Month: January 2018

How To Set Up A Seaclear Aquarium- Your Friendly Guide

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How to set up a Seaclear Aquarium is a question which many a fish lover ponders over. Before you get into the technicalities of setting up a Seaclear aquarium, let me congratulate you on your choice of aquarium. Seaclear aquariums are an excellent choice for beginners.

Yes, its true! If youre just starting out, there isnt a better aquarium choice for you, trust me, so if youre having regrets about choosing the Seaclear fish tank, then please do away with them!

Way To Go!

Seaclear aquariums are generally constructed from premium quality acrylic. This is great because it means that the aquariums are sturdy and dependable. What is more, due to the material of construction, they actually weigh about half as much as a glass aquarium of the same size and dimensions.

And no, there arent any clarity problems just because these arent constructed from glass. These aquariums provide possible the best artificial habitat for your beloved fish to grow.

Lessons and More!

Now we come to the question of how to set up a Seaclear aquarium. While purchasing an aquarium, do be sure to buy an aquarium which is as large as possible. This is because an under gravel filter should be incorporated into the aquarium for stability and maintenance purposes. The Seaclear aquariums filtration considerations are of utmost importance so dont underestimate them.

They really do make life a lot easier. When youre deciding on the base material, do keep a basic layer composed of coral two inches thick or some other substrate, for your fish. Coral might be too expensive so you could go in for live sand or even aragonite.

An essential part of setting up a Seaclear aquarium is the heating considerations. Do purchase a thermostatic heater, a thermometer and a hydrometer for your marine friends. This will help you regulate the temperature of the water in the Seaclear fish tank or aquarium of your choice.

Now Im sure youve already started thinking about Seaclear aquarium decorations, but dont go there yet! You need to fix the aquarium. Choose a relatively less windy area and place it on a sturdy wooden floor, place the under gravel filter appropriately with the air stones, thereafter rinse the substrate material completely, before placing it on top of the under gravel filter.

Add salt to the water and then pour it in! But dont go overboard. The specific gravity of the water should only be slightly more than that of pure water about 1.020 to 1.025.

Before you put the fish into the aquarium, make sure to keep it running for a period of twenty four hours in the very least. This is to ensure that the water is sufficiently oxygenated and salt is properly distributed. Before you put the fish into the Seaclear Aquarium, make sure that the temperature is about 80 degrees.

Dont forget to cycle the aquarium before you put the fish in! For detailed instructions, do refer to the Saclear fish filter tank instructions! Hope the question of how to set up a Seaclear aquarium has been answered!

The Best Kind Of Betta Fish Tank Water

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Oftentimes tropical pet fish lovers think that if their aquarium water isn’t a green or brownish looking color that their betta fish couldn’t survive and thrive.

However, if you take a look at a natural water environment you’ll notice that it has some unique ways for providing small tropical fish just the right type of conditions needed to sustain abundant fish life. And it’s amazing ability to cleanse away harmful materials lurking in the water.

WHY TAP WATER IS HARMFUL

Domestic tap water may be nontoxic (in a small quantity) for humans to drink, but rest assured, it can be toxic for a betta fish to exist in. Almost all domestic tap water contains chlorine and a sufficient concentration of iron along with poisonous elements such as lead and copper. In addition, tap water can also be too hard (or even too soft) for your pet betta fish. And oftentimes it may have abnormal pH levels.

Fortunately, there are a variety of products in the marketplace you can use to make domestic tap water completely safe and suitable for a beta fish tank aquarium.

The very first thing that you need to do (when using domestic tap water) is to remove ALL traces of harmful chlorine. Your local pet store will usually sell several brands of products designed for this purpose. In most case, all that’s required is to follow simple instructions and place a few drops of a special liquid in the tank water, and then let it stand for up to 24-hours so that the chlorine actually dissipates completely.

Once you’ve removed all of the chlorine it will be safe to place your betta fish into their new water environment.

WHY REMOVE ALL ELEMENTS?

It’s also extremely important that you check the levels of copper, lead concentrates, and especially traces of iron in the water. While these elements are generally okay for a human to drink in small doses they can be harmful to your betta fish and sometimes will end-up killing your fish. Another area you should NOT overlook is the “alkalinity and pH” of the water.

Side point: You need to regularly check and test the water so that you can provide a safe and stable water supply for your betta fish.

The necessary items required to do this are reasonably inexpensive and available from most pet stores. By using these products it’ll allow you to “increase or decrease” the water alkalinity and pH levels.

ALTERNATIVE TYPES OF WATER

There are other alternatives when it comes to using water for your betta tank. (1) You can buy purified and pre-treated water. And (2) you can use clean rainwater. However, purified and pre-treated water is the most expensive choice, but it does guarantee you water that’s been prepared properly.

Side point: Purified and pre-treated water is BEST used when setting up a saltwater aquarium.

Generally speaking, rainwater is free of chlorine and heavy metals and is harmless for betta fish. Although rainwater is usually considered clean (without containing any harmful elements) you will still need to check it before use. Why? Because the very life of your pet betta fish depends on a water environment which is totally unpolluted and free of any harmful contaminates.

