The Aquarium Source

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When I first started out with aquariums I was unsure about everything and even though I wanted to do things right I was a little confused about the job and importance that every piece played. Take aeration for instance, I remember specifically asking the owner of the pet store that I was in if I really needed aeration, and what it did for the tank. The reply that he gave could have been correct and he was the one who worked in the pet store so I had no reason not to trust him. The reply that I received was that aeration was only to make the tank look good and I really didn’t need it for my fish to live. Now as a kid who was just learning about tanks and aquariums this sounded good to me, I wasn’t trying to win any contest for how good my tank looked, I just wanted happy healthy fish. The knowledge that one learns through experience is better than anything, so here are a few simple basic facts about aeration.

Fish need air to live-  It is true that fish live underwater (just seeing if you are awake), but they breath air. When the water passes over their gills, the oxygen is “sifted” out of the water and passed into their “lungs”.  Fish do not have lungs like we have but clean oxygen is EXTREMELY important. The water that the fish has already removed the oxygen from is now lighter than the rest of the water in the tank and so it rises to the surface (this is where you get the surface exchange of gasses). Once at the surface and the gasses are exchanged the water particles are the same weight as the rest of the water in the tank and they are recirculated. This process continues and you have the water circulation in your tank. This process is not an extremely fast one and if the original exchange was the only “bad” air in the tank it would not be so bad. However through the natural nitrogen cycle harmful chemicals are continously produced, circulated and removed from the water in your tank by the filtration system and the “good” bacteria that is growing there. The chemicals produced by this cycle are also in the water and are harmful to the fish. When you think about all of the water in your tank and then think about the top of the water, where the surface gasses are exchanged, the top is a relatively small surface area for this gas exchange to take place. If the only water movement in your tank is coming from a filter then that is not enough movement to effectively remove the harmful gasses from the water. Imagine living in a sealed room where 10 particles of harmful gas was added to the air every minute and only 5 particles of harmful gas were taken out in that same time. Eventually you would get sick and die from breathing in the harmful gasses. Its the same concept. Now take a air hose that pumps in clean air into that room and thats what an aerator does. It helps oxygenate the water that the fish lives in.

An Aerator infuses water with air- In addition to having a really neat affect on your aquarium, the aerator actually speeds up the exchange process. When all of those bubbles reach the surface they cause the water at the surface to move making the gas exchange happen faster. Also by bringing in fresh clean air into the bottom of the tank, “dirty” water particles that come in contact with these air bubbles have an underwater gas exchange with the air bubble and are cleaned. By starting this process from the bottom of the tank there is actually more clean water throughout the tank.

Water movement is very important and that leads into an entirly different article about wave makers, pumps and powerheads.

Suffice it to say that your fish WILL live without an aerator FOR A LITTLE WHILE. Once the gas reaches toxic levels your fish will die. Even with an aerator your aquarium water will need help, that is why you treat it with chemicals and complete water changes. You have to help the aquarium live and survive. An aerator is a great option and when you consider the amount of time that you will be spending working on your tank it only makes sense to get something that is going to help you out. Gredens has many aerators as well as many bubble stones and several bubble makers under decorations. Click hereto be taken to Gredens home page.

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     Many people who have aquariums are faced with the issue of what will happen to the fish when they go on vacation. Who will feed them? Some aquarium owners have friends come over while they are gone and feed the fish and while this is a good way to make sure your fish receive the food they need there are a few problems with this method. Is that person reliable? Can you count on them to take good care of the fish? Do they know how much food your fish need and how many times a day? What will happen if your friend can not make it to take care of the fish?  And the most basic question, Does that person know what the fish eat?

     Assuming you have prepared the person in the care of your aquarium then most of these questions need not be asked. However if there is any doubt in your mind then you might seek other options.

     The Rena Lg100 Automatic Feeder is one of these options. Basically, an automatic feeder does just what it’s name implies.   This is a machanical feeder that can be programmed to feed your fish up to 8 times a day, if you desire, while you are away. The great thing about an automatic feeder is that it will feed your fish even when you are home so there is no need to feed all the time. Lets face it, with life in general anyone can forget to feed their fish once in a while. Usually what happens in that situation is we over feed for the next meal to make up for the one that was missed. While our intentions are good in overfeeding we can actually do more damage to the aquarium instead of “treating” the fish to a little extra.

