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Discus Aquariums – Simple Tips to Build a Home for Your Discus Fish

Discus Aquariums – Simple Tips to Build a Home for Your Discus Fish

Discus aquariums must be set up properly in advance of bringing your discus home. It is foolhardy to think that you will be able to buy the fish, and then setup the tank. In the long term, this is a failing and fish killing scenario. This article will explain what you can do today to prepare your aquarium for discus.

For filtration of discus aquariums, a cultured sponge filter will work well. If don’t want to wait for the filter to culture naturally, consider using one of the bacterial starter cultures. Either choice will work fine, the important thing is that there isn’t a lot of water flow, as calm water mimics the natural discus habitat.

Use a thin layer of fine gravel in the bottom of the tank. Bare bottom tanks also work fine, and are usually better for breeding.
I like to use driftwood, floating plants and clay flowerpots filled with gravel and other suitable plants. Remember that the water temperature in discus aquariums is 80 degrees F or more, so be sure to choose compatible plants. A fluorescent strip light with one warm and one cool white bulb will provide enough light for the plants.

For a quarantine or hospital tank, I do not use gravel or any plants. If this is your first adventure into discus aquariums, the initial tank should essentially be built as a quarantine tank. In this case, the tank should have nothing other than water, filter, heater, and light. The reason for such Spartan accommodations is that you need to be able to observe your discus  closely at first. They may want to hide, but it’s better if you can see them clearly. Remember, you can always add the amenities later, after are sure your new fish are healthy. This quarantine period should last a minimum of 30 days. If you are adding new fish to an established discus aquarium, be sure to keep the new fish in a separate 10 gallon tank while you evaluate their health.

Discus aquariums need some advanced preparation in order to be successful. Most importantly, is ensure proper water quality and habitat. You also need to learn how to properly acclimate new discus to your aquarium. I encourage you to learn more about the specifics of setting up discus aquariums. Topics such as food, water chemistry, and choice of tank mates are all critical to your success. Good Luck!

Do you want to discover the secrets of setting up discus aquariums the easy way? Visit


www.discusfishinfo.com
for more info.

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Aquarium Reefs – 12 Simple Tips To Grow The Perfect Reef

Aquarium Reefs – 12 Simple Tips To Grow The Perfect Reef

Nature has given us varied beautiful seasonal differentiations to enjoy that are from white snow tipped mountains to lush green lands. When it comes to the water, there is a whole new world to search. The water creatures can be phenomenally beautiful and beyond our imagination. Similarly, the water plants are all unique attractive.

The constant studies and research has proved that no two coral reefs are alike. These reefs are all one of its kind amazingly attractive and all those who see them want to get them home with themselves.

This can be done with some effort and lot of creativity but the fact remains that there is no pre-defined formula to grow these at home.

Creating that picturesque salt water aquarium you have to choose from various costly and average priced ornaments. The whole game at the end is about striking the right balance between imaginations, frugality, aesthetics, ecological balance and the financial aspects.
Here are some points you must know in order to grow one of these reefs at your home aquarium:

1. The size of the aquarium must be well planned and apt for your fishes to live healthy.

2. Fishes need lot of place to swim and play. Also if there are varied breeds of fishes living in the same aquarium, they would need some extra space to co-exist healthily.

3. While choosing your fish you must be careful to keep only the compatible breeds together in one aquarium, else it would land up in to a disaster.

4. To set up an ideal eco-system in the fish tank with all natural resources in tact, 175 gallon tank is the minimum you must consider.

5. While preparing a picture perfect reef in your home aquarium you are now lucky that you can find pre-drilled aquariums in the market. You just have to shell out some extra money that you pay as an advance for to the store form where you are purchasing the aquarium. This helps you get a very clean look rather than that traditional hang on the back overflowing tanks.

6. You have a bulk of choices to choose from when decorating your aquarium with a natural reef. The experts advise that as much as possible you should stick to organic decorations. This would ensure the health of your fishes, the plants and a surely maintained ecological balance in the aquarium.

7. Live rock is a great decoration for your saltwater aquarium. This adds an aesthetic feel to the aquarium and helps you formulate the aquarium’s ecosystem as it is a vital part of the aquatic life. A live rock is covered with several micro and macro organisms. These organisms filter all the waste products from of the water, thereby making that water safe for the aquatic inhabitants.

8. Live plants are another beautiful addition for the saltwater aquariums. These are functional as well as they provide for a lot many facilities in the water. Live plants oxygenate the water in the tank. These provide a hide out for your fishes making them more playful. They not only beautify the fish tank but also purify the water in the tank by absorbing the chemicals & providing oxygen. The water plants break down water and ammonia. Then these plants filter the ammonia & the bad or contaminated pat of the water that is the portion that contains bacteria. Plants maintain the balance between all the chemicals in the fish tank as the fishes produce lot of ammonia.

