Aquarium (and Pond) Answers

Aquarium Size, Stunting

2008-07-12T16:33:00.000-07:00

AQUARIUM SIZE, STUNTING

A lot of controversy surrounds the subject about tank size, often resulting well intentioned but incomplete advice being given.
This often a controversial subject among aquarists, especially well intentioned advanced aquarists, often resulting in confused aquarists (both beginner and even advanced).

One aspect is often missed and that is that although the gallons per fish rule (please see the section later in this article about aquarium sizing) is a good starting point, there is vastly more that goes into this subject. Also it is important to note that there is no denying that the bigger an aquarium you can afford, maintain or have space for the better for many good reasons! BUT I again have kept MANY aquariums under a variety of conditions and monitored them in controlled experiments and is often a small aquarium can work for what many might consider over crowded conditions provided excellent filtration, cleaning maintenance, circulation, feeding procedures (and quality food), chemistry, etc.
For example you I can state categorically that 10 gallon aquarium with (2) 2 inch goldfish that is well maintained with a hang on the back (power) and a sponge filter will out have vastly better water parameters than a 20 gallon with the same goldfish that is poorly maintained with a corner bubbler filter.

Similar to the points I have laid out in my “Aquarium Disease Prevention Article”, the more steps you follow beside the very basic amount of fish per gallon rule/suggestion, the more fish you can stock in a given aquarium.
For example, I kept a 60 gallon Feeder Goldfish tank that often had over 500 goldfish at a time in it. Is this over crowded? Certainly, however I kept water parameters good by virtue of twice daily water changes, mineralization (such as calcium that is often ignored), large amounts of filtration (in the case of the aquarium I am speaking of, a larger tower fluidized filter along with a canister filter and air stones, and finally UV Sterilization, which I cannot say enough about. This of coarse is an extreme example and NOT meant for long term fish keeping, only VERY short term. My point is I have kept similar Feeder tanks without the same procedures, filtration, etc. and the water parameters were NEVER as good.

As more “Real World” example is all the controlled trials I performed (mostly using goldfish at the Bahooka Restaurant and Coaster Co. of America, which between the tow clients I had over 140 aquariums). Many of the trails involved filters and stocking and measuring the results and I often found better water parameters, and MUCH healthier fish in the smaller tanks that were maintained with the same number of fish as with the tanks that were often more than twice their size. The difference was much better filtration, correct chemistry (including GH, KH, please see this article: “Aquarium and Pond GH, KH, pH, and electrolytes”), Better maintenance, and UV Sterilization.

Stunting;

It may seem like I am promoting situations that would induce stunting, but I am NOT.
I am referring to fish populations that can live comfortably within their surroundings and with their tank mates, or in the case of goldfish, knowing that anything less than an 8-10 gallon for short to medium term is not healthy, while a 20 gallon PLUS is much better for the long term.
Stunting would involve placing a baby Arowana or Quetzal Cichlid (or similar cichlid that will easily grow to 12 plus inches) in a 20 gallon aquarium.
Stunting IS CRUEL, and at the very least does not allow the fish to reach its full potential, including lifespan.

There are many theories that go into what happens biologically in stunting, here are a few thoughts:
*Often the tanks these fish are in have high nitrates which are converted into nitrites in the bloodstream and weakens the fish (see this article: "Aquarium Nitrates, about")
*A poor Redox Balance is often observed.
*Hormones excreted from the fish inhibit growth (and lifespan), which are more concentrated in a tank too small for the fish there in contained.

Picture Examples of potentially over crowded aquariums
Both these pictures are photo-shopped examples, not actual aquariums.

In this example a Quetzal Cichlid (vieja synspila) is shown in a 14 gallon Bio Cube. This fish has NO chance of long term or even short term viability due to its large size, inability to move around, and inability to carry out its natural behaviors. Honestly this picture needs little explanation.

In this example, we have an aquarium that is a potential short to medium term problem and a definite long term problem. The difference short term to medium term is filtration and maintenance. This is a viable tank while the goldfish are still young with good filtration/maintenance. This tank shown has a built in wet/dry and separate Sponge Filter that has the pump directing water out to a 5 watt Terminator UV Sterilizer and back in.
If this tank was stocked with fish such as Platties that have no chance of out growing/stunting, this set up could easily handle a higher what is considered “Normal” number of fish.

Advantages for an Under Stocked Aquarium Before it seems that I am advocating an over –crowded aquarium, I most certainly am not.

Here are a few benefits of an under stocked aquarium:

*Less concern about cleaning schedules and missing a cleaning due to a busy schedule.
*More likely to have a stable chemistry, without intervention; this includes a stable pH, KH, GH as well as low ammonia, nitrites, and nitrates.
*Better disease resistance
*When diseases do find their way into the aquarium, they are much less likely to spread like “wildfire” in an un-crowded aquarium
*Generally longer lifespans for the fish

BASICS OF AQUARIUM SIZING
(Expanded information from “Freshwater Aquarium Basics”)

Start with as large an aquarium as you can afford (even for bettas).
The very BASIC principle that is to have 1-2 inches of NARROW bodied fish per FILTERED aquarium gallon is a starting point, but not very accurate. This also only applies to a standard rectangular aquarium. Goldfish are dirty and fatter, so I would triple this with them, in fact for long term goldfish health, one goldfish per 8-10 gallons is best (One goldfish per 30 liters).

Obviously longer fish need more tank width and length. I would decrease the amount of fish proportional to the gallons in a tall aquarium or hexagon aquarium.
Remember, many fish purchased can grow much larger than your original purchase size (ex: goldfish), so keep this in mind too.

* To figure your tank size get your tank length, height, and width in inches then apply this formula (multiple all dimensions):
L x H x W = X; Then divide X by 231
This gives you exact gallons of the tank. In round tanks or unusual shapes you will have to extrapolate.
To convert gallons to liters multiply by 3.785
(Ex. a 20 gallon tank = 75 liters).

What is much more important in determining how many fish you should add to your aquarium are these factors:

*The amount of surface area relative to the gallons of water the aquarium holds. I have observed many tall narrow aquariums over the years of my maintenance service where the filtration and other factors were equal to comparable sized and stocked rectangular aquariums, that general fish health and longevity were lower.
*Type of fish; such as fish that naturally produce more waste (partly
do to the type of food they eat) such as goldfish where one fish per 8+
gallons are better, although for long term health a larger yet aquarium is better , however small goldfish can be kept in a smaller aquarium with the aquarist knowing that this is short term housing.
Fish such as an Arowana that stays primarily on the surface will need a disproportionately large aquarium (I recommend 200 + gallons for just one Arowana). And as pointed out earlier, you cannot compare a heavy bodied cichlid for instance to a narrow bodied tetra of similar length (and again consider what Cichlid will grow to!!)
*Filtration & Circulation; a properly filtered aquarium (good bio filtration, good mechanical filtration, and good circulation) with multiple filters is important. Good filtration with quality well maintained filters can go a long ways in allowing an otherwise small aquarium to hold more fish. See this article for more about Aquarium filtration: “Aquarium Filtration, Filters, About”
*Maintenance schedule that includes regular efficient water changes. Good cleaning routines (20% water changes with a gravel vacuum once per week or two). If you have nitrates that struggle to stay below 40-50 ppm, you probably have an over stocked aquarium (especially if there are live plants!). Also a kH and pH that starts out at proper levels, but then drops quickly after water changes and/or addition of stabilizing chemicals or products such as Wonder Shells can indicate over stocking (as well as other problems such as mulm buildup).
*Well maintained water chemistry; including GH, KH and Redox not just low ammonia, nitrites, and nitrates. This is an area of aquarium keeping that is often missed even by advanced aquarists since many are not ware of the effect on overcrowding a tank with low electrolytes or an unbalanced Redox have.
*New or experienced aquarist; a new aquarist needs to start with a much less crowded aquarium.
*Proper feeding; Over feeding and/or feeding a poor diet that is mostly passed through the fish’ digestive tract due to low digestibility is a major cause of pollution, leading to high DOC, high nitrates, unstable pH, and poor Redox Balance. All of which will make an otherwise un-crowded aquarium become overloaded as per bio load and capacity.
*Even UV Sterilization will improve bio load as it improves Redox balance and immunity as well as simply lowering DOC (Dissolved organic compounds.

