Aquarium Decors: Think Twice!

Setting up an aquarium could sometimes be very tiring but enjoyable as well. If you want to have a beautiful aquarium for your fish to live in, you can put decors in it. Finding the right decors for your fish tank is both hard and easy. Hard because you need to check the decors if they contain harmful chemicals that are toxic for your fish, on the other it can be easy because you can just ask around the right decors for your fish tank.

You can find a lot of fish tank decors and colorful unique materials that are great for beautifying your fish tank, they can brighten up your dull aquarium and the list of these ornaments will go on and on, but the important part here is to choose the ornaments that best fit your fish tank and fish as well.  Plastic materials and rocks like limestone are not recommended for use because they will soon degrade and will eventually alter the water chemistry consequently causing hazards to fish.

Some materials used in manufacturing aquarium ornaments contain limestone which are easily dissolved in water and that will increase the hardness of the water and raises the pH level too, thus making the water more dangerous. Almost all aquarium fish won’t be able to withstand this kind of water leading them to die fast. Cockshells and corals are also avoided for the same reason, since both materials will increase the degradation of water. Forget about how they look, surely they’re lovely but think over the damage they will cause if you put them on tank.

There are many ways how to know if a material contains limestone. Here’s how to do it, take a small piece of that ornament on a flat non-absorbing area and put some diluted acid or vinegar on the surface of the material. If you see small bubbles surfacing in that piece of material then it’s clear it contains a limestone, therefore it needs to be avoided.

There are a lot of great options of aquarium ornaments available in many pet stores. For instance Granite, it’s a great substrate, natural rocks on the other hand can also be taken into account. One of the most common aquarium ornament is an aquarium plant but you need to be ready for the maintenance since it requires additional time and cost.

Lastly, if you would like to add any decors in your fish tank it’s vital to wash them properly with lukewarm water. It is recommended to soak them at least 2 to 3 days to get rid of those harmful materials like any metal chips.

Eani Mini Aquariums for Kids

The age-old goldfish bowl is getting competition from tiny aquariums in a variety of interesting shapes and sizes. Even the smallest apartment or college dorm room can now be graced with live fish. But are they a healthy habitat for the fish? If properly set up and well cared for, yes they can be. If haphazardly put together and marginally cared for, the fish will be doomed to a very short and unpleasant life.

The Good Side
The good side of mini aquariums is that anyone can have one. The monetary investment is small, and the space requirements so minimal that virtually everyone can find a place for one. College students in dorms, nursing home patients, apartment dwellers, even the most crowded of school classrooms all have space for a mini aquarium. Often apartment building ‘no pet’ rules don’t apply to fish. Fish are very relaxing to watch, and can provide an opportunity for children to care for a pet in situations where larger pets are not allowed.

The Bad Side
Mini aquariums do require maintenance, and should not be purchased with the notion they can be ignored for long periods of time. However, the biggest down side of small aquariums is that problems can occur swiftly, and are often fatal before they can be rectified. This is due to the small volume of water in which the fish live. Changes in water chemistry and temperature can happen in a matter of a few hours – or even minutes. Therefore it is critical to monitor the water conditions closely, and perform water changes faithfully.

First time fish owners should be particularly careful during the initial break-in stage of the mini fish tank. Toxins in the water will rise sharply as the biological system is first being established. If water changes are not performed, the levels will become lethal very quickly. Testing is a must, so have water-testing kits on hand or make arrangements with a local pet shop to do the tests for you.

Liquid Fish Food

A type of fish food that is becoming increasingly more popular, especially among fish breeders, is liquid fish food. Having food for fish available in a liquid form can make some of the components of the food more bio-available to fish, and may also have some other health benefits for good pet care. However, the majority of fish owners are unaware of the benefits of liquid fish food, which can promote good health in overall pet fish care. There are several different type of liquid fish food formulas available on the market today, which may or may not be the best fit for your fish’s nutritional needs. Here is some general information about liquid fish food formulas.

