How To Create a Freshwater Aquarium

Freshwater Aquarium Setup

1. Choosing the Right Aquarium:
Although it is important to choose an aquarium that you think will look good in your living room, there are other equally important considerations that affect the ongoing expense as well as the health of the inhabitants!

In general we have found that stability of the environment is the most important secret to successful fish keeping. A lot of material has been written about the ideal environment for various species of fish, whether they like warm water or cold water, high Ph or low Ph, hard water or soft water, but this is generally useful only if you are attempting to breed the fish or are planning on keeping a very sensitive fish that is known to be challenging. In choosing all of the items and the fish themselves, always keep in mind the stability of the environment.

2. Size of the Aquarium
Always choose the largest size that fits your living room and your budget!

Don't be fooled into thinking that the smaller the aquarium the easier it will be. Actually, the larger the aquarium is the more stable it will be and the easier it will be to maintain healthy fish. The amount of oxygen available (which is critical to fish survival) is determined mainly by the amount of surface area of the aquarium (not just the size) since oxygen enters the water primarily at the surface. Although aeration, with an air stone or a power head, seems like it is directly adding oxygen to the water, most of the benefit comes from moving water from the bottom of the aquarium to the surface where oxygen is exchanged for carbon dioxide.

Water movement at the surface also increases oxygenation and will generally increase the stocking capacity as well as the health of the fish. Keep in mind that airstones and powerheads can (and generally will) fail at some time or another so don't overstock an aquarium to the point that your fish will die if the power goes out for a couple of hours! It is almost always more desirable to have a few less fish that are colorful and healthy than to push the limits of the tank and risk loosing some of your fish. Not only are fish happier, but the maintenance is easier!

The larger the aquarium, or the fewer the fish, the greater is your chance of having a successful experience!

3. Filters and Filtration
There are three main types of filtration for freshwater aquaria: biological, mechanical, and chemical.

Utilizing each of these three types of filtration will provide you with the most stable and most easily maintained aquarium. General aquarium filters manufactured today include each of these three main types of filtration in some manner.

We will also mention several other methods below, that are more commonly used in reef systems, but that can also be beneficial for fish only systems.

The three main types of filtration are:

1. Biological Aquarium Filtration:

This is the most important type of filtration for stability and reduction of toxic wastes.

Nitrification: In any biological environment there will be a production of ammonia from normal respiration (fish release ammonia from their gills) and the breakdown of wastes. Ammonia is toxic to fish and in nature is reduced to nitrite by a bacteria called Nitrosonomas. Nitrite is also poisonous to fish and is further broken down into nitrate by bacteria called Nitrobacter. Nitrate is relatively harmless to fish but is a primary food for plants and algae. Frequent water changes (say 10% every week or two) will control nitrate levels. Collectively the process of turning ammonia to nitrate is called nitrification and is carried out in the presence of oxygen (aerobic conditions).
Denitrification: This is the process where nitrates are converted to nitrogen gas in the absence of oxygen (anaerobic conditions). Denitrification is generally not of concern to the freshwater aquarist unless the control of nitrates is desired (See How To Create a Freshwater Aquarium ).

Sponge filters work by passing water over a highly porous sponge where bacteria are allowed to grow. They are almost purely biological with some mechanical filtration provided by the sponge itself. The sponge should not be cleaned or allowed to dry out because this will kill the nitrifying bacteria. Sponge filters are good for breeding situations where very small fish are at risk of being sucked up by the strong intake currents of canister filters or overflows. They are also good for fish like bubble-eyed goldfish that may be injured by strong intake currents of power or canister filters. Sponge filters can be powerd by air pumps or small water pumps. See "How To Create a Freshwater Aquarium"

Undergravel filters are the most common type of biological filter and work by pulling water down through a bed of gravel at the bottom of the aquarium and pulling it up through the uplift tubes. Reverse flow undergravel filters are set up to pull water from the top of the aquarium by pushing it down the uplift tubes and up through the gravel. Reverse flow filters are slightly more efficient since they take water from the top of the aquarium which contains more oxygen.

