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How to Set Up a Freshwater Aquarium

Posted on January 24, 2019 by admin

How to Set Up a Freshwater Aquarium Clifford Woods

Putting together a freshwater aquarium does not need to become a headache. You just have to acquire the proper materials and follow a few basic steps and in a short time you will have a fantastic looking aquarium that is appropriate for your fish.

There are a few things you should be aware of with a freshwater aquarium arrangement however; there are some responsibilities involved.

To begin with, there is the price factor. You will have the one time expense of putting it together, and after that you will be purchasing various maintenance products as well as fish food.

You will also have to care for it regularly; at the very least, feeding the fish, and then just about every couple weeks or on a monthly basis you will be doing some sort of maintenance. It really is just like owning any other pet, the more affection you give them, the more gratifying it will be.

Below are some suggestions for setting up your freshwater aquarium:

The dimensions of tank which you select will be based on the amount and size of fish that you would like to maintain. You cannot have fish that are congested, or a tank which is too large. The easiest method would be to begin with a ten gallon aquarium and then stock it with little fish which do not grow too big. As you become a little more knowledgeable, you may test out various other types of fish along with a larger aquarium.
Search for a spot to keep the fish tank that is secure and protected. It should be out of the reach of children and other pets that may disturb it. If it is too close to a window that allows direct sunlight, this may boost the temperature of the water. An excessive amount of direct sunlight ensures that you will have to do more algae control.
Evaluate the equipment needed. Filtration systems are diverse and are all priced differently. A few fish also generate far more waste as compared to others and they’re going to require unique types of filtration systems. When thinking about a heater, make sure you take the size of your tank into consideration. In addition, you will also need to give some thought to substrate, vegetation, along with any other accessories you will be placing into the aquarium.
Rinse the fish tank with warm water and rinse each of the parts which will go in there at the same time. Avoid using soap as this is not considered to be good for your fish. Install your filter as soon as your parts and aquarium are thoroughly clean.
Rinse the gravel in clean water along with the other accessory you have for your freshwater aquarium. The substrate must be flushed extensively and you can do this using an appropriate strainer.
After you have all of this setup, now you can put in the water. Water needs to be at room temperature and de-chlorinated.
Put in the heating unit and wait for about fifteen minutes for the temperature setting in the heating unit to adjust to the water temperature.
Now you wait. You must allow the tank to undergo a complete nitrogen cycle before adding fish. You will recognize when ready whenever you observe the water is becoming cloudy; usually after a couple of days.
Finally, put in your fish. You need to let the fish gradually adjust to the change before you put them in. Follow the instructions from the fish shop on how to go about doing this.

To keep your aquarium clean, you’ll want to use an organic probiotic solution that completely gets rid of the main cause of bacteria. The probiotics in such a solution will also greatly enhance the life of your plants and fish. Chemicals are not recommended. —

Clifford Woods is the CEO of Effective Environmental Services and Organic Environmental Technology
We brew Beneficial Microorganisms that eat toxins and offer Natural Organic Solutions

Do I Need A Protein Skimmer For My Aquarium

Posted on January 20, 2019 by admin

Most marine aquarium keepers insist that protein skimmers are a must for healthy saltwater aquarium, They also believe no aquarium should be without a protein skimmer. Most beginners wonder what is so special about protein skimmers and do I need a protein skimmer for my aquarium? This article is going to elaborate on how a protein skimmer helps saltwater aquariums and if protein skimmers are actually required.

A protein skimmer is a device that is placed inside the saltwater aquarium. The purpose of a protein skimmer is to help keep your aquarium clean. Protein skimmers work by emitting bubbles that attract protein, extra minerals, waste and gunk that is free swimming in the water. Then the skimmer collects waste products and puts them in a canister. The waste products form a yellow liquid and the canister needs to be emptied regularly when in order to avoid over spilling.

Protein skimmers are important because they collect these particles before they are broken down and convert into poisonous nitrogenous wastes that can be harmful or fatal to your fish. There are some marine aquarium keepers who do not keep protein skimmers, instead they use expensive filters and do extra water changes to help keep their aquarium clean. Keeping an aquarium clean and functional without a protein skimmer is a very hard task. For beginners it is recommended to opt for a protein skimmer until you learn to master the art of keeping your marine fish healthy.

Co current protein skimmers use lime wood to operate the device and are considered effective but not the best. Venturi style protein skimmers use a more sophisticated technology that is based on air injection and these skimmers do not require air stones or lime wood to work. Many of the popular protein skimmers available on the market are hang on skimmers that use the Venturi design to create bubbles along with a modified power head. Hang on protein skimmers are popular choices since they can either be placed inside the aquarium or can be placed inside the sump. Other popular skimmers that are available on the market include aspiration protein skimmers, down draft protein skimmers, Beckett skimmers and spray induction skimmers.

Since protein skimmers are a piece of important equipment they can be costly. It is recommended to shop for a protein skimmer that will last for a long period of time. It is always beneficial to purchase a back up protein skimmer to ensure that your aquarium is kept clean and gunk free at all times.

Chinese Water Element Characteristics

Posted on January 17, 2019 by admin

The Water element in Chinese is called Shui and it is one of the most important element to Feng Shui. The name Feng Shui itself has a meaning of wind (Feng) and water (Shui). This element is essential for living and in Chinese astrology, it is considered as cleansing agent. Water symbolizes emotions and it can be quiet or violent.

Those who born in the years influenced by the Water element are calm, philosophical, creative and intellectual. They like to take up multiple professions. Instinctive and diplomatic, they like to keep secrets to themselves only. They possess spiritual powers and strong intuitions. These individuals are highly emotional and fluent. Water element people are normally good communicators and these people have the ability to influence others.

