As fish keepers, we are told that it is important to measure the pH, kH and gH of our aquariums and source water. Fish suitability is commonly defined in terms of the pH and gH of their natural habitat. Many aquarists, even though they measure these parameters, don't;t completely understand them, know how they can interact, or the affect they may have on fish. The purpose of this article is to try and provide some definition and clarity to the terms, determine how they interact as well as their affects upon tropical fish.
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Aquarium Equipment
( 9 items )
Now that you have given some thought to what you want your aquarium to be, and done some research on the animals you plan to keep, you areready to go out and start buying some equipment. But choosing Aquarium equipment can be difficult and confusing for a new aquarist. The articles in this section aim to advise beginners on what equipment is critical, and what one can do without.
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Aquarium Design & Aquascaping
( 22 items )
Decorating your aquarium, called aquascaping, can be a fun thing. All it takes is a little creativity, some time, and a willingness to get your arm wet.
You will want to aquascape to fit the needs of the fish that call the tank home. A community aquarium will generally house a lot of plants; large fish usually require some equally large rocks or driftwood and so on. Research the individual species that you keep, find out about their natural habitat and what they prefer.
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Algae Control
( 5 items )
Not all algae in the aquarium is necessarily 'bad' - a certain amount is inevitable where there is water, light and nutrients. However, some types of algae are certainly a nuisance, if for no other reason than looking unsightly. The articles in this section touch on the different types of algae and how they are best controlled.
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Health and Disease
( 30 items )
If you invest some time in learning about your fishes needs and caring for them properly, you will hopefully encounter disease very rarely. Remember that disease organisms will always be present in the aquarium to some extent, but they will not normally affect a healthy fish. Diseases take hold when fish are injured or weakened by stress, which may be caused by poor water quality, aggressive tankmates or simply the transportation and handling involved in acquiring new fish. Therefore, the first step in combatting disease is to prevent it in the first place, by providing stable, good quality water, compatible tankmates, etc. Introducing new fish to an established aquarium is a potential source of new disease organisms, to which the current inhabitants may have no resistance. The use of a quarantine tank is therefore advisable. This allows time to observe the new fish in isolation before adding to the main tank, and putting the rest of the fish stock at risk. Unfortunately, even when good tank maintenance is practised and a quarantine tank is employed, there may be rare occasions when there is a disease outbreak (like when your young son decides to stress the fish by turning the heater up all the way!). Fortunately, many fish diseases can be cured, particularly if noticed early on. For this reason, it is advisable to observe fish carefully and note any changes in behaviour or appearance. Some diseases have fairly obvious symptoms, and others are unfortunately subtle. There are also general symptoms to look out for - such as a loss of appetite or colours appearing darker or paler than normal. The links below provide details on a number of common diseases, including their symptoms, causes, and possible cures.
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New Aquarium Setup
( 28 items )
These are my guidelines for getting started with fish and aquariums, moving with your fish and aquarium, or upgrading to a larger aquarium. The information provided here is intended to help beginning aquarists get their tanks up an running smoothly, and to provide a reference for those who are in the process of upgrading their tank or looking for information on various pieces of aquarium equipment.
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Breeding Aquarium Fish
( 22 items )
Breeding aquarium fish is one of the steps to becoming a skilled aquariast. Once fish are kept healthy enough to spawn, the novice knows that they can attempt to keep more challenging fish. In order to breed a species, the aquariast usually needs to be able to distinguish between the sexes and to be able to recreate natural conditions to stimulate spawning.
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Aquarium Water Chemistry 