One of the most important parts of an aquarium is the filter. While the environment of fish in the wild is refreshed by continual water flows, the entire world for your pet fish is held inside the glass or acrylic walls of the tank. The only fresh water source is you, when you change part of the old water for new.
Changing the water daily would keep the tank sparkling clean, but such activity puts a huge amount of stress on fish, making them more susceptible to disease. Proper filtration makes it possible to change water less frequently and makes the environment inside your tank healthy and comfortable. Without filtration, aquarium water rapidly becomes toxic, stressing and ultimately killing your fish.
There are five primary filter types available for aquarium use. Each is appropriate for different situations and aquarium setups.
Sponge filter. This type can be used as either the primary filter, or as a pre-filter for another filtration system. Air tubing is connected to the sponge on one end and to an air pump sitting outside the aquarium on the other end. As a primary filter, it provides an excellent home for bacteria and does a reasonable job as a mechanical filter as well. The advantage of this type of filter is that it can be safely used in breeding tanks because it won’t suck up tiny newly-hatched fish. It’s also very easy to clean. On its own, this filter is best in smaller tanks or tanks that are not filled with too many fish, such as quarantine tanks. Use it as a pre-filter to keep bacteria from being destroyed when you have to change the aquarium’s main filter media.
- Undergravel Filter. This type usually comes with the aquarium kits available at pet stores
. It is made up of slotted plates that cover the floor of the tank, and has uplift tubes built in to each plate. Air tubing and air stones fit into these tubes and connect to an external air pump. At the top of the tubes are filter media inserts, usually carbon or resin, to provide some chemical filtration, though these must be changed frequently. The air pump creates circulation that pulls water down through the gravel that rests on top of the filtration plates. The circulation promotes bacterial growth in the gravel itself and the filter inserts clean up what the bacteria can’t. Unfortunately, if the gravel is too fine or too much overfeeding occurs, the filter becomes clogged and unusable until it is completely cleaned out. Even in optimal conditions, it is still important to vacuum gravel weekly to clean out the excess waste—this filter type does not do true mechanical filtration. This filter is best only in smaller tanks without a full load of fish, and using another filter type for mechanical filtration is a very good idea.
- Internal Power Filter. This filter type can be used alone but is often used as secondary mechanical filtration for either an undergravel filtration system or a canister filter in a very large aquarium. It contains filter media—generally a sponge—and a pump, and fits inside the aquarium. It is an effective mechanical filter and provides some bacterial filtration as well.
- Hang on Tank or Hang on Back Filter. These filters are growing in popularity as replacements for undergravel filters. This type consists of an intake tube, a
pump, filter media (usually floss pads filled with carbon), and a slot where water is returned to the aquarium. Some of these filters include a porous, pleated wheel that provides another home for bacteria in addition to the filter media, so when the media is replaced, the bacteria don’t all disappear. The filter media provides mechanical, and some chemical, filtration. The pads used are very easy to change when they become full of waste. This filter is an excellent choice for aquariums smaller than 4′ (1.2m) in length, or approximately 50 gallons (190L).
Canister Filter. This filter is the gold standard for large aquariums, because it can move a huge amount of water. It also provides room for multiple filter media types to be used at a time, so the combination of mechanical, chemical and biological filtrations are highly effective. Cleaning and changing filter media is not as easy with a canister as with other filters, but the excellent job this type of filter does on a big aquarium is worth the extra work to maintain it properly.
The key to proper filtration is to match the filter’s capabilities with your fish tank size. A filter that is too small will be a constant source of frustration as you change media too frequently and still have problems with water quality. Buy too much filter for your aquarium and you’ll not only spend more than necessary, you may end up with too high a water flow that stresses your fish. Choose the right filter, and your fish will be happier and healthier.
If it’s your first time to choose your first collection of fishes, basically you are thinking to acquire fishes that do not demand too much attention and not difficult to rear given that your knowledge is limited. In addition, you do not want to choose a variety of fish that are aggressive and capable to harm other mates. You do not want to purchase fish which are aggressive or territorial because they will chase your other fish around until they get stressed out and sick. Sick fish will get the rest of your fish sick as well. Goldfish are a great choice for a beginner fish in a freshwater fish tank. Tetras will also make a good choice because they stay very small and they are truly peaceful in nature.
A variety of live-bearers that include Fancy Guppies are also a great selection given that you purchase both males and females with three to one ratio. You will want to purchase 3 females to every male. In case you are interested to put a community tank and put a number of fishes inside, this might cause a trouble on your pets since few of these species love to run after each other. Not because they are capable of violence or being aggressive but simply because they like to play around like kids in the park. Some of these fish would include guppies and other smaller fish.
Another kind of fish that I could recommend is the Goldfish and the Koi. These fishes can survive in temperatures around at most 70 degrees. You may want to buy a chiller for your fish tank, to lower the water temperature. On the other hand, the good thing about having Goldfish is that they could adjust on water temperature between 70 to 77 degrees. Among the wide selection of freshwater fishes, Goldfish is the most preferred when selecting out new collection of fish variety for a freshwater aquarium set up. Surely, Goldfish will never give you headache when it comes to dealing with other fishes in the community. They could be considered as fish “best friend” inside the aquarium.
