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November, 2009:

All About Freshwater Aquarium Tanks

Nov 23rd, 2009
by Aquarium Lover.
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People enjoy the wonderful hobby of owning an aquarium for a number of different purposes. Seeing that underwater marvel just brings wonder and enjoyment into the eyes of those who behold it, and you’re never too late to come and join into this magnificent hobby. However, you need to acquire some knowledge about raising fish in aquariums first, and in this article we’ll teach you all about freshwater aquarium tanks.

1st Focus: Aquarium Size and Shape
Surface area is almost always more important than a fish tank’s volume. One good reason for this is the kind of fish that you plan to raise in the aquarium. More often than not, some of these fish would cluster around at a single depth level in the water, making the volume of the water disregarded and would seem useless.

Generally speaking, larger tanks don’t always relate to a harder time in tank maintenance. In fact, certain procedures when maintaining the fish tank, such as partial water replacement, have little or no significant difference to that of a regular sized aquarium.

The fact is, larger tanks are easier to deal with because you can control the water chemistry quite easier. Beginners tend to have a harder time in maintaining the proper water chemistry of smaller sized fish tanks because even slight changes could indicate a fatal reaction to the fishes, whereas keeping a larger tank could make these reactions significantly lower, because of the added area that these substances has to travel, along with the fact that it weakens as it spreads over a large area.

In addition, beginners tend to have a wide fascination for a number of fish as their interest in raising fish grows, and would like to have as many fishes as possible in a single fish tank, which is why a bigger tank to increase this fascination and the number of fishes is better in the long run.

2nd Focus: Fish Tank Material
Glass and acrylic are the two most common materials used in making aquariums. These kinds of fish tanks have a lot of characteristics that are either advantageous or disadvantageous, but ultimately it all depends on the hobbyist’s preference.

Glass is the common and the “stereotypical” aquarium material for tanks. It has quite a durable composition, doesn’t incur scratches that easily, and is stable when worked together as a single piece. These kinds of tanks are heavy, and are quite difficult to transport to another place at times, plus the material is commonly know for its brittleness. Glass tanks may be sturdy enough, but they’re not as resistant as to endure cracks, which might totally shatter the glass while drawing water into it.

Acrylic tanks, on the other and, are the new age type of fish tanks. They are crafted with synthetic materials that mimic the properties of glass, while removing almost all of glass’ weaknesses. These kinds of tanks are usually at around half the weight of a glass tank of the same size, and are durable enough in the sense that they can be whacked but not shattered. The downside, though, is that acrylic tank gets scratched more easily than glass (although reworking acrylic tanks back to their pristine condition isn’t as difficult compared to shattered glass), so you can’t scrub those algae off as rigorously as you would in a glass tank.

Sandra Gaffney is a freshwater aquarium expert. For more great tips on

freshwater aquarium tanks, visit

http://www.myfreshwateraquariumsecrets.com/

Article Source:http://www.articlesbase.com/pets-articles/all-about-freshwater-aquarium-tanks-1489486.html


Aiptasia in a saltwater Reef Aquarium Can Be a Big Problem – Here Are a some Solutions

Nov 19th, 2009
by Aquarium Lover.
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Aiptasia or the glass anemone as it is otherwise known. Is known in the reef keeping hobby, to be a pest and a pain to control. It can be quite destructive. But there are ways to control aiptasia. There are natural ways and chemical ways of control them.

Many would argue that the natural method is the way to go, but is not always as effective as the chemical method. The natural methods will add life  to any coral reef aquarium including the future of accidental introduction from new coral additions.

Natural methods.

There are three natural methods that i know of and probably the most known is the introduction of a true Pepper mint shrimp. My past experience has shown me that these shrimp don’t tend to consume big Glass anemones, but certainly control and stop the formation and growth of new aiptasia.

The second method that i have no experience with are Berghia nudibranches.I have found out these will consume aiptasia, but that is all this type of nudibranch will consume, so after it as all gone the nudibranch will die. I have read that few shops will take these back off your hands after the glass anemone is consumed,  The Nudibranch can then be resold. A great idea, but I guess stressful for the nudibranch.

