Category Archives: Aquarium Facts
The Biotope Aquarium Design
This aquarium design article is a follow up from a previous post entitled “Maintenance Of Fish Tank Filters“.
The best way to start off a brand new fish tank, regardless of whether it is your very first fish tank or one of many that you have around the house if to plan your aquarium design. You don’t have to be so elaborate and detailed but you do need a rough idea of what your aquarium design is eventually going to look like.
Aquarium Design Considerations
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There are a number of considerations that you do need to take into account when trying to figure out your ideal aquarium design. This includes:
- The types of fish you plan to breed.
- Do you have an overall theme that you are aiming for?
- Are you planning to have live plants?
- What type of decor do you plan to use?
- The size of the fish tank.
Jot down these considerations on a piece of paper as a guide and work your ultimate aquarium design around these factors. This will allow you the chance to adjust your plans and make changes before you make the mistake of buying items and equipment that you will not use.
The Biotope Aquarium Design
One of the most popular aquarium design which has been gaining in popularity each year is the biotope aquarium design. The aim of a biotope fish tank is to replicate as close as possible the actual ecosystem in nature within the confines of the fish tank. You can regard it as your own piece of nature in your own home, complete with the correct type of plant life, rocks and even fish.
A biotope aquarium design that is well planned and executed can be extremely impressive. It will be a better visual representation of the part of the world that is mimic and is ideal for someone who has a love for the country that the aquarium design replicates. It would be a great ideal to do a more in depth study into the type of ecosystem that you plan to replicate in order to prepare the ideal fish tank with the correct components.
Types Of Biotope Aquarium Design
To help you with your biotope aquarium design, here are a few suggestions that you could try. The end result will rely on your creative imagination.
The Amazon Aquarium Design
When well executed, this popular aquarium design will look superb. Some of the best fish that you can select for to replicate the Amazon include the Cardinal Tetra, Cory Cat, Hatchet and Ram Cichlid which can be bought from the more popular fish shops. Apart from fish, you would also need to make the right selection of plants. One which can easily be bought is the Amazon Sword plant species. Use medium sized gravel for the base and place a nice medium sized driftwood to enhance the effect.
The African Lake Aquarium Design
You may be one of the many African cichlid lovers in this country so it is only natural for you to want to give your prized cichlids a home that feels like the one they left behind. African cichlids tend to be territorial and you would want to provide them with personal places for them to hide in when they need a time out. Unlike the Amazon aquarium design, you would not be using driftwood this time. The African lake terrain in mainly rocks with caves and nooks for the fish to swim into. Also, you would not be placing any plants in the fish tank because the active African cichlids do have a tendency to uproot them. Use a rougher grade of gravel for this type of fish tank as well.
Replicate Your Own Homeland
Yes, that’s right. Why not have an aquarium design that replicates the lakes that your own native fish live in. You will definitely find many gorgeous varieties of fish from North America such as Sunfish, Shiners, Darters and Dace. The plant life will be extremely easy to buy and so too the rocks and driftwood of the exact variety that you need. Study the lakes that are near you and choose the best local aquarium design for your fish tank.
Create Your Own Biotope Aquarium
Executing a beautiful aquarium design is a challenge but it is one that is extremely fun and will provide you a conversation piece in your home that will last a lifetime.
Maintenance Of Fish Tank Filters
This fish tank filters article is a follow up from a previous post entitled “Getting Rid Of Algae On Sponge Filters“.
You can find fish tank filters is a huge variety of models, shapes and sizes. But they don’t just differ in shape, they can also greatly differ in function as well as how effective they are. But in general we can classify a filter by three main filtration function, which are mechanical, chemical and biological fish tank filters.
Types Of Fish Tank Filters
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Mechanical Fish Tank Filters provide the most basic form of filtration. They allow water to pass through a porous filter media which traps large debris and waste while allowing cleaner water to flow through.
Chemical Fish Tank Filters either absorb chemical pollutants in the water or breaks them down into less deadly components. These type of filtration is general used along with mechanical fish tank filters to provide a more complete filtration process. An example of this type of filter media is activated carbon.
