If you haven’t had a chance to check out Freshwater Aquarium Guide, I urge you to do so now. It’s the most comprehensive system (and easy to follow) freshwater aquarium guide available today!
Archive for March, 2010
Here are some pictures of various interesting freshwater aquariums and tanks.
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Having the correct temperature in your freshwater aquarium is so important. It is what’s going to keep your fish healthy. This is basic aquarium keeping 101, so it’s good to get this part right.
The right temperature will make your fish more comfortable. And the big secret is to keep it as consistent as possible. Your freshwater aquarium temperature is very important. We’ll go over the basics in this article.
Fish will become stressed if their environment is not kept consistent. The stress leaves them more vulnerable to diseases and even death.
The first thing you need to do is consider the location of your aquarium. Think about whether it will be in a cool room or a warmer room. Will it be in a well lit room or a room that gets little light?
Click here to find out more information on freshwater aquarium temperatures…
You’ll also want to consider the fish in your tank. Different types of fish will want a certain temperature range, but they are all pretty similar in their needs. Do some research on the internet or at your local fish store to find out exactly what types of temperature they prefer.
Immersible Heaters
The least expensive and most commonly used aquarium heater would be the immersible heater. This is the type of heater that a new aquarist might choose because they are readily available and affordable.
They’re also quite easy to use. They just dangle into the water on the side of your aquarium. And they have a clearly marked line that you must not submerge the heater past. If you do, you risk having permanent damage to the heater.
Some aquarists do not like staring at this immersible heater danging on the side of their aquarium. So they might choose a submersible heater instead.
Submersible Heaters
The nice thing about submersible heaters is that they are submersible! Meaning that they can be fully put into the aquarium water and not have to hang off the sides. So it can be hidden somewhere in the aquarium–behind rocks, for example.
It’s easy to regulate the heat using the submersible heater. They are more expensive than immersible heaters, though. But a lot of aquarium enthusiasts like them because they’re more natural-looking.
Filter Heaters
Another option would be the filter heater. These are even more expensive than either of the previously mentioned heaters, but it’s a really nice heater. It works quite simply by warming the water as it moves through the filter. This allows the aquarium water to stay more consistent.
But the really nice thing about a filter heater is that the heater stores outside the aquarium tank so you don’t have to look at it inside the aquarium! The price is something to consider with this type of heater.
Once you decide what kind of heater you want, you’ll be able to get a size that works for your size of tank, since heaters do come in different sizes.A 20 gallon tank can use a 50 watt heater. Add an extra 25 to 50 watts for every 10 gallons beyond that.
The nice thing is, you can always start with a immersible heater and move up from there as you play with it and realize what you may want your tank to look like in the future.
One of the biggest decisions you’ll have to make is what kind of freshwater aquarium tank to get. Mostly because you’ll have to stare at it for a long long time! Your fish can swim in and out and hide, but your tank is something you’ll always be looking at.
So the choices are huge. You’ll have to choose how big. What shape. What kind of material. How many gallons will it hold. Big decisions. We’ll try to go over some of your choices here.
It used to be that the only choice that you had for a fish tank was plastic! Now the choices go on and on… You can get glass, acrylic, plastic, etc. And all the shapes in the world! You have square tanks, round tanks, wall-mounted aquariums, bubble aquariums, and so forth.
Click here for more information on freshwater aquarium tanks…
Plastic is not a good choice of material for a fish tank. First of all, plastic is not good for fish. It’s still available, but there are so many other good choices of fish tanks. Plastic will yellow and age. Not pretty. Plastic can also melt and sometimes burn, and can be affected by lighting.
What’s the Best Tank Material Choice?
There is basically two main choices of materials for fish tanks today. That would be either glass or acrylic. Each type of material has a list of pros and cons to consider, so think about your choices before you settle on one. But the most popular tank material has been acrylic.
Acrylic Aquariums
The big plus about acrylic tanks is that they are lightweight. Not nearly as heavy as glass and equally as strong. Actually they are stronger and tougher than glass. Even though the material is thinner, it’s harder to break and even develop a crack.
