Aquarium Care

Having an aquarium means diligence in taking care of the condition of your tank. The fish are susceptible to the most common diseases that can be found in aquariums, if you are not practicing simple cleanliness of water and good feeding processes.

Parasites, bacteria, and fungus will be the main causes of disease in your marine life. If you are not cognizant of the health of the occupants of your tank, then ailments can take control of your tank.

Keeping a tank cleaned at regular intervals is vitally important. Water needs to have the right properties to keep the health of a fish optimum. Not having a proper environment raises the risk of stress to them and that opens the door for aliments to plague their health. Use of preventative products like the EcoBio-Block can help to maintain proper balance and cleaner, clear water which will help with the health of any fish in the tank.

The Marine Whitespot and Marine Velvet Diseases are created by parasites that cause small white dots or larger white velvety patches on the fish. Fish will be scratching on the rocks at the bottom of the tank to mollify the irritation to the body and fins. This illness is highly communicable and works quickly. Without treatment fish will die.

When white tufts of cotton seem to be sticking out of the mouth of your fish it is probable that your fish has contracted a fungal disease. You may also see reddish markings on the sides of their body. This is a deadly and infectious disease and must be treated quickly to prevent spreading and morbidity in the infected.

Bacterial disease can take many forms. One way is patches of red on the body which can actually give the impression of the rotting of the skin of the fish. As with any illness without a proper course of treatment they will not survive.

It is imperative to keep the well-being of your fish on track with deliberate and designated cleanings of the tank. Even more important is the nutrition of fish and keeping the stress level low. Being on top of care in your tank and those that live there will make sure that they remain healthy. To do this it is best to utilize products that keep this fact in mind. One EcoBio-Block in a larger aquarium will keep the water cleaner, meaning less water changes, and giving less stress to fish. Easy-to-use and effective for all types of tanks, you can keep them clean by adding this to your aquarium.

If you find that your fish has contracted any of the above ailments you must separate them as soon as possible giving them a freshwater bath to keep the disease from progressing. It might be necessary to utilize a medication based on copper but you must be sure to not harm the other marine life that might have an aversion to copper.

Responsible tank precautions are important to keeping the most common disease in your aquariums from occurring. Keeping fish relaxed by supporting them with regular water changes, products like EcoBio- Block, good food and adequate temperature will be the best preventative to ailments in your aquarium world.

Are you there to save the fish and make sure they live a healthy fish life? Well, with clear water and less pollution, we all can help fight pollution. Support the clean water and help save the fish that we like to eat and see everyday.

Technorati Tags: Ailments, Aliments, Aquarium, Aquarium Fish, Aquariums, Bacterial Disease, Clean Water, Cleanings, Clear Water, Common Disease, Common Diseases, common fish disease, Fish, Fish Fish, Fish Tank, Fungal Disease, Fungus, Infectious Disease, Morbidity, Occupants, Parasites, Preventative Products, Proper Balance, Proper Environment, Whitespot

If you live in an apartment, there is a good chance that the only pets you will be able to keep are fish, and that can actually be a good thing. There are a wide variety of fish, and they have very different personalities. You may not be able to play with them like a puppy or a kitten, but the can be a soothing and fascinating addition to your home nonetheless. They do require a bit of preparation for, so you will need to get a tank ready with freshwater aquarium water quality before you go out to select your new pets.

This is, unfortunately, more difficult that just filling a bowl with water and putting the fish in it. Especially if using tap water, that could lead to a very short experience with the hobby. While still easier than maintaining a saltwater environment, there are basic considerations that must be accounted for before adding the beautiful and interesting fish varieties.

If you want to keep fish as pets, you have to maintain the water they will live in just as nature does in the wild. There are narrow ranges of chemicals you need to monitor to keep the fish healthy. Monitoring ammonia, nitrites, the acidity of the water and its oxygenation are all important to keep fish alive. This is relatively easy to check, with kits available at almost any pet store.

Ammonia is going to be a continuous concern and must be monitored. The reason it is so problematic is that the food you feed the fish and the waste the fish excrete add to the ammonia concentrations, and can ultimately kill the fish. Other possible concerns are nitrogen and phosphates which contribute to the growth of algae, which then deplete the water oxygen levels. You can reduce the these problems with products like EcoBio-Block which keeps a continuous supply of beneficial bacteria in the water, breaking down toxins like ammonia into safer by-products and creating a clear and healthy environment for your fish.

