My Aquarium Secrets

Janet Ashby asked:


There is a wide range of sizes and shapes of aquariums as well as a choice of glass or acrylic aquariums, so how do you choose the best aquarium for your home and for the fish you intend to keep? We have put together a guide to help you to choose the perfect aquarium.

Where to Locate Your Aquarium

The first thing to decide before you make a purchase is the location for your new aquarium. You must take account of the final weight of the aquarium when filled with water if you intend to place it on a shelf or table. A twenty gallon tank, once filled, will weigh about two hundred pounds! Do you need a stand or a specially designed cabinet?

Aquarium Size

Aquariums for the home come in a huge range of sizes from tiny glass bowls to huge five hundred gallon tanks. You will want an aquarium that is the right size for your home and for your fish. The first thing to consider is the location you intend for the aquarium. Measure the area to ensure the aquarium you choose will fit.

One thing to consider is that a bigger aquarium requires less maintenance. Small aquariums are much harder to keep the water balance correct, are easy to overcrowd and rotting food or vegetation can have an immediate affect on the health of the fish. A good size for a beginner is between twenty and thirty gallons. Decide how many fish you wish to keep. Very roughly you can keep one inch of fish to every gallon of water, but remember this is a rough estimate and a lot will depend on the type of fish and how well maintained the aquarium is. Always understock a tank rather than overstock!

The best way to choose the size of the tank is to purchase the biggest tank within your budget that will fit comfortably in the location you have chosen.

Aquarium Shapes

Since the introduction of acrylic aquarium, different shapes have been added to the traditional rectangular shape including cylinder, hexagon and round aquariums. There are also aquariums designed to be wall mounted and coffe table aquariums. Despite all these innovative designs the rectangular aquarium is still the best as the the area of water surface compared to the water volume is large which is important for allowing the exchange of gases with the air. Other shapes, with a smaller surface area compared to water volume, will often need more frequent water changes and more maintenance.

Do You Need a Glass or Acrylic Aquariums?

Both materials for aquariums have their advantages and disadvantages. The traditional glass aquarium is heavy and can spring leaks at the seams. Leaks are easy to fix however and usually only occur in an older aquarium. They are usually cheaper than acrylic aquariums. They only come in rectangular or square shapes.

The newer acrylic aquariums are lighter than glass and come in all sorts of innovative shapes. They rarely spring leaks as there are no seams. They are more expensive than glass aquariums but generally last longer. They are easy to scratch however so never clean with any kind of abrasive chemical or other chemicals which can fog the glass. Acrylic aquariums used to yellow with age but the newer materials stay clear throughout their lifetime.

Advantages

Acrylic Aquariums : long lasting, leak free, innovative shapes

Glass Aquariums : Cheap

Disadvantages

Acrylic Aquariums : expensive, easily scratched

Glass Aquariums : Heavy, tend to spring leaks



Dana

Peter Cunningham asked:


The canister filter has been in use for decades. Freshwater aquarists were the first to make use of them and they still do. Then along came the marine aquarium and the canister filter was employed to support those to. Canister filters have been around for so long that they are now very dependable and failures are rare.

Aquarium filtration techniques have progressed considerably in the last decade or so. Aquarists strive to make their reef aquariums dependant on natural filtration as far as possible. The use of ‘live’ rock is the major example. This rock can support the reef aquarium wonderfully, provided it is of sufficient quality and in sufficient quantity, and its capabilities are not abused by the aquarist. Live rock is probably the number one filtration method in use nowadays, in reef aquariums anyway. Another example of filtration is the DSB (deep sand bed) where natural methods provide support.

So what of the canister filter? With all these modern techniques perhaps the need for a canister filter is gone. Well, no it isn’t.

A canister filter can be used to house activated carbon, or filter pads or wool, to assist in keeping the seawater pollutant clear and dirt free. Some aquarists have put chunks (around ½” to 1? square) of live rock in the canister and report that the life within the canister is quite surprising - tube worms, tiny shrimps etc.

However, is the canister filter finished as far as a prime biological support function is concerned? No, it isn’t, is the answer (in my view). It is not the number one recommended marine biological filtration method nowadays, and rightly so. There are occasions though where the use of a canister filter is, what shall we say - convenient.