Another nice thing about acrylic aquariums is that they’re easy to mold into a nice variety of interesting shapes. Acrylic just molds and bends into shape much easier. They’re also better insulated, so that the temperature of the water stays more consistent.
And if you want a certain shape or need the tank to fit a certain spot, you can always custom order the shape that you want.
The downside of acrylic tanks is the cost. In general, acrylic tanks can cost a lot more than glass tanks. Often up to two or three times more than glass aquariums. That’s a lot! It can often cost $100 for a 10 gallon acrylic aquarium.
Another con is that acrylic can scratch easier than glass. And even though they are definitely stronger than glass, occasionally in a larger tank, the weight of the water can cause bowing and not hold the shape of the tank like a glass aquarium can.
Glass Aquariums
The nice thing about glass tanks is that they are really beautiful. They stay new and shiny and the cost is a lot less than an acrylic aquarium.
The thing about glass tanks is that they are extremely heavy. Even before water is added. A large aquarium can easily weigh up to four or five hundred pounds with water in it. And the tanks do not come in a lot of different shapes. Just square or rectangular. They do come in lots of sizes, though.
Weigh all the pros and cons and options and make the best choice for you. Sometimes you just find a tank that’s beautiful to you and you like the shape and like the price. Fill it up, get the ecosystem health, and add your fish!
Along with everything else you need to consider for your freshwater aquarium, you will want to pick the correct filter to help keep the aquarium clean. What kind of freshwater aquarium filter should you choose?
First of all, you’ll need to make sure that you clean your aquarium manually at least once a month. Even with a high quality filter, you’ll need to clear algae off the sides of the tank, and perhaps vacuum the substrate to pick up excess waste, leftover food, etc.
Be sure to do this regularly. The cleaner your tank is kept, the better it will be for the health of your fish. It will also keep the nitrate and ammonia levels more normal. Also the pH levels.
Click here for more information on freshwater aquarium filters…
There are different types of filtration methods for your aquarium. There are usually three main types, which include mechanical, chemical and biological filtration.
Mechanical Filtration
Mechanical filters is the type of filters that you normally see in aquariums. They are a separate filter that you need to change on a regular basis. They filter out particles in the water, and there are many, many types of them.
These types of filters are readily available and usually quite inexpensive. The secret here is to clean and replace them regularly.
Chemical Filtration
Chemical filtration and mechanical filtration usually go hand in hand. Quite often chemical materials like carbon are added to the mechanical filtration system to aid in clearing the water.
Biological Filtration
This is a more natural way of filtering the tank water. It is usually a sponge-like substance that promote the growth of beneficial bacteria. This filtration system helps convert toxins and produce less toxic conditions in the tank. These systems do not involve adding chemicals and are very simple to operate.
There are different kinds of filtration systems to add to your aquarium. Here is a list of the main types of filters:
Sponge Filters
This is a very simple cellulose sponge filter that is operated by an air or water pump. It’s inexpensive to operate, easy to find, and does the job quite effectively. It will cultivate beneficial bacteria to help break down wastes. Great for smaller tanks or breeding tanks.
Under Gravel Filters
The first true and basic type of filter invented for aquariums, and easy to set up and use. They are still used widely and can solve all sorts of problems in the tank. A raised plate in the bottom allows waste and debris to flow through the substrate under the raised plate. Air tubes run from the bottom to the top of the aquarium allowing aeration from under the plate.
Power Filters
Usually a small motor-driven filter found mainly in use today in smaller aquariums. They have small cartridges and foam pads that filter the water, often not too well. They can be found everywhere and rather inexpensively, too. They are easy to install and use.
Canister Filters
Mainly a mechanical and chemical filtration system, but one that works well, especially for the larger aquarium. It uses more force, thus forcing the wastes through faster. They’re more expensive, but work quite well to filter the water.
There are many other kinds of filters in use, including the wet/dry filters, and fluidized bed filters. It’s best to go to your local fish store and see what they would recommend for your type of tank. But these listed are the main types in use.
