The Dirt-Free Fish Tank: Freshwater Aquarium Filters

Filed under Aquarium Filter by on September 7, 2011 at 1:50 am {no comments}


Freshwater aquariums, like any other kind of aquarium, need to be cleaned and freed from all unnecessary particles that have the potential to ruin the aquarium or to harm your aquatic inhabitants inside. Although there is the mutual manual way of cleaning fish tanks, doing this can often get selfsame tedious, which is why we seek the aid of filters, or more specifically, freshwater aquarium filters.

Filtration methods
The filtration process for all aquariums is usually broken down into three major processes: the biological, chemical and mechanical filtration, each with their own way and own realm of dirt and waste materials to be cleaned.

Biological filtration is the filtration process involving the use of beneficial bacteria to transform several substances in the water. These bacteria literally break down toxic substances commonly found in fish tanks, such as ammonia and nitrites, and transform them into less toxic substances such as nitrates.

Chemical filtration uses the aid of synthetic substances to work out some of the waste material found in water. The reaction of the waste material with the synthetic material allows it to be dissolved, and to be collected easily through the filter. Activated carbon is one of the common materials used for chemical filtration.

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Mechanical filtration is a filtration process that involves the use of a filter media to trap solid waste particles in the water. The filter media can be of any material, as long as it can make the waste material stick to it. Regular maintenance of the filter media is required, and it should be replaced periodically.

Filter types
These filters usually involve one or more of the kinds of filtration processes, and it’s entirely up to the hobbyists fish tank specifications whether a sure filter would best suit his or her aquarium or not. Alternatively, you can check out your local hobby stores for freshwater aquarium filters and ask certain experts for advice, but here’s a starting list of filters:

Power filters are the most common in terms of popularity, mainly because they are cheap, usually available at most hobby stores, and relatively efficient. In addition, these kinds of filters are easy to install and use, and you don’t need to suffer much from their maintenance.
 
Canister filters offer that filtration power that you probably can’t find in other filters. They use a mechanism that forces water in the filter media, achieving greater filtering action than most. You have to be wary though, this type of filters is quite hard to maintain, and at most times quite expensive.

Corner filters were the first kind of filters to be used. It works by the simple action of letting the water flow through the filter and into the filter media, and finally filter the water as the filter media begins forming its own beneficial bacteria colony.

Sponge filters make use of a sponge (believe it or not) inside a tube to hoard beneficial bacteria into them, initiating the biological filtration process. Alternatively, the sponge can also be used as a mechanical filter, as it can also trap certain solid particles into it. Some hobbyists install extra sponges for interchanging purposes.

Fluidized bed filters are a relatively new type of filter that uses the concept of using sand for biological filtration. These sands are installed into tubes and are used as the main filter media, letting beneficial bacteria colonize the sand, and then pumping the water upward, which produces the filtering action.


Sandra Gaffney is a freshwater aquarium expert. For more great tips onfreshwater aquarium filter, visithttp://www.myfreshwateraquariumsecrets.com/


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Freshwater Aquarium Maintenance Tips and Tricks

Filed under Aquarium Maintenance by on August 27, 2011 at 1:50 pm {no comments}


Aquarium maintenance or aquarium cleaning is vital to maintain a healthy fish aquarium.  Done decent it will make a grand dwelling picture in your home or business.  Your tank fish live in the controlled environment of your freshwater aquarium and you need to control that environment to keep them happy and healthy. Tank maintenance is a process so it’s good practice every time you feed the fish, take a moment to check the overall appearance and condition of the tank and check whether any fish are swimming oddly, not eating or have spots or blotches.  

As a professional aquarium clean and installer I know that regular changes are a critical aspect of maintaining good irrigating choice and a healthy fish aquarium. You should do a partial water change – say 25% to 30% every four weeks.  At the same time clean the gravel, clean the sides of algae, change the filter media and test for water quality.  You want to keep the water chemistry as shelter as possible. Contaminants such as nitrates and bits of food, leaves and fish waste can stress fish and affect their health.

