How to Set up a Marine Reef Aquarium How to Set up a Marine Reef Aquarium Setting up a marine reef aquarium may seem like a daunting task, but is fairly easily achievable provided you follow a few steps. Steps Select the area of the house where you want the tank to be. Buy the largest aquarium that will fit in your space. Buying a smaller aquarium will only mean upgrading later on. Larger aquariums provide a much more stable environment. Choose between acrylic or glass, knowing that acrylic will scratch easily but is easier to drill and is much lighter. Make sure to get a tank that is pre-drilled with an internal "overflow" wier or sometimes described as "reef-ready". It is better to choose a tank that is not too deep(e.g. 24 to 30") so you can reach the bottom easily; a tank that is wider will provide a better depth of view for a more natural look. A second smaller tank (a sump)is placed under the main aquarium and will hold all the equipment out of sight. Choose lighting: Metal halide lamps provide the best lighting for most of the corals commonly kept, other forms of lighting are also obtainable and offer varying degrees of success. 250 watts bulbs will suit most common aquariums except for the deeper ones where 400 w bulbs provide more light penetration.The color spectrum of the bulbs (expressed in color temperature in Kelvins) is a matter of personal choice.10,000 Kelvins give many corals a lighting similar to what they get in their original environments. 20,000 Kelvin bulbs provide a bluer light of deeper environments. One bulb for every 2 feet of tank length is usually recommended. Set up the filtration: Get a good quality protein skimmer and place it in your sump. Do not skimp on this. Adjust the flow. Now is time to get a saltwater rated pump to return the water from your sump to the main tank. Additional powerhead pumps in the tank or external pump(s) should be installed to provide additional vigorous turbulent flow, which is crucial to the survival of your future corals. Place a heater(s)in your sump. Fill the tank with tapwater partially then totally to test for leaks. Prepare enough artificial seawater for the volume needed. Use only a good aquarium seasalt brand and purified water with a Reverse Osmosis or R0/DeIonization Filter. Another option is to fill the tank with RO/DI water and then add the salt. Add 'live rock' and arrange to your liking, approximately 20% of your volume. The rock can be placed on an aragonite sand bed but the substrate will tend to accumulate detritus overtime. A sanded depth of 4 to 5" is recommended for maximal detritus biological processing. Live rock can be obtained online or at your local marine aquarium store. The sand bed has to be placed before the seawater is slowly added. Let the tank "cycle". This means you will need to wait until the water tests negative for ammonia or nitrite. Inserting bits of frozen fish foods in the sand bed can speed the cycle. This may take 1 to 2 weeks. Algae blooms can be a natural part of the cycle. Check and make sure the salinity is stable at 1.025 to 1.026. Compensate for evaporated water losses with RO/DI water. Keep the temperature, Calcium and Alkalinity levels stable. Do not use commercial "supplements" other than water changes. Add cleaning creatures such as snails, small hermit crabs and finally herbivore reef fishes. You should now be ready to add live corals to your tank. Tips Read books, join online reef keeper boards and ask lots of questions. Buying a refractometer and quality test kits is a good investment. Warnings Long term commitment required. Some fishes will live more then 20 years with good care. Many corals will outlive their owners.   Create Date : 29 ธันวาคม 2549     Last Update : 29 ธันวาคม 2549 11:37:08 น. Counter : 438 Pageviews.   0 comment Share Tweet

How to Set up a Freshwater Aquarium How to Set up a Freshwater Aquarium Setting up a new aquarium is easier than it looks at first glance. The scope of gadgets and accessories on the shelves in stores is intimidating, but all you really need are the basics to get started. Steps Decide where you want to put your tank - this will determine what size you buy, and whether or not you'll need a stand to go with it. Choose a fish tank that fits the space you have decided on. (The process is the same for large tanks versus small, so don't worry if you're thinking of going large the first time around.) Get an aquarium stand that is designed for the dimensions and shape of your tank. Make sure that the tank comes with a hood (lid), if not, you'll need one of those too. Choose gravel for the bottom - this is essential to a healthy aquarium. (One pound of gravel per gallon is a good guide for quantity.) Decide which filtration system you would like to use - the most common and easiest are either undergravel filters or power filters that hang on the back of the tank. If you choose an undergravel filter, make sure that the air pump you buy with it is strong enough for the size of the tank - in this case, bigger is better. If you