Month: September 2018

Cardinal Sins Of A Marine Aquarist

Aquarium admin

I thought Id jot down what I consider to be the five major sins of a marine aquarist, be that for a reef tank or a fish only tank. They are not in any particular order. The list is not just aimed at beginners to the hobby who are just starting a saltwater aquarium but at aquarists of any level.

Overfeeding

This is self explanatory, and is probably for the most part the domain of the new aquarist. Overfeeding occurs so easily, with those beautiful fish swimming close to the front glass begging for food. Overfeeding can occur with the best of intentions, the aquarist being concerned that the fish (and whatever else) are sufficiently fed. Flake food (for example) is concentrated and rich, and pollutes the water very easily. That is the problem, pollution. Eventually, even with routine water changes, water quality reduces. Food is a major source of nitrate and phosphate, both of which are nutrients for nuisance algae.

The solution to overfeeding is simply dont do it. Observe the livestock. Are they well fed? Remember, they will obtain some food from the reef/decorations. Discipline and observation are the essentials.

Failure to Test the Seawater

It is repeated over and over again by every authority that seawater quality is the number one on the aquarists list of must haves. The seawater in the aquarium is nearly everything to livestock, they are touching it constantly and rely on it for oxygen and other essentials. Food alone, no matter how high the quality, will not sustain them entirely. As soon as seawater is in the aquarium with livestock, it begins to deteriorate. The rate of deterioration can be slowed down by, in particular, the employment of a high quality protein skimmer. Other aids can be the reef itself (live rock), a deep sand bed, a calcium reactor (some of these inject more than calcium) etc. Nevertheless, seawater quality deterioration is there. The fish only aquarist can do fewer tests than the reef aquarist, but whatever the livestock, testing must be done. Once experience has been gained then testing frequency can be reduced. However, the aquarist must always be aware of the state of the seawater. We would not be happy walking around in and breathing polluted air.

Routine water changes should be completed, using reverse osmosis water for the mix. At the start, 10% (of the systems net gallonage) should be changed. Again, this can be reduced when experience is gained, either by lowering the percentage or increasing the period between changes, and also subject to a light or heavy bio-load. In some cases the percentage may need to be raised to maintain high quality seawater, but if this is the case an examination of filtration, feeding and stocking should be undertaken. Are the filters functioning correctly, and are they sufficiently sized? Is the system overstocked? Are the livestock being overfed?

Failure to Renew the Light Bulbs

By light bulbs I am referring to metal halide bulbs or fluorescent tubes. Lighting needs are more appropriate to the reef aquarist. Lighting is a close second to water quality. A large number of corals need lighting of the correct intensity and spectrum to flourish. Light bulbs reduce in efficiency as time passes. This efficiency loss is because of light intensity reduction and also spectrum shift. The aquarist pays quite an amount for bulbs, so they should at least perform as designed. Changing the bulbs at regular intervals achieves this. Fluorescent tubes should be changed at six months to one year. Halides should be changed at one year to two years. Look at what the manufacturer states, and pay heed to what other aquarists who use the same make and type of bulb say.

If light requiring corals are not flourishing, and seawater quality, including seawater movement, is known to be fault free, consider the lighting. Is there a problem? Do the bulb(s) need changing?

Incompatible Stocking

The aquarist may have very high seawater quality and lighting may be fault free, but some of the fish (for example) may be sickly, feeding poorly and obviously unhappy. When on the wild reef fish have few objectives in their lives, but the ones they do have are :

1. To breed
2. To avoid confrontation
3. To find enough food
4. To avoid becoming food

So if a small fish has gone missing, has a predator (example: a lionfish Pterois volitions) been introduced? Dont smile, youd be surprised at what is purchased sometimes on impulse. Is a fish showing ragged fins, poor colours, hovering in a corner, or hiding in rockwork, hardly coming out even to feed? Is it being harassed by bold and aggressive fishes? It is not only inter-fish problems that must be avoided. There are fish that would love to eat that shrimp. There are shrimps that would love to eat that starfish.

Research what is being put into the aquarium. Ensure full compatibility. It is cruel to fail to do this. Nowadays there are many quality books available, and the internet where information is freely available.

Overstocking

Large or small, every aquarium system has its limit in the amount of livestock that can be kept. Keeping too much livestock, in particular fish, increases the bio-load that has to be dealt with. The biological support of the aquarium will increase over time as the bio-load increases – up to a point. Then it is unable to deal with the wastes and disaster is just around the corner. The aquarium inhabitants face death by poisoning. The need for large seawater changes is going to increase. Even then, disaster is close. The aquarist has put all his/her efforts in jeopardy, including seawater quality and even all aquarium life.

