Learn About Aquariums

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Back when I got my first tank, people didn’t cycle tanks. Things were very different then.

You bought the tank, all the decorations, gravel, and so on. The helpful person at the local fish store told you to get it all set up and let the filter run for at least 24 hours before adding fish.

“What??? You mean I can’t put them in there tonight? Why?”

“Because the water needs to age. Longer is better, if you could hold out a week…”

Nobody did. Not a whole week!

Some of the cutting edge people actually proposed using some magic elixir that would remove the chlorine and let you stock fish right away. I’m sure they were branded as heretics by their peers and fiercely scorned.

So people anxiously aged their water (whatever that meant), then returned to the store with cash in hand (no debit or check cards back then either - and no magnetic strips on credit cards) and they selected their fish. Freshwater, of course - you had to have a tank the size of one of the Great Lakes and a Master’s Degree (PhD preferred) in chemistry to be able to do saltwater. Oh, and a really fat bank account. Bill Gates style - well, Nelson Rockefeller back then.

The fish were taken home and the bag was plonked into the tank. After the eternity of 15 minutes or so, the fish were released into the tank. You could go from an empty space to overstocked in 24 hours!

Within a week or so, fish started to die off. The cloudy water killed them, no doubt. “But why do I have cloudy water?” “Because it’s a new tank. That happens. Sorry about your fish - too bad you’re out of the 24 hour warranty period. You have your check book with you, right?” The best thing you could do for your fish was a water change, and of course remove and replace all of your filter media. After all, look how dirty it looks! That can’t be good… It’s full of bacteria!

More fish died. You must have done something wrong when you cleaned the filter. Or your lights are on for too many or too few hours a day. Just buy more fish, it’ll be OK…

We didn’t cycle tanks back then - we cycled fish and cash. Paycheck in, Dead fish out, Money out, live fish in.

Today it’s sooo much easier. There was no internet then. There is usually more knowledge logged in a forum at any given time than you could find in all the pet stores combined in a major city. A lot of fish have died over the years to get us where we are today. What’s considered an appalling loss of fish today was normal back then - all part of keeping fish. The wisdom spread slowly, until the internet that is. Trust me on this folks, I know it seems like it takes forever to cycle a tank - but that bit of patience is orders of magnitude better than the way things used to be… If this is your first tank, remember, you’ve lived your entire life without one - what’s another few weeks to do it right?

This article may be used freely as long as this resource box, with intact hyperlinks, is included.

CaptnDan is the author of this article, used with permission by Chris Merriman

To Learn How To Obtain, Sustain & Maintain Your Aquatic Mini-World, visit LearnAboutAquariums.com

Over the years I have come across a number of helpful do’s and don’ts for marine aquarium keeping that would have saved me a lot of time, money and disappointments. If only I had them all together in a list from the start!

Well here they are - I have decided to jot a few of them down in the hope that they will save at least one new marine aquarist some time, money or disappointment.

This is only a very basic guide and is not meant to be conclusive or detailed just a memory jolter in bullet point form that you can refer to every now and then to refresh your memory. I encourage you to research in more detail any and all of these points using your favourite marine aquarium book or even the internet!