To perform aquarium maintenance disconnect the electrical heaters, power heads and filters. Leave the air pump running. Replace the filter media.  Remove any artificial plants but leave the live ones. Take out and clean any dirty accessories or decorations in the tank (leave some so the fish have put to hide).  Use a cleaner/vacuum to disinfect the grind of the tank as food and plant debris can lodge there.  Remove the water and gauge this by the irrigate level in the tank. Replace the water with a bucket or a goose.  Ideally the temperature of the water you put into the tank should be as close as possible to the water temperature in the tank to reduce stress on the fish.

if you have chlorine or chloromine in your water supply you will need to add de-chlorinator before you put it in the tank.  Generally it’s a good idea to test the water hebdomadally. The key parameters are pH and nitrates.  pH between 6.5 – 6.9 is suitable for most species as at that level ammonia becomes ammonium and is no longer toxic to the fish. Nitrates should be kept below 30 ppm.

Finally replace the artificial plants and decorations, reconnect the filters, power heads and the heater and you should have a clean fish aquarium.  It takes some practice to do this quickly but the reward is a thriving fish or pet aquarium that is genuinely a living picture.

 


Fish Works was founded in 1990 based on a love of aquariums, fish & creating “living pictures” for clients and specializes in aquarium maintenance, aquarium cleaning & custom aquariums.  All personnel have extensive experience in the care, health & compatibility of tank fish & marine life in freshwater & salt water.

Contact  R. Savard at 508-881-8830
fishworks@fishworks4u.com


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Freshwater Aquarium Filter Systems

Filed under Aquarium Filter by on August 19, 2011 at 7:52 pm {no comments}


One of the most important pieces of equipment that you need when setting up a freshwater fish tank is the filter.  With so many aquarium filter systems uncommitted today, the beginner may get confounded as to what they really demand.  A good filter must provide multiple levels of filtration and be appropriately sized for the tank that it will be used in.  Beyond that, other considerations depend on aesthetics and budget.

Any worthwhile aquarium filter will provide mechanical, chemic, and biological filtration in the aquarium.  Mechanical refers to the filtration of physical particles such as fish waste, excess food, dead plant corporeal, etc.  Chemical filtration is concerned with the removal of unwanted chemicals in the fish tank water, such as ammonia and excess nitrites that can build up and result toxic to the fish if not filtered out.

The thirdly part, biological filtration, is accomplished by beneficial bacteria that live in the filter and in the substrate of the tank.  This is often overlooked, but is extremely important.  These bacteria are the main driver of the nitrogen cycle which is the process by which fish waste and food is broken down by the bacteria and turned into usable nitrate for the plants in the aquarium.  All effective filter systems employ all 3 of the filtration processes.

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There are a few basic filter types that are available for use.  They include the sponge filter, box filtrate, undergravel filter, internal power filter, external (hang ended the back) power strain, and canister filters.  Roughly speaking the list is in order of cost and effective tank size.  The sponge and the box filters rely on an airstone to power them while the undergravel can use an airstone and/or a powerhead.  The internal, external, and canister filters all use a power centrifugal of some sort.

When choosing a filter, the size of the tank as well as the number and type of fish that are going to be kept in it (also cognizing as bioload) necessitated to be considered.  In smaller tanks, such as a 5-15 gallon tank, an elementary box or sponge filter will often do the trick.  An undergravel filter is suitable for 10-30 gallon tanks and the internal power filter works best for the 15-40 gallon range.  When it comes to the external power filters and the canisters, they can work for tanks as small as 10-15 gallons, but they are the filter prime for the bigger tanks because they can be scaled up in size to handle just about any sized aquarium.

Regardless of how effective the filter is, periodic water changes and gravel cleaning is still a necessity.  No filter is powerful and efficient plenty on its own to take care of all the needs of an aquarium, so carry that in mind and don’t think that bigger is better, either.  When in doubt, ask oppugn at the fish store and read the information on the filter boxes, and making the right choice should not be difficult.  Buy the right surfacing filter for the tank and do water changes, and your fish will stay happy and healthy!


