Aquascaping
aquascaping
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GAIN SALTWATER & REEF AQUARIUM SYSTEM CANOPY TANK 2 GAL KIT $50.00 |
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FINE FRESHWATER SALTWATER FISH TANK FILTER 9W UV 200 GALLON HW-304B $96.99 |
Setting Up an Aquarium Part 2 – Building Your Fishes Home by Kevin Yates
So, the decision is made, you’re going to keep tropical fishes. You’ve read all you can find about the hobby and you’re all fired up ready to get started. You’ve been out and bought yourself that new aquarium, you’ve gotten it home and found a suitable location for it, and you’re keen to get on and finish the job, can’t wait to see it all set up.
Don’t be tempted into putting any water into your aquarium yet!
Don’t rush things, patience is a virtue in this hobby, it’s better to take a day or two to set things up, than to dive in and rush things, only to find something wrong and have to start over again, to make them right. Although in reality it will be more like half a day.
Follow these steps and you will find things easier in the long run.
If you have decided on an undergravel filtration system put the undergravel plates and uplift tubes in now. This is a pretty straight forward job, you may have to cut some of the plates to make them a fit your particular aquarium but there’s nothing complicated there.
Gravel should be washed thoroughly before it goes in your aquarium (it’ll be full of dust). Put a bit at a time in a bucket and run water through it from the tap or hosepipe, at the same time stirring and agitating the gravel, it takes some time to get all of the dust out of the gravel, so be patient, it’s worth it if you don’t want a cloudy mess when you put your water in. When clear water runs from the gravel then it’s ok for the aquarium.
Carefully put the clean gravel into your aquarium. In theory you should arrange the gravel so that it slopes from the back to the front; this is so that any debris will accumulate at the front of the aquarium when it’s up and running, making it easier to clean. In reality, I find that the gravel doesn’t stay that way; it will just find its own level. Either way you should aim for a depth of about two to three inches (5-8cm).
Set the aquarium heater to approximately 76F (25C) and place it on the rear glass of the aquarium at an angle of about 45 degrees, close to, but not touching the gravel. It should be placed near a filter outlet, or where there is water movement, so that heat can be distributed around the tank. Do not plug it in yet! Aquarium heaters must be submerged in water before being switched on, irreparable damage could be caused.
CAUTION an aquarium heater is hot enough to severely burn when switched on and not in water.
Powerheads can now be placed on top of the uplifts and secured to the aquarium with the brackets or suckers provided. Do not plug powerheads in yet! They need to be submerged, they are cooled and lubricated by the water, and running them dry could cause irreparable damage.
Internal filters can be placed at either side of the aquarium, or at the rear, simply insert the medium into the filter chamber and attach the filter to the glass with the brackets or suckers provided. As with powerheads, do not plug in yet!
If you’ve decided to use an external filter instead of the options above you can set it up now according to the manufacturer’s instructions. The features of these filters may differ slightly between one and another and according to each manufacturer, although they all work basically the same, place the pickup strainer in the aquarium.
Place any air operated features (air stones, etc.) in the aquarium, and run the tubing out of the tank to the air pump. Unless you are using a check valve (non return valve) in the airline, it is important to have the air pump higher than your water level, water could siphon back down the line otherwise.
Rocks should be washed thoroughly and placed gently in the aquarium, don’t over do it, this stuff is heavy, and to avoid the risk of it toppling you could consider bonding it together with aquarium sealant, remember to let the sealant dry before putting any water into the aquarium.
Bogwood and Mopani wood are quite attractive pieces of decor, (remember to soak the bogwood for at least a week prior to using it), try a little aquascaping by using the wood and/ or rockwork to form terraces rather than a flat expanse of gravel. This sort of decor can be beneficial in hiding the equipment you’ve put into the tank.
If you want to use artificial plants instead of live ones; they look quite natural and don’t need regular pruning, you can now place these in the aquarium. Try to position your plants so that the taller ones are at the back and the shorter ones towards the front, this will create a pleasing effect and will help to hide equipment, as well as being a natural feature for your fishes.
You will have ended up with a number of plugs at the rear of your tank, use a multi-socket block to plug these into and be sure to keep the wiring tidy. But remember do not to plug any of the equipment into the power before you have put water into the aquarium.
So, now that you’ve thoroughly enjoyed yourself building your aquarium, ready for your new fishes, you’ve got the gravel in, the heater, filters, other decor etc.
Now it is time to put water into your aquarium.
