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

Silk aquarium plants look pretty natural compared to years ago. This kind of landscaping uses a combination of silk ones and live plants. In these aquariums the focus is on beauty and a stagnant underwater garden.

You probably won’t want to buy aggressive fish for pets. They can’t be too large either. Some little pets like to nibble on a plant sometimes. I say let them have their snack. If it was a pet dog, you’d want him to have an occasional doggie treat.

There are hundreds of aquarium plants grown by the wonderful Asian and Africa farmers who are happy to have a market for their product. I think a novice aquarist should start with simple to care for plants. The simple ones are Vallisneria, fern Veratopteris and some like Riccia which floats on the top of the water (or you could plant them with a Riccia mesh). I especially like those as they’re very attractive.

Limit your choices for one tank to ten. Look for these features in healthy plants:

1. White or yellow root system

2. Elasticity.

4. The plant has no slime or obvious decay.

5. There should be no bent stalk due to weakened state.

If ever you are purchasing online, make sure that you pick one with Full Money Back guarantee like us.

If you want a few of the silk plants, be sure to ascertain that they have no colors that will leach a harmful substance into the water. This could be harmful to your little pets and your live plants as well. As one aquarist friend of mine phrases it this way. ”When adding plants to your aquarium, go live to keep your fish alive.”

David

Customers around the world who build a start-up tank are usually people who are beginners or small time hobbyists. A new hobbyist or a beginner can learn so many things from this small tank before they begin to make it bigger. Today we are going to discuss some of the features for low light in small but low tech tanks.

Low lights are ideally suited for beginners or those hobbyists who would rather not spend lots of time maintaining their tanks. Development of plants is slow when the tank is “reasonable” and the aqua-scape remains static for long periods of time. This contrasts to a high light, high tech tank that changes from week to week with lots of nutrient additions and pruning of rapid growth.

When we talk about low tech tanks, generally it refers to low light and no CO2 injection. To create a successful low tech tank, I will suggest steps as listed below.  My experiences have been critical for success.

Step 1
Initiate with 1 to 2 watts per gallon of linear normal output fluorescent lighting. Use two lamps (bulbs).  There is no need to purchase expensive aquaria specific bulbs; choose bulbs with a color rating between 5000K and 10000K. I suggest you use a mix of 6500K and 9325K bulbs.

Step 2
Choose a “rich” substrate. I suggest not using plain gravel, as it is a poor choice. Still, if you prefer plain gravel, mix in a few handfuls of ground peat and some laterite. You will find this iron-rich clay substrate at your local fish store or online. There are other combinations of substrate materials that can also be used. Just a note, always add the peat in addition to the sand, Flourite, or other material. If you have an already established tank, adding some mulm from that tank’s substrate really helps a new tank. Substrate depth should be 3-5 inches. Remember, you locate the peat and laterite in the bottom 1/3 of the substrate.

Step 3
Any style filter, even bio-wheel filters, are fine because we aren’t trying to inject CO2. Bio-wheels won’t cause a loss of CO2 in a non injected tank and, remember, do not use undergravel filters.

Once you are done with this process, 75 percent of the plants grow fast, especially their stems. Adding some floating hornwort or something similar is also very beneficial at the start. Limit surface coverage to 20 percent. Stock with small fish that aren’t too low in number during the start-up period.  Try to keep a low fish load in a low tech planted tank. It is an excellent idea to have an algae clean-up crew consisting of one or any combination of the following: Siamese Algae Eater (SAE), Amano or Cherry Shrimp, Otocinclus (Otos catfish), American Flag or Florida Flag Fish, and Rosey Barbs..

Final Steps
The final step is what makes most people embarrassed: Leave it alone. Do not change the water and don’t add any fertilizer. Just adding tap water weekly, or as needed, to top off the tank due to evaporation is all that is required. If your plants show signs of nutrient deficiencies, you can add a comprehensive fertilizer such as Flourish or Tropica Master Grow once a week until improvement is noticed; thereafter, add it only once a month. Limit water changes to times when you have immediately uprooted plants or done a major pruning. Personally, I change water in my low tech tanks about once every 3-4 months at pruning or replanting time.

My experience says, “leave the tank alone” and you won’t be disappointed. The more you try your hand with this type of tank, the more likely you’ll upset the balance and algae problems will appear. If this approach seems too tame and you desire more involvement, then you should consider the high light CO2 injected tank.

Before you are ready to get your hand dirty, read here for more guides on how to setup a planted tank

David