Successful Aquariums

Fish Hoek, Cape Town’s Favorite Beach Destination

Sandra Bing — Sat, 04 Sep 2010 16:11:02 +0000

When one plans a vacation, part of the process is to designate the leisurely activities one can undertake during the vacation time. If we speak of staying on the beach, we plan to bring our swimsuits and sun block lotions to make our swimming on the beach a memorable experience. But don’t you know that Fish Hoek’s sandy white beach is just one of the numerous attractions it has and swimming is just one of the plentiful activities one can undertake while vacationing in this place?The Fish Hoek is also great for sight-seeing. It is a village between Cape Town and Simon Town, having the best seaside views with great whites and dolphins providing natural entertainment with jumping and frolicking on the shimmering blue waters of the Indian Ocean. Aside from swimming, one can also watch the spectacular water animals flaunt their stuffs for the tourists to see. One can also do some surfing on one of Cape Town’s finest beach. If you really like nature trips, the mountains you see on Cape Town are perfect for nature hiking. You can visit the Table Mountain which is being nominated to one of the World’s Natural Wonders. You will see the wildlife animals residing on these South African mountains. If you just love nature, it can be a great chance to see the great whites through kayaking. You can also go sailing on the warm Indian Ocean and see more of these water animals. Just make sure you have all the travel essentials with you. The Fish Hoek seaside is one of the best places on earth and you should take with you all the necessary things to make your trip very enjoyable. The beauty of the seaside plus the leisurely activities one can do on this paradise are just one of the few reasons why one should come back to spend the holidays here. Part of the planning process is choosing the accommodation that will work best for you. There are a lot of hotels and lodges that can provide the beautiful view of the ocean and the mountains. You don’t have to worry about the hospitality, the accommodation are one of the finest on the world. For sure, you don’t have to worry anything. You will experience the fine South African hospitality through their finest accommodations. The seaside is also gifted with beautiful hotels and lodges that are fully furnished with amenities.Aside from swimming, sailing and kayaking, one can also go fishing on the waters of Fish Hoek. It is so teeming with the tastiest fish on earth. If you’ve got appetite for fresh fishes, then fishing on this part may be the best activity for you. How about experiencing a grilled fresh tuna or salmon? Yes, it is tasty and sumptuous. If you have decided to witness this beautiful place, just don’t forget to bring water-proof cameras, sun block and extra batteries. For sure, you won’t want to let any single detail pass without you taking a camera shot for your photo album.

Share on Facebook

Tweet This Post

5 substrate tips for freshwater aquariums

Sandra Bing — Sat, 04 Sep 2010 09:42:26 +0000

: Image via Wikipedia

Many things about the freshwater aquariums make it attractive for the human eye. To name one of them is the aquarium substrate. Generally, substrate is anything that is left at the bottom of a container or a vessel. In this case, the substrate is sand or gravel. Most of the people prefer it with sand or gravel than a bland base. It adds a kind of a color to the aquarium. But it is important to note that freshwater aquarium substrate is not the same as saltwater aquarium substrate.

Many of us neglect it’s importance when we are setting up a new aquarium. It is a factor that needs special importance. Here are five tips about some problems and their consequences.

1. the first and the foremost thing that you need to do is washing your substrate, if possible, with hot water. Sterilization of the tank is also of great importance, so make sure about it too. For a healthier environment, you need to allow useful bacteria grow in it. This will keep your fish and other organisms healthy for a long while.

2. To keep things close to reality, make sure that that the substrate is higher at the back of the tank as compared to the front. Another vital part of your aquarium are the plants. You should keep some plants to make the environment close the natural one. Another thing to do would be not to level off the substrate. The rises and falls make it look more real.

3. The main component of the substrate is limestone. It causes the pH of the water to increase and hence the water becomes hard. When the water becomes alkaline, it becomes unfit for the survival of soft water fish. And if you do have such fish they’ll start dying. A simple test to check if the water is alkaline is by adding a little vinegar to the water. If you see bubbles then it means that the water needs to be changed. This test is helpful because vinegar being a mild acid reacts with the alkali present in water and produce bubbles of gas.

4. Sub-gravel filter can be used in the freshwater aquariums if the depth is around 6 to 7 cm. When sand is used as a substrate, extra care is required because clogging is a very common issue with it.

5. Also fill the aquarium slowly when you’re refilling it. This will not erode the substrate.
All these tips will help you build a healthy and clean aquarium and keep you away from lots of problems.

Share on Facebook

Tweet This Post

How to start Start 10 gallon saltwater aquarium?

Sandra Bing — Sat, 04 Sep 2010 01:39:41 +0000

I have a 10 gallon aquarium that i would like to use as a starter saltwater aquarium for practice for a little bit before i turn my 55 gallon aquarium into saltwater. Does anybody know how to go about this? I know barely nothing. I know that you have to use a hydrometer to measure the salinity. But how would I do it. Whats the best/cheapest salt to get and whats the best starter/easiest cheapest starter saltwater fish to get? Clownfish ?

