Foundational fish tank skills for beginners & new fishkeepers
Types of Aquascaping Dutch Aquarium The Dutch aquarium dates back to the 1930’s when glass cages made their first commercial appearance. An glimpse of a Netherlandish master garden will explain why the pioneers of aquascaping left their mark. This technique employs a lush arrangement in which multiple types of plants having diverse leaf colors, sizes,…
Refilling Your Aquarium Your aquarium may have a high-quality “sump” filter, located inside the cabinet stand. This sump is open and accessible. Fill the sump reservoir up to the “full” line. If too much water evaporates from the aquarium, bubbles will shoot from the filter tubes and cause algae to grow on the glass within…
What if I can only feed my fish 5 times a week? Fish in the wild prefer to look for food in the morning and evening. Fish are natural foragers and will not pass-up an easy meal. In fact, when you approach a fish tank and the fish act hungry, this means they are well-fed….
Presence of the Ich disease is an indicator that something in your aquarium is causing stress on the fish. This stress factor can be caused by: Temperature changes New Tank Syndrome Ammonia Nitrites other disease Bully fishes Lack of oxygen Detritus (organic waste) Osmotic stress (too little salt and/or minerals) Nitrates (in rare cases)…
Cycling a Fish Tank- the Nitrogen Cycle What is “New Tank Syndrome”? Every aquarium will naturally establish a full nitrogen cycle within 8 weeks. However, before fully cycling a fish tank, every aquarium has a “new tank syndrome”. This is a 4 to 6-week process whereby your aquarium suffer days of high ammonia and nitrite….
As your skill level in this hobby increases, you will learn that properly acclimating your fish can often be one of the most important steps in creating a healthy community aquarium. There are 3 methods, and for the average fishkeeper, the most important to learn is the float method. While acclimating your new fish, consider…
The Aquarium Nitrogen Cycle The nitrogen cycle is the process by which organic waste is decomposed, oxidized and then converted into gases by living organisms. Every aquarium begins with what is called “new tank syndrome”. The aquarist is feeding his fish on a daily basis, and in doing so, adds proteins, fats, lipids, cellulose, and…
Every aquarium needs 3 types of filtration to function: Mechanical, Chemical, and biological. Mechanical Filtration- mechanical filtration separates out free-floating particles from the water column. Chemical Filtration- is a filter that forces water through a chemical compound to bind, break, or oxidize impurities and organic compounds Biological Filtration- a filter that is designed to…