The Dos
Do buy a good book on marine aquarium keeping. This should be your first purchase and most valuable accessory!
Do look at your tank every day to check your fish and invertebrates health. Are they acting differently than normal, do they have any damage or signs of illness etc
Do react quickly when you think something is wrong. Test your water quality and conditions. Look for indicators of problem or disease. Read your aquarium books, search the internet and talk to your friendly marine aquarium retailer for advice.
Do create a maintenance schedule that helps you remember to regularly check your water quality, top up with freshwater, replace saltwater, replace consumables etc
Do feed small amounts of food regularly
Do feed a varied diet that accommodates all your inhabitants needs
Do ensure you have adequate filtration (biological and/or mechanical)
Do ensure you have sufficient circulation in your tank. Most people recommend at least 10x your tanks volume be circulated every hour. This includes powerheads, filters (both internal and external), protein skimmers, circulation pumps etc.
Do use a timer if possible on your tanks lights as the inhabitants like regularity with respect to their daytime and night-time.
Do adopt a photoperiod that considers the output and intensity of your lights and either mimics the inhabitants natural environment or that of your local environment
Do wash your hands before putting them in the tank or working with any equipment that will come into contact with your tanks water. Soaps, creams, medicines etc can all harm your inhabitants.
Do use good quality activated carbon in your tanks - this removes unwanted toxins and keeps the water crystal clear.
Do regularly replace your activated carbon (approx. every 8 weeks)
Do keep your tank as close as possible to Natural Sea Water conditions (NSW). These are, for the most, a pH of 8.3, Specific Gravity (SG) of 1.025, temperature of 25 degrees Celsius. There are many other levels that need to be considered (eg Calcium, Carbonate Hardness, Iron, Silicon, Phosphate, Copper etc) but these are the main ones.
Do acclimatise your new fish and inverts appropriately - your marine aquarium retailer should notify you of their requirements as they can vary from 10 minutes just for temperature adjustment for hardy fish to hours for sensitive inverts.
Do use, where possible, natural sea water in your tank - there is nothing like the real stuff!
Do make sure you know where the real sea water is coming from - you dont want it to have been collected in your local marina or just offshore as it will not be suitable as it will contain all sorts of man made pollutants.
Do use RO/DI (Reverse Osmosis/Deionised) water when real sea water is not available. Use it to top up or when mixing new salt - especially in tanks that contain corals and other sensitive invertebrates.
Do use a protein skimmer if possible. It complements your mechanical and biological filtration and in some cases is a mandatory requirement for keeping certain inverts.
Do ensure you understand the nitrogen cycle. This is the fundamental basis for how wastes in the aquarium get converted from toxic chemicals (ammonia and nitrites) to less toxic chemicals (nitrates) by bacteria that live in your water.
Do select your new fish and inverts very carefully. Ensure they are not damaged, diseased or otherwise looking unwell. If possible, quarantine them in a separate tank before adding them to your main tank. An alternative is to use an Ultraviolet (UV) steriliser for about four weeks after adding the new inhabitants to kill off any newly introduced diseases.

The Donts

Dont overfeed. This is most probably one of the most common mistakes for a beginner. Fish always appear hungry and it is very tempting to feed them often but this can cause all sorts or problems the most common being poor water quality. If nor corrected this can lead to sickness and death of your fish and inverts in a short time. If you are going to very often then ensure you only feed small amounts and that it all gets eaten immediately. Also test your water quality often (eg test ammonia, nitrite and nitrates at least a couple of times a week).
Dont overstock you tank. This is also one of the most common mistakes for beginners. Tanks can only successfully support a certain amount of life in them and this is based upon a number of factors. Some of these are volume, surface area, aeration, circulation, filtration (mechanical and biological), maturity, quantity and frequency of water changes, flow, number of fish and inverts etc etc. It is better to start slow and small and build your way up. Talk to your local marine aquarium retailer for advice on stocking levels.
Dont rush the maturation of your new aquarium. This is another one of the most common mistakes for beginners. Sea water is a complex living thing. It contains thousands of elements, compounds, minerals and organisms that are all reacting together. When setting up a new aquarium it takes time to mature enough to sustain higher order living animals such as fish and inverts. Generally it can take up to eight weeks for the nitrogen cycle to complete and the sea water stabilise enough to allow for the addition of fish. A good idea is to stick to one or two hardy fish initially and then slowly add more fish over a period of time, all the time keeping a very close eye on water conditions. I would be testing daily for pH, salinity (SG), ammonia, nitrites and nitrates during this phase. After six months or so if everything is going all right I would then consider basic, hardy invertebrates such as soft corals, algaes, shrimps, anemones, star fish, urchins etc. After these have been living successfully for a while (after about one to two years) I would then consider the more sensitive inverts such as stony corals, clams etc.
Dont mix inhabitants (fish or inverts) without some research of your own and/or advice from your local marine aquarium store - they dont all get on together even if they look weird or wonderful and you just have to have it!
Dont change any critical aquarium conditions too drastically - stability is your friend. The main ones include salinity (Specific Gravity or SG), pH and temperature.
Dont use water from your tap without treating it and testing it. Some local water supplies have unwanted chemicals such as copper (Cu), Iron (Fe), Ammonia (NH4), Nitrites (NO2), Nitrates (NO3) and heavy metals in them. They all have chlorine and chloramines in them and need to be removed before being added to the aquarium (or even mixing salt in - remove the chlorine first).
Dont use fly sprays, air fresheners, incense etc in the same room as your fish tanks as they may well poison your inhabitants
Dont use the cheap types of hydrometers to measure your Specific Gravity (salinity) as they are inherently inaccurate! These include your common floating type (they quite often also contain a thermometer in them as well) and the floating needle types that stick to your glass and a little plastic needle floats in the water indicating your SG! These types are also affected by temperature and may be giving an incorrect reading is not used correctly. I find the most accurate is a refractometer and they are not too expensive (approx $100)
Dont use only one powerful heater in your aquarium. It may save you a little money but if it breaks (turns off, or even worse gets stuck on) you could lose everything. Preferably use two smaller heaters so that if one breaks you have a back up and if one gets stuck on it wont cook your fish.
About the Author
Doug Kamp has been keeping aquariums for 30 years, the last 15 of those being mainly marine aquariums. Doug is the proprietor of Aquariums Online which is an online mail order business based in Perth Australia. This article, and others can be found at www.aquariumsonline.com.au