Aquarium Algae

2008-04-23T10:47:00.000-07:00

AQUARIUM ALGAE
• Brown Diatom Algae
• Common Green Algae (aka Dust algae)
• Thread/Hair Algae
• Marine Hair Algae (green filamentous algae)
• BBA/Black Brush Algae/Black Beard Algae/Red Algae
• Cyanobacteria (Blue Green Algae)
• Summary

This Aquarium Answers article (post) is not intended as a complete algae control article, but is intended to address the types of algae that I receive the most questions about which are Brown Diatom Algae, Black Beard Brush Algae (BBA), and Marine Hair Algae aka Filamentous marine algae (I address other algae as well in this article). I will add to and update this article as well over time.

Updated 7/17/08

Brown/Diatom Algae

Brown Algae is not considered a true algae as per many biologists, rather a diatom. However under the 5 Kingdom classification system both Brown Diatoms and more common algae fall into the "grab bag" Kingdom; "Proctotista", although Brown Diatom Algae fall into the division Bacillariophyceae.

Diatoms also single-cell organisms but are significantly larger and more complicated than cyanobacteria. They have cell walls containing silica. The individual cells are yellow-green to brown. They contain two types of chlorophyll and at some stage in their life cycles have motile stages which move by the action of one or two tiny beating hairs called flagella.

Most diatoms show very limited mobility and exist primarily as groups of cells growing a film over the surface of objects. In low concentrations they probably don't have any noticeable effect in aquarium systems, and indeed they are probably always present.
These diatom cells are encased within a unique cell wall made of silica (hydrated silicon dioxide). The yellowish-brown chloroplasts within Brown Diatom algae are what give this “algae” its typical appearance.
Brown Diatoms are found in fresh and saltwater as well as soil. Diatoms are a major component of plankton, free-floating microorganisms of marine or freshwater environments. Not all diatoms float freely though; many may cling to surfaces such as aquatic plants, gravel, décor, molluscs, and crustaceans. Brown Diatom Algae are dependent upon silicates and high DOC (dissolved organic compounds) in the water and thrive in conditions where the minerals and Redox are out of balance. Brown diatom algae also out compete more desirable green algae in these conditions when light is poor for healthy photosynthesis due to lack adequate amounts of light in the proper PAR.

With the above points in mind, I will again emphasize that Brown Diatoms MUST have silicates present to reproduce, although removal of al silicates is often not feasible, in many of the methods (outlined in the removal tips below) the aquarist can lower the available silicates including by simply adding plants or encouraging green algae to grow which will out compete the Brown diatoms.
From the Aquarium Answers article; “Aquarium Test Kits” here are some silicate parameters: Natural seawaters contain silicates around 10 ppm however due to differences in a closed system (which an aquarium is) and the ocean it is best to maintain silicates under 1 ppm in an aquarium to prevent diatom blooms and aid in uptake of essential elements such as Strontium by corals.
In freshwater, silicates are generally between 4-20 ppm and should be kept under 4 ppm in an aquarium, although usually this is not a problem in healthy established freshwater aquariums where lighting is good to encourage plants or green algae (both of which will starve also consume silicates limiting diatom growth)

This is a common algae in new aquariums, especially aquariums that have not fully cycled as this leaves many available nutrients for these diatoms.
If an established aquarium struggles with these diatoms, this is often an indicator of excessive silica, poor mineral/electrolyte balance, an unstable biological aquarium environment (often caused by poor filtration, poor cleaning procedures, Redox Balance, Aquarium Lightingor over medication).

Here are a few tips (suggestions) for eradication of Brown Diatom Algae:

*Use re-mineralized RO water if silicates are high in tap water.
For saltwater 100% RO or DI water use is fine for both mixing with marine salt mix or topping off for evaporation. HOWEVER in freshwater I do not generally recommend 100% use of RO or DI water, rather blended water and even then it is best to re-mineralize with products such as Wonder Shells, and check the KH and adjust accordingly with products such as SeaChem Buffer or even SeaChem Cichlid salt which has other important minerals and KH enhancing carbonates as well.
*Correct proper mineralization with products such as Wonder Shells or other mineral blocks. Maintaining a correct KH, pH, and GH balance is a good place to start as well. The use of balanced buffers in marine tanks such as SeaChem Marine Buffer is highly suggested.
*Turning over gravel daily by hand and/or with a gravel vacuum slow the spread
*UV Sterilization also slow the spread of free floating diatoms and aids in the improvement of Redox Balance which is also important.
*A healthy, established nitrogen cycle is essential for control of Brown Diatoms.
*Correct lighting as per the amount in lumens and the correct PAR often usually found at about 6500 Kelvin (an incorrect PAR is often the problem when lighting is the reason behind Brown Diatom Algae growth in established aquariums). Generally around 9-12 hours per day is adequate. This will allow green algae and plants to out compete the Brown Diatoms. Please see this article for more information: “Aquarium Lighting, how it works”
*Live plants to “out compete” diatoms
*Cut back on feeding or switch to higher quality foods that is less likely to produce high amounts of wastes and may also be high in silicates.
*Use near boiling water on décor, rocks (not gravel), plastic plants, etc. This is VERY effective in killing brown diatoms while at the same time allowing the establishment of healthy green algae that will often survive this procedure. I have used this method for years with excellent results.
*Addition of salt (sodium chloride), this can aid in the control of many algae (not just Brown Diatom), however too much salt can interfere with your live plants (if you have them in the first place). I would recommend starting low, especially if live plants are present at 1 tablespoon per 5 gallons and then slowly increasing if needed.
*Oto Catfish or Otocinclus affinis are excellent fish that will remove and keep this algae in check in a planted tank.
*Snails, especially Nerite Snails (for FW OR SW). Please see the section on snails for further links/information in this article: "Aquarium Plants"
*Patience and time (about 8-12 weeks) for new tanks, often this is all it takes for a new tank.
*Please note that the suggestions using boiling water, algae eaters, and snails are methods to bring Brown Diatoms under control, however after the being "patient" with a new tank for a few months or in the case of established aquariums, these suggestions are meant for control and if their continued use is still needed this indicates other issues that need to be addressed such as organic load (DOC), lighting, mineralization, Redox, etc.

Common Green Algae (Sometimes referred to as Dust Algae)

This is the most common algae in established freshwater aquariums with or without plants.
This is the algae that coats the front and side glass. It's generally a good sign if that is the only algae that is noticeable in your tank. Generally simply scraping the glass and rinsing off plastic plants with a 1/25 bleach/water solution (followed by a rinsing with de-chlorinators and water) prior to your water change is all that's needed to control this easy to control.

Green Spot Algae

These are hard circular algae spots that take hard scrubbing too remove from the tank glass. Moderate to high phosphate limited tanks have more problems with green spot algae on plants. Green Spot Algae is often eliminated with increasing phosphate levels in your water. Try to maintain at least 0.3 to 0.5 of phosphates throughout the week and more preferable is in the range of 1.0 - 2.0 ppm of phosphates.
Some Plecostomus such as the Rubbernose may help, however these fish may also damage plants as well/

Thread/Hair Algae

Most Thread/Hair algaes grow extremely fast. You can manually remove handfuls every couple of days. After eliminating this type of algae is it a good idea to add an algae eating crew.
There are may fish that may help with this; Rosy Barbs, American-Flag Fish, Amano Shrimp, Bristlenose Plecostomus, even Platties.

Marine Hair Algae (green filamentous algae)

Although not the problem or scourge that red slime (Cyanobacteria), this algae can over take an aquarium in short order and is an indicator of high nitrates and phosphates. Although I consider algae growth generally an indicator of a healthy marine aquarium, normally I recommend less problematic algae such as the Macro-Algae. Macro-algae is the 'plant' and encrusting algae that you see in many experience saltwater aquarists marine tanks. Macro algae cut down on light available to the micro algae, and compete directly for the nutrients otherwise available to problem algae. Caulerpa spp, encrusting corallines (a group of Red algae resembling corals), Bubble Algae aka; Valonia macroalgae (although bubble algae can become problem algae on occasion as well) are examples here. Other beneficial algae that do not take over an aquarium include Green Gracillaria algae as these green algae are beneficial for nitrate reduction without the “overbearing problems of Green Filamentous algae which tends to take over an aquarium, often squeezing out your polyps, mushrooms, etc.