The third method of control is the introduction of a copperband butterfly fish. These are just as effective but are not suitable for all reef aquarium. These fish grow quite big so a suitable size aquarium is required.

Chemical method

There is a off the shelf method of eliminating aiptasia called Aiptasia X .This product works really well and is really simple to use. The effects of this product is visible within 24hours. It is simple to use, just turn of any circulation pumps and inject the fluid into the centre of the anemone with the provided syringe. Wait fifteen minutes and turn on your power heads. The anemone will die off over the coming week. If any more appear in the future simply retreat as described.

To conclude If you don’t have any aiptasia i would recommend the introduction of a Pepper mint shrimp for a small aquarium as a part of your clean up crew. If you have a large aquarium the introduction of a copper band butterfly fish would make a good addition to your fish collection. If you unlucky enough to be plagued by aiptasia i would treat with Aiptasia X.

 

For more interesting articles and information visit my Blog – http://myreefblog.blogspot.com

Here’s a few reasons why you should download saltwater aquarium advice: http://myreefblog.blogspot.com/2008/09/saltwater-aquarium-advice.html

Article Source:http://www.articlesbase.com/pets-articles/aiptasia-in-a-saltwater-reef-aquarium-can-be-a-big-problem-here-are-a-some-solutions-1479881.html


Aquarium Live Plants

Nov 14th, 2009
by Aquarium Lover.
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Gravel is essential to your aquarium most especially if you are using natural plants. It will help in holding plant roots and provide the foundation for the biological and under gravel filtration. Since gravel comes in different sizes and colours, the advised size is 4 to 6 millimeters because it provides flow for an undergravel filter and the most popular is quartzite or granite.

If your fish disturb the plants and damage them by nibbling of the leaves or digging up the roots, caves and wood can be a better solution than plants. If uprooting is the main problem, you can choose plants that float and do not require any anchorage in the substrate. If your fish are vigorous plant eaters, artificial plants can be used instead of live plants.

It is a good idea to regulate the CO2 either using the system or manually because fish will suffer if there is too much CO2 in the water. Rough guides for carbon dioxide suggest that 30 to 45 mg per litre of water is enough for plants to thrive but over 100mg per liter is too much for fish.

When you have live plants in a tank, you want to make sure that you have good lighting. If you do not have a fluorescent lighting system, you will not see much growth in your tank. In fact, you might begin to see your plants die. So make sure, that your lighting system is capable of allowing growth for your plants

There is a huge range of plastic plants, and they replicate most species of aquatic plant and some terrestrial plants too. They come in different sizes for planting in the foreground, mid-ground and background of the tank, and specimen plants are also available. You will discover that most types of plastic plant are modular in design, so that pieces can be pulled off one stem and added to another.

Artificial plants on the other hand are handy when your fish would eat your real plants. The fish may still uproot the plants, but this can be helped by buying your artificial plants in mats. These mats look natural and give a very nice look for your aquarium. There are two types of artificial aquarium plants, plastic, which have improved over the years or silk.

Besides lighting, water maintenance is also a critical issue when live plants are added to a home aquarium environment. Obviously, the water must be clean and clear for both the fish and plants to thrive. Weekly cleaning and water testing is recommended, and this includes making sure that no debris is left residing on the bottom of the tank.

Now that you have decided to have live plants in your fish tank, you should know more about taking good care of them. For this you will have to have a proper balance of nutrients and light in the tank for the plants. The amount of light recommended in books is usually not quite sufficient so it is better to get extra light supply. Once you increase the amount of light in the tank you will have to add more nutrients to balance it out.

To maintain live plants in the aquarium you must ensure the correct kind of lighting. To have healthy plants in your aquarium you should have about 3 watts of light per gallon of water. Fluorescent lights are nice for tanks and give a good pleasing effect. One thing you have to be careful of with fluorescent lights is that plants that have leaves at different levels will not get sufficient light at some point.

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Article Source:http://www.articlesbase.com/pets-articles/aquarium-live-plants-1457376.html


Reverse Osmosis Systems for Aquarium Water Quality

Nov 12th, 2009
by Aquarium Lover.
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Ever wonder why your friend’s fish tank is cleaner than yours? Or how come you have to clean twice as much as him when you both use the same products and have the same kind of fish? It’s probably because he is using some type of water filter but not just any kind – it’s most likely a reverse osmosis (ro) system. A reverse osmosis system will remove a very good majority of impurities out of the water. Impurities like phosphates, nitrates, and heavy metals exist in most water sources even in bottled water.