Since nitrification is more efficient in the presence of oxygen and the air contains about 20% oxygen, as compared to about 7% oxygen for water, trickle or wet/dry filters were developed in the 1980's which increased the efficiency of biological filters dramatically. They place the bacterial growing medium, filter balls with large surface areas, in the air (usually outside the aquarium) and trickle the water to be filtered over them. Many kinds, sizes, and shapes of trickle filters have been in use since they were introduced. Although many trickle filters are external devices used in a sump or hang on the back type of filters, several manufacturers including the "Sea Clear System II" aquarium contain trickle filters built into the back of the aquarium itself. The problem with trickle filters is they usually produce high levels of nitrate, and so are not often used in reef aquariums or other situations where nitrates are undesireable. See "How To Create a Freshwater Aquarium"

Canister filters have a containers or baskets inside the filter for various filter media. For biological filtration you would fill it with some sort of biological media, such as bio balls. This media will either come with the filter or can be purchased separately. Once the bacteria colony has been established on this media you will not need to remove it or clean it.

Standard Power filters use disposable cartridges that have a floss pad surrounding them. This pad is primarily for mechanical filtration but will also house nitrifying bacteria. The drawback to this as a primary biological filter is when you dispose of the cartridge, you dispose of the bacteria colony as well. Today there are more advanced power filters that include a separate area for biological media. These are usually in the form of a compartment in the filter filled with biological media or an attached external 'bio wheel', a pleated wheel that the water flows over as it is leaving the filter and returning to the aquarium. See "How To Create a Freshwater Aquarium"

How Often Do Goldfish Lay Eggs, Breed or Spawn?

If your wondering on how often do goldfish breed, lay eggs or spawn it all depends on the water temperature. Water temperature? Yes the water temperature is what determines whether or not the goldfish are ready to breed or spawn along with the age of this fish of course. First off the goldfish needs to be sexually mature or old enough to breed and the eggs within the female goldfish need to be mature as well.

Your pretty much safe to say that goldfish will breed between 2-3 times a year and maybe more depending on where you live. You see in a warmer climate like Florida it may be possible to have more goldfish spawnings then someone living within Canada who only have a short summer. The temperature of the water is what controls the goldfish breeding process. Every day that goes by that the water temperature is above 15 degrees celsius counts towards your 1000 degrees celsius schedule. For example every days that the water temperature is over 15 degrees celsius counts until you reach 1000 degrees celsius days. I will explain more below.

Lets say that you have 10 straight days the water temperature in your fish pond or aquarium is 20 degrees celsius then this would equal 200 degrees celsius ( 10 x 20 = 200) that means if it stayed like that for 50 straight days at 20 degrees celsius water temperature then that would equal the 1000 degree days that goldfish need to go through in order to be ready to breed. After 1000 degree days the eggs within the female goldfish are mature enough and the chances of a golfish spawning is any day now.

If you keep track of the daily water temperature daily will be your best way at determining how soon or often your goldfish will be breeding or laying eggs. Remember the male goldfish needs to be sexually mature enough too. If your interested in breeding goldfish then it’s best to learn as much as you can. Throughout my blog you will find more information on breeding goldfish . You’ll learn all about how goldfish spawn come breeding time through the links below.

Source: aquarium fish

How Big Do Goldfish Need To Be To Breed?

Many people believe that goldfish need to be a certain size in order to breed but that fact of the matter is they don’t. How big do goldfish need to be to breed does not play a direct role in breeding. In order to breed goldfish they need to be a certain age and sexually mature. The age of goldfish determines if they are ready to breed or spawn. The reason that the size of the goldfish can’t really determine if they are ready to spawn or not is because often times goldfish are kept in small aquariums that are way to small. What happens is that goldfish become stunted in size. You could very well have a goldfish 3-4″ long that’s able to breed. If you see a goldfish that is about 8-10″ long you can pretty much guarantee they are able to breed.

The size of goldfish is not important when it comes to goldfish breeding it’s the age of the fish that is important.There are certain signs that tell us that goldfish are ready to breed such as breeding tubercles and when you notice goldfish chasing one another. The goldfish chasing the one in front is the male. Goldfish breeding is something all hobbyist look forward to but learn all you can about breeding goldfish in order to have a successful spawning.