Quite apart from the dangers of reduced seawater quality and failing biological support, there is the question of the space needs of the inhabitants themselves. Fish etc need to feel secure in order to prosper and be healthy, which means they need to be able to find a hide hole during the dark hours and in daylight hours have a hole to disappear into. If the aquarium is overstocked holes are going to be at a premium and aggression and fights could ensue. On the wild reef it is life to have a secure hole and the instinctive need does not disappear in an aquarium.

Many aquarists, particularly those with reef aquariums, dont stock to the theoretical capacity. They under stock knowing that seawater quality will be better, and the corals and fish will be all the better for it. Avoid the temptation of just one more fish.

Cape Town’s Green Season

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Cape Town has become a highly acclaimed international destination and is a desirable South African destination for tourists. The South African summer occurs with winter in the Northern hemisphere; which entices large numbers of tourists o Cape Town during December /January at the same tome as the local people take their annual holiday to enjoy the wonderful beaches , amazing scenery, and wonderful attractions. The results is in difficulty in securing affordable holiday accommodation, high prices; slow traffic laden roads and overloaded facilities.
Most tourists visit South Africa between November to April, which is why the rainy season which is Winter in Cape Town is known as the Green season – stretching from late Autumn (May) to Spring
( October). During the winter months in Cape Town tourist attractions are not very busy and there is little traffic. Restaurant proprietors will accord a warm personal welcome to their establishment. This is the season where one will find the lowest Cape Town accommodation rates, and many restaurants offer winter specials to entice clients. Care hire is usually much cheaper at this time.

Surprisingly it is not always cold in winter in Cape Town; the average daytime temperature ranges from 10 to 20 degrees C, with many warm and windless days where the temperature rises above the 20s. (70 degrees F). During this time there are may lovely, warm sunny days with cool evenings. Cape Town does have winter rainfall but recently rain seems to have become more dispersed throughout the year. It can, however, often rain for successive days on end.

Winter is when the Cape is visited by the annual Whale migration, and many whales are to be seen in False Bay from July to October. In September the self proclaimed Whale capital of South Africa Hermanus, hosts the eagerly anticipated Whales and Wheels festival- being able to see these huge creature close up makes a holiday in the winter worthwhile. False Bay, Cape Town affords great opportunity for watching whales at close proximity where the road follows the coast. It is very exciting to see the great tails (flukes) of these gargantuan creatures as they frolic in the bay.

If one is faced with cold wet, winter days there are many indoor attractions to enjoy , including these
family activities.

Simonstown has the famous Warrior Toy Museum enjoyed by kids of all age, with its exhibition of toys, scale model die cast cars, boats, trains, soldiers, airplanes dolls, and other toys. There is a working train display.

The Scratch Patch, in Simonstown has a ground floor with a huge cave, the floor of which is strewn with polished semi-precious gem stones. For a small cost you can fill a bag or cup with gemstones to take away .

Castle of Good Hope : Cape Towns impressive stone was built around 1666- 1669, by the Dutch settlers. This massive stone fort has tours of the dungeons, and includes military and nautical exhibits and a collection of historic art and artworks..

Cape Town has many museums. The most popular with is the South African Museum. Exhibits include huge skeletons of various species of dinosaur, as well as beautifully recreated dinosaur scenes.
There is a collection of whale and skeletons, which can be viewed from all floors, and includes a 20.5 metre blue whale skeleton, and casts other whales.
The museum also has many natural history exhibits as well as Shark World exhibit with a life-size, 2+ meter high model of the jaws of the Megatooth Shark, probably the largest predator the world has ever known.
The Victoria and Alfred Waterfront (V&A Waterfront) is the most popular attraction of Cape Town. On rainy days the highlight for children is surely the Two Oceans Aquarium. There are many fascinating and colourful fish exhibits in tanks, but everyone loves to gaze at the shoals of fish and sharks swimming past the glass sides of the underwater tanks . Penguin feedings are popular with families.

Canal Walk is a just a short drive toward the West Coast highway from Cape Town, and can keep your family busy for a whole day. The MTN Science Centre is an interactive science centre where kids can have fun, while learning about scientific discoveries and technological innovations. Canal Walk is the largest regional shopping mall in Africa, with an impressive range of shops, restaurants, and cinemas. Children will enjoy the Place of Play which is the largest indoor and outdoor play park in South Africa. It has almost every type of fun activity including a huge jungle gym and laser beam room, and even a teddy bear stuffing machine.