For Filamentous marine algae (hair algae), I would recommend changing water with marine salt mixed with RO water only.
I would also try and get a deep sand bed going in your aquarium or a separate tank for nitrate removal.
Finally I would suggest a clean up crew of creatures such as Trochus, Nerite, and Turbo Snails

I have information/links for deep sand beds and other methods for nitrate removal in my Marine Aquarium article: “Saltwater Aquarium Basics; Fish, Nano Reef, Reef” as well as this Aquarium Answers article about Nitrates: “Aquarium Nitrates”

BBA/Black Brush Algae/Black Beard Algae/Red Algae

Technically this is a kind of red algae, but that classification does not define its appearance. This unwanted algae often shows up on older parts of plants and on slower-growing plants. Black beard algae is a form of "red algae" in the genus Audouinella that commonly attaches to edges of plant leaves or drift wood and is more common in low CO2 water conditions, that are low in most minerals (although often high in iron), carbonates, and pH (although these algae will also grow in alkaline, high pH waters as well).
(Click on the picture to the left for another view)

This is in my opinion is the most aggravating freshwater algae I know of and I have not found a magic bullet for this as of yet. I also have plant keeping friends in hobby and profession that also want to pull their hair out when it comes to this algae.

This furry, thread-like flora attaches to various aquarium surfaces including the edges of plant leaves, filter tubes and even gravel. It may have many colors (purple, gray-green, black) and resembles beard hair or fur. In the aquarium literature, this nuisance is often called beard or brush algae.
Most aquarists consider BBA to come in three forms; The long thread variety is called beard algae, the shorter thread type is called brush algae; and a third type is described as having very short threads and forms dark semi-round spots.

Physically removing rocks and wood that have these algae on it and then scrubbing it off will also give plants a better chance of utilizing nutrients and over coming these algae. The use of Sea Chem Flourish Excel has been shown to be effective for some in control of this algae. The reason behind this is that Flourish Excel is formula is Aldehydes based which are effected by oxidation which is another indicator of the importance of VERY regular but often small water changes (as much as 5-10% per day) to bring about a healthy Redox (among other methods of Redox control). This admittedly is only a theory at this point, however I have observed vastly better algae control (of all sorts of algae) in ponds where I achieved a healthy Redox via flow through water changes, mineralization and a PROPERLY installed UV Sterilizer.
I have also found (as in Brown Diatoms) that pouring near boiling water over decorations such as rocks or filter returns, etc that have BBA o them works well for killing this algae while allowing establishment of much less onerous green algae.

Siamese Algae Eaters (SAE) are very good at keeping these algae in check (providing that there is not more tasty green algae or left over fish food). Some other fish such as Platties and Rosy Barbs will occasionally snack on BBA as well.

Cyanobacteria (Blue Green Algae)

Blue/Green Algae which is more appropriately called Cyanobacteria is more closely related to bacteria than algae, however it is worth noting here since it can be a difficult problem in both fresh and saltwater. Cyanobacteria is more common in a tank that is not healthy or that has a high load of dissolved organics. Cyanobacteria has many species and forms and causes great angst among planted tank beginners and experienced hobbyist alike. Some forms of BGA grow slow and are very difficult to kill, other species grow very quickly and can overwhelm and "smother" all the plants in short order.
For my full discussion of Cyanobacteria, please see my separate article about it:
“Cyanobacteria (Red/Orange Slime, Blue Green Algae) in Aquariums”

SUMMARY

I will finally add that most true algae (not Cyanobacteria) compete with plants for the same nutrients and light, so battling algae is often very difficult, however from my experience with ponds in particular it is often a war than cannot be totally won but certainly can be checked by keeping nutrients away from algae (such as substrate nutrients) while providing them to plants and understanding that algae are more simple life forms than plants and have less complicated needs, so addressing the more complex needs of higher plants will allow them to out compete (sometimes this is as simple as removal of as much algae as possible to give the plants a foot hold, although this can also be a much more difficult task).

When it comes to algae control in a planted tank this is also noteworthy as even though added carbon (CO2) will often help plants out compete algae, thus retarding unwanted algae growth, if algae grows out of control as soon as added carbon is removed, there are likely other problems contributing to this including;

*Unusable/ unavailable nutrients (micronutrients and macronutrients). Here is a list of important nutrients (listed in recommended added solution, not ppm as stated earlier in the article):
Potassium (often available as Soluble Potash)- .37%, Iron- .32%, Sulfur- .27%, Sodium- .13%, Calcium- .14%, Magnesium- .11%, Nitrogen- .07%, Nitrogen- .07%, Available Phosphate- .01%, Boron- .009%, Cobalt- 0004%, Copper- .0001%, Zinc- .0007% Molybdenum- .0009%,.
Here are a few sources: Sea Chem Flourish, PMDD , Regular Wonder Shells, Jungle Plant Tabs . Not all these sources have all the required nutrients many can be mixed as you find your own success.
Much has been published lately about the addition of PO4 (phosphates) to control algae, however I believe this is only partially correct and based on some false assumptions; PO4 along with NO3 and Potassium are important Macronutrients that need to be in balance. I have found that simply changing water will (assuming proper mineralization of new water) will control algae by adding all these macronutrients.
What is happening is that algae are much better equipped than higher plants to compete in conditions of low nutrients, however the addition of these nutrients allows much better competition. Adding only PO4 does not bring these macronutrients into balance and even though many claim this solved their problem, they have not run a control group to see if this was only part of the equation.

*Poor substrate for healthy plant growth (only certain plants!). Make sure your substrate is rich in Iron (Fe). Iron is the most important trace element; your tank substrate should contain a reasonable amount of Iron. Liquid iron will, if over dosed, favor Hair algae. It can be added through tablet Iron rich fertilizers and through substrates like Azoo Plant Grower Bed , Laterite and Fluorite

*Important! - Poor lighting that does not allow plants to compete with algae. Although when more light is added more nutrients including CO2 are needed. I do not agree with the method of darkening a tank for a few days as plants often have higher light requirements than algae (in part due to their complexity), this only gives the algae more time to out compete plants!

*High or too low Nitrates. Nitrates should be above 15 ppm for plants, but not above 40 ppm as I have seen in many aquariums with excessive algae growth (although high nitrates is rarely a problem in tanks with healthy plant growth). Too low and plants will starve for this important macronutrient.

* Aquarium Cleaning Frequency. Often increasing the frequency (even twice or tree times per week) will improve conditions in the aquarium so as to allow plants to out compete algae. In part this improves the macronutrient balance as discussed above (as well as improvements in Redox and lowering DOC). I however do not recommend increasing the amount of water changed.

*Trim plants of dying, decaying, or algae covered leaves, even if this removes much of your plants. This is much like pruning in your garden. This forces plants to generate new and healthy leaves that will often do better at out competing algae.

*Dip your new plants or even established plants, although this will cause a temporary shock to established plants.
Here are a few methods;
• Bleach used in a 20 parts water to 1 part bleach for 2-3 minutes for delicate plants and 4-5 minutes for broad leaf plants; followed by a quick dip in sodium Thiosulfate or other de-chlorinator/ water mixture (Sodium Thiosulfate is found in many aquarium/pond de-chlorinators such as Start Right and I recommend that the dose used to neutralize the bleach be double to triple the normal suggested amount for tank use).
• Potassium Permanganate in a solution of water and enough Potassium Permanganate to turn you water pink for 20 minutes is also effective for many algae, diseases and usually snails, again followed by a sodium Thiosulfate or other de-chlorinator/ water mixture.
• Sea Chem Flourish Excel , this product can be used as a quick dip solution (about 30 seconds) for plants to kill algae. I recommend diluting with about 5 parts water with 1 part Flourish Excel.
Also the dosing of Flourish Excel in your aquarium can be effective for algae control as well. Flourish Excel contains a polymerized isomer of glutaraldehyde trademarked as polycycloglutaracetal by SeaChem and is the active ingredient in this product, which is a fertilizer for aquatic plants. It is claimed that it provides a bioavailable source of carbon for higher plants that is not available to algae. Though not marketed as such due to federal regulations, the algaecidal effect of glutaraldehyde kills most algae at concentrations of 0.5 - 5.0 ppm.

