Fish Tank Aquarium Water Chemistry

To maintain your fish tank aquarium and enjoy your fish keeping and ensure that your fish and plants thrive it's a good idea to know something about water chemistry and how it applies to your hobby. You should have a good water test kit to help in keeping the tank in balance which should include the following tests.



pH

Chlorine and chloramine

Hardness

Ammonia

Nitrite

Nitrate



Definitions



Ammonia - fish produce ammonia as a waste product. It is poisonous and a build up will harm the fish. During the cycling of a new fish tank bacteria are encouraged to grow that convert the ammonia, first to nitrites and then to much less harmful nitrates. Ideally ammonia level should always be zero.



Chlorine and chloramine - Chlorine is used as a tap water disinfectant and needs to be removed before adding tap water to the fish tank. Leaving a bucket of water for 2 days will allow chlorine to evaporate. Chloramine is used in some areas as a water disinfectant and cannot be removed this way. You will need to buy a water treatment chemical specially made for fish tanks to remove chloramine.



Copper - Copper is harmful to fish and invertebrates and can be present in tap water where it can enter the water you have older pipes. It is also present in many fish medications.



Nitrates - Nitrates are only harmful to the fish at high levels and are produced by the nitrifying bacteria from nitrites which are harmful at much lower levels. The only way to lower the nitrate levels to below the acceptable 20ppm in your fish tank is to do regular partial water changes.



Nitrites - are poisonous and are produced by bacteria from the ammonia excreted by fish. They are then converted to the less harmful nitrates. The nitrite levels in a well cycled fish tank should be zero.



pH - is a measure of the acidity of the water. A neutral solution will have a pH of 7, an acid solution less than 7, a basic solution more than 7. Although different fish prefer different pH levels most fish will be fine over a wide pH range. Some fish prefer a pH as high as 8.5, some as low as 5.5. Unless you have fish with these extreme requirements there is usually no need to adjust the pH of the water.



Phosphate - this chemical can be present in fish food, tap water or from decaying plant material. It is a fertiliser for plants and can cause an algae bloom if the levels are too high. Regular water changes should keep the phosphate at an acceptable level.



Salinity - the concentration of sodium chloride in the water is important if you have a salt water tank and can be measured using a hydrometer.



Hardness - dissolved minerals in the water contribute to the hardness. The main minerals present in tap water that cause hardness are magnesium and calcium and these will be present to a greater extent if you live in a hard water area. It is not really an issue for freshwater tanks unless you live in an area where the water is very soft. For saltwater tanks it is more important as some invertebrates and live corals need these minerals to grow
.

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Tips For Choosing An Aquarium

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

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Aquarium Fish Deaths - Some Causes And Remedies

You've set up your aquarium, added some fish and are looking forward to enjoying your new hobby. everything looks fine for a while then slowly the water becomes cloudy, or the fish start to die or algae overtake the tank. What did you do wrong? More importantly what can you do to achieve that sparkling tank with healthy fish that you see in all the pictures?



The first thing not to do is panic and rush to the nearest pet shop, buy a load of chemical treatments and dump them in the tank! This will, in all probability, only make things worse. Another thing people new to the hobby tend to do is completely clean out the tank and start again. This is again the wrong thing to do as any beneficial bacteria that you have succeeded in growing in your tank will be removed and you will have to start all over again. You need to understand some basic facts about your hobby first then apply some sensible methods to cure the problems.



We have put together some frequent causes of fish deaths and other aquarium problems with our recommended cures.




Toxic Chemical Build Up



Fish can die for a number of causes but the most common is a build up of toxic ammonia, nitrites and less often nitrates. Ammonia is a waste product of the fish and if left in the tank will cause harm to the fish. Bacteria in the tank convert the ammonia to nitrites, which are also toxic, but then to the much less toxic nitrates. The bacteria are encouraged to grow when you cycled the new tank. You did cycle the tank correctly? If you added too many fish before the tank was cycled this will inevitably lead to build up of these chemicals and could easily be the reason the fish are dying.




Bullying Fish



Some types of fish are peaceful when young but grow into bullies that can hound other fish to death. Tiger barbs are notorious for being bullies. Did you notice that they are always kept in a separate tank in the pet shop? The only way to stop the bullying is to take out the offending fish, give them away or give them their own aquarium!




Infrequent Water Changes



Partial water changes are necessary to remove a build up of nitrates. Although nitrates are much less toxic to the fish than nitrites or ammonia the levels can build up over time until a toxic level is reached. Partial water changes are the only way ro remove nitrates from your aquarium.




Adding Water Contaminated with Chlorine or Chloramines



Tap water is treated with either chlorine or chlorine and chloramines. Chlorine is easily removed by allowing the water to stand for a day or two but chloramines cannot be removed this way. If your local water authority uses chloramine you will need to purchase a water treatment chemical to remove it before you add the water to your tank.




Overfeeding



A major cause of problems, especially in beginner fish keepers. Food left over stays on the bottom of the tank and begins to decay producing chemicals toxic to the fish, This is especially likely to happen in a small aquarium. Overfeeding can also lead to death as the fish, not having a mechanisms to tell them when they are full, can eat until a swollen stomach causes death.