Biological Fish Tank Filters use live colonies of beneficial bacteria to maintain a perfect balance of chemical levels in the water. In general, these beneficial bacterias control the ammonium cycle in your fish tank and assist in eliminating nitrite and nitrate impurities.
Choosing Fish Tank Filters
Whether your fish tank filters use all three of these filtration methods or just one really depends on the type of fish tank filters that you are currently using. In general, the more expensive variety of fish tank filters tend to provide all three filtration types while the cheapest fish tank filters tend to focus more on mechanical filtration. But if you have a large fish tank, you should get fish tank filters that provide all three filtration methods.
Maintaining Fish Tank Filters
While these three filtration types differ in the type of filtration they provide, they also require different maintenance and cleaning methods. Here is a general idea on how you should maintain and clean each of the filter types:
The main component in mechanical fish tank filters is the filter media which is a porous material such as a pad or sponge that traps debris. This means that it will require washing to prevent the filter media from getting clogged. General what you would need to do is wash them properly at least once every week. When washing the filter media, never use direct tap water because the filter media is almost always home to colonies of beneficial bacteria which also provide biological filtration and the chlorine in tap water would kill off these important organisms.
Chemical fish tank filters never need cleaning, what they do need is replacement. The activated carbon used for filtering out chemicals in the water will eventually lose its potency and will need to be replaced at least once every two months.
Biological fish tank filters incorporate a passive filtration method, they do not trap any debris. But over time, the filter would be caked with a layer of grime and might need to be washed. When washing them, never ever use chlorinated water such as direct tap water. And never ever dry them out in sunlight because the UV rays will kills them. Be gently in your washing and just focus on removing the physical dirt.
Samples Of Fish Tank Filters (Click for details)
If you have not bought your fish tank filters, take into consideration the size of your fish tank to base your decision on what type of filtration you need. Also make sure you enquire from the sales person on the cleaning and maintenance methods to do your the fish tank filters that you have selected.
Getting Rid Of Algae On Sponge Filters
This algae on sponge filters article is a follow up from a previous post entitled “7 Ways To Avoid Fish Ich In Your Fish Tank“.
One common question which I keep getting from my readers these days is how it is possible to have algae on sponge filters. A lot of people are surprised that a sponge filter which is supposed to filter out contaminants can have algae growing on it but this is really not a strange thing, nor is it something to be too concerned about.
Algae On Sponge Filters
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You need to know how a sponge filter functions in order to figure out how algae on sponge filters can grow. A sponge filter is a very simple filtering device with one major filtration media which is the sponge. When water is drawn into the sponge head, large debris and waste matter is trapped on the sponge surface. This waste is mostly organic matter and is fertilizer for the algae. After all, algae is plant life. This makes the sponge head now an excellent breeding ground for algae.
Cleaning Off Algae On Sponge Filters
The beauty of a sponge filter is how relatively easy it is to clean. All you need to do is take off the sponge head and give it a little wash to get rid of the algae on sponge filters.
To properly wash the sponge head, you should not use tap water. What you should do is use some of the aquarium water. The best time to do this is when you are doing your weekly water change. Instead of throwing away the water, use if first to wash the sponge head. The reason why we do not use tap water is because the sponge head is also home to colonies of beneficial bacteria that will provide biological filtration to hour aquarium. The chlorine in tap water will kill of the beneficial bacteria and cause an imbalance in your fish tank water.
But just cleaning off algae on sponge filters is just a temporary solution. You have to get to the root of e problem which is why is algae growing in your fish tank in the first place. Once you tackle this issue, you would not have to keep cleaning off algae on sponge filters ever again.
Algae On Sponge Filters Causes
Algae is a form of plant life and as long as you know this, preventing algae from breeding in your fish tank and most importantly algae on sponge filters will be extremely easy. Like all forms of plant life, algae need sunlight and nutrients. Without them, the algae would never be able to thrive.
First off, inspect the position that you have placed your fish tank. Is it in a place that gets an ample amount of sunlight each day? Is it close to a window or door, or worst yet is it outdoors? Having a lot of sunlight is the perfect condition for algae growth. If possible, move your aquarium to an area that gets less sunlight.