REMOVE ALL FISH WASTE

It doesn’t matter what type of water that you decide to use you’ll need to maintain it. One important reason for doing this is that fish eliminate waste, and it’s that waste which consists of ammonia. In addition, bacteria in the aquarium will convert the ammonia into nitrite. However, nitrite is still harmful and especially to small betta fish.

Side point: An increasing build-up of bacteria will keep converting nitrite into nitrate, and is considered to be MUCH less harmful.

Another interesting thing in this ongoing process is… this cycle helps maintain an equilibrium in your aquarium. But there’s still enough good reasons to regularly examine and change the tank water if necessary. Remember that the ammonia generation created by your betta fish could exceed the ability of the bacteria to convert this. And many times this can happen with new aquariums that haven’t had time to produce sufficient bacteria in the water.

The ammonia generation also inceases any time you add new fish to the tank and/or increase the amount you feed your fish. Also, always remember that nitrates are harmful to betta fish especially in big doses. So, you should always regularly **TEST** the aquarium water, and change it often to help in keeping the ammonia, nitrites, and nitrates under strict control. By doing so, you’ll wind-up having an aquarium of healthy and happy betta fish bringing you hours of fun and enjoyment.

An Aquarium Vacuum Cleaner Helps With Aquarium Maintenance

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There are a huge number of aquarium vacuum cleaners on the market today. Many do a fine job when it comes to performance, but ultimately what makes the difference is how well it handles gravel. You want to be sure that you are using a product that can handle the work load and deal with gravel without shortening its lifespan or cleaning capabilities.

An aquarium vacuum cleaner can range anywhere from ten to fifty dollars in cost. Like most products, when it comes right down to it, cost does not equal quality in all cases. It is best to know about the product you are planning to buy and to also be aware of the kind of job you will need it to perform before you make any kind of investment.

One key feature that you may want to be aware of when shopping for an aquarium vacuum is how well it cleans without removing aquarium water. Many battery operated vacuum and siphons are not designed to clean objects without removing the water. In fact, many siphons meant for changing water are used as vacuums themselves! The battery operated Mr. Clean by TOM Aquarium Maintenance is a product that vacuums without removing valuable water. The product is inexpensive and has grown to be fairly popular among aquarium enthusiasts. This product uses an external filter and a gravel brush as well. This brush is reported by many to simply be a hindrance to the actual vacuuming action.

In the high range vacuums, judging strictly by cost is the EHEIM Quick Vac. In this case, the money really does make a difference when it comes to the actual product. While still battery operated, this model of aquarium vacuum requires no buckets or hoses to function and works seamlessly in up to three feet of submersion. The product is ideal for complete cleaning of any aquarium but is also not much of hassle when it comes to spot maintenance. This vacuum does a thorough job of cleaning without removing excessive amounts of water or completely redistributing the gravel. It is designed to capture both minor and large debris as well. While prices hover around the sixty dollar mark, the investment is worth the expense.

Having a quality vacuum for your aquarium not only helps with the transparency of the water in your aquarium, it also helps to keep your fish or plants healthy to enjoy a longer and fuller life. A quality vacuum also extends the period of time in which you must change the water in your tank, minimizing the effort on the part of the aquarium owner. Invest in a quality aquarium vacuum today and enjoy watching your aquarium thrive with ease.

How To Keep Koi Fish Ponds Clean And Algae-free

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A garden pond is a great addition to any backyard or courtyard. With a garden pond, your family will have an excellent place for meditation and relaxation. But if you want to add more life to your waterscape, then it would be best if you can install Koi pond on your garden. With a Koi pond, you can make Koi-raising as a therapeutic hobby. It is very easy to install Koi fish ponds. The real challenge is how to keep Koi fish ponds clean and free from algae.

Start with the Right Location and Design

If you do not want to struggle with uncontrollable algal growth in your garden pond, make sure that you design it well and find a good location for it. The best thing that you can do is to build your Koi pond on a location that is partially shaded. You will be able to manage algal growth easily if Koi fish ponds only receive partial sun.

You must also add more water plants in the pond as well as within its banks. Water plants are efficient users of nutrients so they will deprive algae of their food supply. Vegetation can also block the sun thus minimizing the possibility of algae growth at the bottom of the pond. Most importantly, there are water plants that can serve as filters and they will help you to keep pond water clean.

Allow Your Koi Fish to Help You

When you decide to build Koi fish ponds, it is important to know how to feed them properly. That is because the Koi fishes in your garden pond can help in keeping it algae free and clean. If you notice some algal growth at the bottom and sides of your Koi pond, it is probably time to reduce the food supply of the fish.

Koi fishes eat algae and other plant growth. So if you minimize feeding, the fishes will look for other food sources and they will surely devour the algae in your pond. It is also best to add a few fish to the pond in order to keep the pond free from algae. You can sell some Koi or place them in a temporary aquarium if the fish population in your pond gets too congested.