About the Author

Doug Kamp has been keeping aquariums for 30 years, the last 15 of those being mainly marine aquariums. Doug is the proprietor of Aquariums Online which is an online mail order business based in Perth Australia

Written By: Doug Kamp

Part 2 Heating

If you want to keep Cichlids you will need to heat them. A good guide is approximately 1 watt of heating per liter of water. A higher wattage heater than necessary is often a good choice though because they can be used on larger aquariums. Position your heater in a back corner at a 45 degree angle so that heat does not rise directly onto the thermostat. Make sure that there is good water movement around the heater to ensure that the element is heating. Large cichlids can get quite boisterous, so a heater guard will stop your heater being broken. We believe it necessary to also install a thermostat to check the heater. The stick on types are the best in our opinion as the suction cup type soon do not stick and require replacement.

Lighting

Lighting is necessary to view your fish at night time. To achieve this we find it better to illuminate your tank from afternoon until bed time when people can more easily enjoy their tanks. Lighting left on all day will undoubtedly cause excessive algae problems. For best results with plants we recommend high intensity full spectrum white lighting. We like to use Aquastars, Arcadia ’s or Power Glo’s.

The African Cichlid Tank

The African Rift lake Cichlids from Lakes Malaqi, Tanganyika and Victoria have become a popular variety of fish for people who desire dramatic color, size and movement in their tanks. African cichlids are quite aggressive and fast moving and should be kept in tanks set up for a community of African cichlids.

Natural Habitat

African Cichlids inhabit the rocky shorelines of the rift lakes of Africa . The water in these lakes is quite hard and alkaline. Large schools of fish graze algae from the rocky outcrop reefs. Amongst the algae live small crustaceans which also constitute part of the diet of African cichlids.

The bottom of the lakes is sandy. Innumerable caves formed between the boulders offer protection to young fish and brooding females. Check out the Cichlid mansion and Amazon range of backgrounds if you want realism and something special.(www.aquariumrocks.biz) Most species from Lake Malawi are mouth brooders and constitute a large proportion of the species available in the hobby. A lot of the Tanganyikan species form lifetime pair bonds and protect their young, while others are also mouth brooders.

Rift Lake Water Conditioning

To recreate the hard alkaline water required by these fish, shell grit or coral sand should be added to your gravel or used exclusively for the bottom. African Rift lake sand is also becoming popular, but can show up detritus badly. Good quality African Cichlid water conditioners like the Seachem Rift Lake Salt and Buffers are a real advantage in creating the right water conditions.

There are several products that will remove both chlorine and ammonia, but the best value is….Amquel Instant water Detoxifier.

