Pet The World

Adding plants to your aquarium is a sound idea for a number of reasons. They are aesthetically pleasing and provide a healthier environment for your aquarium. Fish and other creatures in your fish tank will benefit from aquatic plants, as the plants, through the process of photosynthesis provide oxygen by converting the carbon dioxide found in the environment. This helps create a balanced ecosystem within the aquarium.

By absorbing the ammonia that comes from fish waste, aquatic plants also help prevent ammonia levels from becoming too high. Another benefit of aquatic plants is they will compete for nutrients in the water, thus helping “starve” the algae and keep its growth under control. The fish also benefit by finding food and shelter among the plants foliage.

No two aquarium’s are alike and the plants you add to your aquarium will depend on the water’s characteristics and the species of fish that live in the tank. Spend time researching what plants are suitable for your aquarium. Keep in mind the overall theme that you are trying establish. By choosing plants for their contrast and colours you can help create an illusion of depth. But don’t go overboard, try to create a natural look that flows together without appearing contrived.

Aquatic plants health and vitality depends on nutrients, water hardness, pH levels and temperature. The amount of dissolved salts and minerals in the aquariums water will determine its “hardness”. Magnesium and calcium contribute the most to the waters hardness. Carbonic acid is produced by the interaction of magnesium and calcium and it affects the pH level’s of the water. A pH range of 6.5 to 7.5 will be suitable for most aquatic plants. Most plants prefer harder water, though the tropical’s prefer softer water. The temperature of the water in most aquarium’s is in the 16 to 29

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The fish tank is the most important thing for your fish. Goldfish get their air from the surface, so get a tank that has a lot of surface area. In order to calculate the surface area, multiply the aquarium’s length in inches by its depth in inches. For every inch of your fish’s length, you must have 30 square inches of surface area. So if your fish is three inches long, you need 90 square inches.

Your goldfish needs to have the water at the right quality to be healthy. Tap water is usually okay to use, but try to let the faucet run for a minute or so before taking any water. Before you use the water, you need to let it sit out overnight. This will get rid of any chlorine in the water.

The water in your tank must be kept clean. You can accomplish this by doing water changes. Don’t change all the water at once though. You just do a partial water change. About once a week you should do a 30% water change. If your tank is ten gallons, then change out three gallons of the water. Remember to let the new water sit out overnight before putting it in the tank. Take out the three gallons of old water and slowly add the 3 gallons of fresh water. The best way to remove the water from the aquarium is by using a siphon hose. You can also use this to vacuum the gravel.

Your goldfish will need to be fed every day. There are many commercial goldfish foods that will work fine. Be sure you don’t overfeed your fish though. Don’t feed more food than they can eat in a couple of minutes. If they don’t eat all the food, you should remove it from the tank or it will make the aquarium dirty.

A filter for your tank is highly recommended. This will keep your water clean and remove and impurities in the tank. An external box filter works great because it doesn’t take up space in your tank and adds more oxygen for your fish.

There are also a few other things you will need for your tank. A hood should be added to prevent any fish from jumping out or dust falling in. An airstone should also be put in the tank. It puts bubbles into the water which keeps the water oxygenated. At the bottom of your tank, you should put an eighth of an inch of gravel. Your goldfish will really like this.

If you do these things for your fish, they will be very healthy and happy. Try to watch your fish everyday so you will notice if they are acting strangely. If they are acting funny, something in your tank is probably wrong.

Michael Russell

Your Independent guide to Aquariums

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Owning a kitten or a cat is a great opportunity to teach
your child to love and respect animals! Of course, you can
teach your child to love any animal — a dog, bird or fish –
but a cat can be a special opportunity for a young child!

In fact, the view your child has of her own children
when she grows up will be *strongly* influenced by what you
teach — and show — her concerning her new cat.

Begin by telling her about the vaccinations her new kitty
will need and *why* she needs them If you are unclear
yourself about your new cat’s medical needs, my new book
“Your New Cat’s First 24 Hours”, www.yourcatsecrets.com talks
about it in detail, or you can check with your local
veterinarian.

Then you can tell her about your new kitty’s needs: her food
bowl, cat scratching post, litter box, toys, and bed. In fact
you can take your child shopping with you — either down at
the local pet store or online.

Once you have purchased everything you need, you are now ready
to go get your new kitty. Take your child to the animal shelter
or pet store, and let her play with a few of the animals.
Remember, though, that if the kitty is to be your child’s cat
–and not yours — make sure you choose the animal your child
bonds with, not another one for other reasons.

When you bring your new cat home, be sure to closely supervise
your child while she plays with her new kitty. Make sure she
is not too rough. Teach her to be gentle by *showing* her what
that means.

Help your child feed her and when it comes time to scoop out
the (you know what) from the litter box, make sure your child
is involved.

If you spend time with your child in each aspect of cat
ownership, she will develop love, respect and responsibility
that will last her entire life!

© John Young, www.yourcatsecrets.com, All Rights Reserved

Hi! My name is John Young. I’m a writer and a cat lover, having owned one cat or another since I was four, and that was over 57 years ago. I’ve written a new ebook, “Your New Cat’s First 24 Hours”, and have packed into it every shred of information I could find to help you introduce your new cat to your household and care for it from then on. Please check out my website at http://www.yourcatsecrets.com and sign up for my free newsletter, “Your Cat’s 9 Secrets”. Thanks!

http://www.yourcatsecrets.com

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