The big secret is to buy the right type of filter for your size and type of aquarium. Sometimes you’ll need to combine a couple of systems like the under gravel filter and the power filter. You’ll know what you need as you gain experience with your tank.
Why is the pH of Your Water So Important?
Freshwater aquarium pH level is one of the most important conditions to consider because it can literally make the difference between healthy and unhealthy fish. That’s why you’ll need to learn how to test the pH of the water in your tank. And learn what the pH needs to be for the health of your fish.
Fortunately, these days it’s really easy to test the pH of your water. Years ago, it wasn’t quite so easy. Sometimes only the pros had access to pH test kits, and the rest of us just kind of guessed. Plus, there are so many different things to test for besides pH. Like ammonia and hardness of the water.
So in order for your fish to stay healthy, you’ll need to know how to test the pH of the water in your freshwater aquarium. And there’s a totally wide range of test kits for you to choose from. They can be simple to use (and inexpensive). And they can to all the way up to complicated to use and quite costly.
Click here for more information on freshwater aquarium pH…
And some of these kits will test not only the pH, but in the same kit they can test for different things. You’ll also need to test the ammonia levels. And whether the water that you add to your tank needs to have anything added to it.
Some of the multi-use strips also test for multiple problems on one test strip. This really simplifies things for the home aquarist. You can get many answers at one time.
This article won’t tell you what the pH of your water should be. Lots of different factors will come into play. You’ll need to read the instructions on the test kit, and it should give you all the information that you need.
You’ll find out in the process that there may be a lot of different tests that you’ll want to run. But as a beginner, start simple. Just buy a basic kit, one that tests for pH, and also nitrates and ammonia. When you get more advanced and have had your tank for a while, you’ll want to experiment with tests that tell you more information.
Most test kits are kind of similar anyway. Once you’ve done the testing of your water a few times, you’ll learn that it really doesn’t matter which test kit you end up using.
How Often Should You Test the pH?
It’s recommended that you test your water at least once a month. But if you start having problems in the aquarium such as sick fish, etc., then test again. The one thing you’ll want to rule out would be the pH of the water. Or nitrate level. Or the level of ammonia in the water.
When you first set up your tank, be sure to check your levels. Then wait a day and recheck your findings again. Do this all before adding your fish. You’ll want your levels to be normal before you introduce your fish.
Record the date and the time of your readings. You’ll know after a while how the levels will change. Even the time of day will vary. The readings may be different in the morning and the evenings. What you’ll learn is more about your tank and whether you need to be concerned or not.
How Do These Test Kits Work?
Every test kit is different. You’ll usually find that they contain vials or tubes that you add water to from your aquarium. Then you’ll need to dip the enclosed test strips into the water in the vials.
Your test kit will come with instructions and a chart that’s color coded that you can match the test strip color to. This will tell you the pH level.
Some test kits come with drops that you add to the vial. You’ll need to shake the vial after adding the drops, and the water in the tubes will change color according to the pH levels. Just compare the color in the vial to the color chart that’s included.
The results of the test will tell you what you’ll need to do to adjust the levels of your pH. Sometimes what you need to add to your tank water will be included in the kit. Sometimes you’ll need to purchase the chemicals you need separately.
All in all, it will become quite a simple process and you’ll feel better because your fish will be healthy and happy and your water will be clear in the process.
One of the most important aspects of keeping your freshwater aquarium healthy is proper lighting. Just like fish in the wild, fish kept in an aquarium need conditions that are similar to their natural environment in order to live longer.
And to live, fish have specific needs when it comes to freshwater aquarium lighting. They need a certain amount of light each day in order to create a balance in the whole ecosystem of the aquarium.
What Kind of Lighting Do You Need?
The most common types of lighting for a fish tank are these:
Incandescent bulbs – These types of bulbs are made like the ordinary light bulbs you have in your home. They can get hot, the luminosity is low, and they consume a lot of energy! Therefore they are considered some of the least effective types of lighting for your tank.
Because they get too hot too quickly, it’s hard to regulate the temperature of the water, making these types of artificial lighting not really efficient for aquariums. Some fish don’t really like this type of lighting either, and may get more stressed out by it.
