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By Fish-Keeping Tips, July 22, 2009 1:02 am

Aquarium paraphernalia
To set up fish tanks you will need the following equipment: filter, heater, lighting, gravel, plants and décor. You will also want replacement filter media and aquarium test kits to examine water parameters and monitor the nitrogen cycle. I firmly advise buying complete system fish aquariums which come with all the necessary aquarium equipment. This means you are not bewildered as to what precisely you need for starting your fish tank or baffled by the range of various types of equipment on offer. Buying fish tank aquariums with everything you need gives you peace of mind and relieves a lot of pressure!

Setting up your aquarium
Before acquiring an aquarium you need to decide on the room you have available and research the adult size of the fish you would like to keep, both of which will indicate the size and shape of aquarium that would be appropriate. Considering all this has been carefully planned and your ideal aquarium is there with all the necessary equipment ready to be set up, you can follow these steps to stress-free successful aquarium setup.

1. Position aquarium (on a stand, if required) in an area away from direct sunlight, heat and draughts, as these change the light and temperature of the tank. Also make certain that the floor is able to carry the full weight of the aquarium when filled with water (approximately 10 pounds per gallon of water).

2. Wash out the tank with water as hot as you can tolerate. Do not use detergents or soaps as residue will be harmful for tropical freshwater fish.

3. Position the under-gravel filter in the bottom of the tank (if your aquarium comes with one), following the instructions given.

4. Rinse the gravel thoroughly in hot water using a sieve to take out any dust or fragments. Add the gravel to the tank, covering the under-gravel filter. Create a gentle slope of gravel, deepest at the back.

5. Clean all artificial decorations and plants in hot water and arrange in the aquarium.

6. Fasten the aquarium heater to the inside of the tank with its suction cups but do not plug it in for at least 30 minutes until the thermostat has adjusted to the water temperature, otherwise the heater may break. Obviously, you need to have researched the species you intend to keep to learn about specific temperature needs.

7. Set up the aquarium filter following the instructions given, putting the filter media inside.

8. Rest a dish on the bottom of the aquarium to break the power of the water and fill the aquarium with water that is at room temperature. Add de-chlorinator to the water if you are using unfiltered tap water. Check for any rare leaks as you fill the tank. (They are easily repaired with aquarium silicone).

9. Unless the aquarium lighting is previously fitted underwater, put the light on top.

10. Plug in all the equipment and ensure that everything is working properly. Make sure there is a dip in the cord before it reaches the electrical outlet, known as a ‘drip loop’. This ensures the water drips off onto the floor and does not pass directly into the electrical socket.

Your aquarium is now functional in its self but is still not ready for supporting tropical freshwater fish. Good bacteria needs to be established first, and the aquarium environment then needs to change as new fish are gradually added.

How to continue after initial aquarium setup
Allow the tank to settle and the water stabilize for some days. Throughout this time you should keep monitoring the water parameters using aquarium test kits to make certain they are suitable for the fish you propose to have (temperature, ammonia, pH, hardness, ).

Nitrogen cycle
You will then have to begin the nitrogen cycle so your aquarium will be ready to sustain healthy freshwater fish (see linked article ‘Setting-Up Tropical Freshwater Fish Tank Aquariums: The Nitrogen Cycle’ at ezinearticles.com).

Aquarium care
When the nitrogen cycle is finished and you start adding fish to your aquarium, you need to set in motion a maintenance schedule. On a daily basis check that fish are healthy, particularly during feeding times, and make sure that the filters and heaters are operating well. Clean your tank every one to two weeks and perform 25% water changes once a month.

Copyright © 2009 Jill Kaestner @ Kaestner Marketing LLC

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By Fish-Keeping Tips, July 18, 2009 3:31 am

Importance of a proper diet for different species
Feeding tropical fish a balanced diet that is suited to their species is absolutely crucial. Proper feeding supports a healthy immune system, stimulates growth and breeding, improves the appearance of fish and encourages activity. Different species of fish require different diets so it is essential that you research the eating habits of the fish you propose to have in your fish tank aquariums.

Finding the right consistency and type of food
The type of diet and food consistency can be determined by considering three divisions of two groups.
The first section is the type of food. Herbivores eat plant-based food only, carnivores are meat-eating fish and omnivores eat both plant and animal matter. Most fish fall into this third group.
There are also different depths at which fish feed in tank aquariums so it is essential to display food in a consistency suitable for fish which collect food from the top, fish that feed on food which has been dropped into the water, and fish that gather food from the bottom of aquariums.

What will you offer?
All fish require a balanced diet consisting of fats, carbohydrates, proteins, vitamins and minerals. Here are a variety of foods you may consider, depending on the dietary requirements of the fish in your freshwater fish tanks.

Herbivore fish need food high in fibre, for example algae and vegetables. These fish will enjoy spinach, lettuce, nettles, zucchini, carrots, peas and maize. You need to make certain that these vegetables are boiled so they are soft, and broken down into reasonably sized morsels. These foods offer various vitamins, minerals and trace elements. I also recommend using Spirulina for herbivores as it provides them with easily assimilable vegetable protein.

For carnivores and omnivores, a diet rich in protein will be essential. This can be supplied through live food (ensuring it is nourishing), home-produced or commercial foods. Thin slices of raw red meat or cooked white meat can be used, live small fish (e.g. feeder goldfish), live or freeze-dried worms, daphnia, brine shrimp, Tubifex, and krill. Meat, brine shrimp and worms are best fed as a treat rather than as an everyday food. Tubifex promotes growth and can be used as a conditioning food to get your fish in good shape before reproduction. For myself, I recommend krill as a dietary mainstay for carnivorous and omnivorous fish. They are rich in protein, contain amino acids and Omega 3 fatty acids for general health, carotenoids to bring out bright colors in fish, vitamins and minerals which support the immune system, dietary roughage to improve digestion, and energizing carbohydrates. Krill also contain little fat and salt. They are ideal for enabling a sick fish recuperate or to bring an already healthy fish up to peak condition for breeding or showing. For predatory carnivores who like to catch moving things, you can dangle non-live food from a fork and lower it into the aquarium in front of the fish, wiggling it around so that it seems it is alive!

Dry foods
There are several types of dry foods such as granules, grains, flakes, pills, wafers and pellets. All of these can be bought in a choice of textures considering the type of fish you would like to feed and the various depths of the water column they live in. these prepared foods are of a high-quality, designed to supply a balanced diet and are full of extra vitamins and minerals, so it is essential to add them in the diet. Different formulas can also be used once in a while such as preparation for breeding or for developing color. It is also very practical being easy to store and doesn’t require any preparation. The risk of disease or parasites being brought into aquariums with food is likewise completely eliminated.

Enjoy!
Diversity is the real key to beneficial fish nutrition. Therefore, it is imperative to give your fish a range of different appropriate foods to ensure they obtain a balanced diet for their best possible health and their interest in and enjoyment of food.

Copyright © 2009 Jill Kaestner @ Kaestner Marketing LLC