Many tap water sources contains phosphates and nitrates which is the main food source for algae. When there is an abundance of these elements, algae will tend to grow very rapidly and stick to your glass making you spend your valuable time on cleaning the glass. Copper is another notorious element found in tap water which comes from the copper plumbing. Copper is can be very toxic to invertebrates and should be removed quickly to prevent any illnesses or unfortunate deaths within your aquarium. The best way to combat these impurities is by using a reverse osmosis system coupled with a mixed bed deionization (DI) filter.  A reverse osmosis filter alone will remove about 95-98% of the impurities and the mixed bed DI filter will catch anything that is left behind.  Together both will remove about 99.9% of impurities.

Another related problem to untreated water is the effects of pH conditioners.  With untreated water, pH conditioners tend to be less effective due to the amount of impurities in the water.  Reverse osmosis (ro) water coupled with mixed bed DI filtration will typically have nero zero TDS (total dissolved solids) in the water making it much easier for you to pH balance. With RO/DI water, you will be able to use less pH conditioners and minerals for pH balancing than with untreated water.

Using a reverse osmosis system requires very little maintenance and will help with saving time and costs. When the filters for the filtration system is serviced regularly, the costs in the long run outweigh any short term immediate bandage. Almost any standard reverse osmosis system on the market can be turned into an aquarium ready system simply by adding a mixed bed di filter.  So join your friend and try using a reverse osmosis system with a DI filter. You will be surprised at the quality of water that you get.

Isopure Water carries a wide variety of point of entry filter units ranging from Water softeners, carbon filtration, and iron removal filters as well as point of use drinking water systems for residential, commercial and industrial applications. For more information visit: www.isopurewater.com

Article Source:http://www.articlesbase.com/pets-articles/reverse-osmosis-systems-for-aquarium-water-quality-1451660.html


How to Set up a Betta Fish Aquarium

Nov 2nd, 2009
by Aquarium Lover.
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Aquarium Size

Betta Fish Aquariums usually vary in size, ranging from small fish bowls to bigger, full-sized aquariums. To fully comprehend the requirements of a betta, we must look at their natural environment as a basis. Bettas come from the slow moving streams, ponds, and rice paddies of Asia. And those conditions should be replicated in order to effectively rear bettas. So, to mimic those conditions, Betta fish tanks should range from 5 to 10 gal.

You can get a larger aquarium, if you’d like. Your betta will not complain. There really isn’t an upper limit to the aquarium size, if you provide enough hiding places, but too little space will shorten the life span of your betta at best, and at worst will create conditions under which it will simply not survive.

A larger, 5 to 10 gallon tank would be beneficial to both you and the betta, since the temperature in a bigger body of water tends to be more stable and would only change slightly when ambient temperature changes. The bigger tank would also benefit you since that means less frequent water changes. Contrary to popular belief, larger aquariums are much easier to take care of than small ones.

Aquarium Water

With the size of the tank out of the way, we need to settle the other aspects of our betta fish aquarium. The type of water is vital to a betta’s survival. Using distilled water isn’t the best for bettas because of the filtering process that removes most minerals in the water. Tap water is usually sufficient for bettas, provided that you treat the water to remove chlorine and let it sit for over 24 hours before adding it to your tank.

When you first buy the tank, let the water sit for a few weeks to get the biological filter cycle started.

Aquarium Filters

Filtering the water could also be an issue. Bettas are quite used to the tranquil or slow moving water in ponds and rice paddies, which means that using a high flow filter inside your betta fish aquarium is not advised. These types of filters will cause too much turbulence and the betta would find it stressful to come up to the surface to catch a breath (Bettas have a specialized organ called a labyrinth that allows them to breathe air).

Aquarium Heater

When you buy a heater for your aquarium, make sure to also get a thermometer. You will need to monitor the water temperature carefully, because sudden fluctuations can be deadly for your betta. Choosing the right heater will depend on the tank size as well as the temperature of the room where you will keep the aquarium. And even if you buy a high quality heater, you will probably have to replace it every year, so monitor it closely and replace it right away if it stops working.

