Aquarium Advice

Aquarium Frequently Asked Questions

Why is it important to have an aquarium heater on my fish tank?

Aquarium heaters act as a thermostat in the aquarium, regulating the drops in temperature. Freshwater fish cannot tolerate drops and raises in temperature, this causes them to easily become sick. An aquarium heater will turn on when the water temperature drops too low and turn on when the temperature is at the proper degree. Heaters for an aquarium are essential is the fish tank is placed in a cold room, like a basement or if the temperature in the room fluctuates allot from day to night. Some species of fish require constant temperature so a heater for these types is very important. It is best to purchase an aquarium heater to prevent stress to your fish and to help increase their life span.

Why is it important too have a thermometer in my freshwater aquarium?

Aquarium thermometers let you know if your heater is working and the temperature of your water. Maybe someone accidentally turned the heater temperature dial up and you didn't notice. If you did not have a thermometer in the water, you would have never noticed that the temperature raised and your fish would have been dead. Aquarium thermometers give peace of mind that the temperature is at a safe level for your fish. A small investment that can pay off and gives you peace of mind. You should place your thermometer at the opposite end of the aquarium as the heater, this way you have an idea of the general water temperature. Of course if a fish is too cold, they will seek out the heat source and congregate around the heater, if you see this, you might want to turn the temperature a little higher.

How do you keep a plecostomus alive? My plecostomus always die!

plecostomus are not a very hardy species of fish. They cannot tolerate high ammonia levels, so make sure to get an ammonia testing kit and test your aquarium for ammonia before purchasing another plecostomus They require a specific pH and water softness, try adding a small piece of driftwood to your fish tank, it softens the water and provides added elements that plecostomus need to live. Beware that the driftwood might turn your water brown for a few weeks, this is normal and is not harmful to your fish at all. If you are worried about brown water, which is not visually appealing, try soaking the driftwood in a bucket of water before adding it to your aquarium to leach out some of the color first. plecostomus need algae to feed on, if there is not a sufficient amount of algae in the aquarium, they will starve. Supplement the plecostomus diet with algae wafers. Drop in one algae wafer every two or three days.

Why should I have an air stone in my aquarium? Is an air stone important for the well being of my tropical fish?

Adding more air to your tropical fish tank is always a good thing. air stones help to regulate chemicals and elements in the water. Nitrate attaches to the air molecules and lifts up to the top and gets released into the air, purifying the water. Adding an air stone also adds oxygen to the water which is good for the fish for obvious reasons! Air stones helps circulate water and prevent it from being stagnant and prevent a buildup of harmful gasses in a certain spot in the aquarium. If you have a tiny aquarium, of 3 or less gallons, if you add an air stone, it will increase water flow, prevent the water from turning yellow and getting stagnant, add oxygen and decrease the recurring water changes, instead of changing the water of the aquarium every week, you will need to do a water change every two to three weeks! Air stones and bubble walls are very beautiful in the tank so no tropical fish tank should be without an air stone or a bubble wall!

How do i get the calcium buildup off of my fish tank?

Here are a few ways to remove calcium stains and build up from your aquarium ...
- Use a razor blade. Wet the area with calcium build up and carefully scrape away the calcium.
- Python Rydyt is an amazing product for calcium removal. Python products makes two versions of the product, one is non-toxic and the other is needs to be rinsed off very well because its for empty aquariums.

How do I figure out the volume of my fish tank?

Measure the length, width and height of the aquarium in inches. Multiply the length, width and height, the divide by 231.
Example: 42 " x 18 " x 24 " = 18144 then 18144 divided by 231 = 78.55
So the volume would be 78.55 Gallons