Setting up African Rift Lake Cichlids As African cichlids come from rocky shoreline areas of the lakes, we suggest that intricate rockwork form the basis of your set-up arranged to form area’s with numerous caves. The rockwork should be predominantly built up around the back and sides to leave a communal amphitheatre where all the interaction and displays take place. A+RR Inc has a large range of rocks which are extremely attractive and offer plenty of hiding places. Plants are not essential to your African community tank because African Cichlids, being omnivorous, will eat your plants except for something such as Anubias. One option here is to cut some holes in barnacle rock which allows the greenery to be seen but protects the base in the gravel from the fish. Plastic plants instead make a good addition.

Adding African Rift Lake Cichlids

Try to crowd your African cichlids without taxing your filtration and water change management. This stops individuals from becoming too dominant and harassing others.

We find it best to start with small to medium sizes of fishes of several species in groups of four.

(4 Electric Blue, 4 Electric Yellows, 4 Venustus, 4 Red Empress)

Of the Lake Malawi fishes, the most common species are Zebras, Pindani, Lombardoi and others. People often start with these species as they are cheaper and show color while still young. Many hobbyists progress to the slightly more expensive and spectacular ‘Haplochromis’ group, like Electric Blues, Red Empress and the Peacocks where only the males exhibit the most amazing color as they mature. In general Take Tanganyika fishes are a bit more expensive and comprise some of the most sought after species like Frontosa, “Lanprologus” and Trheus.

Feeding Africans Feeding African Cichlids the right type of foods is very important. African Cichlids have extremely long intestinal tracts, like omnivores, which means that foods (meat, worms etc.) will take a long time to digest. Inappropriate foods will rot in their stomachs causing bloating, sickness and sometimes death. For this reason foods with a large proportion of spirulina and vegetables are best. Our favourites, HBH VEGE or Cichlid Flakes and Pellets are perfect. Super Bits are also eagerly taken but we do not like to feed Super Bits exclusively, but rather combined with Spirulina based foods. Frozen bloodworm and brine shrimp are also good for most species, but meats and live blackworm are definitely no-no’s.

The American Cichlid Tank American Cichlids are larger growing and slower moving than their African cousins. They are also far more predatory and are happy with a higher protein than Africans. For these reasons we do not recommend keeping American and African Cichlids together. Of course there is always the odd exception.

Natural Habitat The natural habitat of the Central and South American cichlids is quite different to that of Africans. Logs and branches in general replace rocky outcrops still having a background that can provide safe secure retreats are important. We feel darker gravel such as the Red Gravel blend suits the reflective colors of Americans, compared to lighter substrates spawners who will form a pair bond. Spawns can produce hundreds of fry, the parents will try to protect and nurture their babies instinctively. It is not uncommon for pairs of fish to spawn in the community tank, although it is unlikely that the parents will be able to protect babies from the hordes. Most American cichlids have also been in the hobby for a lot longer than Africans. Species like Oscars and Red Devils have become household names.

Water Conditioning American Cichlids are quite tolerant of water conditions, but a pH close to neutral and low nitrates (regular water changes) provide a comfortable environment. Always treat new tap water well with XXXXXX and XXXXX as with all fish.

Setting Up for American Cichlids Use plenty of logs. Submerge some rocks into the substrate and add more structure on top… Do not be concerned by excessive color from new logs as this will become less with regular water changing. You could use charred wood from A+RR Inc here as well. Plastic plants attached to small crevice rock will provide a splash of color. Of course you can use one of the Amazon or Cichlid mansion backgrounds that will create a stunning base for you to expand on.

Adding American Cichlids Try to set up a large variety of young fish to grow up together. That way you will have far more compatible large fish when they grow up. Our favourite species are Oscars, Red Devils, Texas , Firemouths, Severums etc. Give them plenty of room to grow. Often people will ask, “What can I put with my large Oscar who has lived alone for a year?” if you put another single fish in, there is every chance that the new inhabitant will be killed. We advised it is better to trade in large fish and start with a community of smaller Americans.

Feeding Americans American cichlids will consume a large variety of foods. HBH make a range of American specific cichlid foods. Advance the size of the pellets as your young fish grow. A wide variety of frozen foods are recommended in conjunction with live foods including feeder fish. Only offer feeder fish as a treat, otherwise they will become fussy about accepting prepared foods.