Chlorine is usually a factor because we are all rather restricted to tap water as our source for the tank. Nearly all municipalities add chlorine or chloramines to our water to make it healthier for us hardy humans. While it kills things that are bad for people and we tolerate it well, the chlorine/chloramine itself will kill fish. Chlorine will dissipate if the water is left out for 24 hours, however; chloramines must be treated with a special additive. Unless you know for sure that you have chlorine, the safest thing to do is to use the additive.

Another concern for fish is the acidity of the water. There is a range of acidity or alkalinity fish can tolerate, and each species has its own preference, but it is something to check. Kits are available which test the water again using color coding which will tell you the measure of hydronium ions in the water. The pH levels go from very acidic at the zero reading to very alkaline or basic at readings up to fourteen. A reading of seven is neutral and most fish will do well in it.

Without an adequate supply of oxygen, your fish will not survive. This seems obvious and it is usually not a great concern, as oxygen dissolves in water naturally. To ensure there is enough, you can add plants to the tank, which produce it, and you can have pumps that keep water moving, as well as adding an air stone that bubbles air up through the tank continuously. Another factor is keeping the number of fish appropriate to the size of the tank.

One way to help with the initial establishment of a healthy aquarium is to use beneficial bacteria to help establish an appropriate balance right at the beginning. Using products from a reputable company will ensure the water is ready to help your new pets survive and thrive. One source of quality products to gain and maintain freshwater aquarium water quality are the EcoBio-Block products which in simplifying the process, will make for a great aquatic pet experience.

Find great deals on EcoBio-Block Products by going online. There you will find how aquarium water will benefit from this product. Head online and learn more now.

Technorati Tags: Acidity, Ammonia Concentrations, Aquarium, Aquarium Fish, Aquarium Water, aquarium water quality, Beneficial Bacteria, Chlorine, Continuous Supply, Fish, Fish Aquarium, Fish As Pets, Fish Pets, Fish Tank, Fish Varieties, fresh water aquarium quality, Good Chance, Healthy Environment, Narrow Ranges, Oxygen Levels, Oxygenation, Pet Fish, Pet Store, Phosphates, Saltwater Environment, Tap Water, Water Quality

Aquarium care and maintenance involves certain tasks that should be done daily, and others that are less frequently needed. All these routine tasks are necessary to keep fish healthy and the aquarium environment clean and problem free.

Daily care involves checking over your fish by observing their behavior. Healthy fish will swim freely, with their fins erectly held. Their skin and gill areas will be free of any puffiness or marks that show parasites or infections. Check that all the equipment is working properly, and that water temperature is not fluctuating.

When you feed your fish, never give them excessive amounts. Uneaten food falls to the bottom, and will encourage algae growth, ammonia production and water to cloud. You can keep it cleaner and clearer by using one of the EcoBio-Block products. These products introduce beneficial bacteria that rid the water of toxic ammonia that is produced from excess food particles in the water.

Keeping the exterior of the fish tank clean is another important step in aquarium care and maintenance. Wash it every week, using only clean clear non-chlorinated water. Any soap or chemical cleaners must be avoided, as they can get into the tank’s water and kill fish. Maintaining a clean fish tank not only makes it easier to observe your fish, it also promotes the growth of aquarium plants as it allows more light to enter.

Generally, a partial water change is recommended every two weeks or so, the timing depending on how large your aquarium is and how many fish it holds. Changing the water will reduce the ammonia content. An easy way to keep ammonia levels acceptably low is by using any of the EcoBio-Block products which introduce ammonia-controlling bacteria and reduce the need for water changes. Choose the product according to the size of the fish tank.

Periodically, you will need to remove any algae growth from your fish tank. Some algae thrive with light, and grow on the inside of the tank so must be scraped off. Other kinds live in the gravel bottom, thriving with the organic waste in the water. By using EcoBio-Block products, the production of ammonia and nitrites is controlled, so less algae will grow.

Uneaten fish food and fish waste drops to the bottom of the aquarium constantly, and settles between the pieces of gravel and sand. This can form harmful gases and nitrites as it decomposes, so cleaning it away monthly is part of your aquarium care and maintenance. This is generally done by vacuuming the gravel.