      Extra food that is not eaten will sit on the floor of the aquarium and start to decay, changing the chemical levels in the aquarium. Also by over feeding your fish will eat a little more causing them to deficate more and that changes the chemical levels as well. Rotting food can cause more issues than people realize. So instead of giving the fish an extra pinch of food as a way to say your sorry, it is better to avoid the situation entirely.

     The Rena Lg100 Auto Feeder has a capacity to hold approximately 4 ounces of food and is uesd for many types of dry fish food. With this type of storage, you will only need to refill your food canister and not wory about constantly feeding the fish. A great detail that has been added to the Rena Auto Feeder is the addition of an air nozzel that leads into the food storage chamber. This air nozzel makes it possible to hook a air line up from the air pump to constantly circulate air in the chamber preventing the food from getting moist and clumping together.

     The amount of food that is to be dispensed can be easily programmed and adjusted to accomidate the number and size of fish that you have in your aquarium. So there is no need to worry about dispensing food for many fish when you only have a few. Again that would take us back to overfeeding. The auto feeder can also be attached to the tank for permanent or temporary use. Making this auto feeder great for switching tanks if you need to. Measuring 3-1/2″ x 5-1/2″ x 4″ high and including light sensors to activate or deactivate when needed this Rena Lg100 Automatic Feeder makes for the perfect aquarium companion.

This product along with other great items can be found by clicking here.

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Aquarium Substrates
When setting up a new aquarium you generally have two objectives in mind.  First, you want the aquarium to be appealing to the eyes and second, you want it to thrive.  In order for it to be appealing, you have to select plants, rocks and other decorations to suit your taste.  To keep your tank thriving, you have to make sure the chemicals are all balanced, and that you are supplying an environment that is as close to nature as possible.  It’s a balancing act to which you will have to follow. 

It’s easy to pick out colorful decorations and little plastic divers that blow air bubbles.  But most of the time, little or no attention is given to the bottom substrate.  Whether it is sand, gravel, soil, clay or some other type of decorative substance, it is vital to your new miniature underwater system that you choose the correct substrate for your type of aquarium.  Unknown to most people is that the layer of gravel and materials (aka substrate) which lies quietly at the bottom of the aquarium plays a vital role in the initial biologic cycling and then in maintaining a healthy environment for the fish and plants which live there.

Aquarium substrate serves several purposes. Primarily, it serves as a decorative touch for those who view the aquarium. It also gives the aquarium a finished look, and can be quite colorful or naturally toned. However, one of the most important roles is that it keeps the fish healthy and is also good for plants.

Aside from its esthetics, aquarium substrate provides a haven for the beneficial bacteria.  The type of substrate you should use varies with the type of aquarium that you have as some substrates are not always good for plants.

In a fish only aquarium the substrate should be no more than two inches deep. The substrate may be of any size unless you have fish that are bottom feeders, where you should consider using finer gravel. Care must be taken when it comes to the depth of substrate, especially when using a fine grade. Deeper substrates do not get oxygenated very well, and it is there where old food particles will rot and produce a toxic substance known as hydrogen sulfite.  This gas is normally produced at such a slow rate that it doesn’t have much if any affect on the fish.  However, if allowed to build up over time, the hydrogen sulfite starts to pose a greater threat. At that point, just moving objects in your tank around or stirring up the gravel will release the gas and can be potentially toxic to your fish.

If you’re planning a planted aquarium, it is best to have two individual layers of substrate.  The bottom layer should consist of a substrate which is nutrient enriched for beautiful and hardy plant life. Vermiculite is an example of a good bottom layer for your planted tank. It has properties which allow it to slowly release nutrients over time, making it ideal for this purpose. This lower layer should be high enough to cover the roots of the plants, up to two inches.

As for the top layer, you can use regular gravel or even sand will do nicely, and it should be one and a half to two inches in height.

