Oh, the joys of building your first pond. Yes, they are wonderful additions to any backyard. Yet, there are many considerations before you begin. One of those considerations is the pond pump. There’s nothing more relaxing then watching water flow. However, if you’re going to be building a pond, that water needs some help to get it flowing. This is where buying a pond pump comes into play. 

There are several things you’ll want to think about before you get a new pond pump. And you ARE going to be getting a NEW pond pump, yes? Well, let’s hope so.. Because pond pumps are always running, there’s a lot of ware and tear going on inside. This is why buying an old used pump is a bad idea. You have no idea how much longer that things going to run. You’ll want to be sure you get a reliable pump. If at any time your pond pump fails, it’s going to create a huge mess. The bacteria are going to start to party hardy and whoops, there goes the neighborhood. 

Bad bacteria has difficulty growing in a flowing stream of water. For some reason many people are under the misconception that green, gunky, murky, muddy water is ok for ponds. Well, let me say right now, it’s not. Yes, there are lots of things that can survive in that sort of environment, but they are not pretty and peace-enhancing creatures. Not all bacteria is bad, you’ll want to encourage good bacteria to grow and that also requires good flowing water.   

Okay, we’ve established you need a pond pump. What you want to look for in a pump is quality and longevity. This means you’ll want to make sure you’ve got a good warranty to go along with your purchase. Two years is a good time period for this purpose.  

What’s keeps those pumps alive and running? Electricity of course. Remember that these babies never shut off so they are munching on your electricity constantly. You don’t want a pump that sucks up a lot of energy as that’s going to hurt when the electric bill shows up. Check out the statistics regarding power consumption and select a pond pump with a low power consumption.   

And last but not least, we’d like to give a big thumbs up for our favorite brand, the Beckett pond pump. This brand offers a great range of pond pumps that are specifically designed for backyard garden ponds. In fact they also have pumps that will satisfy the needs of your tabletop and outdoor fountains.   

There are of course other brands that you can choose from. Talk to your local pond supply dealer or an experienced pond hobbyist for other brand recommendations. Just remember to consider the warranty and electrical consumption of the pump your thinking of buying as well as the personal needs of your specific pond by way of the amount of water it will need to work with. If you consider these things before you buy, you’ll be on the right track for an awesome adventure in the world of ponds. 

Come visit us at www.ezpondideas.com for more pond building tips and other good stuff.

No Comments » Posted by SportsDude / Fish

A freshwater tank may be the best choice if you are new to keeping an aquarium. The care and maintenance of saltwater aquariums is more complicated than freshwater tanks, but you have a better choice of fish to pick from. It can take a few months to get used to keeping a saltwater tank going – there is a learning curve here, for sure. You can, of course, opt to begin with a saltwater tank if you are ready for the challenge.

One reason is the ease in set up and maintenance of a freshwater over a saltwater tank. The equipment is also a lot less expensive. Additionally, the marine fish which you would need for a saltwater tank are much more expensive than freshwater fish. Live rock will also most likely be used in a saltwater tank.

Live rock is a section of live coral reef including marine wildlife like worms, sponges, sea urchins and algae to help provide a natural ecosystem for your saltwater fish. There is a reduction in waste products with this live rock environment. In essence, you have to create a natural environment for your fish where food, oxygen and cleaning are part of the natural ecological processes. However, you’ll also need a protein skimmer for a saltwater tank; this will keep organic waste out of the water.

Lighting for a saltwater tank also costs more than lighting a freshwater tank. It is extremely important to keep the lighting right; as this will keep the growth and behavior of all of the tank’s inhabitants natural. Through photosynthesis, your lighting will also be essential in helping proper oxygenation.

When you have a saltwater fish tank you are creating a working ecosystem for you fish unlike when you have a freshwater tank. All of the elements are important and depend on one another to stay in balance to ensure the survival of all of the organisms in the tank. To create a healthy environment for your fish, you’ll need the right plants and animals; if you prefer live fish to dead ones that is!

You might want to think long and hard about that saltwater tank - there are a lot of costs involved and the maintenance is much more complicated; by comparison, freshwater aquariums are great for beginners. Taking care of your freshwater tank will increase your skills and knowledge and prepare you to ultimately take on the responsibility of a saltwater tank.

No Comments » Posted by SportsDude / Fish

Saltwater Aquarium setup: Choosing the right tank

There are some factors involved when choosing the type of saltwater aquarium setup. Some major factors include what type of species do you want to stock, how much space do you have available, what is your spending power? A tank that fits your lifestyle and environment is the first goal when setting up your saltwater aquarium.