decide to go with a power filter, select one that will circulate enough water for the size of your tank. (Ideally, it should circulate 5 gallons of water per hour [gph], per gallon of your tank capacity. For example: a 10 gal. tank would need a filter that circulates at least 50 gph.) Make sure you get a heater if one doesn't already come with your tank - the fully-submersible ones are the easiest to use. Put your tank where you want it to live - once it's filled with water you won't be able to move it, so choose the spot wisely. Fill the tank with about two inches of water, then wait for a half an hour. If there are any leaks, it's better they show up now, rather than when you have filled the entire thing. If all is well, open your bags of gravel, and give them a good rinse under running water in a colander - the less dust in the water, the faster it'll clear when the filter is started up. For undergravel filters, put the filter plate in, and make sure the lift tubes are fitted. (If you have a submersible powerhead, you only need one - with a traditional air pump, two are best for most tanks under 40 gals, one at each end.) Spread the rinsed gravel in an even layer across the surface of the filter. Fill the tank with water to just under the rim of the tank - usually a gap of 1" will do. If you've chosen an external power filter, set it up on the back of the tank in a position where the outflow will evenly distribute the water. Some tank hoods come with pre-perforated cut-outs which make it easier to position your equipment. Fill the reservoir of the filter with water, and plug it in! Water should smoothly (and quietly) circulate after a couple of minutes. Attach your pump airlines or powerhead into the appropriate lift tube(s) now, if you've got an undergravel filter. Plug in the powerhead/pump. Water should start moving vertically in the lift tube(s). Install your heater (suction cups) on the inside of the tank. Most of the thermostats on new heaters now come pre-set at an acceptable temperature range of 70-77 degrees Fahrenheit (21-25 degrees Celsius). Plug in the heater and install your thermometer. Place in any plants or decorations. Wait for an hour or two, and check that the temperature is still in the safe range, that there are no leaks, and that the water is circulating properly. Add the water dechlorinator, according to the instructions on the bottle. Check everything again, and if it's still going fine after another couple of hours, you're done! Buy fish! Discuss what type of freshwater, tropical fish you want to have with the sales person. They should give you tips on who can and can't get along, and so forth. Start with two or three fish the first ten days, then get two or three more, wait another ten days, etc. If you put too many fish at once into a new tank, the water will not be able to adequately cycle, and will quickly turn toxic. Patience is the key for the first six to eight weeks. Tips 5 gallons of water weighs almost 42 lbs. This should help you decide whether or not you have something that the tank will safely sit on. Anything over 15 gals. will almost certainly need a special stand. If you have a choice of lightbulb in the light fixture, go with flourescent - it shows off fish colors better, and generates less heat. Don't leave the light on (if you have one) all night - fish DO need sleep. They need a period of darkness for this, because they don't have eyelids to close. And if you don't have any live plants in your tank, only turn on the light when you are home to view the fish. Fish do not need 14 hours of noon day sun, and the additional light only encourages algae. If using an undergravel filter, consider getting a single submersible powerhead instead of an air pump - they're much quieter, and more efficient. Use the same guidelines for the power filters to select the right size. Help your tank ecosystem get off to a good start with an bioenzyme starter to help the good bacteria get a jump on things. If your power filter makes a rattling noise, try wiggling the intake tube - air gets trapped sometimes and makes a racket. Not all air pumps are created equal - the box may say "quiet" or "silent", but always ask to test one in the store before you buy it! Buying an inexpensive check valve for your airline tubing can save you having to buy a new pump in the event of a power outage. Consider cycling fishlessly. An article about this exists on //www.aquamaniacs.net - It takes a while, but saves the lives of fish. Research, research, research!! Try to find out what the conditions of your municipal water are. There are different kind of fish suited to live in "hard" or "soft" water, and fish living in the correct water conditions will live longer and be more healthy. Unless you are willing to treat all the water going into the tank (can be expensive and/or time consuming), choosing a setup adapted for your local water can really make your life easier! If you're having a hard time keeping the tank clear, consider using live plants. They keep the tank from