One of the methods for keeping algae away from your aquarium plants is to use the easy estimating index procedure of adding a prescribed amount of nutrients to your tank without having to use any test kits. You have to keep adding the required nutrients on a regular basis so there is no shortfall and change the water every week to prevent saturation. Thus, you can effortlessly sustain a moderate level of nutrients even without having to use a test kit.

However, if you have no time to spare in order to change the water on a weekly basis, here is a simple, quick, effectual and unconventional way of getting rid of algae from your Java moss or any other aquarium moss or aquatic plants you might have.

All you need is bleach and water. Make a mixture of bleach and water in the ratio of 5 parts bleach to 95 parts water in a receptacle. Add the moss. Swirl it around a bit and wait for a couple of minutes. The algae will get bleached if it is of the soft variety. If it is the hardier one like Hair Algae or Black Brush Algae, they will pale in color and eventually die.

Remove the moss from the container and rinse it thoroughly to make sure no traces of bleach are left. Alternatively, you could treat the moss to a solution of anti-bleach in another receptacle. After following these steps you may as well consider your moss to be brand new.

Considering that your aquarium is rampant with algae, bleaching the java moss alone will not eradicate it. This procedure works best for outgrown receptacles you might have for nurturing baby fish. Normally we might add some aquarium moss like Java moss to the receptacle to absorb the surplus nutrients. By the time the young ones (called the fry) have matured, normally the moss would be stricken with algae again.

Dipping in bleach would make the moss usable again. Make sure you bleach the receptacle as well and keep the bleach out of reach of little children. It is poisonous in an undiluted state.

David

There is quite a bit of debate regarding aquarium plants and allelopathy. Do live aquarium plants emit chemicals into the water to combat algae? Tests in controlled environments are inconclusive at best. While it is true that having live aquarium plants reduces algae growth, there are a number of factors that must be considered.

Aquatic plants are only one part of a thriving ecosystem which consists primarily of live aquarium plants, light, and fish. After reading my verified opinion, you’ll understand the importance of having aquarium plants in your tank.

Live aquarium plants and algae have similar needs. A healthy tank, with a variety of aquatic plants and fish, does not encourage algae growth. For this reason, allelopathy seems to be having an affect.

It is easy to see how one could conclude that these aquatic plants are releasing anti-algae chemicals into the water. Without enough live aquarium plants, algae fills the role of absorbing carbon compounds, and as algae grows, the flora becomes further weakened. Sufficient live aquarium plants kill algae by competing more efficiently for the chemicals and nutrients available via fish waste or dissolved fish food. Rather than emitting chemical agents, aquatic plants are better able to take away the chemicals which are already there.

And here we see the role of fish in maintaining the health of aquarium plants. Not only do live aquarium plants provide shelter for fish and add decoration, aquatic plants also provide a natural cleaning system, recycling carbon dioxide into oxygen, converting fish waste into fertilizer for aquatic plant growth. Once a healthy amount of lighting is provided for live aquarium plants and fish both, you’ll see how aquatic plants play such a vital role in the tank.

In a very real sense, allelopathy is going on, perhaps not in a way that is poisonous to algae, but in a competitive fashion. Algae growth is a sign of the tank being out of balance, possibly because there aren’t enough aquatic plants. Adding more live aquarium plants, and making sure that the aquatic plants are getting eight to 10 hours of light per day should help. A weekly check of pH (using pH tester) and gH balances should be sufficient when there is a healthy balance of fish and aquarium plants. Allelopathic symptoms occur as healthy aquatic plants push out algae growth.

Using aquatic plants is a natural, beautifying method of controlling algae growth, beyond a doubt. Live aquarium plants provide a necessary link in a tank’s ecosystem.

David

As we have discussed in the earlier entry on Nano aquarium (or small-size aquarium), some of the tips to help you achieve the desired results are here: -

1. CHOOSE YOUR KIT -
A hobbyist’s should play very safe by opting for a foolproof aquarium kit. Choose a kit that offers a built-in lighting and an integral filter system. Thus you are ensuring that all the required components are at their assigned place .The only additional item you need is a proper heater. The most customary and traditional 12-gallon aquarium kits are provided with the classic Eclipse System Twelve or the cutting edge Nano Cube. Both are priced around $100 and offer trendy bow front designs with panoramic viewing.

2. POSITIONING -
Though nano sized of 12 gallons, when filled up it weighs 120 lbs! You must resist that temptation of keeping this heavy mass on your desktop or even on your office cabinet. Well-designed and decorative stands to hold so much of weight are readily available. It is worth investing in a proper stand and keep tension at bay. In the bargain you may get extra space for storage.