Dwarf Cichlids The most popular dwarf cichlids are the Apistogrammas and Microgeophagus (Rams) from South America and the Pelvicachromis (Kribensis) from the Congo River system of Africa . These dwarf cichlids are popular community fish that may spawn in a community tank and exercise parental care over their young if there is enough cover. They prefer a good varied diet of prepared frozen and live foods.

Discus

Discuses are a popular group of cichlids kept by enthusiasts all over the world. Many claim Discus are the “King of Fishes”. Discus are definitely a fish that require some experience, although they may be kept in a community tank. The major requirement to keeping Discus well is good water management and the best foods. Discuses seem to metabolize quickly and need to be fed often with high quality prepared and frozen foods. The best are Tetra Bits with daily frozen food like Beef Heart and Liver and Discus Dinner. Once Discus are feeding well they are competitive and hardy.

Discus are usually happy in low nitrate water with pH slightly acidic and soft water which is very warm 29-32 Degrees Celcius. For breeding Discus, the fish need to be well conditioned on the best foods. The best range of water conditioners for Discus are the Seachem range of Discus Buffers.

The major problem with Discus is their susceptibility to parasites like gill flakes as well as intestinal worms and flagellates. We advise regular treatments for parasites with General Cure or Worm-Rid, especially after Discus are newly purchased or moved. Intestinal worms are best treated with Worm-Rid and flagellates with Octozin. An inexpensive, yet very good book is the Barron’s Discus Fishes.

Enjoy setting up your tank and we love receiving your pictures of the products from Aquarium + Reptile Rocks Inc. (www.aquariumrocks.biz)

About the Author

fish keeper dad and mad rugby fanatatic partner www.aquariumrocks.biz

Written By: Michael Grosman

Setting Up Your Cichlid Aquarium The groups of fishes commonly referred to as Cichlids, comprise a vast group of, generally larger and more aggressive fishes from Africa and South and Central America with a few species being found in Asia . They offer such a large variety of bright colors, shapes and habits that they have become one of the most popular fishes kept by hobbyist’s world wide. Such is the diversity of species, breeding habits and feeding that it becomes necessary to set up different groups of Cichlids in different tanks. Some of these include African Cichlids, American Cichlids, Dwarf Cichlids or Discus. It is usually recommended that you keep these like minded fishes together and don’t mix them in general.

Selecting and Positioning Your Tank

Always try to choose a tank with the largest possible surface area and volume as most cichlids grow quite large. Make sure you always have a glass cover to stop your fish jumping out.

Position your new aquarium so that you avoid direct sunlight hitting the aquarium for too long as this can cause excessive algae problems.

Choosing Gravel, Decor and Setting Up

Cichlids are quite territorial and the more holes, refuges and interesting “zones” you can create make for a much harmonized community.

A good starting point is to place in your tank a background that can offer the realism and natural environment that these fish will feel very relaxed and unstressed in. Check out the cichlid mansion range from Aquarium + Reptile Rocks Inc (www.aquariumrocks.biz)if you want something extraordinary.

Next is the gravel we advise a fine blended gravel as too coarse a gravel size allows uneaten food and waste to accumulate in the pockets between pebbles away from water flow that break it down. There are several varieties to choose from. Clean your gravel in small quantities in a bucket. Three or four rinses should be sufficient. Place the cleaned gravel into your tank along with a little water.

Next to add some more “zones” you can add cleaned rocks and driftwood and position them. Triangulate your decorations to create a greater depth of field and provide an amphitheatre where the fish can congregate in a community setting. Try to slope your gravel slightly towards the rear and sides using rocks and logs to create tiers and depth. The lightweight rocks from A+RR Inc like quartz rocks, north head ridge, barnacle, rock pool and charred wood make this fun and easy to do. When you have the major decorations in place, add a little water, if this is a little dirty from the gravel siphon this dirty water out again into your bucket.

Next fill your tank. Avoid disturbing the gravel by using a plate or newspaper onto which you can direct the water flow. Some coral sand is a good addition to an African tank, while white Rift Lake Sand looks great for Africans also but can show up detritus badly. These aspects will be discussed further later.

Preparing your Tap Water

Next we must treat our tap water to remove harmful chlorine and ammonia. There are several products that will remove both, the best value is Amquel Instant water Detoxifier.