getting murky and look nice. Just make sure that you buy them from a pet store so that they won't harm the fish. "Algae Eater" fish are also possible to use, though they may cannabilize smaller fish if they grow too large. Warnings Don't put the tank in or close to a window - this will cause the water to overheat, and also encourage algae to grow. Resist the urge to buy a lot of fish as soon as you set up your tank! The conditions in a fledgling tank can fluctuate a great deal, which can be lethal to fish. Don't put anything in the tank as a decoration that has ever been in contact with any soap or cleaners of any kind. Real sea shells that you found on the beach could be toxic to your fish - remember this a freshwater tank. NEVER clean the tank sides with any chemical cleanser or soap - window cleaner, bleach, even dish soap are extremely toxic to fish, and can actually be absorbed through the glass. Try to avoid lifting an empty tank by its rim - the rim may break or come off, which will compromise the structural integrity of the tank. Don't turn on your heater when it's dry - the glass is very thin and it will break. Some pet stores do not train their staff well - if someone tells you it's OK to put guppies together with most cichlids, go somewhere else! (There are some peaceful cichlids, but that's another page...) Never buy fish if they have any sores, blemishes or other defects - chances are they sick and won't survive. Do not buy a fish from a tank that has a dead fish in it. Things You'll Need airline tubing (if you have an undergravel filter and an air pump) Tap water conditioner (to remove chlorine and make tap water safe for your fish) Thermometer Plants (plastic or live - live ones will need replacing periodically) A brand new plastic bucket (for carrying water to and from the nearest water source/drain). Old ones may have chemical or cleanser residue in them. Chemical testing kits for the cycling process: Ammonia, Nitrite, and Nitrate kits at very least.   Create Date : 29 ธันวาคม 2549     Last Update : 29 ธันวาคม 2549 11:34:14 น. Counter : 516 Pageviews.   0 comment Share Tweet

How to Make Your Own Underwater Aquarium Filter How to Make Your Own Underwater Aquarium Filter Keep your fish tank clean and save money in the process by building your own submersible filter. It's really simple! Steps Obtain these materials for your filter: a sponge or other thick mesh material, an open top container (i.e. the bottom half of a plastic water bottle), a standard aquarium powerhead or submersible water pump, some activated carbon, and air tubing (must be able to fit pump nozzle). Make sure your powerhead or submersible pump fits into the open top container while still allowing generous room for the sponge material and carbon. Pour some of the activated carbon into the container. Wrap up the intake valve of the pump or powerhead with some fine mesh material. A pair of women's nylon stockings would be an ideal material. Place the wrapped pump into the container, pressing it snugly into the activated carbon pieces. Fit a piece of aquarium tubing onto the output nozzle of the pump. A three inch piece of tubing would be fine. Cut pieces of sponge material to fit the container. Cut small holes in those pieces to allow the aquarium tubing to go through. Slip the pieces of sponge material into the container, making sure that the aquarium tubing comes out. Secure the filter with some string or rubber bands. Place the filter in an inconspicuous location in your tank and turn it on. Enjoy a tank with cleaner water! Tips Initially, the filter will only pick up pieces of debris and feces in your tank. But as time progresses, bacteria beneficial to your tank will accumulate in the sponge material, allowing the filter to perform chemical filtration of your water as well. Make sure your powerhead or pump is size-appropriate for your fish tank - i.e. a 10 gph pump for a ten gallon tank. If you have an adjustable power pump or powerhead, make sure that the output power is set at a desirable level for your type of fish tank. You can bury half of your filter in your tank's gravel to keep it secure, or have it stand upright. Warnings Regularly check your filter to make sure that it is still working. A malfunctioning pump is hazardous for your fish as well as you.   Create Date : 29 ธันวาคม 2549     Last Update : 29 ธันวาคม 2549 11:24:52 น. Counter : 423 Pageviews.   0 comment Share Tweet