Groot Constantia offers an enjoyable family venue. This beautiful wine estate with it 300 year old manor house offers Treasure hunts which gives kids the opportunity to explore and learn more about this historical Estate. Cellar Tours are also offered. The manor house is a magnificent example of Cape Dutch architecture open to the public and houses a collection of period furniture and ceramics.

Coincidentally, this coincides with the prime safari season in Southern Africa, so if you are planning a safari in the Winter or Spring, include Cape Town in your itinerary, and take advantage of low available winter special accommodation rates.

Fish Aquarium Supplies And Aquarium For Indian Hobbyists

Aquarium admin

A fish aquarium not only serves to your desire for having exotic and beautiful pets but is also often a wonderful decorative element in your home interior. Just like the birds, fishes, especially aquarium fishes in captivity are also extremely delicate and you must acquire different types of high quality fish pet supplies for the purpose. Shopping at an online pet store can make things easier both for novice and experiences hobbyists. Until a couple of years ago, they were required to hop from one shop to another looking for new arrivals of colorful fishes in attractive shapes and also for fish aquarium supplies. Now there job has been made a lot easier as all aquarium supplies, as well as livestock and accessories like pumps, filters and fountains are available online and aquarium enthusiasts can always buy them against attractive prices right from their home.

One major reason is that forcing a growing number of people to shop fish tank supplies online is better availability. Your local pet shop can seldom offer you exactly the fishes you were looking for as it is really difficult for them to maintain a huge stock. Even if you order from them, they will invariably take a lot time to procure them and will also charge you more realizing your urge for having them. But this is never going to be a problem with fish supplies online for storage is never a problem with them and even if something is not available, they can also get it from other stores once they receive your order and also deliver in no time without any extra charge. They also have a very good collection of tropical fish supplies available with them.

Depending upon the size of your aquarium, there are many different kinds of aquarium fish food and aquarium supplies available online. Every time you buy fish food online keep in mind that food and habitation requirements for different fishes are different and you can never keep saline water fishes in the same aquarium with the sweet water fishes. If you are having both of them in your collection you need to have separate tanks for one can never survive with the other. If you are having separate albums for tropical fishes or saline water fishes, always make sure you buy separate online fish food for them. Apart from different types of fishes and their food, many other types of aquarium items like live corals and saltwater invertebrates are also available with them.

Algae control is a very important part in aquarium maintenance. You will find it on the glass, on the live corals, on the stone bed and are a threat to everything live in the aquarium. Moreover as aquarium fishes never get their natural diet, that makes it more important for you to buy high quality fish food India. Online you find a chance to purchase branded fish food for tropical or saltwater fishes from reputed fish food manufacturers in the world and also natural and you can also buy fish food that is natural and organic.

Calculate Your Lo Shu Number

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Hsia Yu was a famous Chinese prehistoric personality. One day he came across some very interesting markings on the shell of a giant tortoise. The giant tortoise came out from the River Lo in Central China. This became Lo Shu. The word ‘Lo’ means river and the term ‘Shu’ indicate books. Different Lo Shu numbers indicates different directions which are believed to be auspicious.

Feng Shui helps one analyze their destiny with regards to the Five Chinese Elements. The five elements as per the Feng Shui are:
a. Earth
b. Water
c. Fire
d. Wood, and
e. Metal

Lo Shu Numbers and the auspicious directions:
1 – North
2 – Southwest
3 – East
4 – Southeast
5- Central
6 – Northwest
7 – West
8 – Northeast
9 – South.

Each of the five elements is associated with a particular number.
Water Element – 1
Earth Element – 2, 5, 8
Wood Element – 3, 4
Metal Element – 6, 7
Fire Element – 9

The grid that is used for calculating this number is a 3 X 3 magic square in which the sum of the three numbers add up to 15 – row wise, column wise and diagonally. This is an ancient Chinese grid that shows man’s interaction with the five elements such as Earth, Water, Fire, Wood and Metal. As per the Feng Shui principles all the elements are needed for a prosperous life are analyzed on the basis of the date of birth.

The grid is created on the basis of the date of birth of an individual. It helps to give a clear view of what the destiny and the life has in store for that individual. The MB Free Feng Shui Lo Shu is an interactive program. It is very simple to use and interpret and it also gives remedial measures for the missing elements.

By entering the date of birth, the missing element and its effect on the concerned person is ascertained. Each digit in a person’s birth date is associated with the corresponding element and the missing factor is known. Remedial measures to counter the lack of elements for the person are also suggested by the MB Free Feng Shui Lo Shu Software. Each of the squares that make up the Lo Shu is the palace and the three numbers in each palace are the Stars. The positions of the Stars in the Lo Shu indicate those areas of life which may be affected.