So what is best for your aquarium substrate?   Will first, you should never use any of the highly colorful painted gravel.  The paint can be highly toxic to your fish if it were to flake off and be eaten.  You should also avoid using material that has a reflective quality to it.  Fish use the substrate as a mean to keep their balance and equilibrium.  It helps the fish to determine what is up and what is down.  Fish can become disoriented by a clear bottomed aquarium or by substrate that reflects light. 

There are three main substrate attributes you should consider in relation to the fish you choose to keep; color, particle size and reactivity with the water.

Aquarium Gravel
Gravel should be chosen for its smooth edges and inert chemical nature. Such gravels will not injure startled fish or dissolve into the aquarium water.

The gravel size is also important. 3 to 4mm is an excellent size to allow adequate water flow through the aquarium substrate. In doing so the water can be cleaned through biological filtration as beneficial bacteria feed on dissolved fish wastes. Gravel larger than 4mm will allow sufficient water flow, but it cannot provide the surface area offered by smaller grades.

Aquarium Sand
Sand as an aquarium substrate is useful with delicate bottom feeding fish. By using sand instead of gravel these delicate appendages will not be damaged as the fish scavenges for food.

The biggest problem with sand as an aquarium substrate is its fine diameter. When placed thickly on the aquarium floor, areas can form where there is no water circulation. In these anaerobic conditions no biological filtration can be achieved. If sand is the aquarium substrate you choose, be sure to use it in a thinner layer to reduce this problem.

The fine particle size is also problematic when cleaning the substrate. If water is siphoned from the bottom using a hose or gravel cleaner the sand will be lost with the removed water.

Natural Coral
Coral is made of calcium carbonate which steadily dissolves in the aquarium water. As the coral dissolves it counteracts the acidifying processes associated with decay of food and the release of fish waste. This pH buffering quality makes coral sand a very practical aquarium substrate for fish that enjoy hard water and a higher pH.

This product is more expensive than gravel and will not hide dirt due to its light color. The very light color can also be distressing to fish, especially when illuminated with strong lighting. Without dark surroundings the aquarium inhabitants can feel unsettled. They may become stressed and lose their natural color in an attempt to blend with the bright surroundings.

Marble Chip
Marble chip is another calcium carbonate based fish tank substrate. It does not have the same structure as the porous natural coral. This makes marble chip heavier and gives it less surface area than coral sand. Because of the reduced surface area, the buffering quality is less and there are fewer sites for biological filtration to be performed.

On the positive side marble chip is a less expensive aquarium substrate than natural coral and is available in shades other than white.

A few points to consider
Before using any substrate material, it should be thoroughly washed.  Fine particles need to be rinsed away or they will become suspended in the water causing cloudiness.

Many gravels and sands can be purchased from garden centers at a more reasonable price than pet shops.

When filling the aquarium with water disturbing the aquarium substrate is not only not welcome but can be hazardous. This can be avoided by placing a plate on the gravel or sand before pouring in the water.

One of the best preventative measures to guard against this is to gently mix the aquarium substrate on a regular basis, thereby releasing the gas before it builds to deadly proportions. Aquarium owners can also use nature itself to fight the problem by placing Trumpet Snails into the tank. These little helpers will burrow through the aquarium substrate, creating a situation where the gas is vented on a regular basis. This also gives the substrate better aeration, preventing build up.

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Setting up a reef tank is not a simple matter.  Don’t let anyone try and tell you otherwise.  It takes time, planning, money and a lot of patience.  But, if done correctly, can be fun and rewarding. 

There are lots of resources on the web that go into great detail on this topic.  Such detail that it can go on for pages and pages.  This guide will be more of an overview and, hopefully will provide you with a good start on setting up your tank. 

Before stating this adventure into aquarium building, one must start with a plan.  Developing a plan will help you stay on budget and keep you focused on the end game.  Your goal, which is a happy, healthy reef tank, may take months to develop.  And focusing on the end will help you get through the middle part of you plan.