For more information about freshwater tropical fishkeeping please visit my site at www.freshwatertropicalfishkeeping.com for 30 years or more of fishkeeping experience. Or watch out for more fishkeeping articles from me, Kevin Yates at FWTFK
Article Source: http://www.earticlesonline.com/Article/Setting-Up-an-Aquarium-Part-2—Building-Your-Fishes-Home/250450
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Fish Tank 2 Pcs Plastic Skyblue Leaf Plant Aquascaping $4.54 |
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Green Plastic Plant Orange Flower Fish Tank Aquascaping $8.12 |
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Aquarium Aquascaping Red Flower Green Plastic Plants $4.05 |
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Plastic Aquascaping Fuchsia Green Grass for Aquarium $4.27 |
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Plastic Grass Plants Aquascaping Ornament for Fish Tank $3.69 |
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Fish Tank Aquascaping 28cm Height Two Tone Ornament x 2 $4.84 |
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4.3″ High Aquascaping Plastic Plant Grass for Fish Tank $10.37 |
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Fish Tank 3 Pcs Pink Green Plastic Aquascaping Plant $6.90 |
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Orange Red Aquascaping Ceramic Crab Brachyura for Fish Tank Aquarium $4.60 |
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Fish Tank Aquascaping Green Plastic Grass Plants Decor $18.53 |
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Fish Tank 48cm Height Lotus Aquascaping Ornament Yellow Green $13.88 |
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5.5″ Height Green Aquascaping Water Plant for Aquarium $6.49 |
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5 Pcs 4.5″ High Red Plastic Plant Aquascaping Ornament $5.23 |
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Fish Tank Aquascaping 32cm Length Green Plastic Plants Cement Base $5.61 |
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Aquarium Fish Tank 3″ Dia Aquascaping Soft Silicone Sea Urchin Orange $4.70 |
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Fish Tank Green Purple Plastic Grass Aquascaping Decor $21.11 |
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Aquarium Aquascaping Green Plastic Plant Ornament w Ceramic Base 2pcs $3.79 |
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Fish Tank Red Lotus Decor Aquascaping Ornament w Base $4.89 |
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Fish Tank Aquascaping Lotus Ornament Red Green Decor $6.71 |
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Aquarium Aquascaping Plastic Lotus Flower Aquatic Plant Decor Green Pink 9 3/10″ $11.82 |
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Waterpik AST 233CC/20008439 AquaScape Dual Mode Oval Showerhead, Chrome $36.99 Oval design with 60 easy-clean nozzles. Offers 50% wider coverage than a standard showerhead. Features two spray settings – total body and powerspray. Advanced OptiFlow technology delivers up to 30% more water force. Installs in minutes…. |
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Aquarium Designs Inc. (Crystal Clear Aquatics) Aqua Sleeve 26 Inch Aquascaping Glove X-Large $34.97 26″ long-sleeved glove with watertight, comfortbale lining, designed for aquarium maintenance and service…. |
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Aqua Sleeve 26 Aquascaping Glove Lg $60.49 Aqua sleeve 26 inch aquascaping glove lg… |
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SALTWATER FISH AQUARIUM DVD! Set-up, Aquascape & Maintenance $12.49 Pet Video Library Books On Video Presents: HOW TO SET-UP, AQUASCAPE & MAINTAIN YOUR SALTWATER AQUARIUM This DVD covers: Supplies You Need Choosing an Aquarium Aquarium Component Assembly Water Conditioning Establishing A Biological Filter MATERIALS – Discover the necessary components for a successful saltwater aquarium including lighting, aquariums & stands, covers and more! – CHOOSING… |
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Nature Aquarium World: How You Can Make A Most Beautiful Aquarium $35.95 Aqua Book_Freshwater Natural_Aquarium by Tfh Publications – Get Fast Shipping and Low Prices at PetsWarehouse.com on over 43,000 Pet Supplies such as Dog Food, Dog Supplies, Cat Food, Cat Supplies, Bird Food, Bird Supplies, Aquarium Supplies and Fish Supplies. We offer our customers the largest selection of Pet Supplies online in the world, when we say “everything for your pet” it’s true, we have … |
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A Reference Guide to Aquascaping Including a Discussion of Designs, Techniques, Types of Aquariums, and Aquarium Equipment and Furniture $21.85 Please note that the content of this book primarily consists of articles available from Wikipedia or other free sources online. This book is an overview of aquascaping. It tackles different ways of designing aquariums including garden design, water garden, and reef aquarium. Readers will learn about various types of aquariums … |
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Tetra booklets:Aquascaping, Aquatic Plants, Barbs and Danios and Catfish and loaches … |