Andrew Bartlett is an aquarium enthusiast with over 30 years experience in freshwater fish tank setup and maintenance.  You can get more information at his website, www.TheFreshwaterAquariumGuide.com.


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tynevalleyaquatics.co.uk 01661 844 005 Home made filter. I used a pond treatment bottle with holed drilled in and put K1 in to act as media. It fits over existing uplift pipe perfectly and adds an extra biological pulling to the tank filtration. Ammonia and nitrite always reads zero. This filter could do with some more media in. To buy the media used in this filter (I ship Worldwide), click here www.tynevalleyaquatics.co.uk
Video Rating: 4 / 5



Nova Extreme T5 X2 for Freshwater 36Inch Reviews

Filed under Aquarium Lighting by on August 13, 2011 at 2:02 pm {no comments}

Nova Extreme T5 X2 for Freshwater 36Inch

  • One 39 Watt SlimPaq 10K and one 39 Watt Freshwater T5 HO fluorescent lamp
  • Dimensions: 36" x 5.5" x 2"
  • 78 Watts
  • Individually contoured reflectors
  • Plastic mounting legs
Nova Extreme T5 X2 for Freshwater The Nova ExtremeTM combines the best in both design and functionality and is a great addition to any aquarium. The sleek black-aluminum construction not only maintains a low profile on the aquarium, its design also allows it to dissipate heat away from the aquarium, lamps and components. The new polished individual single lamp reflector directs over 99% of the T5 lighting into the aquarium while a polycarbonate splash lens protects lamps. SlimPaq Freshwater T5HO

List Price: $ 148.18 Price: $ 94.99



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Freshwater Aquarium Maintenance – Keeping the Aquatic Home Clean

Filed under Aquarium Maintenance by on August 12, 2011 at 7:52 pm {no comments}


A good aquarium is always clean. Well, not effervescent clean, but clean enough for fish to stay healthy and for you to appreciate the full, disinfect look of an aquarium. A fish tank gets dirty over time, for many reasons such as accumulated waste materials, algae, and other materials such as leftover food, etc. Although freshwater aquarium maintenance is quite tedious and has some selfsame delicate procedures, getting used to them tin ensure that your aquarium tin stay hygienic, and remain good health promoting and aesthetically pleasing to the eye for a long clock.

Remove the old water

The first thing that you have to do is to remove the old water from the tank. Separate the fish from the main tank in a hospital tank for a while. If you have aquatic plants in your fish tank then you must include them in the hospital tank, and remove all other objects inside the aquarium for individual cleaning.

Scrub away excess dirt and algae

This can take a long time, depending on how well it was cleaned last time. But primarily, you’ll have to remove the dirt that was leaving after removing everything else in the aquarium. If you are using acrylic tanks, it’s better to use a soft wiping when removing the algae, so as not to scratch the aquarium (otherwise, you’ll have to use those algae pads).

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Replace or clean the filter media of your filter

For cleanliness purposes, it’s actually better to replace the filters than to just clean them, although cleaning the filters one or two times before replacing can save you a lot more money in the long run. Remember, just clean once, twice or thrice, and then replace the filter. This will maximize both cost and effectiveness. And oh, don’t use any kind of soap or detergent while cleaning the filter.

Clean the other articles of the aquarium

Decorations such as small corals and shells should be soaked in warm water mixed with a good making of salt. After soaking for a few minutes, scrub away using a sponge to plum the excess dirt off. Remember, NEVER use soap or any kind of detersive. It’s often difficult to rid an object of its soap content after washing it in hundred%, and even just tiny bits of soap can be lethal for your fish.

Replace the water

After cleaning all of the other articles, including the tank itself, then it’s time to replace the water. If your home cut water is already tested for its pH take, then you can start to fill the aquarium again with water. Regulate the toxicity levels for a bit, and afterwards, transfer the fishes and aquatic plants back into the main tank. Your aquarium is now ready again for the next weeks to come!