Source: aquarium fish home

Riccia fluitans (Crystalwort)

Riccia fluitans, commonly known as Crystalwort, is a lush floating plant. Due to its versatility, it is often used for intricate aquascaping in show aquariums. This does not mean that it is for experts only; even novice aquarists can normally keep Riccia fluitans without any trouble. Riccia fluitans should not be kept with vigorous plant eaters, because this plant does not cope well with such attacks.
Description
Riccia fluitans forms thick clusters of bright green threads. If you refrain from pruning, Riccia fluitans will grow into a sphere shaped clump with slightly flattened “poles”, quite similar to planet Earth. Small clumps of Riccia fluitans normally float at or just below the surface. As the plant grows bigger and heavier, it will gradually sink down into the water.

Riccia fluitans does not develop any real root system, but it can anchor itself to solid objects such as rocks and branches. Use a piece of string or a rubber band to attach your Riccia fluitans to begin with and remove the string/rubber band when the plant has anchored itself. In some cases, there will be no need to remove the thread because it will be completely covered in lush green.

Riccia fluitans in the aquarium
As mentioned earlier, Riccia fluitans is a truly versatile plant that can be utilized in a wide range of ways on the aquarium. Even though it is a floating plant, it can be grown completely submerged. You can let it float free or anchor it to rocks and driftwood to make an “aquarium lawn”. You can let it grow over larger rocks and/or ledges in the aquarium to create a green, hilly landscape.
Riccia fluitans care
Caring for Riccia fluitans is not an arduous task, unless you wish to spend a lot of time pruning into specific shapes. Riccia fluitans is found in a rich assortment of various habitats in many different parts of the wild, and can tolerate a water temperature from 15 to 30 degrees C. This means that you can keep it with a wide range of different fish species. The water can be medium soft to really hard and the pH-value can vary from 6.0 to 8.0.
In fry rearing aquariums
Ricca fluitans provides great shelter for fry, and small fry can also feed on micro organisms that live on this plant. You can either let your Ricca fluitans float at the surface, or anchor it down and create a “lawn” in which eggs and fry can stay hidden. By including plenty of Ricca fluitans, you can actually achieve a rather high survival rate even when fry is left in the same aquarium as adult fish. If you do not wish to set up a separate fry rearing aquarium, adding plenty of Ricca fluitans is a great alternative for many species.

Source: aquarium fish home

Making an Aquarium Tank

When you’ve decided upon the proportions, you’re ready to begin making your aquarium. It’s a helpful thing to keep in mind that you are able to use either brass or angle iron. Brass is the simpler material to work with; iron will need the use of welding plant. Nevertheless, if iron is preferred, a garage will generally do the welding fairly cheaply.

Cut two lengths of brass angle to correspond with the total perimeter, permitting about f in. for the bends at the corners. Now mark off the angle to correspond with the lengths of the two sides and two ends. It’s greatest to work from the centre of the angle when marking out, as this technique leaves some material at every end for the final sizing after the bending has been done. Use a hack saw to cut a ‘V’ 45° every side of the vertical line that marks the lengths, leaving a little quantity of material which you are able to file away with a flat file. Carry the groove to a depth that leaves a mark on the other side of the angle. This facilitates bending.

The angle is now ready for bending, and this ought to be executed carefully to stop the brass cracking within the weakened locations.

After bending, cut the two totally free ends to the correct lengths of side and end, mitre the corners at 45°, and also the frame ought to be a nicely formed rectangle. Repeat with the other length. These two frames will probably be the base and top of the aquarium.

Thoroughly clean the joints and all of the surfaces which will be in contact, treat with flux, and tin with solder.
The corners of the top and bottom frames can now be soldered together, but make certain that the edges naturally contact every other and that no force is required to hold them together.

Extra strength could be obtained if corner brackets are soldered to every corner. It’s worthwhile to make a jig for holding the frames square whilst the soldered joint is made, and you are able to do this either with a piece of wood cut to the inside dimensions of the frames, or with blocks screwed down to the top of the work-bench after ensuring the corners are square. Don’t attempt to press the frames into shape after soldering.