Remedies



If possible test the water for nitrites and ammonia. These levels should always be zero. If they are not perform a partial water change of about 20%. A good rule is to do a 10% water change weekly and a 30% water change monthly. if your problems are due to a build up of toxic chemicals this should improve the situation dramatically.



Never add any more food to the tank than the fish can eat in three minutes. If you suspect overfeeding use a syphon to clean the gravel and do a partial water change as above.



If overcrowding is a problem give away some of the fish or give them a new
aquarium home

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Helpful Pup Crates for Frequently Traveling People

  
Having this trouble of moving your so beautiful puppies with you every time you wish to go at the beach, go to the park and also going to an event where animals are allowed to go with you or everywhere you wish to travel? Well, you should not worry any more for there are the so-called puppy crates. This thing enables you to carry your pets when traveling and would stop you from having this trouble to carry and in addition to manage your pets. These also give you the arrogance of the protection of your cute pups without your supervision. There are several types of pup crates. It could be a wire, airplane puppy or polyester and wooden enclosure.



    If you'd like that your puppy could be visible from the sight
as well as from others sight, you will surely have the wire crate. This kind of crate is perfectly ventilated and because this sort is made of wire, they have a long-lasting life. This is really a good choice if you have a very cute puppy and you wish that the people will see its cuteness.



    Airplane puppy crate is made up of plastic and has hard walls and ceiling, this is generally use in case you are traveling on the plane. This type is giving you the assurance for the protection of your dog because of it structure. It also gives you the assurance of controlling your dog in a tour especially in an aircraft. Needless to say you can sleep well in your journey with no the fear about what would occur to your pet since this kind is powerful and hard.



    Polyester crate is somehow similar to the latter mentioned, this is also made up of solid walls and ceiling but they have this variance. Most travelers choose to use this kind because of its light weight. Which means that it is easy to carry anywhere and you will not worry about the burden that a not so light crate would be giving to you if you are using one. This provides you the convenience of moving your pet as well.



    A heart warming gratitude to one who invented these items for these are of great help for the travelers who don't want their pets to be left at home whenever they might travel. Most of them are the type of pet owners that are extremely attached into their animals. So there isn't a point of worrying about your little funny dogs. You may certainly bring them wherever you could go with no the effort of carrying them. You might have it with a number of colors that could suits your taste and color which is fitted for the pet if you are the type of owner that wants your pet to look good even within those crates


.

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Freshwater Aquariums Galore!

  
Keeping fishes inside your home is such a pleasure. Nothing is more fun than looking at the fishes swimming freely on the tank with no worries at all. The sight seems to calm your nerves and changes your bad mood. However, there is a big difference when you just buy a complete set of freshwater aquarium than making or setting up your own. Although it will eat your time and take some of you energy, the result will indeed be rewarding. Thus, instead of going straight to the pet store and paying for your ready made freshwater aquarium, why not read these tips which will tell you how enjoyable it would be to do it yourself?
  
First, you must make sure that you want a tank in your own home. Choose a good spot, one which is not busy so that you will not end up with shattered glasses in your floor. Then, you must make a list of the things which you need to buy. With regards to the type of tank, you have a choice between a glass and an acrylic one. The traditional glass tank can already satisfy a simple freshwater aquarium. The size must be proportionate with the number or fishes which you want to keep. The list must contain the light bulb, the substrates, a heater, a filtrating system or tool, a background and some live plants. Lastly of course, you must already be sure of what kind of fish you would want to live in your freshwater aquarium.
  
The tank must be cleaned thoroughly using water. Actually there are many fish keepers who say that tap water should not be used since there is a big chance that harmful elements may remain on it. However, the big no-no should be using etergent soaps or other harmful cleaning solutions which will pose a threat to the fish health.
  
Then, you can start by adding the substrates. The substrates are also very necessary matter in setting up your own tank. The substrates can be gravel or sand depending on the suitable type for your fishes. They must be placed on the bottom of the tank and must be spread in a right level. Avoid using colourful substrates for paint may peel off from these colroful gravels and pebbles.
  
Set up the heater, the bulb and the filter. The filter will keep the water clean and free from harmful elements. The heater on the other hand will keep the temperature stable on the tank. Light is also necessary for the whole being of the fishes. There are filters which can be put outside of the tank while there are others which can be placed inside. The latter however tends to eat space.
  
Arrange the live plants in a symmetric manner. There are patterns such as concave, triangle and convex for your live plants. You can always look for beautiful great tips on what they call "aquascaping".
Lastly, the rest all boils down to your ability and skill to care for the fishes which you have chosen. Great fishes include those of the Cichlid and Koi family.