Share on Facebook

Tweet This Post

where can i get small glass fish bowl type bowls to use as wedding table decorations in England ??

Sandra Bing — Fri, 03 Sep 2010 18:56:35 +0000

I have an idea to use small glass bowls to put sweets in for decoration at my evening wedding reception, but can’t seem to find small bowls that aren’t too expensive or that look tackey

Share on Facebook

Tweet This Post

How to choose plants for freshwater aquariums?

Sandra Bing — Fri, 03 Sep 2010 09:39:57 +0000

: Image via Wikipedia

Freshwater aquariums are appealing and attractive for those who are interested to maintain such aquariums. You can place in some plants to make it a complete environment for your fish. You should choose the plants that can help make the freshwater aquarium a natural habitat for your fish and can keep the aquarium clear of the algae. Plants provide a safe hiding place for the fish. Your fish can feel safe in the sort of the natural environment created by the plants.

Plants also keep the water chemistry to stay balanced. They also produce oxygen that helps the aquatic life that you have in the aquarium. Before selecting the plant, you should be well-informed about the condition requirements for that plant to survive. These conditions can be good lighting, pH, and substrate. Some of the plants need clay to be planted well in the aquarium. Others can do well in the substrate. With a little experiment you can easily decide which one will be the best for you.

Various plants require different levels of lighting. Some of the plants require a higher amount of light, others can do well with a little amount of light too. You will need to place the freshwater aquarium in a bright place so as to keep the plants fresh. The fish exhale carbon dioxide in the presence for photosynthesis. You should keep a balance between the plants and the fish. If the fish are less you would need carbon dioxide indicators to help the plants flourish.

A little research to know about the right plants will help you get the right plants for yourself.

Share on Facebook

Tweet This Post

3 Tropical Freshwater Fish To Add To Your Aquarium – B to C

Sandra Bing — Thu, 02 Sep 2010 20:52:02 +0000

Three tropical freshwater aquarium fish you can add to your aquarium are detailed here (Brown Acara, Cardinal Tetra and Chocolate Gourami). Information is provided on feeding, colors, breeding, temperament and aquarium temperatures. Brown Acara – Aequidens portalegrensis (Family: Cichlidae) The main body color of the adult is reddish-brown, the scales are large and the fins are greenish and marbled with a range of colors. A horizontal line of dark colored bars runs from the eye to near the tail at which there is a dark area surrounded by yellow or green dots. Although timid, it can grow to more than 15 cms so you need to consider if it is ideal or not for your community tank. The difference between the sexes is subtle. The anal fin of the male is longer and less rounder than that of the female and the colors of the fins are less bright. After mating the pair stay together for life which is a particular feature of the species. The breeding tank must have rocks and similar stuff removed as the fish can be injured during the vigorous courtship. The pair should be about the same build and be fed on live food. Place a piece of slate in the tank so eggs can be laid on it and when the fry are hatched and able to swim remove both the parents. Feed the fry on infusoria, micro-worms and daphnids. Cardinal Tetra – Cheirodon axelrodi (Family: Characidae) One of the most popular tetras and great for a community aquarium as it is active and peaceful. Slim, it grows up to about 7 cms, ideally should be part of a small shoal and giving them live food now and again will keep them fit and healthy. From the mouth and eye to the tail runs a reddish-brown coloration covering most of the lower body. Above that runs a green fluorescent band. The dorsal and anal fins have no color. The male is less thicker in the body than the female. This species is not easy to breed. Suitable pairs are picked by observation and kept apart feeding with live food to get them ready. The female is placed in the breeding tank in the morning and the male in the evening. The tank will be thickly planted at one end with nylon breeding mops scattered about. The next day spawning should take place and semi-sticky eggs will be placed in the breeding mops which are then removed to a separate tank at the same temperature. After five days left in darkness you should find fry swimming about which can then be fed on infusoria till they are ready for bigger food such as micro-worms. Chocolate Gourami – Sphaerichthys osphromenoides (Family: Belontiidae) Although it can be put in a community tank this fish is quite susceptible to disease so be warned. But once it gets through any illness and gets used to the environment it is then quite hardy. Its aquarium requirements are soft water, a temperature of 26 to 30 degrees centigrade and a densely planted area. The body color is from dark brown to black and it has several vertical silver white stripes of different shape. The mouth shows tiny teeth and the pelvic, dorsal and anal fins are black. As bubble-nest breeders the eggs are produced by the female after mating, the male puts them in his mouth and blows them into the bubble nest he previously built floating on the surface. Remove the female after she lays the eggs. The male looks after the eggs; he will replace eggs that fall from the nest, he will maintain the nest structure with additional bubbles and aerate the eggs by swishing his tail near them. Remove the male after the fry start swimming.

