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Should You Add Live Rock To Your Saltwater Aquarium?

Aug 24th, 2011
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A popular new trend among people starting saltwater aquariums is to create a FOWLR environment.  FOWLR stands for Fish Only With Live Rock.  What this acronym states is that within your saltwater environment you will include both rocks which have been harvested from the sea floor and saltwater fish.  The combination of these “live rocks” with saltwater fish brings an attractive marine ecosystem into your very own home.  

 

Harvesting natural rock from the sea floor is illegal therefore you must purchase rock that has been placed on the sea floor and allowed to “grow.”  In other words, after sitting on the sea floor for a number of years, natural marine life inhabits the transplanted rock which are then harvested.  Many different algae, corals, sponges, and crustaceans can be found on these “live rocks.” These rocks are cured to ensure their quality and can then be purchased for your personal saltwater aquarium.  

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Including these rocks into a saltwater aquarium must be done with careful consideration.  Many different species of fish, some of which you may desire for your saltwater aquarium, feed on the algae, corals, crustaceans, and invertebrates found on “live rocks.”  Be sure to research the natural food sources for the fish that you desire to incorporate into a FOWLR saltwater aquarium.  

 

Another thing to consider when starting a FOWLR saltwater aquarium
 is the type of filtration you will use.  Many of the inhabitants on “live rocks” are filter feeders.  They sift small pieces of debris and nutrition from the water.  When you consider putting “live rocks” in a saltwater aquarium know that they cannot stand alone as the only source of filtration.  Another system must be used to ensure that you are filtering out debris and pollutants from your saltwater aquarium that could potentially harm the entire environment.  

 

 

Know that a FOWLR saltwater aquarium is full of natural beauty but will require some care to ensure that your saltwater environment is healthy.  Click here for more information about starting a saltwater aquarium
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Aquatic Botanical Biodiversity: Freshwater Aquarium Plants

Dec 5th, 2009
by Aquarium Lover.
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Aquatic plants do carry the other half of the marine ecosystem, and are good additions to aquariums simply because they make the marine life equation complete. But there are good signs lately which indicate that these plants are now used for more than just equating the animal-plant balance in an aquatic community. If you are interested in purchasing freshwater aquarium plants for your aquarium, then you might find this information quite useful.

Floaters
Floaters are a common choice in aquariums, because they add that style and elegance aside from the balance that they provide in the entire aquarium. Floaters, as the name suggests, thrive at the surface of the aquarium with their roots “floating” in the water, and are, by technical name, floating plants. One good example of a floater is the Fairy Moss, or the An Driccia.

Rhizomes
These plants are commonly described as having thick stems that stretch out inside the fish tank horizontally, with the leaves sprouting evenly at the stem. They are made to “run” over the substrate, much like how a normal plant grows on land. The Anubias and the African Fern are the commonly used rhizomes for aquariums. Aquarists start growing these plants by attaching them to the driftwood, and they spread along the substrate all by themselves.

Rosettes
These plants are characterized as looking like crowns, with roots that grow underneath them. These kinds of plants are very ornamental for a freshwater aquarium plant, because they present a shortened stem axis that tends to spread over its leaves beautifully. The downside is that they tend to need a good amount of maintenance and care. Some good examples of Rosettes are the Amazon Sword and the Sagittaria.

Stems
They are called this way because of their general appearance, which basically looks like a stem that is firmly rooted into the substrate. The leaves that can come in paired and multiple varieties, are found at the stem’s nodes.

Other Notable Aquatic Plants
The Java moss may well be considered as one of the most common aquatic plants. This is because it has a high tolerance rate for varied water pH levels, and can grow relatively fast, which makes it the ideal plant for beginners.

The Water Wisteria is a plant that can also grow quite quickly. It is a good plant to use in aquariums because aside from its aesthetic function as a plant, it also helps to keep the algae levels of the aquarium low. Be careful of the water nutrient sucking capability of this plant, though.

Cryptocoryne Becketti is a plant that can pose a challenge to the more experienced hobbyist. It is an amphibious plant, meaning it can grow well regardless if it is on land or underwater (but for its underwater survivability purposes, we shall still call this an aquatic plant). Like Rosettes, it’s a very good ornamental plant, as it gives a dazzling array of different colors, but it only works for those who are able to raise it well.

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

http://www.myfreshwateraquariumsecrets.com/

Article Source:http://www.articlesbase.com/pets-articles/aquatic-botanical-biodiversity-freshwater-aquarium-plants-1545354.html


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