*Improper GH and KH levels (or mineralization, especially GH). Here is a quote:
“The release of carbonate converted from bicarbonate by plant life can cause pH to climb dramatically (above 9) during periods of rapid photosynthesis by dense phytoplankton (algal) blooms. This rise in pH can occur in low alkalinity water (20 to 50 mg/L) or in water with moderate to high bicarbonate alkalinity (75 to 200 mg/L) that has less than 25 mg/L hardness.”
Source:
Interactions of pH, Carbon Dioxide, Alkalinity and Hardness

*A poor Redox Potential which is often improved by better and more frequent water changes and proper mineralization such as Calcium, Magnesium and sodium as stated above. Also the addition of UV Sterilization

Further Reading/References:
http://www.thekrib.com/Plants/Algae/red-algae.html
http://www.ucmp.berkeley.edu/chromista/bacillariophyta.html
Planted Aquarium Keeping Information
A Discussion of Algae
Algae; where they fit into the 5-Kingdom System

Salt in Freshwater Aquariums

2008-03-29T12:36:00.000-07:00

Aquarium Salt (Sodium chloride) in Freshwater Aquariums

The use of Sodium Chloride more commonly known as just plain salt seems to be a constant source of controversy among aquarists, especially here on the internet. What is interesting to me and my colleagues in the professional aquarium maintenance, design and research business is that the way this controversy has “swung” from you MUST use salt to the now current fad propagated by many forums and articles including such about.com to RARELY use salt.
Unfortunately both views are based on misunderstandings of the term of what salt is and what fish need “salts” for as well as a lack of understanding and reading of research about this subject.

What is “Salt”

I will start with some basic definitions of what “salts” are (further reading beyond this article is needed here, so please follow links/resources/references).
Basically a salt is a neutral compound composed of cations (positively charged ions) bound to anions (negatively charged ions).
A little more in depth description is that “salts” are ionic compounds held together by electrostatic attraction of positively charged metal cations and the negatively charged anions. These Ions can be single atoms, as in sodium chloride, or more complex groups such as calcium carbonate.
What I am driving at is that salts consist of more than just Sodium Chloride and that “salts” in general are IMPORTANT electrolytes necessary for biochemistry and osmoregulation in fish without which fish and other biochemical processes would cease.
Please reference these two articles for further reader as to this subject:
PROPER OSMOTIC FUNCTION- ELECTROLYTES
CALCIUM, ELECTROLYTES, AND MAGNESIUM IN AQUARIUMS; How to maintain a Proper KH & PH, why calcium and electrolytes are important.

Sodium Chloride and other Salts in Aquariums

This where the controversy begins in my opinion is should aquarium salt sodium chloride) be used and if not, what will takes its place for necessary electrolytes.
First I will start off by stating again that ALL living organisms need certain electrolytes for biochemistry (the before mentioned resources help explain this).
I have read many scientific studies as well as performed many experiments over the years in the use of different salts including sodium chloride.
I will start off by stating that a successful aquarium CAN be kept without sodium chloride HOWEVER other salts MUST be present such as Calcium carbonate, otherwise your fish will have lower disease resistance and other physiological problems.

Where this gets controversial is with freshwater plants, catfish, goldfish and livebearers such as mollies.
Starting with each of the above, let’s take a look them specifically:
*Freshwater Plants; As many articles state correctly, many freshwater plants (not all though) have a low tolerance for sodium chloride, so care must be exercised in the use of sodium chloride (NaCl) with many plants present. Most freshwater plants can tolerate up to 1000 mg. per liter of sodium chloride and since a teaspoon I roughly 5500 mg. that equals one teaspoon per 5.5 liters of water or 1.45 gallons (one gallon = 3.785 liters). This is approximately 1 tablespoon per 5 gallons. Please keep in mind that this is the upper reaches of many plants tolerance, so a lower amount would be better.
This said, I generally have used very little sodium chloride salts in my planted aquariums (Anubias one of the exceptions), however the plants still require other electrolytes (salts) so one must make sure that calcium carbonate, magnesium and other necessary salts are present.

*Catfish, Tetras, Elephant Nose, etc.; This is an area where my own research as well as university level research does not “mesh” with current popular opinions/fads. While it is true that Catfish, Tetras, and fish such as Elephant Nose do not tolerate salt well, they still MUST have some electrolytes and can tolerate some salt, at least in short tem doses. While fish such as tetras and fish that navigate by electrical field do not do well in higher doses of salt (NaCl), these fish can tolerate short term doses of salt such as after introduction of new fish for aid in disease resistance, transport or aid in disease treatment. Generally long term sodium chloride use should be kept to levels under 500 mg. per liter or less, I recommend no more than 1 teaspoon per 5 gallons for these fish (this is one TEASPOON, not tablespoon!).

Since there is little money for really good studies for most areas of aquarium keeping I (and others serious about really good research) must look to outside sources for information (this includes other areas such as Aquarium Lighting and many other poorly researched within the aquarium industry subjects).
Where I am going with this is that outside of my own tests and side by side studies (admittedly not to university level standards) most good research as to salt (NaCl) comes from studies in food grade fish such as Channel Catfish. Although Channel catfish are not Corydoras Catfish, these studies are not 100% as to extrapolate of the results, however based on my own studies as well they are still VERY useful. The most current studies I have read show that Channel Catfish CAN tolerate salt in surprisingly high amounts for at least short periods of time. In fact studies have shown that treatment of Channel Catfish for Columnaris when sodium chloride is used vastly INCREASED the survival rate! These studies showed increased survival in concentrations between 1000 and 3000 mg. per liter.

Bringing this back to aquarium keeping and my own studies/results as per catfish, I found no problems in short term use up to 2 tablespoons per 5 gallons and long term use up to one teaspoon per 5 gallons.

Goldfish Gold fish are a from a family of fish that include koi and carp. The common goldfish (Carassius auratus) and its fancy variations are fish based on my own experience that do better in water that contains moderate amounts of minerals and electrolytes. This includes a GH (for Calcium, magnesium and more as well as some sodium chloride salt. My clients goldfish have always had more longevity and less incidence of disease when the GH is 200 ppm plus and I have kept 1 tablespoon of salt per 5 gallons of water. In fact a government study shows INCREASED survival rates when chronic salinity levels were increased up to 6000 mg. per liter (6 ppt). Please reference this site bought to my attention by a knowledgeable colleague:
http://cars.er.usgs.gov/posters/Nonindigenous/Salinity_Tolerance_of_Goldfish.
I will also note as per goldfish that these are a fish that I have performed several tests/studies as per the use of salt, use of UV Sterilization and improved Aquarium Redox.
These facts fly in the face of the many anecdotal postings of what is best for healthy goldfish.

Livebearers such as Mollies; This is another area where I find some miss-information. Most aquarists would agree that mollies will do fine with sodium chloride salt in their aquariums, however what many aquarists miss is that mollies do not all come from areas with NaCl in their water but ALL mollies and livebearers in general do and must have other electrolytes such as Calcium Carbonate and Magnesium in their water as well as buffers such as sodium bi-carbonate.
Personally I have had the best results with my livebearers with a GH well over 200 ppm (for calcium/magnesium), a KH over 150 ppm and finally 1 tablespoon of sodium chloride per 5 gallons.
Please see this article for more: “Keeping Molly Fish in Aquariums”

A Few Facts, Uses and Myths About Salt in Aquariums

*There are other salts/electrolytes such as Calcium Carbonate that are important for proper osmoregulation, disease prevention (and even treatment) in freshwater aquarium fish.

*Sodium Chloride is useful for Brown Blood disease (nitrite poisoning) in freshwater fish as well as for a stress reliever in fish transport. A minimum chloride concentration of 20 ppm is recommended to prevent nitrite toxicity. Please see this article for more: http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/VM007

*Sodium Chloride salt can help prevent and even treat many diseases from Ich to Columnaris, however this is an area where many go overboard too much the other direction as sodium chloride is NOT a cure all, especially when it comes to virulent Ich infestations.

*Sodium Chloride Salt can be safely used in most all freshwater aquarium applications provided proper levels are observed and as noted earlier other “salts” are also employed either with or without sodium chloride.

*Sodium Chloride aids in slime coat generation (often better than over touted slime coat products, especially those that place a slime bandage on the fish). However it should be noted that there are other electrolytes that aid in slime coat generation as well potassium.
Please see this article for more about water conditioners:
“Aquarium Answers; Aquatic water conditioners”

*Sodium Chloride does not dissipate, meaning that generally only water changes will remove salt. For example if you are using salt (NaCl) in your 20 gallon aquarium and you change 5 gallons of water you need ONLY add salt for the 5 gallons changed, not the 20 gallons of aquarium water otherwise your salt levels will build up with time.
It is noteworthy that very small amounts of Sodium Chloride are used in biological processes within the aquarium/inhabitants, however this amount is not worth adding more salt for.
In the case of some other salts such as Calcium carbonate and potassium, these will get depleted a higher rater by biological processes and will often need to be replaced depending on water change amounts, bio load, tap water (or other replacement water chemistry), tests, etc.