Click here for more information on freshwater aquarium lighting…
Fluorescent bulbs - These types of bulbs are the most commonly used and recommended types of lighting for fish tanks. They are easy to find and buy, and are usually very affordable.
Another plus is that their light is bright and consistent, and consume a lot less energy than incandescent bulbs. The heat that comes from this type of bulb is more consistent, and cooler, making it a good choice for a fresh water fish tank.
A good choice would also be the compact fluorescent light bulbs which use about 75% less energy and last 10 times longer than regular fluorescent bulbs.
Metal halide bulbs – These types of bulbs are often considered an upgrade of the fluorescent bulb. They will have more intense lighting capabilities than a fluorescent bulb. In fact, its’ intensity is often compared to the sun.
Some fish aficionados much prefer this type of bulb because it can mimic natural sunlight habits. You can turn the light on in the morning and turn it off at night to make it seem like the balanced natural setting a fish would be found in.
What Type of Lighting for Your Aquarium?
You’ll want to know what kind of lighting is right for your aquarium based on the fish that you have, and if you have live plants that may need light. Since every aquarium is different, you may need to experiment a little to find the correct light amount for your fish needs.
If you have a deeper type of fish tank, say one that is deep but narrow, you may want to choose a bright yet focused light that will shine down to the bottom of the tank and lights up the whole aquarium.
If your aquarium has only fish in it and no live plants, you may want to consider low lighting. A bulb with 2 to 3 watts per gallon of water would be a good choice and may be the only light that you’ll need for your tank.
If you have live plants in your aquarium, try to use a bulb that works out to about 4 watts per gallon of water for your tank. Medium lighting like this is safer for your fish, but you may want to do some research into considering more intense lighting. Some types of fish need lower amounts of light, so it’s better to be safe.
Where to Put Your Light
Above all, be sure to install your artificial lighting in a safe yet appropriate place to light your aquarium. You’ll want your light to spread out evenly to your whole aquarium, including lighting up the bottom of the tank.
If you have live plants in your aquarium, be sure that they get the most of the light, because they’ll need a good amount of light in order to keep growing. Correct lighting will benefit the plants and, in turn, your fish.
And consider mimicking natural sunlight in your aquarium. The healthiest way to treat this is to simulate what nature does. Some fish can be stressed out by prolonged lighting. So you may want to balance your aquarium ecosystem by having a sun-up and sun-down in your tank.
Why Would I Want an Aquarium?
We’ve all appreciated aquariums before. They can be anywhere. You’ll find them at offices, friends’ homes, restaurants, all over. Lots of people keep aquariums as a hobby, and that’s what we’re going to talk about here.
What does the word “aquarium” mean? It actually has a root based on the Latin word “aqua” (which means water, of course). And “ruim” which means building. Put those all together and they mean a water building, for fish!
Click here for more information on home freshwater aquariums…
Aquarium History
The mid-1800s was when the modern version of aquariums was developed. A see-thru tank in which to see your fish swimming around. But before that, even in ancient times, cultures kept their wild live fish in ponds by their houses so that they could be kept until dinnertime.
And of course, in China, their favorite fish was the koi. But they also had goldfish. They bred these types of fish as long as 2,000 years ago. And during certain Chinese dynasties, goldfish were kept in ceramic bowls as pets.
Even in ancient times in Egyptian art pieces, a type of aquarium is shown. It was like a public aquarium where fish lived and were kept in rectangular pools in temples. Consider this an ancient type of aquarium.
During the beginning of the 1900s, fish keeping at home in an aquarium became more popular. You could see fish keeping in aquariums in museums and public places. But with the invention of filters and lighting, people could start keeping fish as hobbies in their homes.
This led to quite a new business as people keeping fish as pets needed new and exciting tanks to keep their fish in. They would also need more modern ways to filter their water and to keep their fish happy and healthy.
Thus the current freshwater fish keeping hobby at home. All this led to lots of choices for aquarium keeping. There are hundreds of options in lighting, filters, aquariums, substrate, plants and housing for fish!
