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Lighting Your Aquarium

Aquarium enthusiasts know just how important lighting is in a tank, both for aesthetic reasons and for the health of the organisms found therein. But this article isn’t for them, it’s for people considering a fish tank habitat, and who need to know everything to consider when putting one together. Months ago I did a general overview on how to choose an aquarium, but today I’ll focus on a more specific aspect: the lighting. I’m going to limit my article today to lighting considerations for fish aquariums. Reptiles and amphibians usually need very specific types of light and that’s something … Continue reading →

Choosing an Aquarium

Many different types of pets reside in aquariums, from fish to reptiles to amphibians. Your pet will likely spend the rest of its life in this little box, so you want to make sure you make a good decision when purchasing your aquarium. How does one go about doing that? If I decided today that I wanted a turtle, for example, I’d have no idea what sort of aquarium to purchase for it. I’d need research or help to determine what I should buy. That’s the key: be informed, or seek the help of someone who is. Chances are if … Continue reading →

Animal Webcams for You and Your Preschooler

We spent some time at the local nature center today. I happen to work at this one, and I was coordinating a talk about hibernating bears. At the talk, our speaker linked to a great bear webcam that features a hibernating female bear and her newborn cub. Last spring, my daughter and I became addicted to another webcam, the eagle cam. That one involved a mother and father eagle who were waiting for their eggs to hatch. We followed the pair until the eggs hatched and watched the new parents feed their hungry chicks. There are some amazing animal webcams … Continue reading →

Aquarium Maintenance

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Very few pets are of the “set it and forget it” variety. They need constant care to stay happy and healthy! Keeping an aquarium clean and safe for your fish can take quite a bit of work… but it’s worth it! Daily checks should include: Observing the fish. Watch for signs of illness, including breathing difficulty, discoloration, and weird growths. Watch how your fish interact with each other. Check temperature and filtration system. A thermometer stuck to the glass or hanging from the top of the tank is a quick and easy way to make sure the water is comfortable … Continue reading →

Easy Aquarium Plants for Beginners

Ready to add live plants to your aquarium? Here are a few plants that are hardy and easy to grow — perfect for beginners! Hornwort — a stem plant with spiraling forked leaves. It looks more delicate than it actually is! This plant is difficult to kill and grows very quickly — this helps slow algae growth in your tank. Amazon sword — a tall plant with very large leaves! This plant needs more sunlight than some of the others on the list, but the plant’s height helps it get the sun it needs. Because these plants are larger than … Continue reading →

Live Plants for Your Aquarium

Live plants look great in the tank and give your fish places to hide and explore. There are different types of plant you can include: stem plants, rooted plants, floating plants, and specialty plants. Tank plants will generally do well if you have a nutrient-rich substrate at the bottom of your tank and a layer of gravel to keep debris away. And don’t forget a light source! Plants need sunlight in order to survive. Place large, heavy objects like rock and driftwood before you plant your plants — if you try to add heavy objects last, you may damage your … Continue reading →

What Does Your Gravel Say About You?

Most fish tanks have something on the bottom — often gravel in freshwater tanks, but sometimes sand or other materials. What substrate is best for your tank? Colored gravel is popular among casual fish keepers, but not often seen in a serious hobbyist’s tank. Why? If the fish should be the main focus of the tank, brightly colored gravel can be distracting from the living creatures. Colored gravel doesn’t look at all natural, and many serious hobbyists want their tanks to look like a little piece of nature. Light colored gravel can make fish nervous or anxious — the fish … Continue reading →

More Tropical Aquarium Tips

Keeping an aquarium can be a rewarding hobby — but it isn’t easy! These tips can help your fish stay happy and healthy in your tank. Caring for your fish starts BEFORE they enter the tank. You need to acclimate your fish before they enter your aquarium. Place the fish and the water from the bag into an empty and clean five gallon bucket. Add one cup of water from your aquarium every ten minutes for an hour. After an hour or so, the fish will be acclimated to your tank water and ready to move into the aquarium. Add … Continue reading →

Cloudy Aquarium Water

If the water in your aquarium doesn’t look quite right, you may have something wrong! Your tank water isn’t supposed to be cloudy, white, green, or yellow. White or gray cloudy aquarium water could be caused by dust from gravel or sand. Always rinse your substrate thoroughly before adding it to your aquarium. With sand, this can be tricky! Give your tank a day or two for dust particles to settle. White or gray cloudy aquarium water could be caused by a bacterial bloom or by adding too many fish too soon (before the nitrogen cycle has finished). Give the … Continue reading →

What Is In Your Tank Water?

The water in your tropical aquarium is more than just hydrogen and oxygen — there is a lot of other stuff going on in your tank. Understanding some basics will help you provide a safe and healthy environment for your fish. There are two types of bacteria that may live in your tank: aerobic and anaerobic. The aerobic kind of bacteria needs oxygen to live. The anaerobic kind of bacteria can live without (or just does not need) oxygen. You will want to invest in an aquarium testing kit (or separate kits to test for separate things) that checks for … Continue reading →