Basics Of A Marine Aquarium

October 1, 2011 By Leave a Comment

Do you know where the idea of aquarium started and came from? Actually, it started centuries before in the city of Rome. At Rome, people would use glass jars with sea anemones and saltwater in it. And as you should know, this was accepted to be fashionable and in trend. Making and maintaining an aquarium a hobby is quite difficult yet satisfying thing to do. You must know the proper ways of maintaining the fish tank as well as taking care of the living organisms you put in the saltwater.

Before, people who own aquariums would get saltwater directly from the seashore. Although the water became realistic, it had caused death of living organisms within the fish tank. That’s why it has been now practice to use saltwater made from chemicals, which was considered to be safer and contains moderate levels of salt solution.

If you want to make your own aquarium right at your home, this article would help you know about the specific things you’ll need to have and maintain a fish tank.

The Fish Tank

Most enthusiasts would use glass-made fish tanks or those made with acrylics. Most of these aquariums could be placed in table or in a specific place in the wall. Having a miniature of real saltwater at home would require you to have equipments to be used for chemical filtration, mechanical filtration, as well as for biological filtration needs. Also, you will need lighting and heating systems.

There are several keeping methods of fish tank organisms, these include the following:

  • FO

This stands for Fish Only tanks. This kind of aquarium would only contain fishes and pebbles for the bottom of the aquarium.

  • FOWLR

This stands for Fish Only With Live Rock System. In this method, fishes would live along with algae, bacteria, and other creatures found in live rocks.

  • Reef Tank

In this tank, the main organisms to be found are sea anemones, corals, and invertebrates. This tank would need a carefully maintained and monitored lighting system.

The Aquarium’s Filtration System

A filtration system for a fish tank is needed to avoid the damaging microorganisms. There are various filtration methods in maintaining your fish tank. These methods would necessarily need chemical, mechanical, and biological filtration.

Filters can be places for bacteria to thrive, particularly in the plates it contains. Don’t remove or clean this bacteria for it would not harm your aquarium instead it would provide good biological balance in the fish tank. In larger aquariums, the live rocks are the ones that provide the biological filtration, but the problems are the fungi and molds that form in the rocks. As a response to this, many owners are advised to use protein skimmers. These skimmers would produce the bubbles in the aquarium, bubbles that would imitate the wave foam actions and would also consists of waste products, plankton, essential nutrients, and saltwater as well.

The Lighting And Heating System

Lighting is not that essential in maintaining aquatic systems. But on the other hand, it is still needed in cycles requiring balanced hours of light and dark. Actually, this lighting system is necessary for Circadian rhythm, which determines the specific times to waking up and sleeping.

Heating system is essential in adjusting fish organisms in a temperature that they usually have in their specific regions. And most marine organisms are found in tropical regions where there is warmer temperature.

The Aquarium’s Marine Saltwater

Putting water in your aquarium needs different requirements such as specific gravity. Here are some of the correct specific gravities for corresponding fish tanks:

  • FO tanks: 1.020-1.024
  • Tanks supporting growth of corals and invertebrates: 1.023-1.026

Salt content is also important. There should be 30 parts/thousand in an aquarium. You can use refractometer to determine salinity.

On the other hand, pH level should only be 8.1-8.3. You can maintain this through use of the following:

  • Buffers
  • Monitored levels of Ammonia

Having an aquarium would be fun if you would only try. Although there are lots of materials and things to take heed on, still, making this a hobby would be fulfilling at the end.

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Creating The Right Environment In Your Aquarium

June 12, 2011 By Leave a Comment

Light and heat play vital roles in maintaining an aquarium. Since an aquarium was made artificial, there is a great need to imitate the natural conditions under water so that the inhabitants, particularly the fishes won’t be having problems adapting into the environment, be sick, or die. Many aquarium owners would only focus on putting right kind of water, feeding the fishes properly, and setting up the filtration and pumping system to keep the water clean and fresh. But many owners mistakenly regard these factors as primary reasons why an aquarium fails, for lighting and heat are as important as the factors mentioned.

Lighting System And Its Kinds

Lighting is important for fishes to regard it as their sunlight, since most fishes underwater are exposed to sunlight. It comes in variety of types, here are some of the most common and popular types:

  • Fluorescent Lighting

These lamps are relatively cool, cheaper, easy to maintain and replace, and consume low electricity power.

  • Classic Incandescent Lights

Consumes a bit more electricity but produces brighter light. It runs hotter than fluorescents but better used for raising tropical fishes.

  • Compact Lights

These lights consume least power, produce least heat while running, and produce least illumination. These lights are best for breeds which prefer darker and cooler waters.