Next, is there too much free floating nutrients in your fish tank? These nutrients can come from excess food or fish waste. Are you overfeeding your fish and allowing the food to dissolve in the water without the fish finishing it? Also, since you are using a sponge filter, you need to ensure that you perform regular cleaning or the sponge head would be clogged and not providing sufficient filtration.
To limit the amount of plant nutrients in your fish tank you could plant decorative plants that would compete fiercely with the algae for food. Wisteria is the type of plant that I personally use in all my fish tanks that are prone to algae because they are the best competitors to algae.
Algae Control Essentials
These are some of the simplest ways to combat algae in your fish tank. While algae presence if definitely not deadly to your fish, having them especially algae on sponge filters can be unsightly and more importantly reduce the efficiency of your filter.
Using Rocks In An Aquarium Design
This aquarium design article is a follow up from a previous post entitled “Using An Aquarium Sponge Filter For A Small Fish Tank“.
Using rocks in an aquarium design is a superb choice. By choosing the right kind of rocks, preparing them and then arranging them into a natural look, your aquarium will look less like a fish tank and more like the kind of environment that your fish came from. This not only makes your aquarium design look great but will also make your fish feel more relax and at home.
Your Aquarium Design Rocks
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What you need to know here is that not all rocks are created equal. You can just take any rock from beside a river or the beach and plunk it into your fish tank because it may not be suitable. You need to fish test them to ensure that they do not harm the aquatic life in your fish tank. The kind of rocks that you can safely use in your fish tank largely depends on the species of fish and plant life that you already have or are planning to breed.
If what you have is a freshwater aquarium, then the rocks you use for your aquarium design should be inert rocks. These are rocks that will not alter the chemical balance of your fish tank and is the safest choice. Some of the types of inert rocks include basalt, obsidian, coal, quartz, sandstone and shale.
If your plan is in fact to raise the pH level of your fish tank or maybe to increase the hardness of the water than you may want to select calcareous rocks for your aquarium design. These include chalk, limestone and marble. Calcareous rocks will help alter the pH level as well as water hardness without you having to resort to chemicals.
Testing Your Aquarium Design Rocks
Here is an easy way for you to test to see if the rocks that you have chosen for your aquarium design is suitable. All you need is a bucket of your fish tank water, a test kit and your rocks.
First, test and jot down the pH, hardness, nitrates and phosphates levels of your aquarium water. Next, place the rocks into the bucket of water and allow it to sit for about a week. After the week is over, test the water one more time and compare your findings. You will find a slight change in reading but if the change is not much, then the rocks should in all likelihood be safe for your fish tank and can be used in your aquarium design.
You can also do a quick test by using vinegar. All you need to do is drip a few drops of vinegar on the rocks. If there is foaming, then the rocks are calcareous and should not be used in your fish tank unless you intentionally want to alter the chemical composition of your water.
Preparing Your Aquarium Design Rocks
After selecting the right type of rocks that you plan to use in your aquarium design, before adding them into your fish tank you would need to disinfect them first. Simply put, you would need to kill off any pathogens that may be breeding on the rock surface and cracks. To do this, vigorously brush the entire rock and rinse it properly to wash off any loose particles. Do not use any detergent for this, just plain water. After that, place it under direct sunlight for a couple of days to allow the sun ultra violet light to kill off any remaining pathogens.
Rocks For Aquarium Design (Click for details)
Your rocks are now ready for your aquarium design and will make a great addition to the ecosystem in your fish tank.
How To Control Hair Algae In Fish Tanks
This article is a follow up from a previous post entitled “Get Rid Of Snails In Fish Tank Naturally“.
Who can deny what a nuisance is hair algae in fish tanks. If environmental conditions are right to it, hair algae can grow extremely fast to a point that it will overrun the aquarium. And to make matters worst, no matter how hard you scrub them off, it will grow back. So the most important aspect of controlling hair algae in fish tanks is not to fight the effect but to try as much as you can to eliminate the cause.
Control Hair Algae In Fish Tanks
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Hair algae is tough, tough enough to grow on virtually any surface. But although it is unsightly, hair algae like any other plant does provide some benefits to the aquatic life. It does oxygenate the water and there are fish that feed on the algae. So if you want to get rid of hair algae, do it as a gradual process or it might affect the fish. On the other end of the scale, having too much algae is bad to the fish too.