How Big Do Aquariums Get?
So far the largest aquarium is in Japan. It holds 5,400 cubic meters of water, and houses over 580 species of fish in Osaka. That’s huge!
What Are the Benefits to Keeping an Aquarium?
So many studies have proven that aquarium keeping will reduce stress, lower your blood pressure, relax and basically improve your health.
When older people have access to watching a fish tank, their blood pressure has dropped. Hyperactive children become calmer when watching aquariums filled with fish.
In dentist offices, fish tanks placed in the waiting room resulted in less pain medication administered versus this who just sat in a waiting room without an aquarium. And it’s the fish that were calming. If it was just a plain tank, with plants and no fish, not quite as calming.
Just think back. Remember how many places you’ve seen aquariums? Like doctors’ offices, dentists, hospitals, waiting rooms? Quite often there will be a fish tank around, just for calming purposes.
Other studies have shown that Alzheimer’s patients reacted strongly to fish aquariums being place in their dining rooms. The results were that they became less aggressive, they ate bigger portions, and they needed less medication.
It’s also been shown that just watching a dvd of fish swimming can relax a person. It’s actually quite amazing. So — just having fish around, whether you have a fish bowl or a nice aquarium set-up, there will be loads of benefits, and you’ll enjoy having an easy pet to care for.
Here’s What You’ll Need to Start!
Number one–Have you got your tank? That’s where you start! Of course!
The Bottom Layer–Called the Substrate
The bottom layer of the tank is called the substrate. It’s an extremely important part of your freshwater tank, so you’ll need to set it up correctly.
Start Small?
The most popular substrate material is the small size. This includes sand and very small rocks. The reason they’re so popular is because the fish like it. It’s easier for the fish to nest in the smaller substrate because it’s easy to work around.
Click here for more information on how to set up your home freshwater aquarium…
Teeny rocks and sand are also very popular because they’re quite often free, but also easier to find in stores. You can find them all over, including larger stores like WalMart. Another added benefit is that the smallest substrate are often the most attractive visually.
The funny thing about these smaller substrate is that there are some fish that will pick up the smaller pieces in their mouths, especially sand, and move it around. This can often irritate the insides of their mouths.
Medium
The medium sized substrate is also very popular. It’s easy to find, easy to handle, and still looks good in freshwater aquariums. Actually, this is the most used material for substrate. Medium sized rocks, pebbles, glass can be used.
Large Pieces of Substrate
These large pieces of substrate can be big, especially for a tank. It would be river rock size and even larger than this. You won’t see this that often, but some tank owners do cover the whole bottom of their aquarium with larger rocks.
The thing about the bigger substrate is that it can be harder to clean. Fish food can get stuck underneath the rock layer, making contamination easier. You will often need to remove all the layer in order to clean your tank.
How to Choose Your Substrate
Be sure to think about your types of fish and their environment when choosing your substrate. The different types of substrate can affect your fish’s environment and water pH. Crushed coral, for example, can actually raise the pH of your water. Also, make sure that the substrate is clean. This can contaminate your water if not.
Don’t Use These for Substrate!
There are certain types of substrate that you will need to avoid because it can change and affect the aquarium water, making it unsafe for your fish. Here’s a partial list of what you shouldn’t use in an aquarium:
- Sandstone
- Onyx
- Limestone
- Shells
- Geodes
- Dolomite
- Lava
- Quartz
- Slate
- Granite
Mostly, these materials may change the pH of your tank water. There are ways to test them before you use them in your tank. Here are a couple of tests that will work for you:
One test is the vinegar test. Just place a few drops of vinegar on your material that you’re thinking of using in your tank. If the vinegar fizzes up or foams–don’t use it! It may contain calcium, and this can affect the aquarium water.
Another test is to put your substrate material into a pail of water (a clean one, or one that you use for your tank) and test the pH. Wait for a week and test the pH again. You can use the material if you see no real change in the pH levels.
