Let Good Algae Beat Out the Bad Algae - Cultivate the Right Kind of Algae

Cultivate the "Right" Kind of Algae:

Algae are photosynthetic life forms lacking specialized cells typical of true plants (i.e. vascular structures, leaves, and roots). Algae can multiply rapidly as long as their basic needs are met. They are highly adaptable and thrive almost anywhere with a light source and an abundant source of nutrients – both present in many marine aquariums. Due to their success, most algae grow to nuisance proportions rapidly, spreading stubbornly as you watch helplessly.

Macro Versus Micro:

Many hobbyists are now taking advantage of this characteristic and are purposely cultivating certain types of macroalgae to help improve saltwater quality as well as combat less desirable species of microalgae. Macroalgae are large beneficial algae that actively utilize harmful ammonia, host beneficial microbes that improve biological filtration, and serve as a food source for fish. Some macroalgae, because of their beauty, also make attractive décor.

Cultivating "Good" Algae:

Select species of macroalgae, such as Chaetomorpha sp.and Caulerpa sp., are grown in specialized areas of the sump or in refugiums. Refugiums are a great place to establish macroalgae since they are protected from hungry herbivores and are easier to manage. Macroalgae growth is contained in the refugium and excess growth can be easily clipped as necessary. The clippings can be fed to herbivorous fish. This process prevents macroalgae from aggressively spreading in your main display.

Since most sumps or refugiums converted for macroalgae growth are located underneath the main aquarium, it is important to provide a separate light source for the macroalgae. A fluorescent strip light on for 10-14 hours a day provides sufficient light without encouraging over-aggressive growth.

The use of a timer automates the light schedule to make it easier to regulate the proper photoperiod. If you have plants in your main aquarium, run the lights above the algae scrubber on a reverse schedule of the main aquarium lighting. The staggered lighting schedule provides the added benefit of stabilizing pH and maintaining a higher oxygen level at night.

The careful cultivation of macroalgae harnesses the power of nature to prevent the growth of more nuisance forms of algae as well as maintaining a healthy and stable aquarium.

How to choose fish for aquarium?

A visit to any large aquarium or pet store will reveal an astonishing variety of fish -- a couple hundred species or more. Of these many possibilities, only some are suitable for new aquarists.
Never purchase fish without knowing enough about them to determine how well they are likely to do in your particular aquarium. Often, hobbyists find themselves leaving a pet store with a fish that they just couldn't pass up without having any idea what it eats, how large it gets, or if it has any unusual care requirements. While it is always fun to acquire a new fish, doing it haphazardly can be disastrous and costly.
When choosing fish, there are a number of factors to consider. For example, fish that are found only in very specific habitat conditions are not going to do as well in an aquarium that differs much from their natural environment. Species that have adapted to a wide variety of conditions in nature tend to be the hardiest fish in an aquarium.

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Your fish also need to be compatible with each other. Just about every new aquarist starts out by keeping a community aquarium containing a variety of fish that differ in size, shape, and color. Often, the fish in such a tank originate from different parts of the world and have adapted to different water conditions. Their behavior patterns and food preferences may also differ.
This means that even if all of the fish are hardy, if they are not compatible, there will be difficulties. Compatibility is essential to success within a community setting.
Compatibility is generally assumed to mean that the fish get along. In other words, the fish are peaceful and do not harass one another. Fish that are subjected to harassment on a continual basis are under so much physical stress that they are far more likely to become sick, no matter how good the water quality is.
As important as this basic compatibility is, however, your fish need to be compatible in other ways, too.
If the fish prefer very different water conditions -- some doing best in hard, alkaline water and others doing better in soft, acid water -- you will not be able to provide the best environment for all of them. The fish least compatible with your aquarium water chemistry may not grow as large or exhibit their best color.
Behavior patterns are also important. Fast-swimming fish will disturb and upset fish that swim slowly. Fish that are aggressive swimmers will often take more than their fair share of food at feeding time. The more timid species will hold back and thus get little to eat.Adding more food to compensate only increases the problem of uneaten food in the tank, making it more difficult to maintain good water quality.
Behavior differences can be very disruptive. Even when fish have peaceful dispositions, conflicts can still arise among them in the tank. Fish that are territorial will keep other species from entering their area, limiting the amount of space for all the others.
If there aren't enough hiding places, more dominant fish will maintain control of the few that do exist in the tank.

How to Set Up an Aquarium?

Setting up your aquariumshould be a relatively simple procedure. You should be able to get the whole system up and running in a couple of hours at the most, although you'll have to wait some time before you add the fish.
The most important thing for you to do before you begin is to be sure you're prepared. Know in detail what you want the aquarium to be like when you're done, and be sure you have all the equipment, space, and tools you'll need.

