Articles » Aquarium Maintainance
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Like everything else on this planet that lives and breathes, aquarium fish get sick just like we do. They don't share the same illnesses that we have, of course but they are prone to other diseases that probably make them feel as miserable as we feel when we're ill.
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The Importance Of pH And Nitrates In Saltwater Aquariums
Water is an interesting element that we often take for granted. Found in nature, water isn't just a simple attraction between two oxygen atoms and a single hydrogen atom. Water is rather complex really, and its make up is as varied as the creatures that live within it. When you try to emulate water that's naturally found in nature (like saltwater), you're bound to face a few challenges. Fortunately, man has discovered a way to successfully meet those challenges through the study and use of pH, nitrates, and salinity.
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Setting Up A Saltwater Aquarium.doc
Congratulations! You're about to create one of the most unique forms of entertainment that there could ever be. Whether you're a lone pet lover or a staff biologist - you've got to admit that aquariums are pretty cool! In no other receptacle can you literally take a slice of aquatic life and enjoy its beauty on dry land. Just think about it - the only thing separating you from exotic plants and interesting swimming or crawling creatures is... glass. Ready? Let's go!
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Setting Up A Freshwater Aquarium.doc
Congratulations! You're about to create one of the most unique forms of entertainment that there could ever be. Whether you're a lone pet lover or a staff biologist - you've got to admit that aquariums are pretty cool! In no other receptacle can you literally take a slice of aquatic life and enjoy its beauty on dry land. Just think about it - the only thing separating you from exotic plants and interesting swimming or crawling creatures is... glass. Ready? Let's go!
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Selecting An Aquarium That's Right For You
Although you might be attracted to a particular style of aquarium, you're better off taking the time to think about the kind of tank that works best with your lifestyle.
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The death of your finned friends can be devastating - especially when you've put so much work into feeding them, cleaning their tank, and supplying them with interesting things to do. The good news is that death can be avoided as long a few important concepts are remembered and practiced.
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Probably the most dreaded part of moving to a new location is disassembling and then reassembling your fish aquarium. Compared to that, hauling a quarter ton bookcase up three flights of stairs probably sounds more preferable! No need to fear - this article lays out a nice set of steps to make the process as smooth as possible.
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Freshwater Aquarium Maintenance Tips
1. Keep saltwater fish out of your freshwater aquarium. Under no circumstance, should life (including plants) from one type of water be mixed with the other. Swapping creatures from one environment could be deadly and extreme care should be taken to ensure 100% compatibility within a single tank.
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Whether you choose to feed your aquarium fish processed food or live food, it's important that you make healthy choices and feed your fish in a manner that will contribute to the overall health of your tank's system.
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Algae is that unattractive (and smelly) greenish-brown "gunk" that attempts to cover every non-moving thing in an aquarium and there are about twenty five thousand different species of it! It's a problem that plagues both experienced and beginner aquarium enthusiasts alike and although it's pretty much unavoidable, there are a few things that you can do to minimize the time it takes to removed it from your tank.
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Preparing a new aquarium isn't as easy as simply filling it with water. New aquariums need to be cycled - which means that the water inside of them needs to be conditioned for fish life. Toxins need to be removed and the water's temperature needs to adjust to the temperature in the room or to its heater settings.
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Freshwater fishes of Eurasia, better known as goldfish, are probably the most popular aquarium pets and they're certainly among the first kinds of fish that kids ask for. Well - that was until Finding Nemo's clown fish grabbed our hearts. But unlike clown fish, goldfish are fairly easy to keep alive which is probably why they make ideal pets for both kids and adults alike.
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A clean aquarium is a healthy aquarium and although your tank may have a natural ecological system working for it, a thorough scrubbing every once in a while doesn't hurt anyone as long as you're careful.
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Whether you're a lone pet lover or a staff biologist - you've got to admit that aquariums are pretty cool! In no other receptacle can you literally take a slice of aquatic life and enjoy its beauty on dry land. Just think about it - the only thing separating you from exotic plants and interesting swimming or crawling creatures is... glass.
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Taking care of fish is enjoyable, but it's no easy task! The following are some questions you can ask to determine if you are indeed, "aquarium ready."
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Here is a list of commonly used terms (and their meanings) associated with aquariums.
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A successful aquarium is one that maintains its own little ecological system (with your help of course). So when you're planning on enjoying the lifestyle of a few friends with fins, the first thing you need to decide is the kind of fish you want. That single decision alone will determine almost everything else - from the type of water you put in there to the kind of plants you include.
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Appropriate Saltwater Aquarium Fish
There are two basic types of aquariums: Freshwater and Saltwater. A saltwater aquarium contains water-life and elements found in oceans while a freshwater aquarium contains the same from places like rivers, lakes, and ponds. Under no circumstance, should life (including plants) from one type of water be mixed with the other. Swapping creatures from one environment could be deadly and extreme care should be taken to ensure 100% compatibility within a single tank.