The first thing you have to decide is what kind of tank you want.   There are several types of tanks including a freshwater, saltwater fish only, and reef tank.  Since you are reading this article, I will assume you have decided on a reef tank.  Of the three choices, this can be the most challenging, yet most rewarding of the aquarium habitats to keep.

Below is a list of equipment you will need to start and maintain a reef tank.  Not every topic will be covered in this article.  I will handle things like light sources and filter media in other articles.  For now, I will only touch on the basics of each part below.

 Equipment Needed:

• Aquarium (Tank)
• Lights
• Light Timer
• Salt Mix
• Sand (Live or static)
• Live Rock
• Protein Skimmer (Optional for Now)
• Power Filter (optional)
• Algae Scraper
• Sump and/or Refugium (optional pieces of aquarium equipment)
• Quarantine Tank (Optional)
• Power heads (multiple)
• Food (depends on what you plan on keeping in your reef aquarium)
• Thermometer
• Heater
• Test Kits (chlorine, pH, ammonia, nitrite, nitrate, phosphate, calcium, alkalinity, iodine)
• Reverse Osmosis filter or even better an RO/DI (deionization) filter. (Optional)
• Hydrometer or refractometer
• 2 Five Gallon Buckets (clean and for fish tank only use)
• Fish, Corals and other Invertebrates

This equipment listed above can be purchased at most any aquarium store.  As with any merchandise, there many different brands to chose from in all different price ranges.  Setting upa reef is not cheap.  But cutting corners to save money is not always the best decision.  The old saying about “you get what you pay for” holds very true in this instance as well.  This Is were research comes into play.  How cheap was the lighting to start with?  By doing some research, you can determine the type of equipment is needed for the exact type of aquarium inhabitance you will have regardless of the price.  Remember, you are investing in the future well being of your fish.

Putting things together

Once you decide on what kind of tank you want to start and you have done all the research on size, shape, contents and needed equipment, it’s time to put it all together.  The location of the tank in your home is very important.  It should not be near any source of sun light.  This is important for 2 reasons.  The first is that sun light is perfect lighting and will promote algae growth.  The second reason is temperature control.  You don’t want to put your tank in an area that has large swings in temperature. Ideally, you should place your tank in a dark area of your home, away from air conditioning vents and heat sources.  Its better for your tank to be a little cooler and be able to control the temperature with a heater than to be too hot and need to purchase a very expensive chiller to cool it down.  The location should be fairly close to a water source as well unless you want to drape a water hose across your expensive imported area rug.

When setting the tank and stand up, make sure the stand is level and on a firm surface before placing the aquarium on it.  If the hand is not level or on a firm surface, the weight of the water may cause the stand to buckle or tip over and that is something you never want to see.  A hundred gallons of living saltwater all over you carpet is not a pretty site.

What ever type of substrate you decide to use will determine if you need to rinse it before adding to the tank.  Plain sand or gravel should be rinsed.  Live sand and live rocks should not be rinsed as it will wash away the living organisms that are needed for your tank.

Once the sand is in place, and all your live rock is in just the right position, it is time to add the water.  Here again, how you add the water will be determined by where you live and how hard your water is.  I am not going into water conditioning in this article.  Suffice it to say, you need to test the water first to make sure it doesn’t need to be treated first.

When adding water, it is always best to place a bowl or other type of container in the aquarium to pour the water into.  This will help prevent the water from becoming cloudy from all the fine particles in the gravel or sand.  Remember to poor slowly so that the spillage will be gentle and slow.

There are two thoughts on how to add the salt to the aquarium.  One is to fill the aquarium one third to one half with regular fresh water and then add the pre-measured amount of salt to that water. 

The second way, and the way I prefer is to add the salt each step along the way;  If you are filling the tank a bucket at a time, then I add the salt to that bucket, fill it with about ½ hot water and dissolve the salt.  Once dissolved, I fill it the rest of the way with cold water.  That way, the salt is already dissolved in the tank and the salt measurements you take will be more accurate.

Fill the tank about 90% full and stop.  Let it filter for about 24 hours.  This allows the salt to completely dissolve.  You can then add water with more or less salt until full and have a better level of salinity.