How to Clean a Five Gallon Fishtank How to Clean a Five Gallon Fishtank Are your fish about ready to pack up and move to cleaner waters? Afraid of cleaning the tank because the last time you did it, the fish had clean water, but died from the shock of it all? Make your fish tank shine and your fish happy with this simple procedure! Steps If there's only a few fish in the tank, get a clean bowl or container to put the fish in. This container should be free of any soaps or residue, as this can kill the fish! Fill the clean bowl/container with some water from the tank you are going to clean. This keeps the fish in familiar water and reduces shock. Remove the fish from the dirty tank with an aquarium net, and put in the new container with the water. Set your filter aside, with some aquarium water inside it. Keep at least some of the media inside the filter intact: it contains beneficial bacteria that help break down the ammonia that the fish produce. For example, if your filter has a sponge in it and a charcoal pack, replace the charcoal and keep the sponge. Use an aquarium vacuum/siphon to suck out a maximum of 90% of the tank water. Or, you can keep up with water changes and only have to change 10% of the water per week. Rinse decorative items (ie plants, rocks, etc) that were in the tank with clean, room temperature water. Use the aquarium siphon to vacuum waste from the gravel. Or you can start over with new gravel (if you do, rinse the new gravel thoroughly in room temperature water, to remove any chemicals or residue). Scrub the tank with new sponge, towel, or other type of cleaning cloth (be sure that whatever you use doesn't have soapy additives). This should only be done with clean, room temperature water. Replace the decorations and things you took out. Add new water to the tank--again, making sure it is about room temperature. Add dechlorinator before you put the fish in the tank, or you risk harmful chemicals killing your fish. You can buy dechlorinator at any pet store. Testing kits for other water qualities are available at the pet shop. Put fish carefully back into the tank with the aquarium net if you took them out and if everything is satisfactorily clean. Enjoy your clean tank! You can actually see the fish swimming in it now. Don't let your tank get this dirty again. Are you over-feeding your fish? Or not performing regular water changes (replacing ten percent of the tank water with clean, dechlorinated water every week)? Tips The most important part of cleaning the tank is keeping the water temperature constant. Fish die, usually, from the shock of going from warm to cold water. A full tank of water is very heavy, and if you try to move a tank while it is full, you risk having the bottom fall out or having the seams fail. You can pick up a plasic tank syphon at any pet shop or even a discount store (i.e., Walmart (tm) )(But really try to get a syphon somewhere else, as Walmart isn't the best place) Rinse everything that is going back in to the tank completely, to remove any algae, slime, etc. Warnings Never use cleaners, soap, or chemicals to clean your fishtank. They will remain on the tank, and get into the water--and then you can kiss your fish bye-bye.   Create Date : 29 ธันวาคม 2549     Last Update : 29 ธันวาคม 2549 11:18:30 น. Counter : 368 Pageviews.   0 comment Share Tweet

How to Make a Goldfish Live for Decades How to Make a Goldfish Live for Decades Believe it or not, a goldfish should live for 10 to 25 years or longer if it's given the proper care. The Guinness Book of World Records cites a goldfish named Tish that lived 43 years after being won at a fair in England in 1956! Here's how to help your scaly companion survive into the "golden years." Steps Purchase the largest possible tank for your goldfish. While using a 2.5 gallon tank instead of a small bowl will increase longevity, albeit not by much, 10 gallons per fish or more is necessary. Choose a tank with a large surface area to increase the amount of oxygen in contact with the surface of the water (i.e. wider is better than taller). Set up the tank prior to the purchase of fish. Getting it ready may take two or more weeks. It is necessary to build up enough good bacteria to break down the fish's wastes. To do this, do the "Fishless Cycle" (see external links below). Once completed, your Goldfish aquarium will have more than enough bacteria to break down the wastes your fish will produce. Failure to cycle a tank will result in ammonia poisoning. Provide mental and physical stimulation for the fish. Decorate the tank with gravel, bridges, plants, etc. Gravel provides a place for good bacteria to grow, and goldfish like to hide and swim through little buildings and bridges. Rearrange the bridges and plants on a monthly basis to offer the goldfish "new" areas to explore. Add a filter. Either a large internal or an external is best, as goldfish are very messy creatures. Without a filter, smaller tanks will foul and become deadly in just a day or two. Keep in mind that having a filter doesn't mean you can avoid cleaning the tank. Even with a filter, change 20% to 50% of the water about once every week. Add some equipment to increase oxygen diffusion into the water. A powerhead is best, although some fancies will not like the current. If this is the case, a large air pump and air stone is sufficient. Clean the tank regularly. This is essential. How often you do this will depend on the size of your tank, the number of fish, and the effectiveness of the filter. When you add/change water, use a dechlorinator that also removes chloramine and heavy metals as per instructions. Frequently test for