SUMMARY

I will some this up by saying that those who say you should not use sodium chloride salt in your freshwater aquarium (including with Catfish, Tetras, etc.) and those who say you should always use salt (NaCl) are only HALF RIGHT. I would certainly agree that there was (and still is) a segment of the aquarium keeping hobby that thinks sodium chloride is the cure all for everything all the while ignoring important other “salts” such as Calcium Chloride. However the current “No Salt” fad is also ignoring certain facts not only about sodium chloride but about the other important electrolytes as well. My own years of experience and tests along with research and many of my professional aquarium keeping colleagues bears this out.

When salt is used the use of iodized salt that is often found in kitchen cupboard is not the best choice, however in a pinch it is not a terrible choice as is often described. If the small amount of salt that is needed in a freshwater aquarium is used the iodine (which is also a necessary nutrient for fish in small quantities as in humans) is not likely to cause any problems. Common table salt also has anti-caking agents such as sodium aluminosilicate which is main reason to avoid table salt as this ingredient may cause increases algae growth (other anti-caking ingredients include potassium ferrocyanide and calcium carbonate).
I prefer either plain rock salt, marine salt (of which the additional major and trace elements are actually beneficial to many freshwater fish), or products such as SeaChem Cichlid Salt which (similar to marine salt in concept) contains added minerals/electrolytes of which when used in the small amount of salt one should use sodium chloride are actually beneficial for the vast majority of freshwater fish.

Other Resources
http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/VM007
http://www.int-res.com/articles/dao/21/d021p171.pdf
http://cars.er.usgs.gov/posters/Nonindigenous/Salinity_Tolerance_of_Goldfish
http://www.ca.uky.edu/wkrec/SaltStressCatfish.pdf

Betta Habitat

2008-03-08T12:59:00.001-08:00

BETTA FISH; WILD HABITAT AND MORE:
The Siamese fighting fish; scientific name, Betta splendens.

I am writing this Aquarium Answers post/article to hopefully help with all the controversies around the internet and elsewhere about wild Betta habitat and requirements.
I would like to qualify this and state that as with many popular aquarium fish (such as Angels and Discus), the domestic versions are often adapted to the environment that they have been bred for, in other words, many angelfish although originally from low pH waters are now commonly bred in higher pH alkaline waters.
In the case of Bettas, these amazing fish come from a Tropical Habitat that is known fro drastic swings in water availability, clarity, parameters, and even temperature, this makes for a fish that is naturally uniquely adaptable to a variety of aquarium environments and is in part a reason for their popularity

River Drainage Basins and natural environment

The Chao Phraya River drainage is seen in the central Thailand area of the map while the Mekong River Drainage habitat is seen in Cambodia and Eastern Thailand

The Betta is native freshwater fish from Thailand (formerly Siam) and Cambodia (formerly Kampuchea). Most native Bettas originate from the Mekong AND the Chao Phraya River drainage basins. These drainages are mountainous with agriculturally
productive valleys found in the upper regions. The lower region contains alluvial plains that are highly productive for agriculture. The Mekong and Chao Phraya Rivers drains from north to south. Monsoon weather dominates, with a rainy season lasting from May to October and supplementary rain from occasional westward storm depressions originating in the Pacific. Temperatures range from15°C (59 F) in December to 40°C (104 F) in April except in high altitude locations. The basins can be classified as a tropical rainforest with high biodiversity. The lower parts have extensive irrigation networks and hence intensive rice paddy cultivation.
These rivers have a pH of 6.9 ranging to 8.2 and the nutrient level is low. In the Lower Mekong and Chao Phraya areas the river is turbid, especially during the rainy season.

With the very wide temperature swings it is easy to extrapolate that a betta can and will do well in a reasonable warm aquarium bowl environment that does not exceed the temperature extremes found in the wild, although this is not to say that a heated stable environment is not even betta for a healthy Betta (remember this IS a tropical fish).
The pH, GH, and KH also have wide swings, to which the Betta has adapted to, however keep in mind that rapid changes in pH can still harm or even kill a Betta and should be avoided. It is also note worth that the pH scale is logarithmic, so a full point change in pH is ten tenfold increase of decrease in pH. Please see this article for more about this subject: “The Importance of Calcium, GH, KH, Electrolytes, and pH in Aquariums”

The low water nutrient levels of these rivers lend themselves to a reducing Redox and lower nitrate levels, which means frequent water changes are important with bettas and if breeding on a large scale, a system in which the breeding sections are all linked to a central system with a UV Sterilizer is also useful for both disease prevention and Redox (but not essential). See this article for more about UV Sterilization: “How UV Sterilization Works in Aquariums and Ponds”

Being an anabantids, Bettas have a labyrinth organ in their heads that allows them to take oxygen directly from the atmosphere in addition to the oxygen taken from water via their gills which allows them to cope with the dry season in their monsoonal climate home.

All of the above environmental adaptation as well as breeding adaptation is why the Betta survives well in a small tank or even a bowl, but also make no mistake about it the Betta merely survives the dry season and its harsh realities of water quality, so providing your domestic Betta a heated, stable, regularly maintained tank, with proper electrolyte levels (even if under 2 gallons) will go a long ways in long term Betta health.

Although these beautiful fish were not seen in Europe until the 1800's, they have been cultured and kept in Thai households since the 1200's.
Bettas common aquariums have undergone centuries of selective breeding and have become far more aesthetically pleasing than the original Wild Betta, these “Domestic” bettas have also been adapted to the small aquarium environments in which they are often bred.
In the wild Bettas generally grow to 6.0 cm (2.3 in.), however many are now bred up to 8.0 cm (3.5 in.) in length. A Bettas diet in the wild generally consists of insect larvae such as mosquito larvae. It is noteworthy that many of these insect larvae feed themselves on green organic matter, so a proper diet should consist of food that duplicates the digestive contents of these larvae as well.

References
http://www.unesco.org/water/wwap/case_studies/chao_phraya/chao_phraya.pdf
http://internationalrivers.org/en/china/lancang-mekong-river

Further Reading

BC Aquatics; Betta FAQs

Hole in the Head

2008-02-19T08:27:00.000-08:00

HITH; Hole in the Head Disease in Fish

I have had a lot of questions directed either to me or through the forums that I am active in about Hole in the Head Syndrome, often simply identified as HITH.
I will start off with by saying that I do NOT know everything there is to know about this disorder only to say that I have had a lot of experience in treating and ridding fish afflicted with this problem in my maintenance business over the years. I will also note that I NEVER had an outbreak in the last 20 years of my business due to proper care of fish prone to this disorder. I state this because there is a lot of anecdotal information about HITH or even simply half truths.

What is Hole in the Head Disease?

HITH is an affliction that primarily affects Gouramis, Angelfish, Discus, Oscars and other South American cichlids.
A Cichlid has spots on their head which are called sensory pits. These are a series of fluid filled sacs with tiny hairs that sense vibrations and convert them to electrical impulses. Along the lateral lines, sensory pits are responsible for a fish's equilibrium in the water and look like little pin holes, generally arranged in a cluster.
In a HITH outbreak these sensory pits become eroded with ulcerated lesions which expand and coalesce together, forming larger crater-type lesions. They can extend deeper into the muscle and even down to the skull. These open lesions may become secondarily infected with bacteria or fungi and such secondary bacterial infections that may result in death.
A common theory is that HITH is caused by non-absorption of minerals and vitamins from the intestine due to heavy concentrations of flagellate parasites, like Hexamita. It is sometimes believed by aquarists that the protozoan parasite Hexamita caused the skin erosions and therefore treatment is based on attempting to eradicate Hexamita by treatment with Metronidazole. This is where a half truth does come into play; Often there is a misunderstanding as stated above as to the root causes however there is also a misunderstanding of what Metronidazole is effective against. I this article I will not go into detail about Metronidazole other to say that it IS effective against many bacterium, especially intestinally which can effect absorption of important minerals and vitamins, WHICH IS WHY Metronidazole has been effective even when the cause was misidentified. The bottom line is Metronidazole is both antibacterial AND antiprotozoal.
Please read more about Metronidazole in this article:
“How Aquarium Medications Work; antibiotics

Treatment/Prevention

This is also an area where many half truths are present (and quite honestly much is to be learned as well).
Obviously diet plays a role here, as well as water quality such as Nitrate levels, however what is sometimes missed is the role Calcium plays in proper osmoregulation and the fish’ ability to absorb other nutrients. Often poorly maintained aquariums will see high amounts of acids, poor Redox reduction, high DOC (dissolved organic compounds), and low GH and KH. I have also noted in my service calls that the aquarist (usually with South American fish) was told to keep a low GH; nothing could be further from the truth!
I would recommend reading this article for further information about the importance of proper Calcium levels in ALL aquariums:
“The Importance of Calcium, GH, KH and Electrolytes in Aquariums”