So how do you properly control hair algae in fish tanks? Here are some of the main factors for you to work on.
Hair Algae In Fish Tanks: Proper Water Management
Controlling the level of nitrates in your aquarium is very important in controlling hair algae on fish tanks. Hair algae thrives on high levels of nitrates and suddenly changes in the level will cause algae blooms. As long as these levels remain high, they will keep growing back no matter how much you remove them. The key here is to not overfeed your fish and remove any excess food. Another thing you might want to try is using live food. As long as the feed is not dead and rotting, it would not raise nitrate levels.
Hair Algae In Fish Tanks: Increase The Algae’s Competition
As long as hair algae is the sole consumer of all that yummy nitrate, it will thrive. Add in some plants and they will compete with the algae for food and eventually starve it out of your aquarium.
Hair Algae In Fish Tanks: Animals That Eat Algae
There are a number of aquatic animals that love eating algae. These include Scarlet Hermits and Tangs to name a few. But don’t just go out and buy some immediately. Speak to the specialist at the fish shop and explain about your situation and your aquarium specifications, especially its size and what fish tank filters you are using. He would be able to provide a better suggestion on the most suitable creature that you should get for your situation.
Hair Algae In Fish Tanks: The Amount Of Light
Algae is a plant and like all plants, it thrives in places that gets a lot of sunlight. Moving your aquarium to a less bright area of your home will hinder the growth of hair algae in fish tanks.
Tools To Kill Hair Algae In Fish Tanks (Click for details)
These are some of the main ways to control hair algae in fish tanks.
Get Rid Of Snails In Fish Tank Naturally
This article is a follow up to a previous post entitled “Clearing Cloudy Water In A Marine Aquarium“.
While snails in fish tank don’t really harm the fish, they do tend to nibble on the aquatic plants in your aquarium. Having too many snails in fish tank will definitely cause your plants to look tattered and unsightly. The problem with snails in fish tank is that they tend to breed really fast if left uncontrolled. There are numerous ways to get rid of them from chemical treatments to gadgets but as a personal preference, I’ve always preferred a more natural way in combating any of my aquarium problems.
Before we get into the method that I favor, let’s look at the various other ways.
Snails In Fish Tank
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There are numerous chemical treatments sold in the marketplace today that such as Snail-Rid and Aquari-Sol that do kill snails in fish tank. But when choosing any chemical treatment, ensure that it does not contain Copper Sulfate which can be fatal to your fish. I’ve always had a thing against pouring chemicals into my aquarium.
Snails In Fish Tank: Salt
You could also try Aquarium Salt or Sodium Chloride. Everyone knows salt kills garden snails and it works the same for snails in fish tank. However, the smaller variation of aquarium snails have a higher tolerance to salt and might not have a reaction to aquarium salt.
Snails In Fish Tank: Natural Methods
My favorite method to get rid of snails is to use Loaches. There are two breeds of Loaches that you could keep; Clown Loaches and Lohachata Loaches.
Clown Loaches are better suited for larger aquariums between 40 to 50 gallons. They tend to grow a little big and survive better in schools of six or more. But Clown Loaches are notorious for troubling tiny fish like Neon Tetra.
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Lohachata Loaches also known as Yoyo Loaches are smaller and can live comfortably in groups of three, so they are suited for smaller aquariums. But Yoyo Loaches can be a little hard to find in smaller fish shops.
These two fishes will go immediately to work devouring all the snails they can find.
Snails In Fish Tank: A Cool Trick
This is one cool trick that I read online somewhere before and put it to the test with surprisingly excellent results.
Get a small jar, the size of a pepper shaker. You could even use a pepper shaker without the cap. Wash it properly with plain water, do not use detergent to wash anything you plan to put into an aquarium. Place a piece of lettuce in the jar and sink it to the bottom of the tank and that’s it. When you come back to it tomorrow, there will be lots of tiny snails inside it. Just remove the jar, get rid of the snails and repeat the process again. In a couple of days, your tank will be snail free.
These are some of the best natural ways to get rid of snails in fish tank.