 

LIQUID FOOD FOR BABY FISH

The use of liquid fish food formulas is sometimes used to feed baby fish, or ‘fry’ as they are sometimes called. Liquid fish food formulas provide an aqueous suspension of tiny food particles, which are much easier for newly hatched fish to ingest. Because baby fish grow at such a rapid rate, they will thrive off of a diet that provides them with a constant supply of nutrition.

INGREDIENTS OF LIQUID FISH FOOD

Some of the most common ingredients in liquid fish food formulas include:

CALANOID COPEPODS

Calanoid copepods are a type of zooplankton that is in the order of copepods. There are approximately 2000 different species of calanoid copepods, which may reside either in saltwater or freshwater environments. The reason why calanoid copepods are a valuable source of nutrition for fish, is because they ingest phytoplankton and algae. This ingested food is then converted by the calanoid copepod into a more digestible form, which provides better nutrition for other animals, such as fish. Most commercially grown fish are dependent on calanoid copepods for a source of nutrition, which may be consumed either in their adult or larval forms. In most cases, calanoid copepods are freeze-dried before they are added to liquid fish food formulas.

NANNOCHLOROPSIS

Technically, nannochloropsis is a genus of alga that was first classified in 1981. For the most part, nannochloropsis is spherical in shape, and lacks chlorophyll b and c (unlike other related microalgae). However, nannochloropsis contains a high level of polyunsaturated fatty acids, which are often used for many different industrial applications. As an additive to liquid fish food, nannochloropsis provides a high-energy food source for most pet fish.

TETRASELMIS

Tetraselmis is a type of phytoplankton that is commonly used as a nutrient source in liquid fish food formulas. By description (in its natural state) tetraselmis is motile, green and very tiny. Tetraselmis is valued for its extremely high level in natural EPA lipids. In addition to this, tetraselmis also contains a fairly high protein content. Tetraselmis is also able to stimulate feeding in many different types of pet fish, by using its natural amino acids. In its digestible form, tetraselmis contains a 54.66% concentration of protein, a 18.31% concentration of natural carbohydrates and a 14.27% concentration of total lipids.

You can visit KidsAquariums.com to see the newest designs of fish tanks for kids that will not cost you much!

Benefits of Air Stones and A little of its Drawbacks

Precisely how effective are those small bubbles which come out from air stones, or diffusers? A number of aquarists believe that they perform a crucial role inside the aquariums with regards to oxygenation and air diffusion of the water, and that this air source is sufficient. When it comes to the rise of DO (dissolved oxygen) in a fish tank, the water surface is one of the main sites where this exchange takes place. Oxygen is blended down into the water; carbon dioxide is released out to the air, not forgetting that other gases readily pass through the permeable surface of water at the same time. This is the principle which our bodies work on whenever we breathe; inhale good air and exhale bad air. It’s the same manner with the fish tank.

So, if the water surface area of your aquarium is where the primary exchange of gases occurs, then why use air stones and also have bubbles in the aquarium in any respect? For the reason that they do have their benefits.

• They are widely used to drive various kinds of filters and equipment, for instance under gravel filters and a few sorts of protein skimmers.
• Fish tanks that contain solid covers or close fitted hoods on top are prime candidates for stagnant air, low oxygen levels, and high levels of carbon dioxide. Nonetheless, for these types of set ups with an under gravel filter run by an air pump, the fresh air bubbles that come up through the uplift tubes help to get rid of these problems by provided superb oxygen along with other gas exchange opportunities. A power head works extremely well instead of the air pump and stones to work the under gravel filter, however, if the power head is not equipped with an aeration function, or this characteristic is not used, it can provide low oxygen and low PH.
• Whether having an under gravel filter or not, air bubbles aid to maneuver the tank water vertically on the way to the surface, aiding with oxygen and other gas exchanges.
• They are an affordable way to move the tank water vertically.
• They do develop a wall of bubbles that can look pretty cool in the aquarium, plus watching them can be quite soothing.

