Quick tips for beginners on fishkeeping and aquariums.
Aquarium Tips for the beginner. AQUARIUMS Information pages on setting up an aquarium. DISEASES AND CURES Information page. Setting up a Freshwater Aquarium, Maintaining a Freshwater Aquarium.
The Optimum Cichlid Aquarium Part 1
Excerpt : Setting Up Your Cichlid Aquarium The groups of fishes commonly referred to as Cichlids, comprise a vast group of, generally larger and more aggressive fishes from Africa and South and Central America
Setting Up Your Cichlid Aquarium
The groups of fishes commonly referred to as Cichlids, comprise a vast group of, generally larger and more aggressive fishes from Africa and South and Central America with a few species being found in Asia . They offer such a large variety of bright colors, shapes and habits that they have become one of the most popular fishes kept by hobbyist's world wide.
Such is the diversity of species, breeding habits and feeding that it becomes necessary to set up different groups of Cichlids in different tanks. Some of these include African Cichlids, American Cichlids, Dwarf Cichlids or Discus. It is usually recommended that you keep these like minded fishes together and don't mix them in general.
Selecting and Positioning Your Tank
Always try to choose a tank with the largest possible surface area and volume as most cichlids grow quite large. Make sure you always have a glass cover to stop your fish jumping out.
Position your new aquarium so that you avoid direct sunlight hitting the aquarium for too long as this can cause excessive algae problems.
Choosing Gravel, Decor and Setting Up
Cichlids are quite territorial and the more holes, refuges and interesting "zones" you can create make for a much harmonized community.
A good starting point is to place in your tank a background that can offer the realism and
natural environment that these fish will feel very relaxed and unstressed in. Check out the cichlid mansion range from Aquarium + Reptile Rocks Inc (www.aquariumrocks.biz)if you want something extraordinary.
Next is the gravel we advise a fine blended gravel as too coarse a gravel size allows uneaten food and waste to accumulate in the pockets between pebbles away from water flow that break it down. There are several varieties to choose from. Clean your gravel in small quantities in a bucket. Three or four rinses should be sufficient. Place the cleaned gravel into your tank along with a little water.
Next to add some more "zones" you can add cleaned rocks and driftwood and position them. Triangulate your decorations to create a greater depth of field and provide an amphitheatre where the fish can congregate in a community setting. Try to slope your gravel slightly towards the rear and sides using rocks and logs to create tiers and depth. The lightweight rocks from A+RR Inc like quartz rocks, north head ridge, barnacle, rock pool and charred wood make this fun and easy to do. When you have the major decorations in place, add a little water, if this is a little dirty from the gravel siphon this dirty water out again into your bucket.
Next fill your tank. Avoid disturbing the gravel by using a plate or
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newspaper onto which you can direct the water flow. Some coral sand is a good addition to an African tank, while white Rift Lake Sand looks great for Africans also but can show up detritus badly. These aspects will be discussed further later.
Preparing your Tap Water
Next we must treat our tap water to remove harmful chlorine and ammonia. There are several products that will remove both, the best value is Amquel Instant water Detoxifier.
It is also necessary to replace electrolytes like, magnesium, and potassium making in tap water.
The electrolytic aquarium salts are essential to fishes well being. Not only provide an anti-bacterial effect, but help fishes produce body slime to protect themselves from infection and create an essential osmotic barrier so they do not dehydrate. Make sure it is dissolved before adding to your aquarium.
There are also several products we can use to specific water conditions for African and Discus. To calculate water volume: consider 10cm x 10cm x 10cm = 1 liter. So length (cm) x Width (cm) x Height (cm) divided by 1000 = Volume (liters).
Biological Filter Supplementation
The Best way to get crystal clear water is to pro-actively provide bacteria cultures as biological filter supplement. In our opinion WASTE CONTROL and CYCLE used in conjunction with one another or HBH TERMINITE are the best way to enhance
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your filtration and stay ahead of the game. People using these products simply do not encounter the same problems as people who take a minimalist approach (don't use a filter supplement) and end up constantly reacting to problems. These bacteria cultures help convert all organic wastes to ammonia then further to nitrite and finally to nitrate. To establish your tanks bacteria populations can take several weeks but is accelerated greatly by adding supplements. Do not overstock your new aquarium during this run in period.
Filtration
All good filters provide ample filter media surface areas for the colonization of aerobic (oxygen breathing) denitrifying bacteria which break down fish waste. The greater the volume of the filter and the greater the flow rate, the bigger the population of bacteria to keep your tank clean. This is Biological filtration. All good filters should provide some sponge as Mechanical filtration. Chemical filtration is also important. We always use ammonia remover as a safeguard. Carbon is also beneficial but Purigen is superior. It is rechargeable and will also remove log stains from your tank (That is if you did not use the Charred wood from A+RR Inc). Remember to rinse loose particles out before adding to your filter.
Filter Types
Freshwater Trickle filters offer the most filtration for large seriously stocked tanks.
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External Canister filers like the PRIME, EHEIM, FLUVAL or VIA AQUA are the best of the commercially available filters. They offer the largest volume of media and can be concealed from view. All these brands have a simple priming system and excellent taps to isolate water in the tubing while the filter is cleaned.
Hang On styles like the AQUACLEAR and AQUAONE are also very good. They possibly provide the best value if your budget does not permit an external canister. Simple fill the filter box with water and turn on. Water is pumped through the filter and gravity flows back into your tank.
Internal motorized filters like the CRYSTAL , RIO , and EIHEM are popular for smaller tanks or as a secondary filter for extra circulation in a large tank. Internals usually do not interfere with top glass or hoods. These can be placed under one of your lightweight rocks.
Air Operated filtration is often not sufficient for cichlids. We do highly recommend air bubbling in Cichlid tanks. Be sure to use a Check Valve so that water cannot flow back into your pump if power goes off.
If you have a Cichlid Mansions or Amazon background from A+RR Inc you can conceal a lot of the plumbing from view which makes for a very attractive set up.
Water Changing
Although nitrate (residual waste) is relatively harmless, the levels will accumulate and become dangerous if
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regular partial water changes are not performed to dilute nitrates. Cichlids are large fish that eat a lot, so nitrates accumulate quickly. PH is also pulled dangerously lower by organic waste accumulation. Therefore, no matter how good your filtration is, you still must water change regularly. We recommend a 1/3 - ˝ water change fortnightly to keep pH above neutral and nitrates low.
The best tool to assist you with water changes is a Lee's Gravel Vacuum. They allow you to remove the dirtiestwater from around the gravel and replace it with clean, treated tap water. This task is easier to do and a better job done if you have lightweight rocks and décor. We recommend you test pH and nitrate weekly to ensure your water changing maintenance is sufficient to maintain this balance. PH can be maintained using PH UP, but the only easy way to remove nitrate is by water changing.
An important tip when changing. Rinse your filter media in your old aquarium water rather than under a tap as the chlorine in tap water will kill off the precious filter bacteria living in the foam and other media. If you follow these procedures you should never have to completely break your tank down to clean it out.
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The Optimum Cichlid Aquarium Part 2
Part 2
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