JillFlorio

There are many popular species of fish both commonly available at most pet stores that are good for beginners, but they are not all compatible with one another. Some types will hunt down smaller fish, some types have a habit of nipping on flowing fins, some are extremely hyper and disturb/outcompete slower moving types, and many fish have different pH and temperature requirements (just to name a few potential problems). When stocking up for a community tank (a setup with many different species of fairly peaceful fish that coexist with one another harmoniously), it is important for the beginner to get fish of roughly the same temperament—in many cases, this is best done by choosing unaggressive species. The problem with this is that some fish (bettas, angelfish, swordtails, tiger barbs and serpae tetras for example) can have a wide variation in temperament. You may therefore read in some textbook that fish X is an extremely peaceful fish (90% of the time, it is), but you may buy a “rogue” individual which likes to bully all your fish or nip at everyone’s fins. The best way of minimizing the chance this will happen is to talk to as many people as possible who have had experience with this fish AND read up on it before you buy. Below are a few suggestions for tank populations that will *probably* get along:

6 gallon (Temp 76-82 F)
1 male betta
2 or 3 kuhli loaches OR corydoras catfish
2 or 3 algae eating or ghost shrimp

10 gallon (Temp 76-84 F)
2 corydoras catfish
4 guppies
2 mollies

15-20 gallon (Temp 78-82F)
4 kuhli loaches
2 blue rams* OR kribensis (breeding pair)
*less hardy than other fish species listed, more challenging for beginners; should be the LAST fish added to a well-cycled and established aquarium

20 gallon (Temp 55-70 F)
2 fancy goldfish, 3-4 inches long

20 gallon (Temp 78-82 F)
3 kuhli loaches
1 dwarf gourami
6 small schooling tetras (neon tetras*, cardinal tetras*, glowlight tetras, rummy nose tetras*)
5 marble hatchetfish*
*less hardy than other fish species listed, more challenging for beginners; should be the LAST fish added to a well-cycled and established aquarium

20 gallon (Temp 78-82 F)
2 ottos
6 livebearers (platies, swordtails, mollies or guppies)
4 dwarf rainbowfish
2 small gouramis (dwarf, flame, honey, sunset, etc)* OR 3 danios
*sometimes individuals are aggressive

30 gallon (Temp 55-70 F)
2 large fancy goldfish, 5-8 inches
4 white cloud minnows
2 weather loaches OR hillstream loaches (coldwater species only)

60 gallon (Temp 78-82 F)
4 juvenile angelfish (dime to quarter size)
6 harlequin rasboras
5 bleeding heart tetras or lemon tetras
4 clown loaches

Now that you have some beginner’s marine concepts down and a general idea of what you want ultimately in the tank as far as livestock, we can move on to the other important components to equip it. Some of the most basic equipment needed for any aquarium are covered in the following articles:

Choosing a Tank
Choosing a Filter Part I
Choosing a Filter Part II
Other Accessories

…HOWEVER, these articles focus on freshwater needs, and saltwater is different in many aspects, which will be covered separately here with emphasis on these differences. If you are unfamiliar with freshwater concepts, you may want to read some of the preceding articles from the beginning just to familiarize yourself with the terms and ideas.

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Water: The Vital Ingredient
A basic understanding of water chemistry is extremely important in properly maintaining a saltwater tank. This is why people who have never kept any type of fish before may be better off starting with a simpler freshwater tank first before tackling marine, just to acquire very basic experience, such as with the nitrogen cycle (explained here). Marine animals are more sensitive than freshwater fish to dissolved solutes and impurities, such as those usually found in tap water. Freshwater animals may not be affected by anything except chlorines and chloramarines in tap water (removed by dechlorinator and stress coat type products). For marine animals, even tiny ppm (parts per million) fractions of impurities may be harmful–think of the natural coral reef, and how pollution-free this environment is. The only way to really get rid of these is through water purification. For small tanks (10 gallon size), you can get by with use of something like a Brita filter, a “water purifier column” (a modified ion exchange type of low-tech system which binds impurities, fairly slow and cumbersome to operate, and does not yield much volume before it must be replaced), or even just buying distilled water in bottles at the supermarket. These methods, however, aren’t efficient for larger volumes, and can be a pain over the long run given that regular water changes are a necessity. The best investment for the future is in an RO/DI (reverse osmosis/deionization) system. This runs automatically off of tap water pressure, and uses this pressure to force water through a series of membranes and filters that take out everything except the H2O.