Install the Necessary Filters

One of the best ways to keep Koi fish ponds clean is to install UV filters. These filters are somewhat expensive but they will certainly keep off the algae from your garden pond. The UV filter will kill microscopic algae when they pass through the water channel. So the fresh water that you will infuse in your Koi pond will be free from algae. Just ask the builder or the installation company to install UV filters in your waterways.

You can also use fish-friendly chemicals that can kill algae. However, this should be your last option because it is still best to use natural methods to keep your pond clean. It is important to keep your pond free from algae in order to ensure good water quality.

Closed Loop Water Circulation And The Reef Aquarium

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Water circulation within a reef aquarium is important for many reasons. It allows for food to be provided to corals, waste to be removed from corals, oxygenation of the water at the air interface, delivery of water to live rock as well as making the aquarium a more natural habitat for the aquarium inhabitants.

The easiest way to describe closed loop is using an external filter as an example. With an external filter there is in inlet pipe which delivers water to the filter. The filter pump then pushes the water through the filter and it is delivered back to the aquarium via a single outlet.

Closed loop circulation is exactly the same as this with the exceptions that there is no filtration involved and the water velocity is greater.

Sounds very simple and in reality it is. With a closed loop the water inlet to the pump is located underwater as is the outlet so effectively you have a ‘closed loop’ of pipe work which is connected to an external pump.

The inlet, pump and outlet when connected together are known as a loop

In this type of system normally one pump is used per loop however one loop can contain numerous outlets. For example the inlet is under water in the aquarium. Water is provided to the pump which, when turned on pushed water back up into the aquarium. As the pumps output is connected to pipe work this is run up to the aquarium and then inside the aquarium.

Once in the aquarium there is a run of pipe which can be located anywhere in the aquarium as long as the outlet(s) are under water. It is normally recommended that a loop has no more than 3 outlets however it does need to be noted that the more outlets the loop has the more the power of the water force will reduce.

Therefore from one loop you could have three outlets which can be located in different areas of the aquarium, therefore providing more areas of flow from one pump.

One consideration is the physical size of the aquarium. The bigger the aquarium the more water there is and therefore more water to move around.

The first thing you need to consider is the physical power of the pump. The pumps are rated at zero head height with only one outlet. If you only plan on using this outlet then this will be the output you can expect from the pump. There are no head height restrictions in a closed loop system but I will go over that shortly.

The second thing to plan for is the amount of outlets per loop. It is recommended that you do not go above three outlets per loop as the reduction in flow may be too much. Pumps are rated in accordance with the size of the outlet coming out of the pump and with a pump there is only one outlet. If you put three outlets onto a closed loop then effectively the output from the pump per outlet will reduce. Normally in a loop this reduction is staged with the last outlet having the weakest route.

The physical plumbing is also an area which requires consideration. With a closed loop system you will have one pipe for the inlet and another for the outlet. With this plumbing running down to where the pump is located there may be a fair few pipe, especially if you install more than one loop! The run of these pipes will need to be roughly planned for and it is wise to ensure that they are located in an area where they are accessible. If a leak was to occur then you want to be able to get to the pipe work to rectify the issue.

Once everything is in place the next step is to get water into the pipes and all the air removed. If you have drilled holes in the aquarium for the inlet/outlet(s)s then water will already be in the pipe and as soon as the pump is activated any remaining air should be pushed out. To check if there is any remaining in the pump simply rock the pump gently to remove any trapped air bubbles.

A benefit of closed loops is that a very un-natural looking device is removed from the aquarium. Power heads etc are very good devices at moving water around however they are, in my opinion, quite intrusive. With a closed loop system the physical device is removed from the aquarium, out of view with only the outlets being visible.

With the pumps being external to the aquarium a heat source is removed from the aquarium. Whilst this heat source may be valuable during the colder months it is certainly an issue during the warmer months. With the heat creating source being physically removed it can, at times be easier to provide stability in relation to temperature.

A very valuable benefit of a closed loop system is that there are no head height restrictions. The rating of the pump is what you should get – even if the pump is three feet lower than the display aquarium. Head height is effectively due to gravity where the water when rising up a tube has to fight against this natural force. The pump can only pump the water so high and then simply runs out of power.

If a pump has a four foot head height then at four foot above the pump the water flow will stop, at two foot above the pump the flow will be halved etc. With a closed loop aquarium head height does not exist. The reason for this is that the water does not have to fight against gravity as no air is allowed into the pipe work. The inlet pipe is continuously full of water as is the outlet therefore with no gravity to fight against you get full use of the power of the pump!

The first consideration is that of water flow and friction. Water will always find the easiest route and follow it which is one of the reasons you need to plan your plumbing. If you implement a tee piece for example the water in the pipe will travel down the easiest route and therefore water flow down the secondary path may be severely impacted. Friction is also the same – although the inside of the pipe feels smooth to the touch it will create friction when in contact with the pipe.

When in a straight line this friction is not a problem however bends are another kettle of fish altogether. If you need to go around a bend it is easy to install a 90 degree bend however this is quite a bend for the water to go around and the flow will be severely impacted as well as creating back pressure within the pipe which over time may damage the pump itself. If you need to go around a corner then it is better to use two 45 degree bends instead of a single 90 degree bend.