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Our Aquarium Tips & Techniques present a simple and understandable method to control the key elements in modern Fish-Tanks or aquarium setups. Whether a freshwater aquarium or a saltwater aquarium or reef tank, our goal is to relate those key elements to the conditions in nature that we are trying to replicate or simulate. Aquarium setups include water conditions, circulation, lighting, substrates, aquascape, and feeding. Actually in reality it's like any other sensitive habitat, it starts with good aquarium planning. Planning requires that you know about the resources available, their names, related words and their function regarding fish tanks.
If you are shopping, try our Aquarium Supplies page. Or if you're too far away, you can also shop at our online stores. We have about the same items as you see in the catalog listing below.
One of our best known and respected Internet affiliates is Drs. Foster & Smith. They offer the largest catalog of pet supplies in the U.S., including Freshwater Aquarium Supplies. Their high volume offers you the opportunity to buy what you want and still Save on Aquarium Supplies at Drs. Foster & Smith.
Drs. Foster & Smith online catalog features the following categories. Click on the box above, go to their online store and choose the category you want.
Air Pumps & Accessories Aquariums & Furniture Books, Videos & Audio Calcium, Kalkwasser & Calcium Reactors Chillers CO2 Systems & Accessories Conditioners & Additives Controllers & Monitors Decor Feeders Filters
| Filter Media Foods Gift Ideas Heaters Hydrometers, Refractometers Lighting Maintenance Medications Parts Department Planted Aquarium Supplies Plumbing Supplies
| Protein Skimmers Reef Care RO & Deionization Salt Mixes Substrates Testing Equipment Thermometers UV Sterilizers Vitamins & Supplements Water Pumps & Powerheads Wave Makers
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Click on the pretty fish picture below to go there to browse or shop.
If you don't find exactly what you are looking for, try one of our fellow merchants on the Internet.
Before we go into planning lets take a break for a little background. Aquarium keeping is a very popular hobby around the world, with about 60 million enthusiasts worldwide. It started in the 1850s, when the predecessor of the modern aquarium was first developed as a novelty. Since then the ranks of aquarists have grown dramatically as more sophisticated systems including lighting and filtration systems were developed to keep aquarium fish healthy. Public aquaria reproduce the home aquarist's hobby on a grand scale — the Osaka Aquarium, for example, boasts a tank of 5,400 m³ (1.4 million U.S. gallons) and a collection of about 580 species of aquatic life.
Fish-Tanks.net
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Simply click on the Aquarium Setup Tips & Techniques subject you would like to see.
Planning Your Fish-Tanks Project
Choosing Your Aquatic Creatures
Setting Up Your Aquarium in 11 Easy Steps
The Natural Food Web and Its Preservation
Marine Fish Care and Compatibility
In addition to our aquarium setup tips is our secondary source for relevant aquarium information known as the free online encyclopedia, Wikipedia. Their main page is at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Main_Page. Their Aquarium page that we use for for references is at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aquariums . Click on any of the links below for well written and edited Aquarium Information content.
Click on any of the following items in the Contents to go directly to the Wikipedia website.
Aquarium Hobby Contents
2.2.2 Secondary water characteristics
2.3.1 Species selection for saltwater aquaria
Take a break and try our Aquarium Supplies page. Or if you're too far away from our store, you can also shop at our online affiliate stores.
see Drs. Foster & Smith - The Trusted Name for Aquarium Products
Planning your Aquarium setup project and budget includes
Choosing the kinds of creatures you want in your fish tank - tropical fish, saltwater fish or freshwater fish or invertebrates
Water Qualities & Movement
Before stocking the tank to avoid problems later, you should decide what type of aquatic creatures you want to keep. For instance these are issues that will decide whether the habitat you are building will be a freshwater aquarium setup or a saltwater aquarium setup. In other words will you stock saltwater or marine fish or freshwater fish. We stock all the aquarium supplies and fish supplies that you will need.
· Some fish are predatory or aggressive and so should be kept either by themselves, or with other predatory species. Aggressive species include Oscars, Jack Dempseys and many cichlids.
· Some fish are slow feeders, or are very shy and should be kept by themselves in a species tank. A good example of this is Discus fish.
In the “Marine Aquarium Handbook” Martin A. Moe Jr. outlines the following types of aggressive behavior in a marine aquarium. For more in depth information we suggest you buy The Marine Aquarium Handbook; Beginner to Breeder by Martin A. Moe Jr. at our affiliate Amazon.com. Interestingly, he addresses aggressive behavior from the recipient’s or prey’s point of view.
Predator/Prey - The recipient of this type of aggressive behavior are perceived as food organisms, such as a Moray Eel consuming an ornamental shrimp, or a Lionfish consuming a small Damselfish. This category is pretty much self explanatory. It is obvious that keeping larger predatory fish with anything small enough that they can perceive as food is not wise. Many aquarists choose to keep these types of fish in a specific predatory tank community, with fish like large Groupers, Hawks, Snappers and other predatory species, all about the same size. Usually “Bigger is Better.”
