Setting Up a New Tropical Aquarium

Setting Up a New Tropical Aquarium  

 by John Jameson

Setting up your first tropical aquarium may seem quite daunting, but it really is quite simple! There are a number of starter kits on the market which come with all the equipment you'll need. If you prefer to buy them separately, let's run through what you will need.
Aquarium

The first thing you will need to decide on is where the aquarium is to go. This must be away from any direct sources of heat, and near to a power point. The choice of location will dictate the size of tank you are able to accommodate. It should be borne in mind that some species of fish, for example Angels, require a tank with greater depth.

Filter
All tropical aquariums need some sort of filtration system, whether it is internal or external. The benefit of an internal filter is they are very economical and easy to install and maintain. The benefit of an external filter is they are aesthetically much more pleasing, principally because they are discreetly tucked away in the aquarium cabinet so they are not on show! They do not therefore take up valuable space in your tank. They tend to be bigger than internal filters, which means more power, greater turnover of water, and reduced maintenance.

Lighting
Lighting can make a huge difference to the aquarium, drastically affecting both the appearance of the tank and the colouration of the fish. Some bulbs are specially designed to aid plant growth; some to bring out the colour of your tropical fish.
It is advisable to keep your tank light on for no more than eight hours per day to avoid problems with algae.

Air Pump
If you have a heavily stocked or planted tank an air pump is a must. Plants absorb CO2 and produce oxygen in the daytime - all well and good for your fish. When the lights go off, however, the process reverses. They deplete oxygen levels and produce CO2, which could leave your fish gasping for air. We recommend setting up a timer so that when the lights go off, the air pump comes on. Alternatively, you may prefer to leave your air pump on all the time - a curtain of bubbles does make an attractive display.

Heater
You will need a heater to regulate the temperature of your tank. We recommend stick on thermometers which attach to the front of your tank so that you can keep an eye on water temperature.
Substrate
There are two types of substrate: gravel and sand. Both are available in a huge range of colours. With a freshwater aquarium you will need to ensure that the substrate is inert and will not alter the PH of the water.
Ornaments

Whether it's mopani or bogwood, a sunken ship or a castle, ornaments make a great focal point to your tank, and make interesting hidey holes for your fish.
Plants
The addition of plants in your tropical aquarium provide a much more natural environment for your fish. Real plants aid the water filtration process, absorbing harmful nitrates in the water. They can also aid breeding in your fish. Artificial plants can be incredibly convincing these days however, and are easy to install and maintain.

A tropical aquarium makes a great focal point to any room and provides hours of fun for all the family. They're especially popular with children! No wonder fishkeeping has grown to become one of the most popular passtimes in the UK!

Keeping Your Fish Tank Ornaments Nice And Clean

Keeping Your Fish Tank Ornaments Nice And Clean  

 by Timothy Kessler

You've invested all of that time and cash creating that fantastic aquarium theme with the very best fish tank decoration available. After all that effort and time you now have got a aquarium that you will really be pleased with, one which you sit in front of each day to observe the fish swimming among the aquarium decoration in all their radiant colors and show off to your guests about. But pretty soon the day will come when they would gradually get dirty with fish waste, remaining food and even algae and the day will come when you have to start cleaning it.

But if you have got a suitable cleaning routine established and implemented with discipline, the chore definitely gets not that hard. In actual fact, as tiring as it may appear, cleaning and maintaining aquarium accessories is actually that effortless.

Fish Tank Decor System
The first thing that you really need to to do is set up a proper program of when you prefer to perform the maintenance. The promptness of you carrying out your maintenance tasks is really impacted by some components, specifically:

How sizeable is your aquarium
How many fish you own in the aquarium
The kind of tank decor that you possess in your fish tank
How much daylight the tank gets daily
How Sizeable Is The Aquarium

Contrary to popular notion it is in reality much easier to manage a larger aquarium rather than a smaller one. The bigger volume of water in a large tank essentially acts as a more effective buffer for pollutants. In a small tank, given that there is quite little water, it will get filthy considerably faster and will require much more maintenance.

The Amount Of Fish Do You Possess In It
The more fish you have, the more waste they would produce. That's pretty clear. In addition, with more fish, people have a tendency to assume they have to give food to them more and this results in more unwanted foodstuff unless you remove it early enough. This surplus food will sink down and dirty your fish tank accessories. Therefore the evident truth is, the more fish you could have in the aquarium, the more cleaning you are going to perform.

What Type Of Fish tank Ornaments Do You Possess
Fish tank ornaments with numerous intricate patterns and crevasses catch debris more quickly when compared with smooth decors. Even though an ordinary rinse and basic vacuuming may get rid of the bigger bits of waste, an awful lot will probably be stuck between the cracks and would require more complete scrubbing.

How Much Natural light Does Your Aquarium Receive
The reason behind this worry is algae. Being a plant, algae thrives on natural light and setting a fish tank in direct natural light will contribute to a growth spurt for the algae.

Correct Methods To Cleaning Your Aquarium Accessories
The best time for you to perform your aquarium decorations washing is when you do your water change. If you happen to be maintaining your aquarium properly, you will likely be performing a weekly or fortnightly water change. The water that is removed of the aquarium can be appropriately utilized to clean your aquarium accessories too. Here's what you should do.

1. Take out you aquarium water into a clean container. Do not top up new water yet until you put the aquarium decors back in.
2. Slowly remove the aquarium decoration and put it into the removed water.
3. Swish the fish accessories around in the water to eliminate big dirt.
4. Utilizing a sponge or soft brush, clean off any dirt that will still remain on the decoration. Do not rub too much or you may chip it or diminish the coloration.
5. Swish it around in the water once more and then rinse it properly with normal water.
6. Air dry the decorations in bright sunshine for at least half an hour to kill off microorganism.
7. Place the fish tank accessories back into the aquarium and top up the water.
Carrying this out will ensure that your fish tank accessories will always be clean and the environment healthy for the fish.