Aquarium Background Tank

Nitrification occurs principally through bacteria (e.g. Nitrosomonas) metabolizing ammonia to nitrites (NO2-) and other groups (e.g. Nitrobacter) in turn converting nitrites to nitrates (NO3-). Lets look at this in another way (refer to Figure 3); an "idealized" time line for establishing nitrogen cycling in a new marine aquarium:

At mark "0" youve just set up your system and placed all new (read that as sterile) marine water (synthetic). In most cases, the hobbyist will shortly thereafter ("1") introduce either A) Some hardy (nitrogenous waste resistant) fishes, such as damsels to help "pop" t

As previously mentioned, however, they have two major drawbacks. They (and the ballasts that power them) produce a lot of heat and use a lot of electricity. They also distribute light over a relatively limited area, so that several bulbs may be required for longer tanks. Unless an aquarium equipped with metal halide lighting is kept in a cool room and adequate ventilation is used above the waters surface, an aquarium chiller will be required to maintain a safe temperature for live-reef

Because of this I rarely use them, but they do have a couple of interesting options that are worth mentioning.

These pumps can be purchased with a kit to use them in a reverse flow undergravel filter. In a conventional undergravel filter, water is pulled down through the gravel, under the filter plate, and up the lift tube. In this mode the beneficial bacteria in the substrate act as a biological filter, while the substrate itself acts as a crude mechanical filter as it traps dirt and debri

The latest and greatest models are quiet, energy efficient and easy to use. If youre unfamiliar with their operation, ask your dealer to take one of each out of their box, review their instructions and peruse their elements. Most all are magnetic-drive pump powered with few moving parts. The fluid-moving mechanisms and filter media replacement should be known to you in terms of cost of operation, repair and replacement. There is a huge difference in the same lines by different manufacturers between efficiencies for intended sizes and types of systems.

This kind of fish can often be seen going to the surface of the water to take in fresh air, making them survive waters with low oxygen levels. There are many different types of gouramis, which all originally came from South and Southeast Asia. Most species are easy to breed, however a few species like Helostoma temmincki (the Kissing Gourami), Osphromenus goramy (the Giant Gourami), Sphaerichthys osphromenoides (the Chocolate

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....

Common Cichlid Diseases
Like all fish kept in tanks, Cichlids are prone to disease. The artificial environment and closed system are the perfect breeding grounds for pathogens and parasites. Of course, wild fish get diseases, but these go unseen by everyone but fishermen and wildlife biologists. The best cure is always ....

newbie with some questions...
hello everyone, i am new to this site and it looks really good! anywho, my cycle finished about a week ago, and i just added a fiji blue devil to my tank today. he seems very happy and healthy, getting used to his/her new home. and boy is he fun to watch! there is one hole in the rock that is large enough for him and he loves going in there.... backwards lol well i was wond.

Aiptasia on my live rock
I was told by a neighbor that one of my live rocks had Aiptasia. I didnt know it was a bad thing. I actually thought it looked kinda cool. Do I need to get rid of it? If so how? Should I just get rid of that piece?.