Here are some steps to take for cure and prevention of HITH:
• Make regular, frequent but small water changes such as 20-30% per week or even twice per week, The use of a gravel vacuum ensures better removal of decomposing wastes that add acids to the water and lower other water quality parameters such as Redox.
• Lower nitrates, this is important IMO and nitrate levels should be lower than 40 ppm or better, lower than 20 ppm.
Please read this article about the nitrogen cycle for more nitrate information:
"Aquarium (& Pond)Nitogen Cycle"
• Vary diet, gut load feeders with foods such as Spirulina 20 or similar high vitamin and mineral foods. Feed high quality pellets as well (or flakes if the fish will eat them). However since Freshwater fish do NOT drink the water around them liquid vitamins are less effective, but I would still give them a try as well in severe cases especially.
Please read this article about fish nutrition for more about “gut loading”:
"Fish Nutrition (Proper Aquatic Nutrition). What ingredients are needed for optimum fish nutrition, growth and health"
• Increase GH to at least 100 ppm (better is 200 ppm), Wonder Shells along with water changes help here. Also make sure your carbonate hardness (KH) is at least 50 ppm (over 100 is often better)
• In moderate to severe cases treatment with Metronidazole may also be necessary as well as other antibiotics such as Nitrofurazone (Furan Two)

Above a clean WELL filtered aquarium is a MUST.

Aquarium Protein Skimmers

2008-01-04T18:40:00.001-08:00

Marine (Saltwater) Aquarium Protein Skimmers

Information and opinions here are not only based on my experience in the Aquarium Maintenance business (over 28 years) but also of others I know in this business who have to use these devices on a regular basis.
(This is still an article in process, updated 1/14/08)

Basics
A protein skimmer is a filtration device used in marine tanks (they do not work in freshwater) which employ a chamber with a column of fine bubbles. Surface tension attracts organic waste to the bubbles & carries it through the column (called foam fractionation); then it is "skimmed" into a collection cup. This process Protein skimmers use to remove nitrogenous wastes (protein based organic waste) is also called foam refraction. The protein skimmer collects this waste in a cup, where it is then emptied (either by hand or a drain as in larger “Pro” models).
Protein Skimmers come in pump driven and air driven models. Within the pump driven there are different types: Venturi, Aspirating, Downdraft, and spray injection; the first two being most common.
Protein skimmers generally only work in marine aquariums where they are very popular in reef aquaria, as they are often needed to keep nitrates below .20 ppm for the delicate marine invertebrates.

The advantages are that they remove nitrogenous waste before they can go thru the nitrogen cycle and become nitrates. The disadvantages are some are messy, take frequent adjustments (at least on many commercial models), and in my experience, over rated especially for marine fish aquariums. I also have kept many reef aquariums successfully with and without protein skimmers although I do recommend protein skimmers for reef aquariums.
What I personally find interesting is that many of the aquarists that swear by protein skimmers totally trash UV Sterilizers, yet I have found from experience (I had to service what I sell, and if I sold trash, I had to service trash!) that often UV sterilizers had a more positive attributes than protein skimmers, although many of the newer models are vastly improved. That said, a good Protein skimmer is a useful tool in marine aquariums especially when used in conjunction with the Berlin Filter Method for reef aquaria and should be considered, more so if you are planning on keeping delicate corals!

Air Driven
The co-current air driven models (also called columnar skimmers) are the most basic although not always the simplest to use as these cheap Skimmers are often temperamental to water levels in the tank and the limewood air stones used by these skimmers clog frequently. However these can be an inexpensive entry level Skimmer for 10 -60 gallon marine aquariums.

Venturi
Of the pump driven Skimmers, the co-current Venturi models are the most common and popular. This style uses a water venturi pump (sometimes referred to as an aspirator) which is used to introduce the bubbles into the water stream. The tank water is pumped through the venturi, in which fine bubbles of the correct size and number are introduced then enters the skimmer body.

However not all venturi skimmers are equal, some of the more basic designs such as the Bak Pak work well, but the newer designs such as the V2 Skim by Tropic Marine also has a patented Bubble Stop in which the skimmer is fed 'dirty' water from the aquarium as a means to re-circulate water within the skimmer multiple times before it is returned to the sump or the aquarium.
The Tropic Marine V2 Skim is one of the better ones with the latest in technology. This skimmer has a venturi injection system which optimizes the perfect mixture of fine air bubbles and water and ensures intensive, efficient skimming and the removal of proteins and other harmful toxins (waste) from the aquarium. This Skimmer also has a Bubble stop feature that essentially re-skims the water as well as prevents bubbles/foam from re-entering the aquarium. For advanced Marine Aquarists (or even beginners looking to step up) this is the Protein skimmer I would strongly recommend. Each time water is re-circulated within the skimmer any air bubbles in that water sample are destroyed and new bubbles are generated by the re-circulating pump venturi apparatus so the air-water contact time begins again for these newly created bubbles.
For the money, this is the best Protein Skimmer you can buy unless you are willing to spend several hundred dollars more for the ASM skimmer.

Aspirating; Needle Wheel
An aspirating Protein Skimmer generally uses an impeller which consists of a mesh material that is attached to a plate or central axis on the rotor. The purpose of these modified impellers is to chop the air that is introduced via a venturi apparatus or external air pump into large amounts very fine bubbles. This style (such as used in a model by Coralife) is gaining popularity; however this style still has some bugs in that not all of the impellers used by these always chop the air bubbles properly due to anomalies in the flow and impeller design. Part of the problem with this style skimmer is that it does NOT lend itself to cheap low cost designs, so quite bluntly if you want an aspirating/needle wheel skimmer that works, be prepared to spend 100s of dollars (and in the case of the ASM Protein Skimmer they REALLY work)
The ASM Protein Skimmer is the ONE skimmer in this category that I can recommend based on the high end marine aquarists that use it. What differentiates this aspirating skimmer from the rest is that has a unique "custom" impeller housed in the specifically modified Power Head that chops the bubbles very finely. Another aspect of this aspirating skimmer is that it combines a venturi with its custom meshing needle wheel pump. The negative to the ASM Protein Skimmers is the price, as these units will retail over $700 + dollars.

Downdraft
A downdraft protein skimmer injects water under high pressure into tubes that have a foam or bubble generating mechanism then carry the air/water mixture down into the skimmer and into a separate chamber. This design is generally used in large aquarium systems uses tubes with plastic media (often bio balls) inside to mix water under high pressure and air in the body of the skimmer resulting in foam that collects protein waste in a large collection cup.

Spray Injection
The Spray injection skimmer ( a take off from the Downdraft Skimmers) uses a pump to power a spray nozzle, set a few inches above the water level. The spray action entraps and shreds the air into very fine bubbles in the base of the unit, which then rises to the collection chamber.

The Spray Injection Skimmer is a fancy new name for the Downdraft style Skimmers which work well in the large industrial size environment in which they were originally designed for, however this design does not lend itself to small sizes well.
This style skimmer also can clog with time; also one of the more popular models of this is sensitive to water levels and can be temperamental when used in a sump environment.
These skimmers are really being hyped and over promoted, but personally I would recommend steering clear of these units, not that do not work, however for the same price a V2 Skim will far out perform it and for far less money you could probably do just about as well with a Rio Nano Skimmer or a Via Aqua Multi Skimmer

Basic Skimmers, (Skimmer filter combinations)
A couple of basic skimmers for beginners; Via Aqua Multi Skimmer with small to medium aquariums is relatively simple, with a mechanical filter cartridge, bio filtration ability, and most of all the Multi Filter has a built in UV Sterilizer combination.

For a really simple protein skimmer for a Nano tank I recommend the Rio Nano Skimmer.

Conclusion

Here are some important aspects to consider so as to a purchase a skimmer that performs correctly:
• Contact time of bubbles and water inside the chamber (the longer the reaction chamber, the better in most cases)
• The size and consistency of the bubbles produced (very fine bubbles are best)
• The relative volume of bubbles produced
• The ratio of air to water
• And the turbulence or friction inside the reaction chamber which may cause poor efficiency in some poorly designed units.