  • Metal Halide

These lightings are best for aquariums with great number of fishes. It produces sunlight imitation at low intensity level. It comes in variety of intensities. You can personally select one with a light that could approach your aquarium inhabitants. Avoid choosing metal halide lamps with higher output than your aquarium needs for it could be dangerous.

Heating System

Water heater coils and filters with heaters are recommended equipments for any aquarium. There are different kinds of heaters, such as one with temperature setting and thermometer. This kind is perfect for avid fish raisers. Since avid fish raisers know the right temperature for an aquarium, they could adjust the temperature themselves. Unlike for casual fish raisers, the general rule of thumb that keeps the water warm even in relatively cold weather is only used.

For larger aquariums, you should use two heaters, one at every other end of the tank. These would evenly distribute the water temperature. These would avoid thermal shock when your fish swims from one side to another.

Lastly but most importantly, you must consult your pet shop about the heater’s output. The larger your fish tank is, the more important you’ll need heaters. Remember that heaters are not only measured through its temperature output but also on its power consumption which determines it heating performance. This could assure your aquarium best performance as well as safety of your fish pets.

In conclusion to this, lighting and heating system shouldn’t be disregarded. These factors are extremely important especially if you want to keep your fishes in a safer habitat. These are really useful in making your fishes adjusted well with the environment and giving them the feeling of being in a real underwater environment.

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How To Set-up A Marine Aquarium?

April 1, 2011 By Leave a Comment


Setting up a new marine aquarium can be tricky for beginners – this video explains some of the key concepts that any marine fishkeeper needs to master.

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Discus Are The King Of Fresh Water Fish

March 1, 2011 By Leave a Comment


Discus are often referred to as the King of Freshwater Fish and you can see why from this video. They are fairly sensitive fish and need expert care if they are to thrive so they aren’t suitable for novice fishkeepers.

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Keeping Angel Fish In Your Aquarium

January 5, 2011 By Leave a Comment

Getting an aquarium is one of the best choices you could have to decorate or put a lively yet relaxing aura in your place. This could either be small, medium in size, or large. Aquarium is best when you love fishes. You can actually maintain your interest even at home. Aquariums also serve as great parts of your home, for it adds good outlook to your house. Aquarium would obviously need fishes in it and getting those fishes would definitely give you lots of choices, for there are many water species suitable for an aquarium. This article would give you one of the best varieties of fish you could include in your aquarium, the Angelfish.

Angelfish is one of the most attractive and unique fishes you could include in your aquarium collection. Angelfish has several species, but the P.Scalare type of this fish is probably the most usual and known Angelfish species. These species had been very popular that caused numerous wild and cross-bred strains to become a part of aquarium keeper’s choices to add in their aquarium collection.

To give you some of Angelfish choices, here are few of the most popular Angelfish you could add in your aquarium:

  • Silver Angelfish

It is the wild type of Angelfish. This fish doesn’t have any major color genes. Because of this absence of color genes, this Angelfish appeared in silver color with usual four dissimilar upright black stripes. These black stripes could disappear and be seen depending on the mood of the Silver Angelfish. During the fish stressed mood, the striped may fade. While during its breeding time, the stripes appear in its darkest color.

  • Gold Angelfish

This kind of Angelfish is most attractive and probably the strongest Angelfish at any unfavorable weather condition. These fishes are normally gold in color. Some of these species can create a concentrated orange crown, which adds to its striking look.

  • Black Lace Angelfish

One of the most attractive and is actually one breed of Silver Angelfish with a copy of Dark gene. This Angelfish comes with very attractive black lacing in its fins.

  • Sunset Blushing

It was named Sunset Blushing because of the clear gill plates showing off a pinkish gill underneath. The good kinds of this Angelfish exhibit an orange tint in its upper half body. Most of its body is white in color and its fins are clear. Some Sunset Blushing Angelfishes could exhibit a pinkish or tangerine hue on their bodies.

  • Pearlscale

This Angelfish is popular for its scale changeable appearance. Its scales have wrinkled and wavy look that reflect light that in turn creates a luminous and pearly effect. This capability of Angelfish can be mostly seen during stressful conditions.

  • Albino

This Angelfish is unlike any other Angelfish for it has no dark pigments.  But some of its varieties, like the Albino Marble, may have an indication of black still evident on the fish’ body. The eye pupils of this fish are usually pink in color.

With these several Angelfish strains, you would probably have the best Angelfishes to include in your aquarium. These Angelfishes would not only populate your aquarium but would give it the best natural and attractive look.

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