Petsmu

Now you have your saltwater aquarium tank all set up. All you need are some finny friends to keep you company. But which fish are the right ones, and how many should you acquire? The answer to the second question is simple math. You can acquire three inches of fish for every ten gallons of water. So the species of fish and factoring in how fast they grow are calculations you should make before you go to the pet store and make acquisitions.

The second factor is time in between acquisitions. You don’t want to throw five new fish into your tank because it will destroy the equilibrium of your tank’s current bio system. Even in the beginning, you only want to put one or two new fish in your tank at a time, adding new ones at two to three week intervals until you are satisfied.

The third factor is mood. You don’t want anti-social or territorial fish in your tank because they will take over that cute little castle at the bottom of your tank and forge swords in it. That is to say, they will kill your other fish! Also important is that fish species grow at different intervals. Large fish usually eat small fish, so if you have species that grow very large and are predatory and others that don’t, expect your small ones to become food. Also, just because a fish species is not generally aggressive, keep in mind that some fish are mavericks and are either territorial or aggressive despite normal species tendencies. Make sure you ask your dealer before acquiring a fish what its disposition is or you may be adding an evil fish that will make your nice friendly fish lives a nightmare experience.

Diet is another factor that you should take into consideration. If you are not going to have coral in your saltwater aquarium, then you shouldn’t get coral eating fish. There are some species that are naturally hungrier than others, and providing for their special dietary needs may cause a disruption in the balance of food you need to add to the tank, leading to the early demise of other fish in your tank, or to that species if its food is taken by others. This can also lead to fish becoming defensive towards one another, which leads to war!

Set-up Type compatibility is also a key factor in deciding on your fish and other tank livestock. There are some fish suited for fish only tanks, some for fish only with live rock, or reef tank system and you are going to want to ensure that you acquire the right species to survive with your setup, or your fish will either not survive or become defensive, and go to war!

The bottom line here is organization. Working with your local pet dealer and doing your research to understand what fish go together and what fish don’t, along with understanding the correct progression for increasing the amount of fish in your saltwater tank will all go a long way towards providing both you and the fish a peaceful habitat for you to enjoy and for the fish to live in.

About the author: SaltySupply.com offers the most premium aquarium supplies on the net. We offer protein skimmers, powerheads, pumps and more for your saltwater aquarium
Source: http://www.articlesbase.com

Like crabgrass on a lawn, algae can be bothersome. Fortunately, there are ways to control the growth of algae in your aquarium.

It is impossible to eliminate algae altogether, and you should not be frustrated by the persistent nature of algae to accumulate. What you can do is control the condition under which plant life and fish thrives and algae does not. First, how much light are you allowing into your tank area? If you have light for more than ten hours a day, you are assisting algae grow in your tank, so don’t keep the lights on 24-7. You can purchase algae eating fish if that would fit with your aquarium’s motif. Some fish types that consume algae are three breeds of suckermouth catfish, the Ancistrus, Peckoltia, and Otocinlus. In addition, the Siamese Algae Eater, Crossocheilus siamensis is a great choice for controlling the algae in your tank. If you have a large tank, then the Common Plec is a good choice as well. But they are aggressive fish and do grow to huge size. Saltwater fish that are excellent for algae consumption are most tangs/surgeon fish, or any grazer.

The next step in controlling algae is to consistently change the water itself. By doing this, you are controlling the nutrient levels in the tank, which is crucial. Controlling nitrates, phosphates, and silicates are especially important. Another thing to look for is how you are controlling the iron in the tank. You can include different kinds of plants in your setup so they will compete for iron and other nutrients algae feeds off of in order to how a low opportunity for algae to survive.

Your first battle is likely to be with brown algae, or diatoms, because it appears first by siphoning silicon from the new aquarium tank itself, and unlike other stages of algae, it is unaffected by low lighting levels, so controlling light will not stop it from thriving. You can effectively combat it by changing water and gravel often. Diatoms thrive in conditions where phosphate is low and silicon is high, and this is generally what your scenario will be when you first start your aquarium. As time progresses and the environment changes, brown algae is usually replaced by green algae, because green algae thrives in a higher phosphate environment.

Green algae is apparently delicious and the best way to get rid of it is to bring in those algae eating catish and/or Siamese. Combined with keeping your aquarium only lit for a maximum of ten hours a day and simple manual removal of clumps of green algae, you can control what is typically the most usual and common algae growth in your aquarium.

Red Algae, or Brush, is a real problem because it is difficult to remove manually and most fish won’t eat it. Take care of this pesky nuisance by changing your water to RO/DI water and let your Siamese fish tackle it.

Blue Algae, or Cynobacteria, have photosynthesis, meaning the more light, the more it thrives. It is extremely harmful to both plants, by smothering, and fish, by poisoning. Treat your aquarium with erythromycin but be sure you know what you are doing, as you will need to check for ammonia and nitrate.

About the author: SaltySupply.com offers the most premium aquarium supplies on the net. We offer protein skimmers, powerheads, pumps and more for your saltwater aquarium.
Source: http://www.articlesbase.com

A calcium reactor is a device used in an aquarium to help keep levels of alkalinity and calcium level to the requirements of the livestock in the tank. A calcium reactor is a tool of convenience in a tank filled with mostly plant life, but if you have stony corral then it becomes a matter of necessity, as you will need to monitor and maintain both calcium and alkalinity in order for the coral to thrive.

Calcium reactors release CO2, dissolving calcium source material in their reactor. The result is calcium is added to your tank helping corral and other aquarium livestock thrive.

However, using a calcium reactor can be a hazardous activity if not done properly. Co2 is colorless and odorless, so can be dangerous if released in the air without fresh oxygen entering the enclosed space. So, when handling your Co2 container, keep a window open nearby, keep away from radiators and other heat sources, and use all safety cautions when handling the container.

Given that you utilize your Co2 container safely, the next step is to assemble your calcium reactor, which is different depending on the manufacturer, model type, as well as the feed pump and valve you choose to use. Because there are so many types available, investigating these will not take place during this article. Do your research on the different kinds of reactors and choose the one that’s right for you. This goes for the valve, which needs to be tight enough, and the pump tube, of which there are different shapes and sizes. You’ll want to feel comfortable with your design.

Now that your reactor is set-up and ready to go, the next phase is to set the Co2 bubble count on a low setting. Manufacturers will suggest a setting for their reactor and you should follow the guidelines for their product. The second step is to adjust the PH setting to properly dissolve the medium you are drawing the calcium from. You will want to set the PH to between 6.5 and 6.7 for the best results, by using a PH meter to check the effluent flow rate and then make the adjustments, allowing a few hours between changes to check if the PH is between 6.5 and 6.7. Continue this process until you have successfully changed the PH to the correct level.

Next use your alkalinity test kit to see if the reactor is successfully replacing the calcium used by your livestock. It is important to know what your normal alkalinity is like so that you can adjust the CoH in the reactor to ensure that you don’t go higher or lower than you normal level, for the safety and well-being of your livestock.

Once you are satisfied that your reactor has restored the calcium level in the tank, you are done. Check your alkalinity levels every few weeks to ensure that more calcium replenishment is not necessary.

In essence a calcium reactor will reduce the amount of maitenance on your aquarium. 2 Part dosing will be a thing of the past.

About the author: SaltySupply.com offers the most premium aquarium supplies on the net. We offer protein skimmers, powerheads, pumps and more for your saltwater aquarium
Source: http://www.articlesbase.com