Live rock is very expensive, and there is little point in deciding to filter with it if sufficient quantity is not obtained. There are other decorative and marine suitable rocks that have no filtration capability, but are available at a far lower price. So the aquarist who finds the cost of live rock prohibitive is still able to consider a marine aquarium. Decorate with low cost rockwork and filter with a canister filter. There isn’t any need for a sump, another cost reduction.

I can nearly feel the hackles rising on some marine aquarists! But lets consider it further.

The low budget aquarist should, if finances allow, obtain two canister filters, though this is not absolutely necessary - canister filters are reliable as stated. One acts as a back up for the other. The compartments inside should contain coarse and fine filter material (the coarse before the fine). Following the filter material, and last in line, should come the biological media. This is easily obtainable and not too pricey. Sintered glass media is good, but there are others.

The canister filter is cleaned at least every four weeks, or as experience dictates. The coarse/fine filter material must be kept free flowing and the biological media protected from dirt. With two canisters, this can be achieved by cleaning one at two weeks, the other at four weeks, the first at six weeks etc. The biological media is not cleaned, just the coarse and fine filter materials. It goes without saying that the canister filters should have the correct capacity for the aquarium size they are to support.

Ah, I hear the question coming up! But canister filters are just nitrate factories aren’t they? Nitrate in excess is one thing the marine aquarium doesn’t need.

Up to a point that is correct. A canister filter is a nitrate factory. But the production of nitrate is not exclusive to the canister, it is produced by any biological filtration system. Another filtration system will produce the same amount of nitrate as the canister with the same amount of ammonia to start with. It is the nitrogen cycle, the natural breakdown of toxics. There is a difference however. The canister filter is having oxygenated water pumped through it, which means that the nitrogen cycle can only progress as far as the production of nitrate. Live rock, for example, will hopefully complete the full nitrogen cycle, breaking down the nitrate into gas that is released from the aquarium. Routine seawater changes are recommended for all aquariums. Where a canister filter is in use (for biological purposes) the seawater change must be completed as it is one of the methods for reducing nitrate. The aquarist using a canister can consider completing the nitrogen cycle by other means. A denitrator will remove nitrate efficiently, so that is an option. Sulphur denitrators are the best option (in my opinion).

Now things have become more complicated again. If denitrators are to be considered then, coupled with the cost of non-live decorative rock, and the canister filter(s), plus the bio media, the cost is rising. The option for a canister filter seems only sensible when a smallish aquarium is obtained (for example, seawater changes are more manageable and less costly). Larger aquariums seem better with live rock even though the overall cost is high.

This is not a recommendation for canister filters over other filtration methods. It is my opinion that live rock, coupled with a DSB in a sump, is a very good filtration option. However, for a smallish aquarium where water changes are not a problem and the bio-load is not particularly heavy, the canister filter remains a viable biological support possibility. The aquarist should, of course, cost the options very carefully, and use live rock where possible.



Mark

Barbara Tobiasz asked:


The wall mounted aquarium hangs like a framed piece of art but encompasses live fish. It is easy to see and enjoy your fish as they are mounted at eye level. With its ingenuity and eye pleasing design as well as limited maintenance the wall aquarium will become the centerpiece of conversation. Your home will receive a vibrant kick to the aesthetics from this moving picture on your wall.

We are just beginning to understand how stress affects our health and how important it is to relax. One of the many benefits that a wall mounted aquarium provides is its effect on a persons mind, body and spirit. Tranquility and harmony takes over and will help reduce your stress and improve your health. The aquarium will have an over all calming effect.

They are made with half tempered safety glass in an ordinary tank. They hang on ordinary wall studs and do not take up valuable floor or cabinet space. They are available in various colors and sizes from as small as two feet wide up to thirty feet wide. A small aquarium can weigh seventy five to one hundred pounds when full and a large one can weigh close to three hundred pounds when full of water. They also come with a beautiful scenic background or you may design one yourself. Some color options for finishes are natural grain, mahogany, cherry, red walnut, oak, black and stainless steel.

Wall mounted aquariums are sure to please any level of experience from a fish hobbyist to an active fish keeper. An important advantage of wall mounted from a regular tank is if you have small children or pets they are mounted out of reach. Accidents can happen and at least you can be reassured that this tank can’t be tipped over.