The tank will look like crap at first.  This is normal and is caused by all the fine particles that are stirred up from the sand or gravel.  Over the next 24-48 hours, it will filter out and/or settle out nicely. 

This is the basics of setting up the tank.  There is much more to do but it will depend on what equipment you have decided to use.  Setting up your lighting system, filter/sump and power heads are all very important and will be covered in other articles.  What ever type equipment you choose, the key at this point is to let the aquarium run.  This is where patience comes in.  Your aquarium will look very empty without fish and fauna.  You will be tempted to start adding live stock, but you need to resist.  Ideally, you should let the tank run for 7-10 days, all the while monitoring the chemical levels in the water.  This is the beginning of the water cycling stage.  This topic is handled in another article and depending on the method you choose, will determine when you can start adding live stock.

This article covered a quick and dirty method for setting up a reef tank.  It is by mo means a comprehensive setup guide, but rather a overview of what is needed to get started.  As simple as it seemed, the devil is in the details.  Please read our other articles on filter selection, lighting and aquarium maintenance to get a more detailed explaination of what is needed to get a reef tank going.

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In the article, The Nitrogen Cycle, I talked about the how nature provides for a way to naturally clean the waste from your fish tank.  Unfortunately, the bi-products of this process creates chemicals that can adversely affect your fish and other tank inhabitants.  These bi-products, Ammonia, Nitrites and Nitrates are very important in maintaining a healthy aquarium eco system.  However, there are other chemicals that are just as important and that also require monitoring to ensure a healthy aquarium.  Anyone wanting to be successful at keeping a tropical aquarium must put forth the time necessary to understand some basic fish tank water chemistry. This will help your fish to not only survive but thrive!

If you want your aquarium (freshwater or saltwater) to thrive, then you’ll need to know how to test your tank water with an aquarium water test kit. There are many chemical tests kits on the market that will test for each of the following:   

• Ammonia
• Nitrite
• Nitrate
• Salinity/Specific Gravity
• pH
• Carbonate Water Hardness
• Alkalinity
• Chlorine and Chloramine
• Copper
• Phosphate
• Dissolved Oxygen
• And others

Some of these kits group a few of the more common tests into a “Master Test Kit.”   Buying these Master Kits can same you a little money as buy each individually can be expensive.  For most casual hobbyists, these master test kits will be sufficient. However, lf you plan to have live flora or a marine aquarium, you may need to invest in additional specialized mini test kits such as copper, phosphate, dissolved oxygen, etc.

Most kits come with a color coded results strip that you either dip into a sample of the tank water then compare to a color chart or you mix the test with a sample of the water in a test tube and then compare to a color chart. Both methods work well.  However, it can sometimes be difficult to match the test color to the color chart.  It can sometimes be helpful to get a second opinion to help match the colors.    

The Master Test Kits usually contain tests for ammonia, nitrite, nitrate and pH.  However, each tech can be purchased separately as replacements.  The following list will contain the chemical you need to test for and a corresponding kit.  I will try to present kits from both a high and low price range and will include which type of media it will test (Fresh or Salt Water).

Alkalinity / pH
pH test kits may test only the range that is relevant to certain freshwater or saltwater environments, so make sure you get the right one. Significant pH changes are fatal, and can be prevented with stable alkalinity. Regular use of pH and alkalinity test kits is the only way to spot trends and problems that need to be immediately addressed.

pH varies slightly over time; we recommend testing at the same time of day, every 2 weeks or more frequently if establishing a new tank. When bringing home new fish, compare the pH of its old water to yours, and slowly acclimate it to its new habitat

It is possible to raise or lower your pH levels with water changes or chemicals (use extreme caution!) from your local pet store. However, I do not recommend this.  Below are a few suggestions for naturally changing your tank pH.

