Aquarium Filter Illustration

Reef, cold, temperate or tropical, etc.; and consideration of food use of the organisms (herbivorous, planktivorous, piscivorous) metabolisms (slow to fast), as well as density (light to too much). Tanks with half as much life in them are easily four times easier to take care of.

Contributing Factors:

Irregardless of the type of set-up, filtration, or livestock you have the following applies in terms of system shape, circulation and aeration.

System Shape:

Flatter, shallower, more square systems are easi

White dots sometimes fuzzy looking, almost like grains of salt on your fish. This disease is called Ichthyophthirius), or simply Ich. It is a rather common disease and is caused by poor water quality or can effect your fish when its immune system is not functioning up to par due to stress. It can be treated easily if you catch it in time. There is a special solution you can buy at the pet store to medicate your tank and, hopefully, get rid of this problem.

Gray patches on the skin, looks cottony and can be around the gills. This is a fungus also caused by excess fish waste and food decaying in the bottom of the

There are some amazingly knowledgeable people in the club who are very generous with their experience, their time and their talents. It really is an honor to learn from their wealth of experience in this hobby."

So, yes, given not so common sense, investigation and commitment, you too can have fabulous small reef systems. IMO, more people are likely to have more success starting off with larger systems, but I am very glad to count Tom Walsh as a mini-minireef success story and friend.

aquarium filter illustration

Some water chemistry parameters you want to keep in mind and maintain your system at:

1) Ammonia (un-ionized ammonia) (NH3), less than 0.01 ppm

2) Ammonium (ionized ammonia) (NH4+), less than 0.25 ppm

(the relative concentration of both types of ammonia can be determined from separate test kits, or a table showing the relationship between pH, temperature, and total ammonia as ammonium)

3) Nitrite ions (NO2-), less than 0.1 ppm as nitrite ion.

4) Nitrate ions (NO3-), less

To that, add one quarter cup of white wine vinegar for every gallon of tap water that is in the bucket. Plug in the pumps and allow them to run for 15 minutes. The vinegar helps to liberate any hard calcium deposits. Once that is done, drain the bucket and repeat the process, but this time, instead of vinegar use plain bleach in the same ratios. Again, let the pumps run for 15 minutes to rid it of any built up organic sludge, bacteria, or algae growth. Drain the bucket again, refill with plain tap

New Corycat Group

elpono_njg posted a new topic:

Come one and all, your corycat pics here...

www.flickr.com/groups/corydoras/<.

Mini-Aquariums
College classes are beginning, but that doesn't mean you have to give up on pets just because you live in a dorm or small apartment. Mini-aquariums can be....

Aquarium Filter Illustration

Blue Algae ( cyanobacteria )