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Virtually Rust Proof Marllin Aquarium Cleaning and Aquascaping Tool – 24 in. $69.99 Deep tanks are no longer a hassle to clean, thanks to this handy tool. A 24 in. long reach allows you to get to the deepest areas of your aquarium without diving in. Relocate ornaments or corals, remove unwanted debris. The specially designed serrated jaw will grip both hard and soft corals, plus any other slippery item in your tank. And of course, the Marlin is stainless steel for a lifetime of use. |
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New Marine Aquarium (144 Pages) $19.95 Creating a beautiful, thriving first saltwater aquarium has never been easier, using the natural, simplified methods learned and practiced by the world’s leading reef hobbyists. By helping newcomers avoid the pitfalls of outdated, high-maintenance filtration techniques, Michael Paletta offers an easy-to-follow route to long-term success with live rock, appropriate equipment, aquascaping, disease prevention, and essential husbandry techniques. Includes a photographic guide to selecting fishes, with dozens of hardy choices that are highly recommended for beginning hobbyists or others wanting beautiful, interesting, and long-lived marine species. Contents include:How to avoid the classic saltwater setup mistakesPlanning cheklists and no-nonsense equipment choicesLow-maintenance, high-success filtration using live rockIllustrated, step-by-step startup and aquascaping techniquesA photographic guide to the best, hardiest fish species for beginners |
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New Marine Aquarium Book $15.89 Creating a beautiful, thriving first saltwater aquarium has never been easier, using the natural, simplified methods learned and practiced by the world’s leading reef hobbyists. By helping newcomers avoid the pitfalls of outdated, high-maintenance filtration techniques, the author offers an easy-to-follow route to long-term success with live rock, appropriate equipment, aquascaping, disease prevention, and essential husbandry techniques. Includes a photographic guide to selecting fishes, with dozens of hardy choices that are highly recommended for beginning hobbyists or others wanting beautiful, interesting, and long-lived marine species. |
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Two Little Fishies AquaStik Underwater Epoxy Putty Stone Grey 114g 4 oz. $9.89 The AquaStik Stone Grey Epoxy works on dry, damp, or wet surfaces and cures underwater. AquaStik is non-toxic to fish, invertebrates, aquatic plants, reptiles and small animals. It is excellent for attaching live rock, stony corals, gorgonians, aquatic plants, and other aquascaping items. It also bonds to wood, concrete, ceramics, acrylic, metals, and fiberglass. Aquastik can be drilled, sanded, sawed, and machined and is useful for making repairs. AquaStik is hand kneadable and fast curing. It has no strong oder. It mixes in minutes and hardens in 20 minutes. It is at full strength cure in 24 hours. The stick format eliminates waste or mis-proportioning. The clay-like consistency affords no-mess application requiring no tools. It can be used in marine and freshwater aquariums, ponds, reptile and small animal habitats. |
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CaribSea Aquascape Prime Reef Rocks $89.99 Caribsea Aquascaping Prine Reef Rock 40 lbs The ultimate rock for marine, reef, or African Cichlid ecosystems. Packed with holes and textures, and incredibly porous, you can’t a better rock then this! They have great color as well, not too white, not too dark, and takes coralline algae growth beautifully. The freeforms lock together nicely for stability and because it’s natural rock each peice is unique. Product Features: . Ideal for marine, reef and African Cichlid aquariums . Loaded with holes and crannies |
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Two Little Fishies CorAffix Aquarium Adhesive $13.99 Two Little Fishies CorAffix Cyanoacrylate Aquarium Adhesive The Two Little Fishies CorAffix Cyanoacrylate Aquarium Adhesive is an ethyl cyanoacrylate bonding compound with viscosity similar to honey. This adhesive is used for attaching stony corals, gorgonians, and other sessile invertebrates in natural positions on live rocks in aquariums. It can also be used for attaching coral “frags” in coral culturing. Features: . Bonding agent for attaching reef aquarium corals . Contains ethyl cyanoacrylate to secure coral pieces . Use CorAffix for coral propagation or aquascaping . For “frags”: . Place a spot of CorAffix on a base rock or coral plug . Press the frag onto it and wet with seawater to accelerate hardening . Cures within 20 seconds . For aquascaping: . Do not insert bottle underwater . Place a spot of CorAffix on the underside of a coral above water and quickly insert the coral in seawater to form a skin . Repeat, forming layers, until there is sufficient quantity for making the attachment . Press the coral in position underwater, causing CorAffix to spread between the coral and attachment point . Hold in place for 30 seconds . If a secure bond does not form, apply another layer of CorAffix and try again Item Specifications: Ingredients: Ethyl cyanoacrylate ester Caution: . Keep out of the reach of children and pets . Wear goggles and gloves when using CorAffix . This product can bond skin, eyes, and mouth . For skin contact, wash with soapy water for several minutes |