ammonia and nitrite. A pH test is also handy to ensure your goldfish's water is not too alkaline or acidic. This can be purchased at any pet store. Do not modify the fish's water, however, unless it is significantly different from neutral. Goldfish can tolerate a wide pH range, and pH modifying chemicals are not a lasting solution without more consistent monitoring than most people will do. A range of pH 6.5-8.25 is fine. Many municipal water supplies buffer their water up to around 7.5, and goldfish will live very happily in this range. Do not remove the goldfish during a water change. Using a gravel vacuum to suck debris out of the gravel can be done with the fish in the tank. Frequent partial water changes are better than full (and stressful) water changes. If you do need to catch your fish, consider using a plastic container rather than a net, as the fish can injure its fins and scales while thrashing around. This also increases stress! If a net is the only option, soak it prior to use. Dry nets are much more likely to cause injury than wet ones. Allow the water temperature to change as the seasons change. While goldfish don't like temperatures over 75°F (24°C), they do seem to like seasonal variations where the temperature falls to the high 50s or 60s (15-20°c) in the winter. Fancier goldfish are an exception and cannot easily tolerate temperatures below about 60°F (16°c). Be aware that goldfish will not eat below 50-55°F (10-14°c). Feed the goldfish once or twice daily with food specifically designed for goldfish. If you choose to feed them twice, then reduce the size of the meals. Give them only as much as they can eat in a few minutes, and clean any leftovers immediately. Tips Be sure to regularly clean leftover food and waste from the gravel. If the air pump is too strong for the size of the tank, you may place a clip or commercially available valve on the tubing and reduce the amount of bubbles. Never use a tank under ten gallons unless it is temporary (ie, less than a week). Anything smaller will stunt the fish leading to many health problems, and can be considered cruel. Carbon is arguably unnecessary. It will mask a lot of problems, and eventually it will leak all toxins back into the water. Goldfish can grow to be over 12 inches long if put in tanks or ponds that are large enough! Test your water for pH, hardness, and alkalinity initially. If your water is soft, adding some oyster shells to a mesh bag is good as it can help raise the hardness and buffer the water. Goldfish like water with a pH of 7 to 8 and moderate hardness. Goldfish also like aquarium salt. This is different from salt used in oceanic tanks. It is a freshwater salt that releases electrolytes to improve overall health. Gravel is a necessity in the long run. Though large rocks and colorful stones look pretty alone, gravel allows the growth of beneficial bacteria that reduce the ammonia levels of the tank. Test the levels of Nitrite and Ammonia regularly. Ammonia and Nitrite are very poisonous and any level over 0 PPM is bad. If the readings are above 0 PPM check more frequently and do more frequent water changes. Nitrate is alright up to levels of about 20 PPM. Warnings Avoid using gravel that is sharp or of such size as the fish can get it stuck in their mouths. Be careful when adding multiple goldfish to the same tank, as they can spread diseases. When at the pet store, check to make sure the fish looks healthy. If there is an abnormal number of dead fish, then use caution when buying. New fish should be quarantined away from the old fish to reduce the spreading of parasites, bacteria, and/or fungus. If you are worried about the quality of the tap water in your area, call your local pet store and ask if the water is usable for fish. Your local government should be able to give you a water quality report if you have city water. This report will give you an idea of the local water chemistry. Be sure there is no soap or detergent residue in the container used for water changes. This is poisonous to fish. Water heaters are prone to malfunctioning and can stay on even after they are set to turn off, so monitor them with a thermometer. Most modern heaters work well and should not malfunction. Be careful when transporting your goldfish. Stress can reduce the lifespan of a goldfish. Get a top or lid for the tank so your goldfish cannot jump out. Many cities put chloramine in water rather than chlorine. Chloramine does not evaporate and must be removed by adding an additional chemical. Any ammonia remover should do the job. Temperature fluctuation will stress goldfish - try to keep the temperature as constant as possible. It is unhealthy to overfeed your fish. Only feed your fish as much as directed. Things You'll Need Aquarium Fish Gravel or sand Decor Complete Water Test Kit Filter Air Pump or powerhead Gravel Vacuum   Create Date : 29 ธันวาคม 2549     Last Update : 29 ธันวาคม 2549 11:07:15 น. Counter : 724 Pageviews.   1 comment Share Tweet

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