One terminal note to those clean freaks out there: while it might be good that you clean the aquarium regularly, it is not good to plumb it very often. Constantly transferring the fish from one container to another can stress them, so you have to regulate the frequency of those freshwater aquarium maintenance schedule, just adequate to keep them safe and healthy.


Sandra Gaffney is a freshwater aquarium maintenance expert. For more information onfreshwater aquarium maintenance, visithttp://www.myfreshwateraquariumsecrets.com/


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Freshwater Aquarium Maintenance: Fish Diseases

Filed under Aquarium Maintenance by on August 9, 2011 at 6:12 am {no comments}
aquarium maintenance
by N5QI


Fish, whether raised in the wild or domesticated carry parasites and bacteria. In normal water conditions, these are harmless. It’s just the same way that humans carry millions of bacteria around without getting sick. But in fish just like in humans, if there is a certain combination of factors, these bacteria tin become harmful:

If the fish are under stress. Their immunity will be lowered, again, very much like humans.Reduced water conditions, especially those that occur very fast without giving the fish time to acclimatize.Injuries like scratches or bites or cuts.

Unfortunately, a freshwater aquarium is a small place, and the irrigated gets recycled again and again, fifty-fifty with regular freshwater aquarium maintenance. This means that the parasites will spread very quickly from one fish to all the rest in a very abruptly time. Eventually, all fish may die if there is no intervention.

The canonic and most important thing for you to do is prevention. Keep your fish tank at it’s best at all times and you will not have any diseases turn in there. Make sure to take your freshwater aquarium maintenance seriously – don’t jumping a scheduled cleaning. You must also look at the fish everyday – look for fish that are sluggish or dead.

A lot of times, disease will come with something that has been introduced into the tank. These will be mostly new fish or set from an already infected aquarium. It can also come from rocks or new substrate. For non-dwell matter, you can boil it in tonic water, let it cool at room temperature and then introduce into the tank. For fish and plants, here are some things you can do:

When acquiring fish, avoid those that look like they have an abnormal swimming pattern; these could be jerky movements, misalignment or tailspin. To spot this, look at the whole tank and not one single fish – you will see any fish that doesn’t seem to be going like the rest.Look for signs of injury. Broken fins, ulcers, bleeding and scratches will be caused by fighting and the wounds become septic, poisoning the fish, the water and eventually the rest of the fish. One way to know straight away, if you know your fish species is to look in the tank and see if there are aggressive fish that have been put in with more docile ones – you will know right away that the more docile ones have probably already been hurt by the more aggressive types. An injured fish can also indicate a disease – other fish picked on it because it was already weakened and could not defend itself.Check for cloudy eyes – you’ve seen healthy fish and they have really bright eyes. If the eyes have dullness to them, it’s likely that the fish is fighting an infection. White spots on the body are also an indication of sickness. ]]>

In your aquarium, when you introduce new fish, pay them particular attention. The new environment alone can stress fish and cause them to get sick. You will know if something is aggrieving because:

They have stopped eating. Whenever you drop some food, watch to see if they go after it.See if they are hiding behind plants or rocks – a fish that’s well will be out and will play.See if the other fish are picking on it – they may have sensed weakness and will attack.See if they come up to breathe regularly – it’s not a good sign if they are coming up very frequently. It means that there is insufficient oxygen in the water. If they gasp when they get to the top, aerate your freshwater aquarium right away. If its only one fish that has this behavior, remove it and put it somewhere else and then watch it for cloudy eyes or white spots. Cloudy eyes cause a fish to turn blind and be afraid of swimming around in fear of bumping into objects in the fish tank, and that’s why they’ll come up to gasp for air.

If you notice any of these things, make time to clear your tank as soon as possible. Also, test for ammonia, phosphates, nitrates and pH – one of them may be do upset conditions in the tank. Remember not to completely clean retired your biological filter.

Treatments for sick fish vary depending on what they are suffering from, and it’s always best to seek a professional opinion. Remember that what will salving you most of this headache is watching what you introduce as well as regular freshwater aquarium maintenance.