3. SELECT YOUR THEME –
A heterogeneous combination of species, which may give an unaesthetic look, it is advisable to decide on a theme and confine your collection around that. You could concentrate on a particular species, a region or even a community grouping. Apart from giving a balanced and homogeneous neat look, it becomes easier for you to keep water parameters under control for all the inhabitants have similar needs. Not only that, the informal surroundings like housing and breeding arrangements that you provide will keep stress levels to a low scale.

4. REMEMBER 3S’s-
Stock Small & Sparse – You must practice restrain and be patient when experimenting with a small aquarium .You should refrain from overpopulating your aquarium, else it ill become too cumbersome for you to maintain quality of water. While instituting a new system, bring in only a few fish at a time. Have patience and observe a long gap of a couple of weeks, maybe a month or two before making any additions. At the initial stages you must restrict your choice to as small fish as possible. You take on from there and continue to build gradually. As a starter opt for just one or two showcase fish, coupled with a few of bottom cleaners.

5. PRACTICE NATURAL FILTRATION –
As can be expected fish will grow healthier if the surroundings you provide are close to being natural. Employ nature to work for your aquarium’s health. Artificial configurations in the form of plants or rocks make it necessary to employ extra means for filtering of water. Think in terms of natural plants and eco-friendly gravel for freshwater aquariums, and live rock or sand for your nano reef.

6. TO BRIGHTEN IT -
As a new entrant to the field perhaps you would like to have a closer watch on the growth of plant or reef in your aquarium. Improved hood lighting by incorporating a higher wattage gives the desired results. It’s very convenient. Tailored retrofit kits specially designed for the purpose are easily available and can be fixed in no time.

7. DAILY EXERCISE –
A limitation with Nano Aquariums” is the frequent changes occurring in water quality, thus making it mandatory to check and test it everyday. Spare time to observe behavioral patterns of fish. Watch how they gasp and where do they hide or drift or scurry to. Continued watching of their behavior will help you to diagnose their overall health. Eventually you will be able to make out when they are unwell. Also stock some 5-in-1 Quick Dip Strips close to your aquarium for “ballpark” parameter checks. Any changed level of nitrates, or pH level should be of concern to you. Employ pro-grade test kits to arrive at a definite conclusion and take remedial steps.

8. WATER CHANGES, FREQUENT BUT PARTIAL
Natural phenomenon like rain and water currents continue to keep refreshing and recharging water as toxins get diluted and carried away before those reach harmful levels. To keep your stock in good health you simply keep altering 10-20% of its water content as frequently as about twice a week. This becomes all the more important when you have a larger population of fish or feed them with superior bio-loads.

9. MEDIA CHANGE
To keep away from the curse of algae for better health of your fish and offer them stress-free atmosphere keep changing your filter media as per the guidelines provided by the manufacturer. If you lack concentration on regular maintenance of filter, toxins that harm your aquarium and its contents may seep in.

10. BE WATCHFUL
As already hinted a continuous everyday observation of your aquarium and its contents will naturally enable you to notice even the smallest change in behavior of fish in the enclosure. Do not ignore the minutest change, be it the activity of a particular fish, a spot on its skin or an unexpected failure of any of the devices connected in the aquarium. Remember it is a small tank and the slightest of environmental change within the enclosure may get blown up to be disastrous if ignored. Any noticeable change should be analyzed and corrected without loosing time. Observe, test and take urgent corrective measures to give a healthy aquatic environment to your inhabitants, to continue to derive that pleasure which you cherish!

Hope that it will be useful for your Nano tank setup!

David
AquaticMagic ~ Grow Happiness

P.S. We have gathered most content in this article from Aquatic-eden.com. Great folks over there for sharing as well!

Ever thought of brightening that corner or the bare wall of your room at office or at home! Imagine installing a small aquarium to liven up the whole room. Small aquariums also labeled, as “Nano Aquariums” are available in the range of 12 gallons.

These nano aquariums, being compact in size are ideal for the just pointed out corners or walls. They are widely being used by novice and hobbyists venturing into this amazing world of aquariums. Further, maintenance of flourishing small fresh water or even a marine system of 12 to 20 gallons has been facilitated by the easy availability of advanced multi-stage filtration and compact fluorescent lighting.

Well, small doesn’t mean any maintenance but easy maintenance. Very simply put, one gram of any chemical in say 100 gallons of any liquid will not be as effective as in a small tank of say 20 gallons. Thus fish in a small container are more susceptible to changed surroundings, be those in the quality of water or its temperature. So in smaller aquariums stress levels of fish are more marked. Nevertheless a little bit of patience coupled with that slight extra effort will go a long way in creating that good-looking and healthy nano system.

The well organized tips are just one click away - please read on for part 2 - Nano tank maintenance.

David
AquaticMagic ~ Grow Happiness

Transporting And Shipping Aquatic Plants as they do it from our favorite online source gets us the plants we want in the best condition we ever found (this is including our local pet stores). As online shopping has grown in popularity, it has become more common to purchase live aquarium plants from retailers outside of the buyer’s local area. Aquatic plants can usually be shipped without much worry, but there are a few things to remember.