If you make use of EcoBio-Blocks, then the ammonia and nitrite produced is kept under control. Less frequent cleaning and washing of the gravel is necessary, and tank water will be much clearer and cleaner. These products have a life of up to two years.

Aquarium care and maintenance can be made easier with the introduction of beneficial bacteria. As long as these bacteria are present and able to proliferate, they will keep the tank water clean and clear and so ensure the health of the fish.

Find the right techniques to aquarium care by going online. There you will find many methods to clear water of organic waste that will harm your fish. Head online and learn more today.

Technorati Tags: Algae Growth, Ammonia Levels, Ammonia Production, Aquarium, Aquarium Care, Aquarium Environment, Aquarium Fish, Aquarium Maintenance, Aquarium Plants, Beneficial Bacteria, Chlorinated Water, Excess Food, Excessive Amounts, Fish, Fish Aquarium, Fish Tank, Food Particles, Maintenance Tasks, Partial Water Change, Routine Tasks, Toxic Ammonia, Water Changes

AquaChef Automatic Aquarium Fish Feeder 3 in x 5 1 4 in x 3 in

Going out of town? Don’t rely on out-of-date feeding blocks when you can use the AquaChef. It’s easy to give your fish up to eight feedings a day of flake, pellet, or crumbled food. Schedule single feedings for up to four different times, use the double-feeding feature to make any of those four two feedings, sixty seconds apart, or manually override the settings if you decide to give one more feeding yourself. The AquaChef also has an adjustable hatch to control the amount of food fed and to serve as a mixing stir bar to make sure the food isn’t clumped, just like you would. The moisture-resistant hopper is easy to clean and fill. Why let your fish starve when they can have their very own AquaChef?

User Ratings and Reviews

2 Stars AquaChef Auto Feeder
The feeder is easy to assemble and works great. Timer and readout are clear and quick to set up. The only negative thing about this product is the design of the clamp. It didn’t fit on the aquarium edge (it has to be forced on, if you want the clamp to work, but mine did not) and the foam sticky pads were not secure and could not hold the weight on to the light panel top, so it fell in the water! Too bad, otherwise a good product. I bought another timer from a retail store and that timer uses a better screw on clamp (it fits snugly and easily mounts on the edge) but it’s not a digital readout and the timer is not adjustable, but it works.

4 Stars Great feeder… just too much food
I bought this to feed 2 zebrafish in a smaller tank. It was easy to fill, program, and works great. The only problem is the lowest setting for dispensing food is WAY to much for a smaller tank.

4 Stars Works well
I am pretty amazed that it works very well. The wheel turns 360 degrees to release the food, and the adjust door works just fine. Though two (minor) complaints:

1 There’s no way to feed two kinds of food.

My daughter has 4 turtles live in the same tank as some tropical fishes, they eat

different kind of food and food are of different size. The adjust door works for only

one. I wish it has two compartments and can distribute two different size of food

2 The whole thing is a little bit bulky, I can’t install it on the back of my tank,

have to put it in the front and leave the lid open.

Otherwise it does its job very well.

4 Stars Auto fish feeder
I have two of these and I use them every time I have to leave town and they are very convenient. I have two 60 gallon tanks, one community and one cichlids and they handle the different amount of foods well.

4 Stars Why pay $45 for an Ehiem?
This is a very well designed and reliable feeder that has only a few design flaws. With a bit of wear, the battery cover pops off easily resulting in the batteries falling out and the feeder programming getting lost. To prevent this I simply added a bit of tape The mounting bracket is also pretty useless unless you have a rimless tank with less than 1/2″ glass, but velcro or double sided tape works just as well for mounting. The feeding is also pretty dependent on how full the hopper is if you use flake food. To get more consistent feeding amounts, I would recommend using pellet food. The battery powered operation is also kind of a problem IMO, but you can fix that easily by simply replacing the batteries with NiCad rechargeables and wiring in a 3V solar cell in parallel (edit - MAKE SURE YOU USE A DIODE!)(I don’t see why feeders aren’t solar powered yet - they’re low power machines in high light enviornments and it would only be like a 20 cent increase in manufacturing cost… maybe this will be common in a few years?). The only other problem I can think of is that it’s kind of bulky, but that problem probably seems amplified to me considering I’m running it on a 2.5 gallon nano. With these few modifications, you’ll get a feeder that’s more reliable than an Ehiem with a larger food capacity for half the price. Enjoy!