 

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This Is The Freshwater Aquarium Guide You Must Have To Keep Your Fish Healthy

    You are looking to start an aquarium, and of course you want to get it right. You need a freshwater aquarium guide so that you can get started well, and have success and fun with your fish?
    An aquarium is a great way to have a little nature around you, and if you do it right, it can be greatly rewarding. Here are some tips that will guide you so that you get started right and also make maintenance a breeze:
    1. You need to decide what kind of fish want to put in your freshwater aquarium. There are all different kinds as you will find out when you go fish shopping, but you need to know the size and type that you are ready to care for. Different kinds of fish have different needs. You need to think about how big they will get at maturity so that you can know what size of aquarium to get.
    2. Think also about fish compatibility. There are different species of fish which are known to thrive well together. Others do not, and smaller varieties may be preyed on by the bigger ones. It may also happen that there are some fish in the aquarium that are so large that they are squeezing out the little ones, or eating all the fish food and leaving the little ones hungry. You're most likely going for a mix, so take this point into account.
    3. You need to decide on the size and type of aquarium you want to keep. A freshwater aquarium guide will help you through this confusing area, especially if you are just starting out, but it needn't be. The size will be determined by the size of fish you intend to keep. When it comes to type, there are different types of aquariums and they all need different maintenance routines. Some will need cleaning more often than others. Some will have specialized filters, but may cost you more. It will all depend on the kind of money you're willing to spend.
    4. Think about the supplies that will be required to keep your aquarium going. Depending on the kind of aquarium you get, for instance, you may need to replace filters every so often. This can be quite expensive. You may also need lots of accessories to keep certain types of aquariums running. Think about all this as you sift through your freshwater aquarium guide. Substrate also falls here, because you are going to need to buy it. There are different kinds and depending on what you choose, you'll get different benefits. But all these different kinds may also have cost implications.
    5. Keep yourself informed and knowledgeable. If you are starting out, you will need to learn as much as you can about keeping an aquarium. Go online and see what kind of information is available. There are lots of online groups for aquarium lovers too, and here you'll be able to exchange first hand tips on your freshwater aquarium guide. It's also a great way to learn from people who have had aquariums for longer than you have.
    There's lots and lots of freshwater aquarium information to guide you out there, but you needn't feel daunted or confused. The tips that are provided in this article should see you on your way to getting set up. As we have mentioned, make it a part of your hobby to keep learning about fish keeping and aquariums. You will definitely have much more fun with your freshwater aquarium the more you learn about it.

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Pet Care With Home Remedies

    Does the idea of spending massive amounts of
money on the medications that your pet needs leave you with a bad feeling? This
occurs quite frequently, but sadly, your pet cannot tell you how they are
actually feeling. In order to get the biggest benefit possible you need to be
well aware of all of the details pertaining to a home remedy for your pet to
ensure that they are safe, no matter what you are trying to do. With a bit of
research put into finding the best home remedies you are certain to find some
results that are highly effective, yet much friendlier for your wallet.

    One of the biggest problems that strikes pets is fleas. These
little pests are extremely difficult to get rid of once you have them, but as
miserable as they make you it is worse for your pet. A cheap way to rid your pet
of fleas and have them smell great with no greasy feel is to use Pert Plus
shampoo. This is actually a remedy that is highly recommended by groups such as
Greyhound rescues since so many flea treatments are actually toxic to the breed.
Using the shampoo to bathe your pet not only keeps them smelling great, but it
is wonderful for their skin as well. With affordable prices, you can give weekly
baths to keep them looking great without hurting your wallet, or potentially
overdosing them on the treatment.

    If you suspect that your pet has dirty ears that need to be
cleaned thoroughly cleaned reaching for the vinegar is a safe and cheap cleaner
that you can use. Carefully using the solution and thoroughly drying the ear
after cleaning will help to clean your pet's ear and also reduce the chances of
an actual infection. However, if your pet does develop an actual ear infection
then you can treat the infection using natural remedies such as Marigold and
even Tea Tree oil. By inserting small amounts of the oil into the ear it is
effective in killing the bacteria that causes the infection.

    Other remedies that can be used is looking to Rosemary
extracts to help build up the immunity of the ear. If the ear has a very weak
dermal layer, it is much more likely to fail against an infection. A strong ear
that is well protected, clean, and includes a sufficient dermal layer will hold
up much better against ear infections and reduce the number of vet trips that
you will need to make.

    Another common problem that animals tend to have is their
nails grow quite excessively. If the nails on your pet are quite long and you
cut them slightly too far back you run the risk of them bleeding. To stop the
bleeding and help soothe the nail you can apply a small amount of baby powder to
the nail that was cut to the quick. This is extremely effective to help stop the
bleeding and prevent the nail from becoming infected. If you leave the nail
exposed without any protection, you will find it much easier to allow infection
in.

    A small bit of effort will allow you to ensure you are able
to protect your pet from any undue pain or difficulty. A small bit of prevention
is often essential to preventing the majority of problems for your pet, but at
times, this is not always possible. If you suspect that your pet has a serious
problem it is best to seek the advice of a vet who can determine the best
treatment plan for your beloved pet. Never continue with a home remedy if it
seems to be causing your pet additional problems.

    With affordably priced home remedies easily available, you
will typically find that getting the perfect home remedy for your pet is quite
possible. There is no reason to worry that you will not be able to use a home
remedy for your pet. There are plenty of great options that you can use to keep
your pet happy and healthy.

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