Test Kits
This is such an important aspect of keeping aquariums. You’ll want to test your water, and test it again. You’ll have dozens of choices of test kits to choose from. But you’ll definitely need these few basic test kits:
pH Test Kit. pH will be the most important consideration in your fresh water aquarium. Incorrect pH leads to fish stress, which leads to fish death. If your pH level changes frequently, or all of a sudden, you’ll want to check the carbonate hardness (kH) level in your tank.
Ammonia Test Kit. The only time ammonia will be high is when you start your tank up. After that, it shouldn’t change much unless you have water that needs to be cleaned. Filters that need to be cleaned. Or your tank has too many fish. Usually excess ammonia is a sign of too much waste in your water.
Nitrite Testing. Nitrites are related to waste material, and should be kept at a really low level, less than 1.0.
Nitrate Testing. Unless the levels of nitrates are really high, this won’t be as much of a problem. But–don’t let the nitrate count get over 300 parts per million, or ppm.
Electricity
Don’t forget a hefty power strip. It will need to be waterproof , and surge-proof. And you’ll have lots of cords to plug in, so get one that will handle them all.
What Kind of Freshwater Aquarium Plants Will You Need?
Without any prior knowledge, it’s hard to choose live plants to decorate your aquarium with. But a good rule of thumb is to choose plants that are native to the original environment that the fish originally came from. Even if your fish have never seen its’ native habitat, this would still be true!
As a general rule, there are five types of plants to consider having in your fresh water aquarium.
The first category of freshwater plants to consider are bulbs. The thing about bulbs is that they usually produce a rather large plant, making them too big for most freshwater tanks. Bulb-type plants are used more in outside ponds, especially koi ponds. These types of plants include the water lily and iris-type bulbs.
Click here for more information on freshwater aquarium plants…
The second category of fresh water plants are floating plants. Some types of fish prefer floating plants, especially the young fry, who like to hide amongst the roots in order to protect themselves. A good floating plant would be the fairy moss.
The third category of freshwater plants would be the rhizome types. This is kind of like a bulb type plant except that the root is long and horizontal and has leaves sprouting from the top of it. And the roots sprout out of the bottom of the rhizome.
To use this type of plant, the rhizome is placed on top of your rock or substrate on the bottom of the tank. The roots grow into the rocks or bottom layer. As the roots spread, new leaves and roots will form.
Two types of rhizomes are the african fern and anubias. These are extremely easy to grow because all you have to do is tie them to a piece of driftwood on the bottom and it will grow.
Another category is the stem type of freshwater plant. You’ll find it in many aquariums. There are single, paired or multiple leaves growing from the nodes on a single stem. The stem is planted into the substrate and leaves out from above.
A good starter plant for aquariums is the java moss (also called java fern). It is considered very hearty and does quite well in different types of water and also different pH levels. You’ll see it quite often in fish stores.
Another good starter plant is the water wisteria. It grows really quickly, just like the java fern. A plus to this plant is that it helps keep the algae growth down. But you need to consider that it can use up some of the nutrients in the water that the fish need too.
Another plant to consider that’s really easy to grow is the anubias nana. This is truly an easy plant and thrives in almost any type of conditions that you put it in. And it’s remarkably pretty and flowers under the water! Another plus is that your fish won’t eat it. The secret to this plant is to attach it to a piece of driftwood or a rock.
If you want a plant that looks grassy in your aquarium, consider the lillaeopsis. It likes lots of light, though.
For a little challenge, consider the cryptocoryne beckettii. It’s an amphibious plant, so it will grow under water and in the soil. But it can do quite well underwater. And it comes in lots of wonderful color choices.
Another good aquarium plant is the amazon sword. It’s probably one of the most poopular aquarium plants around. Because if you’re a beginner, or even if you’re not, it’s extremely easy to get growing. And it will grow fast. And it has the added advantage of keeping down the algae growth in your aquarium, too.
It’s so much healthier for fish to be in an environment that has live plants. And it’s more beautiful, too. It aerates the water, and in some cases keeps the algae growth down. It may take a little to learn about freshwater plants, but it is so worth it. Start out easy and slow, and you’ll be a pro with aquarium plants in no time at all!