Robert is an experienced aquarist, who owns and maintains his and other people’s aquariums. For loads of great tips on freshwater aquarium maintenance, visit http://www.freshwater-aquariumsecrets.com


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Easy Freshwater Aquarium Maintenance

Filed under Aquarium Maintenance by on August 8, 2011 at 7:51 pm {no comments}


One of the ideas that throw many people rearward from starting up a fish tank is the mistaken belief that it will need unvarying upkeep and attention.  The truth is that most freshwater aquarium maintenance issues are taken care of by proper primed-up in the beginning.  The rest of the upkeep, as you will see, is not too difficult.

There are definitely some maintenance procedures that need to be done to held your aquarium running at its best.  The primal to making the job easier is simply to establish a schedule and make it a garb.

So what are the things that need to be done, how often will they need to be done, and how hankered will they take?

Aquarium maintenance to-do list:

Water Change – This one is very important.  As a general rule, change 15-25% of the water every 2 weeks.  You do have a little flexibility on this one, but some tanks may require a bit more.  For example, a well-stocked goldfish tank might be better off with a weekly change due to their higher waste output.  The key is to set a routine and stick to it.  Remember that when doing water changes be sure to condition (de-chlorinate) the water and get it to the right temperature before pouring it in.  It would defeat the purpose if you gave the fish clean water that totally shocks them!Change/Clean the Filter – This should be done approximately every three weeks.  It is overkill to do it sooner than that and if you wait too long, the filter becomes much less efficient. Thanks to evolution in filter design over the years, this process is often as simple as pulling out a cartridge and replacing it with a new one (very easy).  Do not use any harsh chemicals to clean your filter, as they could harm the fish and also kill the beneficial bacteria that reside in the filter.“Vacuum” the Tank – What?  Depending on how many and what type of fish you are keeping, it may become necessary to clean some of the excess food, feces, plant matter, etc. from the raspy in the bottom of your tank.  There are many gravel vacuums available that are essentially a tube connected to a wide end that runs across the bottom.  They use siphon action to suck up the gunk and this is a perfect way to get your water freshen away of the way, too.  It is probably not necessary to do this step with every water change, but possibly every other one.Check Out Your Fish – This may seem like an obvious one since you’ll be looking at the fish daily, at the very least during feedings.  But I’m talking about really giving them a close examination.  Look for white spots, tattered fins, exceptionally thin or fat fish, erratic swimming, or anything else that doesn’t look quite redressed.  If you do this on a veritable basis you can discover and act on any problems before they become life threatening to your fish.Test Your Water – This is another one that falls under the preventative maintenance category that will keep any small problems from becoming big problems.  If the pH, ammonia, or nitrate/nitrite levels are a little out of whack it winning’t be a big deal to fix, and the only way to know this is to do a regular water test. Scrape Algae – Pretty simple: whenever it starts to build up, scrape it off.  Again, this is easier if done regularly, before it grows into a thick carpet on the pull of the tank.  It is a good idea to do this before the water change because scraping will lead to some “floaties” that can be sucked up when siphoning out the water for the change.Plant Care – If you are keeping live plants in your aquarium they will demanding a bit of maintenance.  Many plants will become uprooted and need to be re-anchored.  Some of the fast growers require occasional trimming to keep them from overgrowing your tank, and many set need a little bitten of fertilizer to keep them healthy.

So that is about it.  The list may look long, but if you really add it up, you are looking at 1-2 hours every two weeks to cover everything necessary to keep your aquarium in tip top shape.  That is nothing compared to the constant enjoyment you get from a happy, healthy tank.

 


Andrew Bartlett is an aquarium enthusiast who has been involved in the maintenance of freshwater aquariums for ended 30 years.  You can find more information by clicking over to his website at http://www.thefreshwateraquariumguide.com.


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Simplify Your Freshwater Aquarium Maintenance

Filed under Aquarium Maintenance by on August 6, 2011 at 1:51 am {no comments}


Keeping A Clean Aquarium

The real problem for many owners is keeping their freshwater aquarium working. The first several days go well, the tank looks great! Then the issues arise that they just did not plan on. A diciplined approach to your freshwater aquarium maintenance can reduce the time and effort needed considerably.