You can purchase fresh water and salt water aquariums. The advantage here is fresh water tanks. They are easier to maintain and the fish are less expensive. Salt water fish colors are beautiful, but they usually are large and this becomes an issue with this type of tank.

I would suggest you consider having a professional install the wall mounted aquarium. The advantage is that all the cables and equipment can be professionally hidden. All you will have to do is add your fish and plants. If you choose to install yourself the filters and heater come already installed. You need to set the heater by simply turning a dial. With steel brackets securely fix and level your aquarium then carefully slide onto the brackets. Once the aquarium is mounted you can fill it right away with lime free water.

The aquarium comes with water treatments that will condition the water. You then turn it on and let the aquarium sit for five days. To let the filters mature start adding about five fish every week until your tank is fully stocked. It is very important that you be patient and introduce the fish in small amounts rather then all at once. That would be a recipe for disaster. The wall mounted aquarium limits your fish selection to smaller fish. The fish size is limited to the width of the tank.

There are numerous companies that have websites online devoted to selling wall mounted aquariums. There are some that offer options custom made to your specifications. Your end result from this purchase will be hours of enjoyment and will add value to your home.

This art treasure will amaze your friends and family while beautifying your surroundings.



Anthony

Maintaining an aquarium is a very interesting hobby, and fish do make for the best pets. They are non-messy, keep to the tank and, most importantly, add to the décor of the home. An aquarium is never out of place wherever it is kept, and that is the reason why so many people are so enthusiastic about starting an aquarium hobby.

However, amateur aquarium hobbyists are prone to make mistakes that could endanger the lives of their tiny aquatic inhabitants. Not to mention, it would do nothing to add to the beauty of your home. If you are entering into an aquarium-keeping hobby for the first time, you should bear some things in mind. Here are some tips that people who are new to the aquarium keeping hobby can use:

The location of the aquarium is the first important concern. Your aquarium should be placed in a corner where there is adequate light. If you place an aquarium in a dark corner, not only will it not be seen properly, but it will also be detrimental to the health of the fish. At the same time, do not keep an aquarium at a place where there is an overabundance of sunlight. Reflected sunlight will be good, but not direct sunlight, especially if your tank houses temperate climate fish. If you are buying a big aquarium tank, then a corner placement will not do justice to it. Place it then against a prominent wall of the room.

The shape and size of the tank is another thing to be concerned about. The basic rectangular glass tanks are the cheapest ones, and they also show the fish very nicely. If you want some interesting shapes, then you could go for curved shapes or hexagonal or octagonal cut tanks. Round tanks are also good to look at, but they are difficult to clean, so amateur aquarium hobbyists would do well to avoid them. Do not buy a tank that is too big or too small for the fish. One cannot really say how many fish you can place in a tank, because the size of fish can greatly vary. Just make sure you don’t have to cramp your fish in it.

You must consider how easy it will be for you to clean the tanks. Again, rectangular tanks are the easiest to clean. Do not get deep tanks while starting out; they will only be too difficult to clean. Also, acrylic tanks are easier to clean (and unbreakable) as compared to glass tanks. You must clean the tank regularly too, because stagnant water can allow algae to breed in them, which are undesirable in any tank. Keeping the water well circulated using an aquarium pump is also a good idea.

There are two types of aquarium that you can keep - saltwater and freshwater. But if you are a beginner, the saltwater tanks are the best avoided. These tanks are difficult to clean, and the fish that thrive in saltwater need several conditions for thriving. There are many other aspects such as pH value of the water in the tank, the nitrogen content, and even the minerals in the tank bed gravel that you need to be concerned about. A little change in the tank could be fatal to the fish. Freshwater tanks are several times safer.

At the least, you will need a good quality filter for your aquarium. An aquarium filter works continuously to remove the impurities and fish waste products through a set mechanism and keeps the water at a healthy level. There are several types of filters available, such as power filters, under-gravel filters and canister filters. All of them are good, but you can do a little bit of research and decide which of these will be suitable to your tank. The power filter is recommended because it is easy to clean and maintain and it can be hidden behind the aquarium tank.