A new, brand-name tank will almost certainly not leak, but you may want to be absolutely sure about this before setting up the tank in its final location. Choose a dry area, cover it with newspapers, and place the tank on them. Very carefully fill the tank to the rim with cool water and wait for an hour or two. If the newspapers are wet, you know you have a problem with your tank.
If there are no leaks, empty the tank, wipe out the interior, and place it on the aquarium stand in its permanent location. If you like, you can apply a background material to the back of the tank. This is optional, but many fish feel more secure if the back and sides are covered. Once this is done, you are ready to install the filtration system.
The undergravel filter plate should be rinsed thoroughly and then placed in the tank. If the plate does not fit the bottom exactly, place it so that it is up against the back of the tank and centered.
The lift tubes can be installed next. Because the tubes are designed to fit the tallest tanks, you may need to cut them to fit your particular aquarium. If so, cut the tubes so that the tops will be just below the surface of the water when the tank is filled.
Next, you must hook up all of the air line tubing to the undergravel filter and any air stones. Connect a length of tubing to the air pump.
If you are using a check valve to ensure that no water can flow into the air pump, make sure it is facing the correct direction. There is often an arrow on the body of the valve indicating this. You can also test the valve by blowing into either end to determine which way it allows air to flow.
Cut lengths of air tubing to go from the check valve to the gang valve or directly to the air line stems at the top of the undergravel lift tubes. Even if your air pump has two outlets and you are only using two lift tube air stones, a gang valve offers better control of the air flow to each piece of equipment.
When using a gang valve, the lines going to it from the air pump are connected at the side of the valve, and the lines going from the gang valve to the tank are connected at the top of the valve.
Be sure that there is a small amount of slack in the air tubing to avoid kinking the lines and blocking the flow of air. The air line going to the lift tubes or to any air stones in the tank should run through the appropriate openings in the back of the tank hood.
If you are using powerheads instead of an air pump to create water flow through the lift tubes, the lift tube should go into the opening in the plate that is one over from the corner opening. In this situation, the lift tubes can't go in the corner openings because powerheads won't fit into the corners of the tank after the hood is installed.All other openings in the undergravel filter should be closed with the caps provided with the filter. For undergravel filters with just one plate, only one powerhead is usually necessary.

Urgent Situation Maintenance of Your Aquarium

If you stay with the activity long enough, you will likely be faced with problems of one type or another, no issue how properly you plan. Being prepared beforehand can make the difference between an annoying situation and the decrease of your entire collection.

One of the most useful pieces of emergency equipment available to the aquarist is battery power powered aerator. Initially sold to keep baitfish alive on fishing trips, systems of all sizes are now available in pet shops as well as in lure shops. Be sure to purchase enough systems to supply oxygen to all of your septic tanks in the occurrence of a energy failing (because when filters shut down due to an electrical failing your household pets will be declined the oxygenating effects of water movement). Pet shops also sell pills that reduce in water and release tiny pockets in the process, but these seem not nearly as effective as battery power powered aerators. Fish septic tanks may also be personally oxygenated by sweeping out water and serving it back into the container from above the ocean's surface.

In the occurrence of a temperature breakdown that overheats your water, a partially water modify with water of a cooler warm range may be necessary. Be sure that the water you add is not so freezing as to cause an extremely rapid modify in warm range. A constant warm range modify, even if it takes a many years to reach the ideal warm range level, is preferable to a serious drop in warm range. Container water may also be perfectly chilled by hovering hot water wines filled with ice or freezing water in the container. In all cases, be sure to properly monitor the warm range with an accurate aquarium temperature gauge.

“If your household pets have live through a warm range emergency and are living in water that is too hot or too freezing, be sure to adjust the ocean's warm range progressively. A sudden modify will stress most marine animals and may destroy them overall or leave them open to disease and parasitic infection in the near future.”

If a energy failing during freezing makes your aquarium temperatures too low, the water should be progressively reheated through the addition of hotter water or by hovering hot water wines in the container. Water drops warm fairly slowly, so you may be able to balance out a temporary energy reduction easily in this issue. In the occurrence of a longer period emergency, keep on hand enough efficiency to wrap completely around all of your aquariums. By doing this you will reduce the rate of warm reduction from the water.

For more information:

Aquarium Illusions Inc.

http://www.aquariumillusions.com/

Phone:  780 483-7027

Fax:    780 483-7081

Toll Free:   1-800-559-6546 (In Canada)