Territory Protection - The recipient of this type of aggressive behavior are others of the same or similar species, such as a juvenile Angelfish and Jewelfish attacking others. When it comes to territorial aggression, most fish react in the same way, especially when you already have fish established in an aquarium and you add in a new tank mate later on. Generally, when you place all new fish into an aquarium at the same time, a few disputes will occur until territories are established. Once that is done, the fish usually settle down and life goes on. The problem of "harassment" will most likely occur whenever you put a new fish into an established aquarium community, and most often it doesn't seem to matter what type or species of fish it is. For more information about this form of aggression and what you might do to reduce its occurrence, click on - Aggressive Territorial Behavior.
Mate & Status Protection - The recipient of this type of aggressive behavior are other fish of the same species, such as a mated pair of Clownfish attacking others. It is interesting that most species exhibit this type of behavior. For example, if you put a mated pair of Angelfish, Butterflyfish, Boxfish, or just about any other type of mated species in a tank, and then add another male or female of the same species later, typically the same sexed fish will go after the same sexed fish that was newly introduced. Limiting a tank to one specific mated species is wise. Providing ample housing and plenty of room for the fish to move around or get away from each other is important as well.
Spawn Protection - The recipient of this type of aggressive behavior are all other fish near a nest area, such as Damselfish protecting their spawn from other fish that may stray into their nesting area. It helps to keep fish that spawn in captivity in larger sized aquariums, and provide ample housing not only for the nesting species, but all the other tank inhabitants as well.
Opportunistic Feeding Behavior - The recipient of this type of aggressive behavior are all other fish and invertebrates. A good example of this behavior are Trigger fishes, which will eat just about anything. Fish that have this type of behavior are best kept in a specific aggressive species tank community. Many times aquarist will keep Triggers with other Triggers, as well as Lions, Groupers, Hawks, Snappers, and other larger predatory species.
There are several things you should know about their compatibility behavior, but other particular characteristic traits, dietary requirements and feeding habits as well. Another important point is to keep in mind that aquarists should be wary of the so-called community tank. You not only have to choose animals that will be compatible in behavior, but ones that are suitable for the same environmental conditions as well. If you don't know these things about an animal BEFORE you buy it, how are you supposed to properly take care of it? Take a closer look at territorial behavior, because this is one of the most common aggressive behavioral traits in fish.
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As a rule of thumb, the internal water circulation in a traditional reef tank should have a turnover rate of at least 10X and up to 20 times the aquarium volume per hour. This is another case of "More is better."
For some animals you may need what is called Natural Hydrostatic Pressure Change Products. These products simulate water pressure changes that occur in most natural aquatic environments due to surging and flow fluctuations. The pressure changes are used for a variety of bodily functions in aquatic animals. The idea is to safely create natural water pressure changes in your aquarium that provides numerous benefits to your aquarium animals. They help reduce maintenance too.
Filtering equipment and techniques, feeding practices, number of animals, types of decorative materials, water changes and additives all contribute to water quality.
One of the most useful filtering mechanisms is a "Protein Skimmer" also called a foam fractionator. Skimming removes organic material before it is decomposed by bacteria and does in this way limit the level of nutrients in the water. A side effect however, is that the skimmer also removes elements that are vital to the living organisms in the aquarium. To reduce the negative side effect, install a skimmer that is of an optimal size related to the size of your aquarium. "Bigger is Better" doesn't work here because its easy to over-skim which results in stripping the system of vital elements.
While protein skimmers remove organic materials before decomposing bacteria can attack it, biological filters act in the opposite way. Biological filters utilize bacteria to break down waste products. Live rock is the most popular biological filtration method. While being decorative, live rock also harbors beneficial bacteria, microalgae and tiny animals, all vital to the biological balance of the system.
Aquatic Design believes that good live rock used in combination with optimal and carefully maintained skimming is the best combination of filter techniques available and the best tool for assuring good water quality. If that doesn't work, Filtration over active carbon can sometimes be necessary. Activated carbon extracts compounds that cannot be skimmed off mainly because they have no electrical charge. They are often used to remove the yellowish hue of aquarium water that contains dissolved organics. Activated carbon is very effective at rapidly increasing the clarity of aquarium water but it can also have negative side effects on certain sensitive animals.
Aquariums are small closed eco-systems, and are less stable than the systems found in nature. So if something suddenly starts going wrong, you’ll want to consider using other filters or devices on your aquarium temporarily.
