Search Results for: blog tropical aquarium tips

Four Hardy Fish for Saltwater Aquariums

Keeping a saltwater aquarium is in many ways similar — and in many ways different — from keeping a tropical aquarium. One main difference is the fish available for aquarium keepers. There are hundreds of possible choices for your saltwater aquarium, but some fish are better for beginners than others because they have a better chance of surviving tank mistakes. Here are a few options: Morays — these eels are hardy and usually adapt well to life in captivity. Watch out for occasional hunger strikes; captive morays may lose their appetites for weeks, then just as suddenly be hungry again. … Continue reading →

Aquarium Airstone Cleaning

If you’re using an airstone to keep the water moving in your aquarium, you may want to clean it — rather than spend money on a new one when it gets clogged. Cleaning your airstone is relatively easy! What is an airstone? It is any porous material (ceramic, stone, wood, plastic) that is used to diffuse air in your aquarium. Running your air pump through an airstone creates lots of tiny bubbles, rather than a few big bubbles. This can make your filter run more efficiently. Using an airstone also helps improve water circulation through your tank. But fish (as … Continue reading →

DIY Aquarium Backgrounds

Feeling artistic? Think about painting your own aquarium background. Why use an aquarium background? It adds color to your home and aquarium — there are many different backgrounds available at your local pet store or online retailer. Find one to coordinate with your room. It helps hide wires. It helps hide aquarium equipment. Already have fish in your tank? No problem — you’re not painting on the inside of the tank. Paint on the inside surface of the tank can be very harmful to your fish. Here’s what you’ll need: Glass or acrylic cleaners (plain old water and vinegar works … Continue reading →

The Top Pets Blogs of 2007: June – December

We started out with a list of the Top Blogs from January through May. To conclude the Year in Review of the Top Pets Blogs, here’s the last six months of the year. June 2007 Top Blogs Adopt-a-Shelter Cat Month Starts Today: How to Participate Moose’s Special New Trick The Trouble With Walking Two Dogs Life Without a Fence Moose’s Bad Luck Continues Murphy, Kitty, and Tabby’s Dilemma: What to Get Wayne for Father’s Day? Fitting a Harness Moose Update: He’s Healing and We’re All Adjusting Animal Movies = Torture: How I Fared Through Evan Almighty July 2007 Top Blogs … Continue reading →

The Pets Blog Week in Review for October 22-28

I’m going to try a new format this week in the Pets Blog Week in Review. One fellow bloggers such as Michele Cheplic, Nicole Humphrey, Mary Ann Romans, and Karri Weathers use in their various blog topics. I’ll post the title of articles Aimee and I wrote under the dates and then summarize what the articles were about. Monday, October 22 Adventures with Murphy: Spotting Albino Critters It seems Murph’s a white critter magnet, as evidenced when we spotted yet another albino critter on a walk. This time a white chipmunk in our neighborhood. Tuesday, October 23 Welcoming Puppy: Throwing … 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 →

Tropical Aquarium Tips

Here are some tips to help keep your aquarium running smoothly from start to finish. Starting an aquarium hobby isn’t easy — and it doesn’t happen quickly. You’ll need to take a few weeks to prepare the tank and water before you add any fish. Get the biggest tank you can afford — and the biggest tank that can fit in your space. A larger aquarium usually means the water parameters will be more stable. Water temperature also stays more stable in a bigger tank. Make sure you know and understand the nitrogen cycle. Always use your water test kit … Continue reading →

The Pets Blog Week in Review for Sept 17–23

We bade adieu to summer and Bienvenue! to Fall last week, but that wasn’t all. What else did Aimee and I write about? If you happened to miss a day or two, here’s your handy dandy WIR to catch you up. Monday, September 17 There’s a difference between a good pet owner and a bad one. For example, responsible owners can prevent attacks. There’s also a difference between being a good animal loving citizen and a bad one. Regrettably and shamefully I confess I was the latter and did nothing to save a dead dog walking. Tuesday, September 18 I … Continue reading →

Aquarium Electrical Safety

Water… and electricity. Sounds like a bad combination, right? But in your aquarium — if you have a filtration system or a heater or lights or other nifty gadgets — you probably have electricity and water living in close quarters. Here’s a scary fact: the amount of current needed to give a person an electric shock is low. Only ten milliamps can give you a painful shock. Fifty milliamps and above can be fatal. And your filters and heaters and lighting may be using something like eight hundred milliamps. That’s more than enough to be dangerous. RULE ONE: Turn off … Continue reading →

Tropical Fish Basics

An aquarium can be a lovely addition to a home or office; the sight of colorful fish and the sound of water can be fascinating and very calming. Here are some tips to get you started with a tropical aquarium. In general, you can have one inch of fish per gallon of water. Be sure to think about the adult size of your fish, not just the juvenile size! Avoid overcrowding your tank — this increases the frequency of tank maintenance and can make your fish uncomfortable. With larger sized fish, you may want to provide two or three gallons … Continue reading →