Flotsam In Your Aquarium?

Discusted with the floating debris in your aquarium? So are your fish!

Try a power filter, which practically makes the tank nearly self cleaning. It filters using chemicals that get rid of dirt, odor, discoloration and even general impurities.

The worst thing about a power filter is that you have to change the filter cartridges every 3-4 weeks – if you can handle this, then you’re in for a treat. With the filter cartridges usually being throw away, all the tedious cleaning is eliminated.

Algae

There is very little worse than attempt to enjoy the georgeous fish swimming in front of you when your sight is continually being drawn to that algae.

If you’re missing a quick solution, consider a Plecostomus. Frequently called an algae eater, this fish isn’t move to win any beauty competitions any time soon – but it will keep your tank free of algae. On the plus side, the Plecostomus has a great personality!

Two other excellent choices are the Siamese Algae Eater (SAE) for bigger tanks and the Ottocinclus, equitable make sure you have plenty of algae for these fish. Should algae eaters turn out to not be enough, manufactures have supplied you with some good tool to make the task easier.

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Remember that algae thrives in sunlight! You can get away with putting your aquarium by a widow with daylight exposure, just not sunlight; unless of traversing you are trying to grow algae.

Smelly Water?

Placing your aquarium filters on a more frequent maintenance schedule should remedy foul smelling water. If you can smell it, your fish are in danger. Even though your fish looking to be surviving, they are not flourishing and you will spend a dividing more time maintenancing the tank than necessary.

Is Your Aquarium Water Unclear?

Cloudy irrigated can be brought on by multiple things, but overfeeding is the primary reason. Only feed your fish 2-3 times per day and only what they can eat in 2-3 minutes. This should fix the issues.

Some tap water is rich in compounds that can contrubute to murky water, attempted experimenting with distilled or bottled water. Most any of your neighborhood grocery stores will offer it by the gallon for 50-70 cents.

Change The Water At Least Every Two Weeks

Depending on your tank size and fish load, most people can get away with changing just 20% of the water every two weeks, some will need to do it weekly. Gravel cleaners or siphons work great for this purpose. Fundamentally, you put one end of a hose in the tank, put the other to your lips, and suck.

Once you have water flow, drain it into a bucket placed lower than you aquarium; keep an eye on how full it gets or you may have some extra work to do.

After removing your water, use the same bucket to replenish the aquarium. Every month, you’re going to want to clean your tank more thoroughly – part of the experience many people hate.

The interior walls of the tank will need to be gently scrubbed, you can pick up sponges and scrapers at your pet supply store, just be sure you get ones that are safe for your aquarium.

Decorations can be scrubbed clean with a sponge after soaking in hot water with a bit if salt added. Caution! Do not use any form of soap on any item used in or on your aquarium! Soap residue will pollute your water and kill your fish.

Gravel vacuums are great for removing dirt and uneaten food that has collected on the bottom of your tank. There are assorted sizes available, and you should always observe the instructions that came with the gravel vacuum to use it correctly.

When You Refill Your Tank

When refilling your tank with water, be sure to use the same temperature as the water in your tank. If you have a big tank, or more than one, you might appreciate using a garden hose attachment on your kitchen sink and replenishing that way. Be sure that your water temperature and the pH levels straight disclose of the tap match what is in your tank.

But remember, cut water wasn’t intending for fish keeping. Heating a 5-10 gallon bucket of distilled water may be a better choice than using tap water!

Start Right And Maintenance Is A Breeze!

Taking the time to research your options before even starting your freshwater aquarium setup will save you a great deal of time and money over the life of your aquarium. Simple choices on placement, equipment and typewrite of fish can turn hours of maintenance into minutes!

Rozlyn Rozberry has been maintaining freshwater aquariums for more than 40 years and enjoys sharing her knowledge with other aquatic hobbyists.  To learn more about freshwater aquarium maintenance, visit Rozberrys Freshwater Aquariums and sign up for our FREE mini-eCourse on starting your own aquarium setup.