Air stones can be made of ceramic, glass, or getting more in fashion, wood. Wood stones can be easily made at home with different kinds of woods that are attainable, however the most typical wood used is lime wood. This kind of air stone must be perfect for air driven protein skimmers, and they are reasonably priced to produce. These air stones are also available on the market.

Ok, so air stones do have some positive aspects, however are there any down sides with their use? Of course!

• They usually are not as reliable as power heads, water pumps, and/or protein skimmers are in making water movements within the aquarium. Most of these are far better at helping with oxygen and also other gas exchanges at the water’s surface.
• They do not move water swiftly enough or in adequate volume for what a tank normally needs for good at all times, vertical and horizontal, water flow. This condition can also contribute to a low or too little GPH (gallon per hour) tank water turnover time.
• They generate a lot of salt spray that in turn contributes to salt creep issues.
• They clog up.
• They tire out very quickly, in most cases need replacement.
• They can result in irregular air flow.
• Air line hoses can get pinched or kinked, which often weakens or cuts off the air flow.
• More often than not the air pump chosen to work air stones is inadequate, contributing to low air flow pressure.
• Some air flow pressure is dropped the longer the distance the air has to travel through the clear tubing from the air pump to the air stones.
• The deeper the fish tank water, the farther the air has to be pushed downhill to reach the air stones, resulting in shortage of air flow pressure.

Now that you have known all the benefits of air stones as well as some of its negative sides, you will be able to set up your aquarium completely. Kids can participate in this one of a kind hobby and might have their own fish tank if they want. You can check the coolest designs and latest models of kids aquariums at KidsAquariums.com that will definitely suit your child’s taste.

Catching fish properly out of from your Aquarium

If you want to remove fish from your fish tank for routine maintenance reasons, you need to be careful. When you are not gentle in handling the fish, it might get wounded and the ones with injuries can result in infections. It will likewise lead to tension to the fish.

Each and every fish has a slimy coat on its body. It protects the fish from risky things in water, this coat is produced continuously. If a number of it is removed as a result of your handling, don’t worry. It’s going to be replenished soon.

The following are some advices for avoiding troubles in catching the fish.

1. You shouldn’t touch the fish by hands if you have any injuries on your hand. The fish can get some infection or infection as a result of your wounds. It’s also possible to receive some infection from your fish in case you are already injured. Aquariums usually are full of bacteria and micro-organisms. Many of them may be dangerous for you.
2. It is best to make use of a net for catching purposes and it net needs to be soft. After using for a while, it may well get stiff, therefore it must be immediately thrown away. Place the net within the aquarium water for a while prior to using it. That could help to make the net soft. Perhaps the fish will get comfortable when using the net and it won’t have stress.
3. Your net has to be either green or black in color. The fish is comfortable with both of these colors. You should not make use of a white net even for leading the fish to the black or green net. That will terrify the fish.
4. You should not lash the net across the water. Again it’s going to generate stress to some of the fish.
5. It is possible to lessen the water from your aquarium before taking out the fish so the fish may have less space for floating around and this will be easier for you to do your work.
6. Sometimes the fins of the fish may get entangled when using the net. But do not get panic in that case. Position the fish in water again and make it free. The net should always be free from the fins of the fish.
7. If your aim of using the net will be to get a sick fish, you should clean the net thoroughly before using once again for all the other fish.
8. You need to wash the hands properly in the event you touch the fish.
9. Specific varieties of fish can be caught by specific strategies. For example, an angelfish can be withdrawn with a plastic bag. Guppies might be obtained by bringing the net slowly from the bottom.
10. For catching the fish residing at the bottom of the aquarium tank, you should use two nets. You must herd all the fish first to a corner after which capture them within the net gently.

While accomplishing maintenance work, it becomes necessary to take out the fish. It should be done slowly along with care. If the fish get injured or stressed, they could get sick soon.

After going through the entire article you will realize how vulnerable fishes are. Kids will definitely love helping you in doing this task yet always keep in mind to guide them. If you want to see the latest designs of kids aquariums, you can log in to KidsAquariums.com and might as well buy one for your kids.