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Appropriate Freshwater Aquarium Fish
There are two basic types of aquariums: saltwater and freshwater. A saltwater aquarium contains water-life and elements found in oceans while a freshwater aquarium contains the same from places like rivers, lakes, and ponds. Under no circumstance, should life (including plants) from one type of water be mixed with the other. Swapping creatures from one environment could be deadly and extreme care should be taken to ensure 100% compatibility within a single tank.
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Tank plants do much more than sit "pretty." In addition to supplying oxygen, aquariums give fish something to nibble on, work to prevent algae growth, and give aquatic life a natural place to spawn. Plants even play a part in successful filtration by consuming the carbon dioxide that fish put into the water and emitting oxygen. You can fill your aquarium with plants and provide a helping hand toward the birth of a naturally occurring ecological system.
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The light that an aquarium needs is tricky - and really depends on the type of life that exists in it. A saltwater aquarium for example, requires different lighting from the lighting designed for freshwater aquariums. To find out what kind of lighting is appropriate for your *specific* kind of fish, you can ask the store from which you purchased it. But generally, the following advice applies to all kinds of fish and other aquatic creatures even though aquarium lighting is more beneficial to its plant life than it is to the life that happens to swim around in it.
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Keeping your aquarium at a consistent temperature is vital to the health of your fish - especially if you own a saltwater aquarium. That's because the temperature of a saltwater aquarium (and the room in which the aquarium sits) plays an important role in its salinity. As temperatures drop, saltwater water becomes denser. And dense water increases an aquarium's salinity. High salinity as well as low salinity isn't healthy for saltwater fish - so to keep your aquarium at a consistent warmth, you're going to need an appropriate heater.
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Appropriate Aquarium Filtration
Nature has an interesting and curious way of taking care of its inhabitants, and filtration is one method in which nature keeps its fish alive. You can do the same inside of your aquarium by using appropriate aquarium filters. Inside of an aquarium, filtration removes fish wastes and impurities, and it also reduces high ammonia levels - commonly the result of overstocking a tank.
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Adding Driftwood to Your Aquarium
Fish certainly aren't the only things that people like to keep in aquariums! That would be boring and even stressful on the fish. That's why you'll find things like plants and rocks inside of aquariums however driftwood is a common favorite accessory as well. Driftwood is as visually interesting as plants and it gives fish a place to explore, hide, or even spawn. What's driftwood? Driftwood is wood that has been washed ashore. If you don't live near a beach or river where you can pick up a piece of this stuff yourself, you can purchase some of it for as little as twenty dollars.
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Evidenced through ancient paintings, drawings, song and literature, we know that people have favored fish as pets and kept them in aquariums since the time of the Sumerians in ancient Mesopotatmia. Of course they didn't have the aquariums that we have today. Instead, they kept their pick of fish in man-made ponds. In fact, almost every major ancient society built an aquarium of some sort, and that includes historic Egyptians, Romans, and Asians.
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Suddenly, your crystal clear fish tank is looking a bit cloudy. In fact, you aren't quite sure your fish are all still there, because the water isn't clear enough for you to see them. When this happens, you have reached the point where your aquarium will need to be thoroughly cleaned before your fish become ill from swimming in the dirty water. Of course, you really shouldn't wait until there's a problem before cleaning your aquarium. Ideally, a tank should be cleaned every two weeks.
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Choosing A Filter For Your Aquarium
A good filter is probably the most important piece of equipment you can add to your aquarium. Aquarium filters usually provide biological, chemical or mechanical filtration. You might want to get a filter that provides all three kinds of filtration in one, as this will make your tank easier to maintain.
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Your Aquarium's Maintenance Crew: Algae-eaters And Bottom-feeders
In order to maintain your aquarium, you may want to purchase a maintenance crew. This crew is actually a group of scavengers that will feed on algae and on uneaten food at the bottom of the aquarium. Some scavengers can dwell in community tanks without causing harm to the fish while some may eat or attack smaller fish, so be sure that you only buy community friendly scavengers. Why not add a few of these cleaning machines to your aquarium's maintenance crew?
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Adding Plants To Your Aquarium
Adding plants to your aquarium is a good idea for several reasons. They are aesthetically pleasing and provide a healthier environment for fish, since they aid in creating an ecosystem within the aquarium. Live plants help provide oxygen for the fish and other creatures in your aquarium by converting carbon dioxide to oxygen through a process known as photosynthesis.
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Your aquarium is set up and you've tested the water to be sure it is safe. Now, you are ready to run to the store and buy ten or fifteen colorful fish, right? Actually, if you want to have a happy, healthy environment for your fish, there's a bit more to it than that.