Share on Facebook

Tweet This Post

Large saltwater fish tank (let’s learn fish series)

Sandra Bing — Thu, 02 Sep 2010 11:29:01 +0000

Hi, Arvenohx here again. I’ll be giving info about all the fish you see. Green? spotted puffer: A small(er) puffer who lives in either brackish water (low salinity, higher than fresh) or fresh water. Eats all different kinds of live foods, must be fed mussels and snails to prevent the beak from growing to large. An aggressive fish, the power of it’s beak shouldn’t be taken lightly. Best kept in a fish only salt water aquarium. Hippo tang (or pallette tang): a beatiful blue colored salt water fish from the carribean(i think). I am currently unsure about the diet of this fish, although I suspect it to be omnivorus. Do NOT skimp on the tank size! these fish require 70 gallons + to be happy. Love swimming around. If you have any more questions, feel free to send me a message, and I’ll reply as soon as possible! (LFS means Local fish store! These aren’t my tanks)

Share on Facebook

Tweet This Post

How to choose best Freshwater Aquarium Design

Sandra Bing — Thu, 02 Sep 2010 06:26:57 +0000

: Image via Wikipedia

If you are planning to setup a freshwater aquarium, you need to plan the whole process exact environment you create.

You need to start with the shape of the aquarium that you want. The freshwater aquarium can range from a size of one gallon to hundreds of gallons.

You then need to decide the would-be location of the aquarium in your home. Once, it is decided, you then have to see to the number of fish in your aquarium and the type of plants required. You should know that the number of fish decides the shape of aquarium.

You can choose from the large number of aquariums designs in the market. Water volume is not the only variable in deciding the size of the aquarium. Rectangular shape is the most favored shape because it is easier to maintain. Other popular designs are the L-shaped, square cubes, front-bulging etc.

Next, you should decide on the number of fish you want to go for. You would want to go for the number of fish that would not crowd your freshwater aquarium tank. The number of fish is also dependent on the shape of the tank. You should remember the thumb rule: one inch of fish requires one gallon of water. This is not a definite scale but a generally believed idea. You can even decide by considering the general surface area of the tank: One inch of fish per twelve square inches of the tank’s surface area.

If you are considering the surface area then rectangular fish tanks are better than hexagonal ones. Your aquarium shape would also depend on the habits and habitat of the fish. For instance, the fish stay at different water levels like surface dwellers, mid-level swimmers, and bottom dwellers.

If you are planning to start out for the first time, then you need to have ample information about the freshwater aquariums.

Share on Facebook

Tweet This Post

Can hermit crabs have a big fish aquarium for tanks without water in it?

Sandra Bing — Wed, 01 Sep 2010 12:59:25 +0000

Share on Facebook Tweet This Post

Water Filters for Freshwater Aquariums

Sandra Bing — Wed, 01 Sep 2010 06:24:05 +0000

: Image via Wikipedia

Water filters are important for freshwater aquariums, ponds, and fish tanks. By extending the period before which, the water has to be replaced, these filters help to create appropriate conditions for freshwater fish, plants, etc. The freshwater requirements cannot be created as in the natural habitat; however, you can always adopt certain measures to enable freshwater aquatic life to nourish in the artificial arrangements.

The filters help to remove waste from the water in the aquarium. In the natural fish habitat, there are a lot of plants that help in preserving the natural ecosystem. As the freshwater aquarium is on a smaller scale as compared to the natural habitat of the fish, filters make it necessary to fulfill some of the necessary requirements for a freshwater aquarium.

Water pollutants, also depends on the type of the aquatic life kept in the aquarium. For instance, goldfish produces a lot of waste. There are three main types of filters. They are:
1. Biological
2. Chemical
3. Mechanical

You will get a lot of help if you use all three types of filters. The filters used in the freshwater aquariums these days use all three types of filters.

A short list of the most frequently used biological filters is below:

Sponge filters: In these filters the water passes through a sponge. Bacteria are allowed to grow in these sponges. This type of a filter is a purely biological one. You should never clean or dry the sponge as this can kill the nitrifying bacteria.

Under gravel filters: These filters are also biological ones. These filters take water from the bottom of the freshwater aquarium to the top. These filters pass water from the gravel. You can also look for the reverse under gravel filter. This filter works in the opposite direction to the original under gravel filter. Such a filter brings water through the gravel from the top of the fish tank towards the bottom.

Canister filters: There is a container or basket in these filters that store different filter media. These filters have a certain type of biological balls that helps to grow the bacteria colony. You will not need to remove or clean the filter once a bacteria colony is established in such filters.

There are various kinds of freshwater aquarium filters available in the market. By reading this article you would have had a very good idea about the types of filters mostly used. You need to decide about the filters based on your own requirements.

Share on Facebook

Tweet This Post