9. Corals are also great beautifiers for your perfect reef aquarium.

10. The experts always advise that prior to making purchases and decisions regarding your fish tank, you must first choose and finalize the breed and type of fish that you would purchase. This would help you make rather appropriate and correct purchases for the aquarium, for instance some fishes like some particular plants that you would be able to decide on the basis of the breed you have decided to buy.

11. The depth of the bottom layer of the aquarium that comprises of silt, sand, and/or gravel must be of an adequate depth so as to allow the roots of the plants to seep in well. While this depth majorly depends on the type of plant you are placing in there, approximately 8 cm is the usual depth required for most of the plants.

12. Like all aquariums and you must light your salt water aquarium at least in the first half of the day as your plants and fishes need a perfect cycle of oxygen and carbon dioxide. The plants need carbon dioxide to live that they can generate through photosynthesis and this can happen only with the right lighting in the aquarium. You might also consider planting an artificial carbon dioxide producing gadget in the fish tank.

Abhishek is an avid Fish Lover and he has got some great Aquarium Care Secrets up his sleeves! Download his FREE 105 Pages Ebook, “Aquarium Care Made Easy!” from his website http://www.Wonder-Homes.com/636/index.htm . Only limited Free Copies available.

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Care of Pet Turtles Made Simple

Care of Pet Turtles Made Simple

Turtles are wonderful pets that can live 25 years or more when they get the proper care. Pet turtles need special care that enables them to be healthy and live longer. Fortunately, once you know how to care for your tortoise, it really doesn’t take very long. Expect to take about 30 minutes a day.

Before adopting a pet turtle, researching the many pet species to choose from is recommended. Know that different turtles species can require more personal care; requiring more detailed housing needs, special diets and environments. For example, snapping turtles are more aggressive and soft shell turtles are more vulnerable to impure water and damage from rocks. For those with no experience taking care of turtles, red eared sliders and Russian tortoises make a good hardy turtle to start with. Make sure to check the laws in your states before buying a turtle, because of the risk of salmonella, turtles less than 4 inches are illegal to sell. Keeping red eared sliders as pets are also regulated in some areas.

The first step to proper turtle care is creating an environment for your pet. Turtles placed indoors will need at least a 40 gallon tank. This allows enough room for creating a wet and dry area for your pet with enough space to move around and exercise. Know that as your pet increases in size you may need to purchase a larger aquarium. Besides glass aquariums, large rubber tubs work well for housing turtles. The water in your tank should be six inches or more, making it deep enough for your pet to swim in. Because chlorine and fluoride are present in tap water, it is not suitable for your turtle’s drinking water. Instead, use natural spring water.

The usual way to create a proper environment is to have your tank have 75% water and 25% dry land. Using large flat stones in your dry area will enable your turtle to have a basking area that allows your turtle to fully dry off. A curved log is one way to help your turtle easily climb out of the water and make it to the dry area of the tank. Though tank decorations are not required, you may want to add some to add aesthetic value. If you decide to do this, make certain that any live plants added are not harmful to your turtle as well as skip using any item that has pointed or sharp edges.

Store the tank in a low traffic, quiet area of your house. A new turtle might be stressed out by being in a new environment and may be shy and retreat when people enter the room. Heating your aquarium will help keep your turtles active as they are cold blooded. Usually a constant temperature of approximately 80 degrees Fahrenheit will enable them from getting slower, though some species need a warmer climate. An ultraviolet light can be used during the day, to help your turtle absorb essential Vitamin D3 needed to utilize calcium. The ultraviolet light should be turned off at night to indicate the end of the day, and help your pet keep a consistent schedule. Even with ultraviolet light, your pet turtle will still require regular exposure to direct sunlight.

A heavy duty filtration unit will be needed to keep the tank clean and fecal matter should be removed from the tank as soon as it appears for the same reason. For prevention of fungus, you can add ¼ cup of table salt for each five gallons of water. Simply changing ten percent of the water each week helps maintain a much cleaner environment. Even with regular maintenance, periodically you should remove your turtle and all items in the tank for a thorough cleaning. White vinegar can be used to clean the inside of the tank and the filter can be cleaned with water, no chemicals should be used when cleaning your pet’s aquarium.

Though small turtles need to feed every day adult turtles should only be feed several times a week. The diet for turtles varies depending on species but most turtles are omnivores and a variety should be given to help your pet get the proper nutrition to stay in good health. Turtles can consume cooked chicken, low fat dog food, earthworms, fish, leafy green vegetables and fruits. Because turtles are messy eaters feeding in a separate container, will help keep the tank clean.

Turtles have sharp teeth and can bite, so be careful when sticking your hand into your turtle’s aquarium or handling them by hand. Being careful to wash your hands after taking care of your pet turtle is highly recommended due to the bacterial risk.

Young children should not be allowed to handle pet turtles without adult supervision. Though turtles make great pets, it is advisable not not have them if you have children less than 5 years old.

Turtles are great friends. Show your love with animal jewelry so others can enjoy your pet too.


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