on the list of those looking to add such variety. In other words they should be an important part of your betta's diet. Simply because these are the closest menu items you can get that mimic the natural diet these fish eat in their native Asian rice paddies. Which is a healthy thing to mimic. Not an everyday part of their diet mind you. But you can't forgo feeding live foods entirely either.

But this raises all sorts of questions such as:

Where do we get live food?

Can we easily make them a staple of our betta's diet?

Is that even wise?

If so how much and often should we feed live food to them?

These are just some of the questions about feeding live food that we need to answer.

What kind of live food is available?

You will find a wide array of live food to feed them including:

Brine shrimp
Brown worms
Bloodworms
Mosquito larvae
Earth worms
Grindal worms
Wingless fruit flies
Fruit fly larvae

Granted unless you've been into betta fish keeping for a while, some of these may not ring the (dinner) bell. But most can be either purchased or easily raised yourself.

Speaking of which...

Where to buy or get them?

Two options. First, you can purchase live food directly from the pet store. But make sure you're buying from a reputable pet store to avoid the risk of such food carrying bacteria that may be the cause behind some betta fish diseases. Second, you can culture live food yourself. You can actually buy a culture by mail order and start from there.

Backyard garden worms as live food?

Not a good idea. Sorry but the worms you find in your garden or yard are not what we consider as the ideal live food that your betta should feed on. Such worms are most likely to be carrying bacteria that can make them sick. Not to mention they might have some traces of pesticides that can be fatal. So cross them off your list.

Do not overfeed

After you've determined where to get your food stuff from, appropriate feeding is the next challenge. Just remember never to overfeed since this could cause stomach bloat or worse, constipation. Besides, any uneaten food could easily foul the tank water which is another leading cause of premature betta fish death.

How much to feed

Okay so the trick here is to only feed your fish what it can eat in 1-2 minutes. And just that. Anything more than that would be labeled as gluttonous. Knowing as you do that that these guys, although picky eaters at times, will not hesitate to gobble up whatever is laid out for them since they don't know where their next meal is coming from.

How often to feed

It is recommended to feed live food once a day, once a week. This fare should never be your fish's main diet since again feeding live food is not without its downsides.

How to feed

Another trick. Since bettas usually dine near the surface of the water you just don't toss grindal or blood worms into the tank and go about your business. Because what if your finny friend didn't take note that you actually dropped the food in? In that case it might just settle on the bottom of the tank uneaten, lost forever. And uneaten food equals dirty water. And dirty water often equates to unwanted betta fish diseases. Therefore, be sure to remove any uneaten food, live or otherwise. Also, if you're handling worms, some would want you to be sure to rinse them thoroughly to clean them up before serving.

Storing the food

Again, don't be too eager to feed everything you have to your betta. Luckily you can store them in the refrigerator for a week. Maybe longer.

Some betta fish owners would rather not feed live foods because done wrong, they can be a way to expose your fish to disease. However feeding like this does serve a purpose. And that purpose is to provide a complete and balanced nutrition for your pet. Just make sure you're handling live food carefully and you're getting it from a reliable source. Do that and your betta should be swimming healthily and enjoying life for years to come.

For more information about topics like what do betta fish eat, diseases they are prone to as well as other helpful info on betta fish care why not visit http://www.better-bettas.com? You'll find this leading site is loaded with useful tips, helpful advice and must-have resources covering caring for your betta splendens.

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