Aquarium Gravel

You must also obtain a natural looking substrate or gravel to put inside your betta fish aquarium. Taking gravel from your backyard simply isn’t going to be the best reproduction of its natural milieu. You must also sustain the tank’s temperature to closely resemble their native climate of more or less 70 to 80 degrees Fahrenheit.

Final Thoughts

Building appropriate betta fish aquariums is not that difficult a task. The first thing is to have a tank that is satisfactory in size. Keep in mind though that the suggested size is for one betta fish. If you would like to add a compatible fish, you may have to upgrade your tank’s size so that they can be properly accommodated.

Aside from the proper size of a betta fish aquarium, you must also learn how to maintain the right levels of ammonia, nitrites, and pH. This is important so the water doesn’t become lethal to your betta.

Before actually bringing your betta home, give yourself enough time to test all your equipment – the filter, the heater, etc. Make sure that the water as well as the entire set up is what it needs to be before introducing your fish to it. Number one mistake of new aquarium owners is trying to do too many things at once.

Mischa Hill is a Betta fish enthusiast. His website compares prices on a large selection of betta fish aquariums. Visit his site also for betta fish care tips, price comparisons on betta fish supplies, remedies, books and more. Also, sign up for FREE Mini-Course on Betta fish care.Article Source:http://www.articlesbase.com/pets-articles/how-to-set-up-a-betta-fish-aquarium-1407566.html


Owning an Aquarium Can Be a Natural Blood Pressure Medication

Nov 1st, 2009
by Aquarium Lover.
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Fish are not only easy pets to care for, but they also provide you with hours of enjoyment and relaxation. An attractive aquarium can also add beauty and interest to your home. Studies suggest that watching fish helps to reduce stress levels and reduce blood pressure. Keeping an aquarium of fish allows a person to create a self-sufficient underwater biosphere, which many people find very satisfying and rewarding. Studies have shown that approximately one household out of ten have fish.

Fish make great pets for busy people on the go, since once you have an aquarium established; there is not a need for a great deal of daily care to maintain it. Many times a child’s first pet is a fish, since it is easy for them to care for, and provides them with a way to prove that they can develop the responsibility necessary to care for a pet. Children often have a strong desire to care for a pet, and with fish, they have the gratification of successfully caring for a pet that is easy for them to maintain. Children are also fascinated by the sight of fish swimming in an aquarium, and they can spend hours watching and talking to their little fish pets.

An aquarium of fish also makes a good addition to a classroom environment, nursing homes, hospitals, and waiting rooms. In nursing homes and hospitals, an aquarium of fish is often more beneficial than any other type of pet therapy.

Fish have the ability to hold a person’s attention, which can be especially helpful for nursing home patients with attention span deficits and even Alzheimer’s. For patients with disabilities or mobility issues, an aquarium can be perfect, because they may not have the physical ability to interact with other types of pets or animals.

Other than feeding, aquarium tank maintenance is easy. If an aquarium is properly maintained, the tank only requires a small amount of maintenance, other than feeding the fish. When choosing an aquarium, especially for the first time, it can be beneficial to start small. Not only will the financial investment be quite modest for a small ten to twenty gallon aquarium, but it also will not take up much room in your home. You will also need something sturdy to support the aquarium. Keep in mind that a gallon of water weighs a little less than 8 1/2 pounds, so even a small aquarium can be quite heavy.

In addition to the aquarium, you will also need a hood, to keep the fish in and small children out. Some hoods also have a light included. A good filtration system is also necessary to keep the tank clean. If you are keeping tropical fish, you will also need an aquarium heater. You will also need gravel for the bottom of the aquarium, and some live of plastic plants will add the final touch. When choosing fish for your aquarium, be sure not to put too many fish into the aquarium. A time-honored method of determining the fish capacity of an aquarium is figuring one inch of fully-grown fish size per every gallon of water.

For more tips and to find deals on an aquarium, visit http://aquariumsreview.com.

Article Source:http://www.articlesbase.com/pets-articles/owning-an-aquarium-can-be-a-natural-blood-pressure-medication-1404957.html


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