Beginner’s Guide ToThe Nitrogen Cycle

‘The Nitrogen Cycle’ is the most important thing a fish keeper can learn about. It is an essential part of keeping fish alive and healthy in an aquarium.
What Is ‘The Nitrogen Cycle’?

‘The Nitrogen Cycle’ is a process in which bacteria convert toxic substances into less toxic substances. This is important in an aquarium as the toxic substances which fish produce naturally can quickly make them ill, or even kill them if not removed. Housing these bacteria is the main purpose of your aquarium filter.

Fish Medical Guide: Diagnosing Symptoms

It is frustrating when our fish are not healthy, however, there are things we can do to help them. This article addresses some of the more commonly seen symptoms of illness in freshwater fish kept in aquariums. . This article covers some of the more common illnesses and is by no means a complete listing, however, it should help you gain more understanding of common symptoms. At GAB  stop by the Sick Fish Forum and tell them what’s going on.

Aquarium Lighting

One important aspect of keeping tropical fish is aquarium lighting. This is an often overlooked area that can sometimes be confusing for a beginner to aquariums. The confusion may come from the many available types of fish tank lighting that you can use to light your tank. The main types of light are:

• regular fluorescent lights,
• compact flourescent,
• high output (ho) flourescent,
• very high output (vho) flourescent
• metal halide
• LED - Light Emitting Diodes

How To Set Up a Reef Tank

INTRO
This article provides information on how to get your saltwater aquarium or reef tank setup. There are many different ways that you could set up a marine reef aquarium. This is but one way and it works for us.

Some of the equipment listed below is optional, such as the sump and refugium. These are optional pieces of equipment but very nice enhancements to a tank. Please read the setup info below and if you have any questions, comments or critiques, please let us know using the reef tank setup comments form using the link provided below.

Equipment Needed:

Saltwater Aquarium Types

This article will give you a general introduction into the three main types of saltwater tanks. When getting started with saltwater it is recommended to get the biggest tank you can accomodate. Bigger tanks give you more room for error when it comes to water quality.

There are basically three types of saltwater aquarium setups:

• Fish Only
• Fish Only with Live Rock - FOWLR
• Reef Tanks

Fish Only
This is the least expensive type to set up because you don’t necessarily need the better lighting that the other setups require. Check out the Saltwater Aquarium Setup page to get an idea of the equipment needed, minus the live rock mentioned in that article.

How to take care of a Fish

Many people think of pet fish as being fairly low-maintenance. Though fish do not require as much attention as some other pets, they still require care and attention in order to remain healthy. In a properly maintained tank, fish will have a much higher life expectancy. Here are some general pet care tips for ensuring that your fish remain in good health.

FRESHWATER OR SALT WATER?

Depending on the type of fish that you own, you will either be caring for a saltwater or freshwater tank. Though it’s true that saltwater tanks are significantly more complicated to maintain than freshwater tanks, this doesn’t mean that you can ignore the needs of your freshwater fish. The pH, temperature and nitrite levels of your freshwater tank are very important in caring for your fish’s health.

Reasons for Acclimating

Reasons for Acclimating

• Properly acclimating any new fish or other critter addition to your saltwater aquarium is probably the most important thing you can do to ensure a smooth transition from the bag to your tank. Although fish or invertebrates, such as shrimp which are very sensitive to rapid water parameter changes, may not be under stress and might do just fine without acclimation, why take the chance?
• Proper acclimation takes little of your time and will eliminate the disappointment of having to watch any new fish or other marine livestock introduced to struggle or just sink to the bottom of your tank and lay there after you drop them in.
• Even bringing home a new critter from a LFS (Local Fish Store) that may only be minutes or hours away can create stress.

Fish Compatibility Chart

Tank mate compatibility is crucial to a successful and healthy marine aquarium. Incompatible species will increase stress in the tank which could result in disease and considerable loss. Use the chart below as a guideline when selecting fish before making your fish selection.

Remember, no guarantees can be made about the compatibility or incompatibility of any particular species of fish. Also, particular species within a group of fish vary in temperament and may not correspond with the guideline below.

Pre-Acclimating Salt Water Livestock

When it comes to bringing new fish home for your saltwater aquarium, prior to going down to a local fish store and buying anything you should already have an acclimation procedure of choice picked out! No matter what method you decide on, aside from this most important point, here are some other useful pre-acclimating tips for planning ahead at the fish store and before beginning acclimation once you arrive home.

How to Acclimate Livestock

The Pros and Cons

The Pros

• The drip line or trickle acclimating method is a safe and gentle way to introduce saltwater fish into a new home, and is a fairly simple one to perform.
• Once the drip line is started and the flow rate is set, it pretty much takes care of itself.
• This procedure can be used to acclimate all types of marine as well as freshwater livestock.