• If you need to raise the pH in your tank, try doing a partial water change with water that has been aerating for several hours.  Doing this can raise the pH of the tap water significantly. 
• Gravel, depending on the type, can raise or lower your tank’s pH. Any decor like corals or fossils hikes your tank’s hardness and hence your tank’s pH.
• Decorations like driftwood or bogwood can lower pH.
• High nitrate levels lowers pH. However, don’t use high nitrate levels as a means of reducing pH. High nitrate levels are highly stressful to fish.
• Water maintained under higher temperature also tends to be acidic.
• If you have a live flora, you can observe considerable pH fluctuations during day and night hours. When there is light, plants carry out photosynthesis, taking in carbon-dioxide and giving out oxygen. This raises your tank’s pH. At night, plants respire, taking in oxygen and giving out carbon-dioxide. This reduces pH.  This is why it is important to take pH measurements at the same relative time of day.  Otherwise, you may detect these naturally occurring changes in pH.
• Pumping in carbon-dioxide for the well-being of plants also lowers water pH.

Ammonia/Nitrites/Nitrates
These chemical are the result of fish waste and decomposing food in the aquarium and are bi-products of the Nitrogen Cycle.  Do not minimize these tests.  Ammonia/Nitrites are the leading killer of tropical fish. Nitrates can significantly change the pH of your tank and can cause overwhelming algae blooms. In a new aquarium you will see a spike in first ammonia and then nitrites.  This is normal and both will eventually come down.  You want to keep Ammonia and Nitrites at or very near zero.  If you notice constantly high levels for theses chemicals, first do partial water change and then examine your biological filter as something is not working correctly.  Nitrates are not a toxic as ammonia or nitrites, but they are harmful and will stress your fish at high enough levels.  The only way to reduce nitrates is through partial water changes. 

Chlorine /Chloramine
Tap water contains chlorine or chloramine (chloramine is more aggressive but essentially the same thing) for sterilization purposes. Chlorine and chloramine are toxic to aquatic life and cause immense stress and damage. Use chlorine and chloramine test kits to test your tap water before setting up a tank or doing a water change – if you have either, use chlorine removers.

Copper
High levels of copper are toxic to aquatic life, but is necessary in the treatment of certain parasites.  You will need to use copper test kits whenever you use copper-based medications to make sure levels don’t get too high. (Use a quarantine tank to prevent problems in your main tank.) Once treatment is complete, you can use activated carbon to filter any copper out. Copper should not be used or evident in aquariums with invertebrates or planted aquariums.

This cooper can also be found in tap water if you have older copper pipes.  So be sure to test any new water used in water changes before adding to the tank.

Dissolved Oxygen
Oxygen test kits tell you how much dissolved oxygen there is in your aquarium water. Fishes need oxygen to live, and any aquarium needs proper aeration. Large tanks can suffer “dead zones” – areas that aren’t getting oxygen – without adequate water circulation. Water pumps provide the most circulation; in a large tank you may need an air pump too, or an aerating water pump. Smaller tanks can often get by on an air pump alone.

Use oxygen test kits weekly if you have a large bio-load or a large tank, or to make sure your aeration setup is adequate.

Phosphate
Phosphate can be introduced to your aquarium mainly from tap water, dead plants and fish food. High phosphate levels can cause algae outbreaks. There are products on the market to remove phosphates and you can do your part by keeping up with your aquarium maintenance and performing regular water changes.

Salinity
Aquarium hydrometers and refractometers measure the specific gravity (density) of water, which is determined by the amount of salt saturation. Refractometers are more expensive, but also more accurate, so they are a good investment for the committed saltwater aquarist. Keep your salinity constant by replacing evaporated water regularly. (Don’t use saltwater for top-offs, only water changes – salt doesn’t evaporate.)

Water Hardness
The hardness level of water has to do with the amount of minerals that are dissolved in the water. Calcium and magnesium are the primary minerals that are dissolved in tap water. “Soft” water has relatively few dissolved minerals whereas “hard” water has many dissolved minerals. Water hardness is not really an issue unless your water is excessively soft. Then you may have problems with runaway pH levels. For saltwater aquariums this is especially true. The carbonate hardness of saltwater can give you a good indication of how stable your pH is.

Proper hardness creates the right environment for your organisms, and affects pH stability. In reef aquariums, calcium processing requires a higher GH.  To increase hardness, use buffers or add crushed coral or limestone to your tank or filter.