The primary concern for shipping live aquarium plants is that they will be shipped alive, and arrive in the same condition. If aquatic plants are being shipped to a frigid locale, it may be best to wait until warmer weather, or communicate with the buyer and work out a method that will allow delivery directly into human hands. Various shipping services (we use FedEx) can handle this, as well as normal postal delivery which requires a signature at the door. This additional expense is much less important during warm months, as long as the live aquarium plants are properly packaged for shipping.

If the aquatic plants being shipped are bulbs, or otherwise in a dormant state, they are safe to ship in an ordinary bulk mailing envelope. Some live aquarium plants, however, may require the use of a shipping container or box. Any aquatic plants that are transported with soil should be carefully packed in a box. It is a good idea to label the package as “LIVE AQUATIC PLANTS”, to give added protection during handling.

Inside the shipping container, place the live aquarium plants in a water-tight plastic bag. Always be sure that such bags are of the same quality as used for human foods. These are not chemically treated, and will not pose a threat to the aquatic plants. Wrap the root system of the aquatic plants in paper packing, or even cotton, which can retain water. The more of the aquatic plant that can be covered in this way, the better it will be for the final delivery of living aquarium plants.

To recap:
1. Check the delivery destination’s temperature, or ship aquatic plants via direct delivery.

2. Choose a package that is suitable for the aquatic plants being transported.

3. Place live aquarium plants into waterproof interior packages.

4. Aquatic plants require transporting in wet to moist packing material.

5. Live aquarium plants may be fragile, and should be labeled accordingly.

David
AquaticMagic ~ Grow Happiness

We were surfing the Internet casually, and we have found this really interesting setup from foundshit.com:

Any one wish to get one for their home? We have done a quick calculation, and there are 88 fish and 9 birds in this aquarium tank with water proof bird cage. Anyone there wish to prove us wrong?

It will definitely get some “Woah…” from your visitors.

David
AquaticMagic ~ Grow Happiness

Once live aquarium plants have been introduced to the tank, how can you know that you’ve done well? There are a few methods available, but for the hobbyist, aquatic plant vitality is easy to see. But if you want to, you can check the weight. The most popular method I’ve found is to use a salad spinner, and a 30 second drying cycle during spinning, and then weigh the live aquarium plant using an accurate scale maybe one used for weighing letters and packages.

Simple observation and measurement will be sufficient for most uses. When the aquarium plant is first introduced to the tank, make a note of it’s height, number of leafy extrusions (not all aquatic plants have true leaves), number of stalks, and any buds that may be present on the aquatic plant.

On a regular schedule of every 3 days, or even every 7 days, measure the aquarium plant’s growth, and make a note of any increase. Watch for broken or “mushy” areas on the plant which may result from fish contact or even consumption. If there were buds present, carefully observe them for sprouts or other growth, and watch for new budding to appear. Lack of plant growth may also be indicated by increased algae formation.

For nearly all situations, this simple check will adequately determine the health and vitality of your live aquarium plants. I always use this checklist:
1. Has the aquatic plant become “mushy”, wilted, or even broken?

2. Have buds sprouted, or new buds appeared?

3.  Is the aquarium plant taller, thicker, or bushier?

4.  Has algae formation decreased? Healthy aquarium plants reduce algae growth!

P.S. It is always great to take a digital photo of your aquarium tank once every 2 weeks to better observe the growth of the plants.

All the best!

David

Having a heated substrate is largely considered beneficial to live aquarium plants. Warmth at the bottom of the tanks promotes decomposition of aquatic plant and animal wastes that are absorbed into the substrate. Many aquatic plants are tropical, and are much healthier with this environment. Faster breakdown of waste deposits means more vital nutrients for the live aquarium plants. Let’s look at how substrate heating is important to aquarium plants.

In a tank’s ecosystem, aquatic plants provide waste removal. By heating their root systems, faster healthier growth of live aquarium plants is encouraged. Aquarium plants then release oxygen into the water, as well as providing vital shelter and occasional food. Not only do aquatic plants prosper with a heated substrate, but many tropical fish will thrive in warm waters with lush aquarium plants. A heated substrate filters and breaks down chemicals that are required by live aquarium plants. In a tropical tank, aquatic plants grow faster with subsoil heating, which gives tropical aquarium plants longer, healthier stalks and branches.

Live aquarium plants can be adversely affected, also. Make sure the temperature is set to match the needs of the aquatic plants and fish. Since aquatic plants come from different regional zones, aquarium plant heating needs must be assessed according to which fish and live aquarium plants respond well at each temperature gradient. Aquarium plants will seem to wilt, or lose vitality if soil and water temperatures are too low or high. For most aquatic plants, light is associated with heat, and both should have weak or reduced periods each day to promote aquarium plant health. Always consider how the live aquarium plants would exist in their natural environment.