Remedial Measures for the Missing Element in your birth chart:

Earth:
1.Use a square or rectangular wooden dining table.

2.Move your bedroom or office to the South Western corner of your house.

3.Keep a greenstone pyramid in South West for strength and consistency.

4.Hang pictures of mountain on your South sidewall.

5.Hang a yellow bulb in the Center of the room.

Wood
1.Keep musical chimes at the entrance of the house.

2.Keep the North Eastern side of your home clean and tidy.

3.Place a green light in the East and South East direction.

4.Place a picture of some greenery in the East and South East direction.

5.Place small flowering plants in the East and North East directions.

Fire
1.Keep a red lamp in the South East corner of your home.

2.Keep a flowering plant in your sitting room.

3.Keep an oven in the South East direction.

4.Keep an energized red pyramid.

Metal
1.Wear some gold jewellery on your right hand.

2.Hang a golden yellow wind chime in the West, North West or North.

3.Keep an energized yellow pyramid.

4.Keep metal sculptures made of gold solver, bronze or copper in the West or North West.

Water
1.Keep water filled bowl in the East or North East direction.

2.You can also keep a water fish aquarium.

3.Give water to the thirsty people.

4.A fountain or swimming pool in the North too will serve the purpose.

How To Shake The Winter Blues By Breeding Goldfish

Aquarium admin

How often do you find yourself stuck in the house on them cold winter days, suffering from the winter blues? I bet you said quite often, if you did then your answer is like that of most people during the winter months. I want you to stop right now and think about what you just read, if you do find yourself stuck in the house during the winter with nothing to do, you should consider yourself very lucky. Most people are always complaining that they don’t have enough time in the day to get things done. So, according to a lot of folks, if you have nothing to do in the winter because your stuck inside, you are indeed a very lucky person.

Now, if this is true and you find yourself in the winter with nothing to do, and you need an idea to help shake the winter blues, why not take up a great activity like breeding goldfish. Breeding Goldfish is pretty easy and quite fun to do, if you currently have adult goldfish that do well in their tank or aquarium then you already have passed one major hurdle, because you already know how to feed, treat and raise goldfish. Adult goldfish that are foraging around your tank hunting for food will eat any eggs they find, almost as soon as they are laid, and large goldfish will also eat any young that do survive and hatch, so if you have had goldfish for awhile, you have already been breeding without even knowing it. So, before you can start breeding them the first thing you must get is another tank, a small one is fine, nothing fancy.

The next important item you should buy is either a spawning mat or a spawning mop, both work equally well and can be purchased at most large fish supply stores or online. A spawning mat or mop looks just like it’s name suggests, either a small mat or mop. You can make a spawning mop from pieces of an actual clean, new string mop, or just use a bunch of rolled, and cut yarn, that it made into a small mop shape. When using a spawning mop you have made, either from a real mop, or yarn or string, you should boil it in hot water to remove any dyes, or chemicals in it, then let it cool. Once you have either a spawning mat or mop, place it into the aquarium that has your large goldfish in.

When female goldfish lay eggs, they love to lay them in thick weeds, or others areas whey they will be the most hidden or protected, in a tank without a spawning mat or mop. The eggs are often just deposited in the water, or near a plastic plant, where they either float around and get sucked up the filtration system, or are eating by the other large goldfish. The eggs will stick to the spawning mat or mop, giving them a much safer environment to be deposited in, and easily removed later.

Some signs that goldfish are ready to spawn and lay eggs are; the males will start chasing the females around for long periods of time, and they will usually bump or push against the females stomachs. Males often get white specks or spots on their gills or fins. When the time comes the female will lay or deposit her eggs around the strands of the spawning mat or mop, and the eggs will stick to it like tapioca pudding. The eggs will look like small bubbles that are transparent in color. Soon after the eggs are laid, the male goldfish will fertilize them, you will notice when this has occurred either by seeing a milkish substance being sprayed over them, or you will notice the tank has suddenly become cloudy.

When the eggs have been fertilized, you can gently remove and transfer the spawning mat or mop into the other tank, where the eggs can mature without the threat of being eaten by the adult goldfish. Once the little fellas hatch, you can start feeding them a little brine shrimp powder, or some other baby goldfish food that is available from fish supply stores or online. Once you get the hang of breeding your own goldfish, you can sell the young to fish stores in your area, or give them away to friends, the choices are up to you, either way, it’s a great fun activity, that can help you to shake the winter blues.

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