Please beware of claims of some high priced skimmers such as Spray Injection models as these units do not have the contact time (due to short/small reaction chamber) to maximize protein refraction. Although units such as these due have excellent size and volume of bubbles, the small size of the reaction chamber minimizes effectiveness so that one of these units may perform better than similar size entry level skimmers such as the air driven Lee’s or the Rio Nano/Via Aqua Multi Skimmers venture skimmers; the price at nearly $200 is nowhere near the increase in effectiveness over a Rio Nano Skimmer (or similar) that costs under $30 as a price vs. increase in effectiveness comparison.

Power Head Review

2007-12-15T14:28:00.000-08:00

REVIEW OF AQUARIUM (& POND) POWER HEAD PUMPS BASED ON REAL WORLD EXPERIENCE :

No to pick on about.com (mentioned them in an earlier post in Fish as Pets), however after an email form a hobbyist about aquarium power heads/pumps I thought I would investigate what is being said in reviews and stumbled across an article with the reviews of five different power heads.
Either they are from another planet or I must live in a parallel universe!

First they left off the list two of the best aquarium and pond power head/ water pumps then their reviews were quite contrary to my extensive experience with these pumps in literally 100s if not thousands of aquariums over the years in my aquarium maintenance business.

Here are six pumps I will review (including refutations of their comments):

*ReSun; this pump (power head) was totally left off their list, although not as well known in the USA/Canada they are very popular in Asia and Australia. ReSun has some sizes such as the #6 that are quite capable for very “mucky” pond environments and yet operate very well. The stainless steel coated impellers along with the ceramic shafts found on the larger models) are extremely durable and almost never fail.
These pumps are very reliable and start up without a problem; they also have very excellent head pressure (in fact among the best)! ReSun pumps can be submersed or place in line.
The models 3A, 5, and 6 are awesome in heavy duty applications such as ponds or very large aquariums where high flow and head pressure are necessary (as well as ability to deal with large amounts of particulates in the water).
About the only con is that with their heavy duty construction, these pumps can be somewhat noisier than some others (although still not bad here either). ReSun power heads are also not as adjustable in flow as some other power heads, but this a minor inconvenience IMO.

*Via Aqua; this is a real workhorse line of pumps that is VERY widely used in the professional aquarium maintenance community yet did not even get mentioned by about.com (go figure!). These pumps in the power head line (not the basic line) also have ceramic shafts and very durable construction. Via Aqua pumps (along with ReSun) can be used in sumps or as a power head and have excellent head pressure. The Via Aqua power head line (such as the VA 1300) can be submersed or used in line which adds to versatility that not all pumps can match. For Aquarium sumps (usually in marine applications) the Via Aqua 2600 and 3300 are unsurpassed in usefulness.
Again the only con is these pumps are a little noisy, but only when used in line (they are a little quieter than the ReSun line when submersed). Via Aqua power heads (as with ReSun and Rio) are also not as adjustable in flows as some other power heads, but this a minor inconvenience IMO. This inconvenience is more than made up for in versatility! I will also admit to a couple of models by Via Aqua that I not recommend due to less than desirable durability and these are the 2300 and 4900.

*Rio (by Taam); although no longer a preferred pump by me as the person who founded Rio started Via Aqua and improved on some of its problems. These are still excellent pumps IMO and although I partly agree with about.com with their assessment, I think they go overboard with their comments as to high maintenance. Rio power heads are very powerful with excellent head pressure (depending on the model).
The cons are the impeller (although very durable), seem to have problems in environments (especially ponds or dirty aquariums) that have a lot of debris and organics in the water column. However they still are very good at starting up when used as wave makers and are properly maintained. These pumps are also not adjustable in their flow

*Maxi Jet Power heads; I will have to agree the most with about.com on their assessment of these pumps. They are reliable and economical and start back up easily even when used as wave makers. However they do have their cons and that is they have poor head pressure and are not very versatile (unlike the Via Aqua, ReSun, and Rio pimps) as they are only power heads and nothing more.

*Penguin Power Heads; I do not generally agree with assessment by about.com on these power heads. Although they do have a neat feature with the reverse flow power head for UG filters (which are not very common anymore though), the other nice feature is the adjustable flow feature.
However nice these features are these power heads have a poor track record for reliability, they have very poor head pressure, and do not re-start well after the pumps have been in service for a while (in applications such as wave makers).

*Hagen Aqua Clear Power Heads; this pump is also over rated by about.com in my extensive experience with them. I have used more Aqua Clear power heads than ANY other (including the Via Aqua pumps I now generally recommend). When these power heads first came out they were industry leaders in design, however they are of 1980s technology IMO and although they are better than Penguins in reliability and head pressure, they still would stop and not re-start in many of my applications when power was even briefly interrupted, making them a poor choice for wave maker applications. Aqua Clear power heads also do not handle high organic/debris loads well and need more maintenance than the Rios that about.com claimed needed!
Bottom line with Aqua Clear power heads is that they are reasonable “retro” pumps, but certainly NOT the latest in technology!

*ZooMed Power Sweep; even though I sold these in my business, I rarely recommended them. They are basically a gimmicky power head with poor head pressure and low output. They are not real durable and the “sweeping” directional output feature is run by cheap plastic gears that often fail. These pumps do not handle high bio loads well and are best used in small aquariums or better vivariums where not much is asked of them.

SUMMARY:
I have had persons also ask me why many brands such as Via Aqua are not as commonly available as Hagen and does that make them of lower quality as no one really wants them?
The answer is quite simple; Hagen is sold through a larger network of mainline Pet Store distributors (although they are now transitioning to their own in house distribution system). This system promotes an all or nothing approach to marketing their products basically meaning you carry the whole line (good and bad) or not get discounts or even sell anything at all. This marketing system has been very successful (not to mention slick packaging), however this does not mean a better product.
Via Aqua (among many other high end brands) does not sell through traditional marketing distribution methods and systems, rather it sells many high end Marine fish importers and similar without all the expensive marketing gimmicks. This in particular places their products in the hands of Aquarium Maintenance Professionals who do not care about slick marketing or whether it is the fad, rather whether it works or not which is why Via Aqua and many other similar high end companies choose to sell this way.
Here are a few more manufactures that sell only (or partly) through high end distributors as well: Sanders, Tropic Marine, Liquid Life, ReSun, SeaChem, SPS, Marc Weiss, and many more.

If no stores in your area sell Via Aqua, ReSun, Tropic Marine or similar it is that they choose to buy from the one size fits all mainline distributors that also are the primary stockers of stores such as PetCo as well.

Mollies in Aquariums

2007-10-21T13:34:00.000-07:00

KEEPING MOLLY FISH IN AQUARIUMS

The Molly is from the same Genus as the guppy and Endlers livebearer; Poecilia and the family: Poeciliidae, the same as other livebearers.
Mollies wild habitat consists of fresh, brackish, and coastal waters from the Carolinas to Texas and the Yucatan Peninsula of Mexico. Mollies do not have any one exact habitat in common, especially salinity (despite some misconceptions here). What they do have in common is water high in alkalinity, Calcium and General Hardness.

Mollies only thrive in water that is very high in GH and Calcium (a GH over 250 GH), pH over 7.8, KH over 100+, and some salt, about 1 teaspoon per 1 gallon or 3-4 liters (or 1.002 to as high as 1.006 specific gravity). Mollies can easily survive in a specific gravity (salinity) of 1.012 which will not support parasites such as “ich” that may infest them at lower salinities.

What many hobbyists do not understand about mollies and their natural habitat is that although salt is very useful for disease prevention, it is the other ingredients in Marine Salt that really make a difference in molly health, and that is Calcium, Magnesium and the many other trace elements available here.
What all Molly habitats have in common is hardness/high mineral water, NOT salt!
Understanding this will go a long ways in keeping healthy, happy mollies. Without proper calcium, Magnesium and other essential elements in the water as well as a healthy Redox, you will most likely have trouble maintaining a healthy Molly population in your aquarium. With the right parameters, Mollies can be one of the easier fish to breed and keep and be very enjoyable fishy pets.

Maintaining correct Calcium and other necessary element levels will aid in healthy osmoregulation which will in turn result in healthier more disease resistant fish.
You can maintain Mollies in a community tank with many but only the most sensitive South American Fish. Other livebearers that do not have as high of mineral requirements will also do well in an aquarium that is at least kept to minimum Molly requirements.
If you intend to keep Mollies in a community aquarium with other fish such as Platties, Gouramis, Ect; here are the minimum requirements I would suggest:

*pH – 7.5-7.8
*KH -100 – 150 ppm
*GH – 200 -300 ppm (important!)
*Salt (marine salt is best here) – 1 tablespoon per 5 gallons to 1 teaspoon per gallon

Here are a few products I would suggest for maintaining these levels:
*Wonder Shells; these are great for maintenance of GH, Calcium, Magnesium and other essential elements and are also safe and in fact quite useful for general community tank essential element maintenance.