"Supplemental Systems," such as carbon, resins, UV Sterilizers, diatom filters, etc.) are like fire fighters. When fire fighters show up to put out a fire, they do some significant damage. Just like fire fighters, when you use Supplemental Systems on your aquarium, they damage your system. But, if something is going wrong, it's better to temporarily use these other types of filters to intervene and help fix the problem than to just stand by and watch. Best thing to do is call us at 972-423-0414 - we can help.
The good news is that if you follow our filtration recommendation, most of the time, you won't need to use these other filters. But like insurance, it's nice to have them around just in case they are ever needed.
Mother nature works. So the more we simulate nature in as many areas as we can, the better things work. Also, systems become easier to maintain, they are more forgiving, and you are more likely to be satisfied with them. The system and all its organisms will tell you if your filtration system is working or not. For instance:
Is your aquascape relatively free of nuisance algae?
Are your fishes healthy and with a low mortality rate?
Are your corals showing good polyp extension?
Are all your animals growing?
In short, are things surviving?
Are they thriving?
We make aquarium setup easy for you. We stock the best equipment available for all your aquarium's water filtering needs. So if you are building a system in stages, after you have addressed filtration (as we have just described), you should consider other areas to help make your aquarium system mimic nature too.
For saltwater aquarium setup or marine aquariums, how much sea salt is in the water is critical. Called salinity, it is one of the most important water parameters to check regularly. Among aquarists the most common method is to measure the density of the seawater, which refers to its mass per unit volume, with a hydrometer. These are available in many types, brands and qualities - check out our store.
Water Parameters for a Reef Tank
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Another important water parameter is the pH or acidity. Most aquarist are familiar with the pH Scale shown below. In natural seawater the pH value is normally stable at 8.2. The pH value of a reef tank should not vary outside of 7.8 to 8.5.
Alkalinity is the extent to which a solution is able to neutralize acids, which is what aquarists call "Buffer Capacity." The Buffer Capacity is measured by the "carbonate hardness" (KdH).
Trace elements compose only a fraction of the total weight of elements dissolved in natural seawater. If present in a concentration higher than normal, many of these elements become highly toxic. Trace elements should be present, but neither allowed to accumulate nor be exhausted or filtered from a reef tank. Usually "Lesser is better" in this case.
Evaporation from a small closed aquatic system can cause a variety of unnatural instabilities. Aquatic Design stocks products that automatically treats and adds water to your aquarium as water evaporates. It also provides protection against accidental contamination of your system, especially when used in combination with one of our Water Treatment Systems. To avoid contamination, always get your water at our store for consistency and the knowledge that it works with your tank. Avoid changing if possible.
As your aquarium animals grow you will need chemical support products that remove various unhealthy chemicals from the water. Also Natural aragonitic substrate materials provide a stable, long-term method of providing chemical support for your salt water system. This substrate also minimizes packing, oxygenation deprivation risks, and reduces unnecessary bioloading. Call us at (972) 423-0414 or come see us at 901 West Parker Road Suite 131 in Plano, TX 75023. (the map).
Proper water movement is one of the most difficult physical features to emulate in a small aquarium. In the real world throughout most of the year, big waves crash more or less continuously on the reef edge, creating tremendous turbulence. Combined with tidal effects the crashing waves push tons of fresh oceanic water into and through the reef flat. Also tidal effects vary water motion greatly depending on the location, moon phase and time of day. But water movement is constant and is required for life by most animals. This is a case where "More is better."
Even in freshwater fish-tanks water turbulence conditions vary significantly in nature and are nearly impossible to replicate in an enclosed marine environment. We stock products used alone or in combination with each other. They let you create a wide range of conditions to mimic the natural habitat best suited to your aquarium animals. Possibilities range from minimal turbulence, for example in a discus environment, to intense turbulence, for example in a reef or river environment. In the real world the flow of water over the reef brings fresh food, removes waste products created by biological decomposition, animal and plant respiration plus excretion from all animals.
The shifting of light during the day and darkness during the night is biologically important to your tank. We offer a full range of modular lighting options. Our most sophisticated systems allow you to mimic the spectrum, intensity, and the functional impact of lighting cycles found in nature, including twilight at sunrise, full sunlight, twilight at sunset and lunar activity.
You should pretty much already have an idea what "type" of lighting will be best for your set up based on the type of aquarium you want to build. Here you need to pick out a light hood or canopy of size that will fit into your tank set up, and incorporate your lighting choice "into" this piece of equipment at the same time. If you are not ready and have not determined what "type" of lighting to use yet, don't worry. Lighting is something that can be worked out as you proceed with the project. Or we’ll help you - call Aquatic Design at (972) 423-0414 or come see us at our store on West Parker Road Suite 131 in Plano, TX 75023. (click for the Map).
For a 12 page spreadsheet that contains the behavior and compatibility characteristics of over 200 popular marine fish, Contact Us .
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Kokopelli Flix - September 2004