It is also necessary to replace electrolytes like, magnesium, and potassium making in tap water.

The electrolytic aquarium salts are essential to fishes well being. Not only provide an anti-bacterial effect, but help fishes produce body slime to protect themselves from infection and create an essential osmotic barrier so they do not dehydrate. Make sure it is dissolved before adding to your aquarium.

There are also several products we can use to specific water conditions for African and Discus. To calculate water volume: consider 10cm x 10cm x 10cm = 1 liter. So length (cm) x Width (cm) x Height (cm) divided by 1000 = Volume (liters).

Biological Filter Supplementation The Best way to get crystal clear water is to pro-actively provide bacteria cultures as biological filter supplement. In our opinion WASTE CONTROL and CYCLE used in conjunction with one another or HBH TERMINITE are the best way to enhance your filtration and stay ahead of the game. People using these products simply do not encounter the same problems as people who take a minimalist approach (don’t use a filter supplement) and end up constantly reacting to problems. These bacteria cultures help convert all organic wastes to ammonia then further to nitrite and finally to nitrate. To establish your tanks bacteria populations can take several weeks but is accelerated greatly by adding supplements. Do not overstock your new aquarium during this run in period.

Filtration

All good filters provide ample filter media surface areas for the colonization of aerobic (oxygen breathing) denitrifying bacteria which break down fish waste. The greater the volume of the filter and the greater the flow rate, the bigger the population of bacteria to keep your tank clean. This is Biological filtration. All good filters should provide some sponge as Mechanical filtration. Chemical filtration is also important. We always use ammonia remover as a safeguard. Carbon is also beneficial but Purigen is superior. It is rechargeable and will also remove log stains from your tank (That is if you did not use the Charred wood from A+RR Inc). Remember to rinse loose particles out before adding to your filter.

Filter Types

Freshwater Trickle filters offer the most filtration for large seriously stocked tanks. External Canister filers like the PRIME, EHEIM, FLUVAL or VIA AQUA are the best of the commercially available filters. They offer the largest volume of media and can be concealed from view. All these brands have a simple priming system and excellent taps to isolate water in the tubing while the filter is cleaned. Hang On styles like the AQUACLEAR and AQUAONE are also very good. They possibly provide the best value if your budget does not permit an external canister. Simple fill the filter box with water and turn on. Water is pumped through the filter and gravity flows back into your tank. Internal motorized filters like the CRYSTAL , RIO , and EIHEM are popular for smaller tanks or as a secondary filter for extra circulation in a large tank. Internals usually do not interfere with top glass or hoods. These can be placed under one of your lightweight rocks. Air Operated filtration is often not sufficient for cichlids. We do highly recommend air bubbling in Cichlid tanks. Be sure to use a Check Valve so that water cannot flow back into your pump if power goes off. If you have a Cichlid Mansions or Amazon background from A+RR Inc you can conceal a lot of the plumbing from view which makes for a very attractive set up.

Water Changing

Although nitrate (residual waste) is relatively harmless, the levels will accumulate and become dangerous if regular partial water changes are not performed to dilute nitrates. Cichlids are large fish that eat a lot, so nitrates accumulate quickly. PH is also pulled dangerously lower by organic waste accumulation. Therefore, no matter how good your filtration is, you still must water change regularly. We recommend a 1/3 - water change fortnightly to keep pH above neutral and nitrates low.

The best tool to assist you with water changes is a Lee’s Gravel Vacuum. They allow you to remove the dirtiestwater from around the gravel and replace it with clean, treated tap water. This task is easier to do and a better job done if you have lightweight rocks and dcor. We recommend you test pH and nitrate weekly to ensure your water changing maintenance is sufficient to maintain this balance. PH can be maintained using PH UP, but the only easy way to remove nitrate is by water changing.

An important tip when changing. Rinse your filter media in your old aquarium water rather than under a tap as the chlorine in tap water will kill off the precious filter bacteria living in the foam and other media. If you follow these procedures you should never have to completely break your tank down to clean it out.

Part 2 to come…….

About the Author

Written By: Michael Grosman - Fish keeper, dad and mad rugby fanatic. Partner www.aquariumrocks.biz