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Decorating Your Freshwater Aquarium

Filed under Aquarium Pictures by on August 2, 2011 at 7:51 pm {no comments}


Decorating one’s aquarium is a satisfying experiment and mastery in the world of Do-it-Yourself. The challenge for designing is to always present something new, something catchy, something unique. An aquarist can always treat the designing part of aquariums as a rare chance to showcase one’s composition and visual talent. Decorating freshwater aquariums is a true fulfilment of artistry,in a housed based hobby. This tin define your individual taste, history, cultural background and even one’s visions of a world. Your pocket does not have to suffer from availing of expensive materials here and there. Creativity includes resourcefulness. While there are lots of organic and inorganic tank decorations available online and nearby shops, you tin maximize abundant objects present around and or combine them with materials being sold. How simple, tinny, spiritual, imperial, gothic, rebellious and gay can you get? Well, the bottom-line remains that all artistry is depleted if the functional purpose of the design is not considered.

Your pocket does not have to suffer from the potential expensive materials that you tin get for your freshwater aquarium. A small creative energy will do wonders for your tank and you will find many inexpensive items that will work away wonderfly for your perception of what you wanted in your aquarium. While there are lots of organic and inorganic fish tank decorations available online and at nearby shops, you tin maximize your budget, by picking up some items present around you, or combine them with materials being sold in storing. Decorating an aquarium is a satisfying hobby and there is no shortage of things you can use to decorate as well as continue to redecorate, until you are happy with what you have created. It is a true do-It-yourself hobby.

The challenge for designing is to always come up with something new, something catchy or something unique. An aquarium hobbiest can always treat the designing part of the aquarium, as a rare chance to showcase their talents. Of course, the functional purpose of the design should be to both create a visual fantasy land of your liking, and an enviornment that is safe and productive for your fish.

Inorganic decor are fake or manufactured plants and rocks which are created to appear as real as possible. These are composed of plastic, silk, and clay. Organic decor on the other hand can be fossilised versions of the living objects similar real rocks, driftwood, gravel, sand from rivers or beaches, and coral. Organic decor can also be living when you use them in your tank.

Some aquarists like to use fake decor because they will not affect tank chemistry, will not wither with time and cannot be eaten. For others however, nothing beats the real thing. Choices in terms of colors and shapes are limited if one chooses to go for organic decor. Plus occasionally your fish might eat the live plants and you will need to replace them, which can be costly.

Of course, you can use a combination of live plants and manufactured plants or just go simple with only one or the other.

Here are a few ideas for your freshwater aquarium.

First, know your fish. For the fish, decorations can be a safe haven in the aquarium. If you want to create an atmosphere that is closest to real life with your decorations, study and learn about your fishs character, likes and dislikes. For example, a surgeonfish needs more swimming space while dottybacks are more used to having plenty of hiding places and african cichlids love rocks that contain limestone. Some species are more comfortable with plants than with rocks and vice-versa.

Second, define your theme. One can freely choose to be vernal, classic, absurd or playful with fantasy. You tin make use of replicas of war ruins, sunken galleons, battle ships, treasure chests, underwater divers, mermaids, skulls, skeletons or mummies. There are also toys, doll and tv characters available for your aquarium and don’t forget the pirate paraphernalia and Navy decor.

Driftwood in its provincial shape and appearance can be your tank’s centrepiece. Make sure though that your wood is treated of unwanted elements. Wood usually affects water acidity which will affect your fish so make certain to check that the wood is cleared of any pests or diseases before use. Wood will provide a refuge, a spawning site, and nourishment for many of your aquariums fish. Swamp woods are best for the aquarium as they will not easily rot, but to be certainly always ask someone you know, where you have seen a piece of wood in their fish tank. You tinning fing out how it is doing in their tank and if they had had any problems with it in the past along with any issues with their fish regarding it.