Buy/More Info

Technorati Tags: Aquarium Fish, Auto Feeder, Automatic Feeder, Clamp, Different Times, Digital Readout, Digital Timer, Fish Feeder, Flake, Hatch, Hopper, Kinds Of Food, Minor Complaints, Retail Store, Screw, Sixty Seconds, Sticky Pads, Timer, Turtles, Two Kinds, Zebrafish

Sit back and enjoy your new aquarium

Aquariums can be beautiful and fun additions to any home. The easiest way to start having an aquarium in your house is to choose a freshwater aquarium. These are easier to manage and you have a greater chance of success than if you tackle a saltwater aquarium.  Even so, there is a lot to buy and many things to think about before you can have fish swim around your tank.

You need to select a tank size and make sure it fits into the space you have allotted. You need to select a tank size of at least ten gallons as mistakes are less likely to be lethal if there is more water to work with. Fish tanks are heavy. A full 20 gallon fish tank is over 200 pounds.  Make sure you have a good supporting system for your fish tank so it doesn’t collapse.

Choose a tank with a larger surface area, such as an oblong tank. Fish do better with a larger surface area. Glass tanks are better for beginners so choose one of those as opposed to an acrylic fish tank. Most tanks come with standard measurements which can be used to select the tank for you.

Your initial purchase checklist should include the following:

• A suitably sized aquarium, possibly 20 gallon-sized
• A stand or surface for your aquarium
• A hood or lid for your aquarium
• An aquarium light
• A heater that heats the size of the aquarium you are buying (check with the staff at the pet store if you have any doubts about the heater size and wattage).
• An aquarium thermometer
• Substrate for the bottom of the aquarium
• A fish net
• Something to condition the water
• A filter for the aquarium

You should get enough substrate to fill the bottom of the tank to a level of about two inches.  In general, a pound of substrate should be purchased for every gallon of water in the tank. This means you should buy about 20 pounds of substrate for a 20 gallon tank. The filter should be adequate to filter out the junk in the tank. A filter should be able to filter about 100-150 gallons per hour.

Once you’ve rinsed out the aquarium, you’ll need to fill it with water. Place the aquarium exactly where you want to keep it. Buy a bottle of aquarium water conditioner. Buy two buckets that you only use for the aquarium. Fill the tank with washed substrate to a depth of 2-3 inches. Put a clean plate on top of the gravel (this keeps the gravel from splashing up). Let the cold water in the tap run for a few minutes to clear the lines of excessive minerals and then fill the bucket up to three-fourths full. Pour the water from the bucket onto the plate until the water is halfway up the tank. Then add your plants and decorations. Put in the heater and the filter but don’t plug them in until the tank is full.

Next, fill the tank with water using the other bucket. You can remove the plate when the tank is halfway filled with water. Start the filter and the heater and run for a minimum of twenty four hours before adding fish.

You’ll want to consider adding an EcoBio-Stone or other EcoBio-Block product, depending on the size of your tank and your particular needs. These are porous volcanic and cement rocks which slowly release necessary trace minerals and calcium in to the water. They contain beneficial nutrients and helpful bacteria that create the proper ecosystem for your aquarium helping you minimize your maintenance time and reduce the need to change the water in your tank.  Nitrifying bacteria are established in your tank and the tank is cycled more quickly. The water stays clear and odor is kept to a minimum. EcoBio-Block products last for up to 1.5 or 2 years and require no maintenance.

If all goes well, you’ll have a healthy, happy aquarium system that will last for years with a minimum of interference by you. All you have to do is sit back and enjoy your new aquarium.

Technorati Tags: Aquarium Fish, Aquarium Heater, Aquarium Hood, Aquarium Light, Aquarium Thermometer, Choose One, Doubts, Fish Tanks, Freshwater Aquarium, Gallon Fish Tank, Gallon Tank, Glass Tanks, Initial Purchase, Many Things, New Aquarium, Pet Store, Saltwater Aquarium, Substrate, Surface Area, Tank Size