The four uprights can now be cut and filed to the required length. Once more make certain that the ends are clean and well tinned with solder. These can now be soldered into the four corners of the bottom frame, making certain that they’re perfectly square and upright. A little ‘C clamp could be utilized to hold them in position until firmly fixed.

The final operation would be to solder the top frame within the exact same manner. Once more, a wooden jig could be utilized. Unless an electric soldering iron is utilized the tip will cool prior to it has time to raise the brass to the required temperature to melt the solder. Then a blow lamp or methylated spirit blow torch will probably be essential. If you’re not especially expert at soldering, you are able to drill the uprights, and use little screws and nuts to hold the entire frame together until the soldering operation is finished. The screws are then removed and also the holes plugged with brass rivets, making certain that the heads are perfectly flat on the inside of the aquarium.

If angle iron is the material chosen, the joints could be made smoother and welding is a lot stronger than solder. The angle iron ought to be cut to equal the four lengths, the four ends, and also the four uprights, and every end mitered to an angle of 45°. When this is done all ends ought to fit snugly into every other ready for welding. After the welded joint has been made, the weld could be extremely carefully hammered to supply a smooth finish.

For aquariums over 30-in. lengthy, I advise an extra stiffener across the centre of the bottom and top frame to stop bowing of the lengthy sides. Even though the bowing might be slight, it’s nearly particular to trigger a leak eventually.

The frame is now ready to be painted within the colour you’ve chosen. It’s much better to use a coat of great oil paint instead of synthetic enamels or lacquers, as these tend to chip effortlessly and also the chips eventually discover their way into the aquarium.

With an iron frame, an undercoat of red lead prevents rust eventually forcing itself via the finished coat of paint.

The inside of the frame ought to be sparingly painted with gold-size to make certain cohesion between the cement and frame.

If paraffin or gas heating would be to be utilized to maintain the temperature, a slate bottom, or preferably a sheet of fully compressed stipple glazed asbestos (not to be confused with ordinary builders’ asbestos), will probably be essential. This can generally be supplied by a great builders’ merchant, but it’s advisable to take along with you a cardboard template of the actual size required. These materials could be sawn, but are extremely abrasive, so I advise you to use an old saw if you’re cutting it your self.

Once you’ve finished the frame, you’re ready to start work on the glass. Prior to putting the glass into the frame, run a smear of gold-size round the edges. This will assist to bond it to the cement. The kind of glass to be utilized doesn’t present any issues. The front panel of glass will obviously require to be clear, but the remainder could be horticultural or rough cast.

The base ought to have a clearance of 1/16 in. between the frame and also the glass or plate. Spread the cement liberally on the bottom edge of the frame to a thickness of approximately 1/4 in., making certain that the frame is well covered; lay the glass in and press gently downwards until the cement is about 1/8 in. in thickness. Clean any surplus cement with old knife.

Next, treat the two sides within the exact same manner, and then the two ends. Some aquarists advise wedging the two sides in position with sticks across the inside of the tank, but this technique distorts the glass, to ensure that when the sticks are removed it reverts to its natural shape and causes a leak.

The cement generally begins to harden after two or 3 days, and also the aquarium can then be filled with water. The pressure of water will give a final settling to the glass. Make certain that the aquarium is on a firm base which doesn’t rock, prior to filling. Once your aquarium is filled there’s no reason to empty it unless you’ve to repair a leak, or for some other emergency.

In the event you determine on a big tank, the bottom ought to be put in after the two sides, and also the ends last. This gives extra strength.

Source: aquarium fish and goldfish

Understanding Home Aquarium

Dogs and cats are no longer the only popular choices in pets anymore; fish are rapidly growing in their popularity. Pet fish care is very easy compared to other animals and fish keepers will attest that there has been a growing demand for such convenient pets in the recent past. However, for people who want to keep fish, it is prudent to go a little bit of research into the types of fish they want to keep, their ideal aquarium conditions, their maintenance requirements, etc. to ensure that they can get the most enjoyment and satisfaction from keeping fish.