Additional lighting and suppliment requirments are the sole real drawback to hold live plants and rocks that are beneficial to your fish and give a realistic appeal. Also in some live rocks, an aquarium silicon sealant has been discovered so that one can safely shape rocks according to their likes.

Third, befor you do anything else create a background for your aquarium. An aquarium is like a theater stage where its background tin establish a tone of a stage drama. Popular colors such as dark, sinister dark-green, bass blue and slate blue have different impacts. Pleasant pictures of nature, mangroves and reefs are some of the many tank backgrounds available. Some aquarists find it easier in terms of maintenance for the back of their tank to be covered with pictured tape which give a more full and plentiful look to the aquarium.

For many fish-keeping hobbyists, the most exciting part of the hobby is the part of planning out your design and working on it until you get the feel and look according to your wanting. Aquascaping can complement and reflect an owners personal artistic sense or business atmosphere. A common problem in designing is to overcrowd the fish tank. It is good idea to first make a passing drawing, and draw in what you might want in the aquariun. You may also desire get advice ideas from friends and family members.

With the popularity and advancement of the hobby, store offer hundreds of items to choose from, both fake and real. It helps to be exposed to all of these to make sure you will not miss any item that may suit your plan and budget. A lot of designs are available in books and online, and also in magazines. You do not have to copy something really nice but you tin get great ideas from them.

Do not be afraid to design your own. ‘Do it yourself’ is a fad that is fun and practical. In the end, decor for your freshwater aquarium should be fun , entertaining and visually stunning and you will find is good worth the effort .


Who else wants to have a thriving, happy aquarium and also know the history of the aquarium. Learn more at http://www.freshwateraquariumcenteronline.com/freshwater-aquarium-benefits/ And for more benefits including professional help, sign up for our FREE freshwater aquarium email mini-course, Visit: http://www.freshwateraquariumcenteronline.com/


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Best Type of Chiller for a Freshwater Aquarium

Filed under Aquarium Chillers by on July 29, 2011 at 1:53 pm {no comments}


There is no doubt that chillers can aid your aquarium function decently during the raging months by chilling the water and avoiding the loss of resolved oxygen. If you have a freshwater aquarium and you are looking for information on aquarium chillers then you have emanate to the correct place. The remainder of this article will luxuriant on the better type of chillers for a freshwater aquarium.

The most democratic chillers uncommitted on the market are; plop in chillers, in line chillers and thermoelectrical chillers. All of these chillers emanate with pros and cons and the key to choosing the better type of chiller for a freshwater aquarium is to lag these uncomplicated tips.

The first tip for finding the better type of chiller for a freshwater aquarium is to act a near stare at the type of convenience each chiller has to accost. If you experience that plumbing is not idealistic for you then plop in chillers will be your better option. Since plop in chillers are fundamentally cooling coils that have to be dropped into the lactating ironical filter or sump. They are extremely low-toned maintenance and cost efficacious.

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The second tip to follow to find the best type of chiller for a freshwater aquarium is to use your aquarium capacity as a guideline. If your aquarium contains less than 50 gallons water and has less water flow, then opting for a thermoelectric chillers would be a good option for you. If your aquarium is larger than 50 gallons or has increased water flow then opting for a powerful in line filter would be the best choice.

The third tip to help you decide the best type of chiller for a freshwater aquarium is to decide if you want a chiller temporarily (during the warmer months) or if you want a chiller left in your aquarium year round. If cost is a concern and you will only need the chiller a few months out of the year then buying a cheap temporary one is a good solution. If you want to keep your chiller available year around then a more expensive one is the way to go. A good quality chiller can be used for many years and does not require constant maintenance. In the yearn run you save money by purchasing a more expensive chiller for your aquarium right from the start.

By following these three tips you can definitely find the best type of chiller for a freshwater aquarium that will suit both your budget and your fishes needs.

When it comes to aquarium supplies, the aquarium chillers are indispensable. The aquarium chiller helps in maintaining the perfect temperature of your aquarium during the extremely hot days. The author with his vast experience with the aquarium supplies recommends buying jbj chiller which is the best in the market.


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