Another consideration for healthy live aquarium plants, is the type of substrate being used. While many aquarium plants only require an anchoring plant, other aquatic plants draw sustenance directly from the soils they grow in. Obviously, this type of live aquarium plant will do better in a substrate which promotes root growth, and rapid waste breakdown. Clay based substrate may not be suitable, for these aquatic plants, but they might do well in a loose gravelly environment.

For larger, lusher live aquarium plants, substrate heating is what works best for us. Healthy plants encourage greater vitality in fish as well. The entire environment of fish and aquatic plants depends on both sides being well adapted to the tank conditions. As the primary filtration system, heating the substrate encourages rapid decomposition, and discourages algae growth. It can be crucial to a beautiful tank with live aquarium plants.

We all want these beautiful tanks. I know I do.

David
AquaticMagic - Grow Happiness

If you need to give gifts to children, or a professional executive working in an office environment, you could consider a natural aquarium of fresh water. The very first criteria is that It got to be easy to maintain, and it has to be attractive and beautiful as this is a very good way to impress the children, or colleagues, and more important, develop their passion to nature and environment.

Here I will show you how to make an aquarium on your own at home, as well as in the clean office environment. Remember that this will be a simple and non-messy setup.

1. Begin with a fish tank; you can use a twenty gallon one for starters. Make sure the glass lid closes properly.

2. Place a layer of coarse gravel about two or three inches thick at the base of the tank. The gravel should be such that you can grow plants in it. Also keep in mind that the gravel color should be as natural as possible and avoid using the bright colored kinds as you are trying to create an environment close to the natural habitat that fish are so used to.

3. Next, put in some plants. Plants that take up a lot of nutrients from the water thwart the growth of algae so make sure you choose ones that grow pretty fast. There is a whole variety of aquarium plants available in the categories of rosette plants, grasses, ferns and stem plants. Pick ones that have a deep color, stems that are firm and well-developed roots. Take out the plants from the pots, split them from the bunch and untangle the roots. Choose different colors and qualities and make sure you plant the taller ones at the rear of the tank while the smaller ones find place at the fore. The roots of the plants should go below the gravel such that the crown of the aquarium plant is in line with the top surface of the gravel.

4. In the case of this small aquarium, you will not require a sturdy filter that will create plenty of turmoil and exchange of oxygen in the water. A tiny filter that can be submerged and can create a light current is just about sufficient.

5. The aquarium plants which go into your tank come from tropical places, so you will also require a submersible heater to maintain the water temperature at about 78 degrees.

6. Now fill the tank with water leaving about three inches at the top.

7. Select tiny fish that don’t destroy your aquatic plants. Some fish like to feast on them. Platies, guppies and tiny tetras like hatchet and Neons are a few kinds of tough fish. In order to keep the algae down to a minimal level in your tank, you could add some ghost shrimp and catfish that eat algae to your aquarium.

8. Put in the florescent light with the full spectrum. The aquatic plants need light to grow.

9. A natural aquarium does not require much maintenance. Trim plants that are overgrown with a large pair of scissors every now and then and change the water every week. This is really optional - and you could easily slower the plant growth (after it has reached your desired design), but lowering the amount of light shined onto the tank. You could easily do so by placing a non-transparent cover (Could be a plastic piece or a water proof thick card board) on the tank.

Why wait? Go ahead to build on to impress!

David
AquaticMagic - Grow Happiness

Which type of aquarium stand would fit in with your home decor? There are some made of metal and some of wood. But before you concern yourself with how it looks make sure it can support and secure your tank without danger of collapse or being knocked over. The younger your kids are the more sturdy your stand should be for reasons of safety.

Most wood aquarium stands are really an attractive piece of furniture to add to your home. Generally they will be made of treated wood that is durable and water resistant in case you spill some water while doing the maintenance. Stands that are painted will have a water resistant type paint used.

Most people prefer a wooden stand rather than a metal one. You can pick a table type or a cabinet type. The cabinet type is handy for storing all the supplies you need to maintain your tank and feed your fish. Those who can afford it often order a custom made aquarium to match the stand. No need to place it in an out of the way corner when it would blend in perfectly in a living room or den.

Perhaps a metal stand would be a better choice until you are established in your new hobby of fish keeping. Although wood is much more attractive, why not make sure you purchase all supplies at reasonable prices. You can enjoy your new hobby without spending a fortune all at once. After all, you have to reserve some money for buying the main item, your pet fish…

Since fish keeping can be an expensive hobby for a student or low budget family, one might consider shopping around online for the best prices and services for your aquarium stand as well as your supplies. There are many resources available online.

After you got your aquarium stand ready, it is time to get your planted tank on your new stand.

David