As far as fish are concerned, paying a little attention initially can help make the aquarium very easy to maintain in the long run. The demand for fish has increased so dramatically over the last few years that it has lead to local shops growing into larger set-ups and has given rise to a fish industry that was never there before. These fish shops are amongst the best places to get valuable information about fish and fish keeping and it would do you good to visit these places to do some research before you decide to set up an aquarium.

There are many different species of fish kept in a fish shop. It is very easy for you to learn about these different varieties of fish, various aspects of effective pet fish care as well as the pointers to proper maintenance of the aquarium for different varieties of fish. You can easily learn about the many sources of bacteria in an aquarium as well as buildup of chemicals in an aquarium that can be harmful for the fish.

You can learn about the various techniques that are used to prevent, control and treat toxins and other substances that threaten the wellbeing of the aquarium fish. You can also find out about the different kinds of products you will need to maintain different kinds of fish, apart from the basic infrastructure. You can learn a lot from the expertise of local pet shop owners and you can also depend on them for good, effective advice. You will also find that buying products from a local pet shop store can easily be a lot more cost effective than buying the same products online.

Keeping fish as a hobby is a lot more than simply buying an aquarium and setting it up for the fish. You will need to buy equipment to maintain your aquarium effectively and you will also need to learn how to use them to create the best possible environment for your fish. You are likely to need support devices such as stand, temperature regulators, filters, lighting and feeding helpers among others and you need to learn to use them effectively to get the best results.

It is important for you to do in-depth research in pet fish care before you decide to keep an aquarium. Whether you choose to research on the net or simply ask your local pet shop owner, you need to know which species can be kept together and which can’t. You will need to learn to separate marine fish from soft water fish amongst other things. Doing these research beforehand will help you set up an ideal home aquarium that is low on maintenance and high on the presence of beautiful, healthy fish.

Source: aquarium fish home

Use Cucumber to Get Rid of Eye’s Dark Circles

Dark circles around the eyes can be experience by anyone at any time. It is a bothering condition that is very hard to get rid of. Dark circles around the eyes can be a primer of certain diseases like allergies, stress and sometimes hereditary. Good thing that cucumber can help you get rid of those dark circles and puffy eyes.

You probably seen the actual procedures of cucumber eye treatment probably in the movies or in the spas in which a slice of cucumber is placed on top of the affected area of the eyes making your face look like a salad. Cucumbers can help reverse the effect of puffy eyes and darkening of the lower portion of the eye socket.

Cucumbers are composed of 90% water which has a hydrating effect to the skin. Some researchers suggests that the cold temperature feeling of cucumber is the reason why it can help reduce the puffiness of the skin.

Below are the various method you can apply to eliminate dark circles and eye bags.

Use cucumber strips
Slice cucumber into thin slices and apply it to the affected areas of the eyes an hour before sleeping. You may apply slight massage into the eye bags after you take off the cucumbers.

Identify the cause of eye bags
The number one cause of dark circles and eye bags are allergies. Learn to study your body’s reaction to products or foods that you suspect as the real cause of your eye bags. If you found your allergen, try to avoid it at all cost to prevent dark circles under your eyes.

Avoid stress
Stress is a silent killer. It can be a start of any killer diseases known to man. You must learn not to tire yourself from work or any activity than can weaken you. Have enough rest and sleep everyday. Stress can lead to mental problems which can contribute to eye bags and dark circles.

Apply cool tea bags
A good alternative of cucumber is to apply cool tea bags to the eyes. It can imitate the coldness of cucumber and can help reduce the puffiness of your eyes. Just put a cold water to the tea bag and place it to the affected area before sleeping.

Don’t rub your eyes
Rubbing your eyes can trigger allergies. Rubbing irritates the skin which results to more redness and darkening of the skin.

A good healthy diet
Healthy diet with low sugar and salt plus plenty of water can contribute to a healthy eyes and skin. Eyes darkening is a symptom of lack of vitamin K and other antioxidants. A healthy diet with lots of fiber from fruits and vegetables are highly recommended.

Other tips include using an eye cream with vitamin K and retinol and quit smoking. No matter what the cause of dark circles and eye bags, you can use these natural methods on how to treat it properly without the help of chemicals found in cosmetics. Remember that cucumber is the best natural method and probably the most popular one in treating eye dark circles and eye bags.

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