Your saltwater fish and other creatures are your first priority for your aquarium. The marine life in your aquarium require plenty of oxygen to survive and room to exercise and swim. To determine this we look at the tank size. You can give your fish a great chance with the right saltwater aquarium setup.

Oxygen is an important part of your saltwater aquarium setup. There are a number of factors that determine the amount of oxygen in your tank the main one being the surface area of the tank. This equates to the area of water exposed to the atmosphere at the top of the tank. Having a greater surface area for your saltwater aquarium means oxygen has more of a chance of transferring from the air into the water.

As well as taking in oxygen a large surface area for your saltwater aquarium also allows toxic gases like carbon dioxide to escape. The aquarium will be much healthier the more this process is allowed to develop. Another factor which determines the amount of oxygen in the water is temperature. In general the lower the temperature the more oxygen it will hold.

With warmer water tropical fish with temperatures above 75 degrees less oxygen is available. This is why it is most important to have a larger surface area for your saltwater aquarium or else you may have to stock smaller or less marine animals. Therefore the larger aquarium you can keep the better it is for your saltwater fish.

Saltwater aquariums come in all shapes and sizes so how can you determine your requirements? It is the shape that determines the surface area not the size or volume. Because of its shape a tank can have less surface area even though it holds a larger volume. For the gas cycle tall narrow aquariums do mot have the ideal area. The exchange of gas will be much better in a short wide tank.

With this in mind and your aquarium tank chosen, its time to move on to the inhabitants. Like we mentioned depending on the size of the tank will determine the amount of inhabitants you can keep in comfort. One of the worst problems with a saltwater aquarium setup for beginners is overcrowding the tank. Too many inhabitants in your aquarium can overload and effect filtrating efficiency. One of the major causes of fish death and disease is cramped conditions that stress the fish.

Do not rush and stock up you fish slowly. Only a small amount should be introduced in one go. Calculate what amount of water your aquarium holds in gallons. In the beginning and up to six months for every four gallon of water introduce one inch of fish. A sixty gallon saltwater aquarium setup would therefore have 15 fish. After the six months you can increase the amount of fish and have one inch of fish for every two gallons.

A 60 gallon tank example would be:-

Two 1-inch clownfish
One 1-inch Beau Gregory’s
Two 3-inch queen angel
Two 1- inch gobies
Two 1-inch blennies
One 2-inch Tang (surgeonfish)

You can mix and match as long as you get the basic sizes right. After the six month period you can increase you fish to 30.

As with any creature when you get them young they will grow so be aware of this when buying new fish and adjust the amount in your tank to suit. Not only is the fish size an issue but also the shape. Less fish is needed in an aquarium with heavier stock.

{Saltwater aquarium development is not quick and time is needed}. They do cost money and cutting corners is not the answer. It does not matter how much time and effort you put into your tank eventually you will have problems that need solving. Make sure you have the correct aquarium from the start because it can be a little disheartening if you choose wrongly and then have to buy another one. It is best not to dive in and get a small tank. Wait until you can afford at least a 30 gallon tank or bigger before investing in your saltwater aquarium.

The choices of saltwater aquariums are vast starting with do you get a glass or acrylic tank? Will it be a ready made reef tank already suitable for all your filtration and other equipment? Choosing correctly is up to you so get advice. Common popular tanks like glass sealed with silicon are a good start. The range is vast from unusual hexagonal and octagonal shapes to the more conventional rectangular types. Glass tanks are less prone to scratching than an acrylic tank although the acrylic aquarium is becoming more and more popular.

Acrylic tanks are much lighter than there glass equivalent. Glass aquariums are heavier and difficult to manoeuvre if moving. The glass is quite thick. However a glass tank with a plastic frame is quite stable. Glass types are tempered which is stronger or shatter proof plated glass.

The popular option is an acrylic saltwater aquarium setup with moulded seems which are more transparent. Your view in the corners may be distorted which is a small problem. The acrylic tanks on the market even outdo the glass variety in the amount of different shapes and sizes you can have. They cost more money and scratch easier which is a downside. The things to watch for to avoid scratches is be careful with decorations and when removing algae. However you can buy kits that will help remove the scratches.

Whichever type of aquarium you purchase the priority is the health of your fish. You need time to look after it properly and also enough cash to keep it in good order and properly maintained. Total relaxation can be found when watching your new marine friends playing in your aquarium. Your saltwater aquarium will give you much enjoyment and pleasure

No Comments » Posted by SportsDude / Fish