They have certain magnetic touch in their communication which enables the Water people to easily get someones affection and confidence. They are really good with subtle persuasion. Water people can effortlessly make others follow them almost anywhere without being irritating or aggressive. They have special ability to make people feel special and can utilize people effectively to obtain what they want.

People belong to this element are flexible and calm. Those qualities can make them attractive and also vulnerable to pessimism. The blue and black colors represent the Water element. This Water element is also represented by any uneven or wavy shape. Fountains, tinkling bells, aquariums, all of them symbolize the element of Water. Be careful as not to have too much Water element as it can make you become sly, cunning and often plot dark schemes.

The Importance Of The Aquarium Heater

Posted on January 13, 2019 by admin

An aquarium heater is one of the most vital pieces of equipment required in caring for your fish. Because fish are cold blooded, they depend solely on their environment for body temperature regulation. Maintaining the proper temperature in your aquarium ensures that your fish will remain healthy and stress free, thereby reducing the chances of bacterial infection and possibly death. Certain species of fish live in specific and localized regions of the globe to suite their own individual temperature tolerances, as well as food sources, and habitat. Of course, meeting the temperature preferences for your fish depends on the particular type of fish in your aquarium; however, barring the most exotic species, most fish found in aquariums are tropical and thrive in temperatures ranging from 77F to 83F degrees and for saltwater fish tanks the range is 76F to 82F degrees, I personally keep it at 79F to 80F degrees. To accurately measure the temperature in your aquarium, a temperature strip which is adhered to the exterior of the tank, or a floating thermometer should be used.

The three most common methods of heating aquariums are under-tank heating, under-gravel heating and glass immersion heaters. Under-tank heating, in which a heating mat is placed beneath the floor of the aquarium, is the least efficient method. This technique is generally not recommended, as glass is a poor conductor of heat, therefore resulting in heat loss and far less reliable temperature control than obtainable through under-gravel or glass immersion heaters.

Under-gravel heating consists of a flexible heating element that is buried beneath the aquarium gravel or sand. Having the element buried beneath the aquarium gravel is particularly beneficial in tanks with a high concentration of plant life because it does not interfere with the growth of the plants.

Glass immersion heaters are perhaps the most popular devices for heating aquariums. These types of heaters consist of a heating element and an adjustable thermostat encased in a glass tube which is fully submersible.

The general guideline for choosing an appropriate aquarium heater is 3 Watts of power per 1 gallon of water. If your aquarium holds 100 gallons of water, that would be a 300 Watt heater. If the wattage you need falls in between two heater sizes, it is generally best to choose the more powerful heater, or to use two smaller heaters to ensure proper heating of your aquarium. The advantage of using two smaller heaters is that in the event one heater malfunctions, the second heater can compensate by maintaining an acceptable temperature in the aquarium until the problem can be remedied.

The Wonderful World Of Tetras And How Best To Keep Them

Posted on January 8, 2019 by admin

Many different tetra species are popular in aquariums, including the well-known Neon tetra (Paracheirodon innesi) and Cardinal tetra (Paracheirodon axelrodi), as well as rarer species such as the Congo tetra (Micralestes interruptus) and Serpae tetra (Hyphessobrycon eques).

All tetras are found in a family named Characidae in the order Characiformes. They are comparatively small fishes and many species are popular due to their striking coloration.

The Neon tetra is one of the most popular fish species among novice aquarists since it is sturdy, adaptable and will stay smaller than 2 inches (5 centimetres).
It is also beautiful and will add colour to the aquarium with its vibrant blue and red colouration. Using a dark substrate is a way of making this fish look even more stunning.

Another reason behind the popularity of this fish is its peaceful and non-aggressive temperament that makes it suitable in any peaceful community aquariums.

The Neon tetra should never be kept alone since it is a schooling fish. Get at least ten Neon tetras, preferably even more. They will also look much more stunning when they can form a big school in the aquarium, and since they feel less stressed and frightened in a group they will spend more time out in the open.

The Neon tetra is a South American Tetra native to warm rivers in Peru, Colombia and Brazil. The water temperature in your aquarium should therefore be in the 22-25 degrees C range if you want your Neon tetras to thrive.

Your Neon tetras will do better in a planted aquarium than in a barren tank. Sturdy plant species like Java fern can usually be kept even by very inexperienced aquarists. Artificial plants are another alternative that will provide your Neon tetras with a sense of security.

Ideally use both substrate plants and floating plants in your Tetra aquarium. The floating plants will dim the aquarium light and thereby make the fish feel safer.

As mentioned above, it is an adaptable fish and it can live in acidic as well as slightly alkaline water, from pH 5.5 to pH 7.5. Feed this fish a high quality flake food suitable for tetras, and make sure not to over feed your fish since obesity will seriously harm their health.

If you want to try a more unusual tetra you can for instance choose the Congo tetra. The Congo tetra is not as commonly known as the extremely popular Neon tetra and is usually kept by more experienced aquarists.

The Congo tetra will require a more active keeper than the Neon tetra; the water must for instance be changed very often since the Congo tetra is sensitive to high levels of soluble waste.

The Congo tetra will do best in an aquarium with strong circulation. Keep the water temperature from 23 to 26 C and the pH in the 6.0 to 7.5 range. Even though your Congo tetra will tolerate a pH above 7.0, it is recommended to keep the water slightly acidic, since this will make the Congo tetra less sensitive.

This tetra is native to the Zaire River basin where the water is quite soft, but it can adapt to harder waters in captivity. Always keep a school of at least five Congo tetras together.