*Sea Chem Buffer (Marine OR Freshwater);this is useful for increasing KH and maintaining a safe AND BALANCED alkalinity/KH level (unlike Baking Soda!). Please see this article for more about this subject: “Calcium, GH, KH, pH, & Electrolytes in Aquariums”

*Aragonite, oyster shell or crushed coral in a filter bag; of these aragonite is the best, however all are poor at to reacting to rapid changes in water chemistry that can affect GH and KH which is why I recommend the first two more (although in a well maintained, non over crowded aquarium, rapid changes should be uncommon).

SUMMARY:

Mollies can be interesting and colorful fish for your freshwater aquariums. Usually these are hardy fish except when the water conditions they require are not present, especially mineralization and to a lesser degree salt. Mollies can do well in a community tank with other fish provided the right water parameters are present. I do however caution adding Sailfin mollies to aquariums less than 20 gallons (75 liters). Smaller molly types such as black, balloon, goldust, ect., will do OK in 10 gallon aquariums. Keep in mind that a poorly maintained aquarium of ANY size cannot hold as large or as many fish.
Also note that mollies (as with all livebearers) can be prolific breeders and unless you are prepared for their offspring, it is best to have only male mollies (single females can still to store unused sperm from the male fish in her body for several months through a process called "superfetation").

For further reading I recommend these articles:

* “How do Fish Drink; Proper Osmotic Function”
* “Calcium, GH, KH, pH, & Electrolytes in Aquariums”
* “Aquarium (& Pond) Redox Potential”
* “Wet Web Media; The truth about mollies"

Fish Anatomy

2007-09-25T12:34:00.000-07:00

This Aquarium Answers Post is simply for fish fin and fish anatomy identification.
The pictures can apply to most fish kept in freshwater and saltwater with the exception of Sharks, Rays, and Skate.

The first picture is of the anatomy of a bony fish (an Oscar).

Details include:
*Brain: Center of mental faculties of a fish.
*Esophagus: Part of the digestive tract connecting the mouth to the stomach.
*Dorsal aorta: Vessel in the back that carries blood from the heart to the organs.
*Stomach: part of the digestive tract between the esophagus and the intestine.
*Air bladder: Organ that regulates buoyancy in the water.
*Spinal cord: Nervous system part that connects the brain to the rest of the fish’ body
*Kidney: Blood-purifying organ. Common site for infections including dropsy
*Urinary orifice: Opening for urine elimination
*Genital Orifice: opening related to the genital organs.
*Anus: end of the digestive tract.
*Gonad: hormone-secreting sexual gland of a fish.
*Intestine: final stage of the digestive tract.
*Gall bladder: Small sac containing the bile for digestion
*Liver: Bile-producing digestive gland.
*Heart: Blood circulatory organ.
*Gills: Respiratory organ of a fish.
*Eye: Fish sight organ
*Olfactory bulb: Prominent part of the smell organ of smell of a fish.
*Pyloric cecum: Dead end related to the intestine.

The second Picture is of the names of fish fins and lateral line also using an Oscar (Cichlid).

This includes:
*Pectoral fin
*Anal Fin
*Pelvic Fin
*Caudal Fin (tail)
*Dorsal Fin
*Lateral Line
*Nasal Opening
*Vent (anus)

Here is a picture of a Catfish for an example of adipose fins and barbels:

Aquarium Moving

2007-08-30T14:44:00.000-07:00

There are many different methods for moving that work well, I will give you information on the moving method that has worked best for me when I moved aquariums (small and large) for my aquarium maintenance clients (some short distance, some as far as 800 miles)
*Purchase some sterile Rubbermaid containers or Coleman or similar style ice chests (not cheep "styro" ice chests) as well as buckets for ornaments, gravel, etc.
If Rubbermaid containers are used, I prefer as large as possible such as 32 gallons for tanks over 40 gallons.

*Drain water from the display tank into one of these containers. Do not fill more than you can move or will spill. Then add your fish to this water.

*Add Methylene Blue , this will aid in the oxygen capacity of the blood, ease stress, ease ammonia/nitrite poisoning and help prevent disease. I also added Wonder Shells as these would increase the bio load capacity of the water and add very important electrolytes. Keep this container as dark as possible.

Another alternative (not what I generally do, but many prefer) is to bag all your fish adding oxygen or the newer breathing bags. You can also add Bag Buddies by Jungle to these bags. These will add oxygen and Methylene blue for stress and disease prevention. This is a perfectly good method, I just prefer to be able to monitor and even aerate my fish, I also have arrived with less stressed fish this way (including with the breathable bags), as in my opinion the fish feel more comfortable in a larger container with less ammonia buildup and more cover.

*For trips over 4 hours, a battery air pump or AC air pump plugged into an inverter that runs off the vehicles cigarette lighter.
My recommendation here is to use the Azoo Non Stop Air pump (pictured) as this VERY powerful pump (more powerful than many stadard AC pumps) can run up to 20 hours and can also be used as an automatic emergency air pump during power failures or simply as your aquariums main air supply pump.

*Do not over rinse any gravel or bio filter media such as sponges; place these in an open container/bucket

*Place safe (not heavy) decorations in with fish to provide cover. For live plants keep them separately as you will deplete oxygen in the darker moving environment. The same for rocks and heavy decoration as these can injure the fish

*Discard any unused water. For marine tanks I try and save as much water as possible.

*For small tanks (usually under 40 gallons), I will generally leave some gravel and other equipment in the tank for quick moving. For larger tanks I remove everything.

*Once at the destination, I begin to re set up the aquarium. For marine tanks I immediately start up a container with an air stone, water (preferably RO) and salt mix so as to have mixed saltwater ready for use. I will also note that I prefer 24 hours of agitation of newly mixed saltwater before using, however this time is usually not an
option when moving.

*Once the tank is set up and running, I start SLOWLY mixing water back and forth between the tank and fish container to prevent osmotic shock, and adjust temperature.
I will usually add Stress Coat or similar to the container holding the fish and Prime to the display tank just before addition of the fish (and other aquatic creatures)

Summary;
This is not the one and only method to move aquariums (and the inhabitants), but this way and variation of this method have worked very well for me with almost no losses over dozens of moves for my clients.

Octopus as Pets

2007-07-31T12:21:00.000-07:00

Keeping an Octopus in a home saltwater aquarium.

I have kept brown and even poisonous blue ring (I do not recommend Blue ring) octopii.
In fact a brown octopus was one of my first saltwater creatures back in the mid 1970s.
They make great pets and are highly intelligent, in fact mine would recognize me and come to the top and stick its tentacles out to take food directly from me.

Here are a few points to keep in mind though:
*An Octopus will squirt ink they squirt when frightened, but that is rare. Try and keep a peaceful environment and this will not become a problem.

*The Blue Ring Octopus from the Great Barrier Reef is one of the most toxic animals on earth with its neurotoxin. A bite can kill in under an hour (although they very rarely bite).
These Octopus prefer the warmer waters that most home aquariums provide however the poison problem I think over rides this plus (even though I have kept them).

Here are some important points for success in keeping a Brown Octopus vulgaris and bimaculoides:
*They are cold water preferring so an aquarium under 75 F is best (under 70 F is better).

*They need crab or other crustaceans in their diet. Along this line they will consume cleaner shrimp, coral banded shrimp and similar

*They are sensitive to nitrates above 20 ppm. So good filtration (such as the Berlin Method which includes live rock and possibly a Mud Filter is a must). Along the line of anecdotal comments I have read statements that a Protein skimmer is a must; not true! (Although the use of a Protein Skimmer certainly helps keep the odds of a healthy aquarium in yours and your octopus' favor). I have kept many a healthy Brown Octopus without a protein skimmer, the key is low nitrates and a healthy environment (which includes Redox Potential) and if a Protein Skimmer is part of this plan, fine, however there are other good methods as well. If anything the benefits obtained by a UV Sterilizer (although different benefits) would be more important.

*They have short life spans, often under two years and a warm aquarium will shorten this further. Also do shorten it further by easily escaped from loose fitting tops.

*They do NOT mix with eels (mortal enemies)

For further reading about Octopus intelligence, please read this article from the Washington Post:
Brilliant Houdinis of the Deep