Any aquarium hobbyist makes sure that the fishes they choose will still best fit in their fish tank in the long run. Never purchase a Goldfish and put it inside into two and half gallon container. The Goldfish has the optimum size of 8 inches in length and certainly it will outgrow the relatively smaller fish tank. Tetras, on the other hand fits well for small tanks because they are small in nature. They will reach about 1/2 inch in length when they are full grown.
If you want to see some of the latest designs of fish tanks check them out at KidsAquariums.com.
Here’s some tips when you’re looking for an Aquarium Store :
- Do their tanks look good and are their fish healthy? If the tanks in an aquariums store do not look good the store is either under-staffed or the owners do not care.In either case you may want to think twice about shopping there. Some stores put on a good front with well-decorated tanks, but the fish in them leave a lot to be desired.
- By the way, not all stores have the room for quarantine and hospital tanks. If you see one tank with blue or green water and/or some signs that says: “Not for sale,” that isn’t necessarily a bad thing. At least they are being careful. Ask them if they quarantine their saltwater fish. Find out about their guarantee policies are.
- The Three dead fish rule. We don’t claim to be original with this one. We have read this in several books and magazine and practical it ourselves.Dead fish in aquarium retail is a fact of life, but the dead fish should all be removed fom the aquariums just before the stores opens for business. It is normal for a store to lose a fish in the course of a day, but if you see more than three dead fish, the store may not care about the tanks.
- The Three dead fish rule. We don’t claim to be original with this one. We have read this in several books and magazine and practical it ourselves.Dead fish in aquarium retail is a fact of life, but the dead fish should all be removed from the aquariums just before the stores opens for business. It is normal for a store to lose a fish in the course of a day, but if you see more than three dead fish, the store may not care about the tanks.
- Ooooh! That smell! If a store smells bad, they don’t care about their image. A very nice fish tanks store may smell a little musty or may have an earthy odor but should not smell like a public zoo. If a store has a bad odor they may not be taking care of their animals .
- Personality. You already know this One. staffs in the store should be alert. If the shop is slow, the staff should be busy cleaning aquariums and stocking shelves but they should also be willing to wait on for you if you need some help.
- What you want vs. the things they’re doing. What do you want with an Aquarium? Are you interested in fish or do you just want to decorate your family room? These are important question to ask yourself before you shop for an aquarium store. Take our advice: If you don’t want to be an aquarist and you’re not going to clean the tank yourself, buy your aquarium from a reputable maintenance store or an aquarium stores that does a lot maintenance business.
- Shop around. Look in the phone book and make a list of stores in your area. Then take a tour! Spend a day or two in exploring all the available before you pick your aquarium store.
- Rates? The prices are not as important as the quality. Do not expect a retail store to have prices as low as a mail order company or an e-commerce business. They have a much higher rates, it is better to pay more for quality fish and invertebrates, especially if you’re also getting sound, knowledgeable advice.
For aquarium inquiries, feel free to contact David Soto – (213)280-6939 or send email at kristinewilson023@gmail.com
3) The Three dead fish rule. We don’t claim to be original with this one. We have read this in several books and magazine and practical it ourselves.Dead fish in aquarium retail is a fact of life, but the dead fish should all be removed fom the aquariums just before the stores opens for business. It is normal for a store to lose a fish in the course of a day, but if you see more than three dead fish, the store may not care about the tanks.
Fishes are considered great pets. If you have an aquarium in your house or office you can relax by watching them. The collecting of fish is the second largest hobby in the world. Throughout the world, there are nearly 25,000 species of fish. One best thing about fish is there is a large assortment of shapes, sizes and colors.
Why do people do consider fish as pets?
- It is inexpensive to keep
- It is expensive to keep
- Keeps the environment clean
- Requires the less space when compared to other pets
Picking fish for your aquariums
Deciding the correct kind of fish for your aquarium is very difficult. But if you read about the varieties of aquarium fish and their characteristics you will be able to make the right purchase. Before buying a fish it is important that you keep your aquarium ready. While setting up the aquarium start deciding whether you want house tropical fish or cold water fish. Both the species requires warm or cold temperature to live in. Some fishes are so fragile that a temperature drop of a few degrees will kill them. Always choose fish that are hardy and requires same environmental condition. Make sure that the fish you choose for your tank are all compatible with each other.
Once you have decided as to whether your aquarim should have a heater or not, decide on the fish. You could find different kinds of tropical fish in the market. Although they need a heater, they are considered more colorful than cold water fish.
Beginners should buy fresh water fish marine fish. The fresh water fish are easier to manage than the marine fish. You can either nuy guppies, mollies, angel fish etc. The white cold mountain fish are considered more colorful. Freshwater fish requires heater.
Among the marine aquarium the fish species,damsel fish,clown fish etc are best for beginners where as dragonets and lionfish should be kept only by experience. Avoid sharks and batfishes.
Setting the aquarium
The basic things to remember before setting up your aquarium:
- Keep your Aquarium ready before buying fish because they need a ready environment
- Decide on what size of aquarium. For the beginners, a 10 or 20 gallon may be ideal.
- The Aquariums are made up of glass or an acrylic. Before buying an aquarium look for scartches or cracks.
- In keeping the water clean the filter is required. The different types of filters are under gravel filters, box filters and outside filters.
- Heater if you plan to keep tropical fish.
- Decide on the type of decoration. Types of gravel, type of plants and other decoration like natural rock, driftwood and so on.
- Temperature should also be given utmost importance.
For aquarium inquiries,feel free to contact David Soto – (213)280-6939 or send email at kristinewilson023@gmail.com
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