A water purifier column (Aquarium Pharamceuticals) shown on the left, and an RO/DI system with storage bin shown on the right
This water should then be made up to saltwater in a separate bin with commercially available marine salts such as “Instant Ocean” and “Tropic Marin” (there are very slight differences in ratios of trace elements in each brand name which are beyond the scope of this article, but which are compared here; the important thing is just to use a salt meant for marine tanks, not “aquarium salt” which is just pure NaCl, used for treating FW fish). Specific gravity (S.G.) measures salinity, or actual concentration of the salt… for marine animals, this should fall in the 1.024-1.025 range. S.G. should be measured with a hydrometer. Other tests which are absolutely vital for beginners to own include ammonia and nitrite (both should be 0 at all times in a cycled tank) and pH (should be roughly 8.3-8.4). pH can be kept stable through addition of a marine buffer (never ever try to adjust pH through addition of bases alone!), and in water changes or anytime there is life in the tank, this should all be done in a separate bin and premixed with the salt. Other good tests to have that are not as vital include KH (to measure buffering capacity, which determines pH), nitrate and phosphate (both best kept at a minimum for optimal coral calcification, and to prevent pest algaes from blooming), calcium (best kept as close to or above 400 as possible), and copper (absolutely needs to be kept at 0 in all reef tanks; it is an ingredient in antiparasitic fish meds and sometimes seen as a trace in tap water, but is highly toxic to all inverts). Some more fastidious corals may require dosing of certain trace elements (come in commercially available formulas to add calcium, iodine, strontium, etc.) and some filter-feeding organisms may need separate feeding with phytoplankton. There are also more automated accessory pieces of equipment for these purposes (i.e. the Nurce, the calcium reactor, etc.), but they will not be covered here.

I want to make special note at this point that I have to talk in generalities for marine animals here, but there is actually a great spectrum of tolerance and preference between all the species you could potentially keep. Some beginners may be able to get by without any kind of RO/DI or purification system, if they live in a geographical area where the water supply is not very treated, and/or they are keeping fish that are not sensitive to trace impurities (some damsels and triggerfish are just about as hardy as any FW fish in this respect). The degree of precaution you take with your water depends in large part on what kind of tank you want to keep and where you are located (to be sure, call your water company for a consumer report of what goes into your water, or contact an experienced hobbyist, reefing club or marine LFS in your region). Also, you won’t have to worry about trace element supplementation in the majority of FO or FOWLR tanks.

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Filtration and Protein Skimmers
Filtration can get very complex for marine tanks, and does depend on what types of animals you keep and at what density. In FO (fish-only) tanks, a number of the same filter types as those familiar from FW systems are available, including canister filters, hang-on-the-back style power filters, etc. (see the second article on filters for more details). In addition, there is a very efficient type of filter called the wet-dry trickle filter which is often employed for the marine FO tank. This basically operates on the principle that the bacteria involved in the initial steps of the nitrogen cycle are primarily aerobic, and so love well-oxygenated water. The water is taken out through an overflow box in the back of the tank, down through the plumbing, into a sump (a tank that sits under the main aquarium), and through a series of baffles and holes that lets the water trickle over media with a lot of surface area (where the bacteria live). It is then pumped back up into the main tank with a separate external water pump.

An example of a sump wet-dry trickle filter, with overflow box shown on the right
While these work for well for FO tanks, I should mention that the trend in reef tanks is away from mechanical filtration and “classic” types of filtration altogether. They are able to do this because reef tanks usually have very few fish and very low bioload, so they do not produce much waste at all (but conversely, do not tolerate any levels of ammonia or nitrite, and in addition, are sensitive to nitrate and other trace readings). “Classic” filtration, while good for sieving out solid particles and quickly converting ammonia and nitrite, also can build up nitrate, which is relatively harmless in FO tanks at low concentration. However, even low levels of nutrients and dissolved organic compounds (DOC’s) can be suboptimal for corals, so the trend in reef tanks is towards greater use of live rock/live sand (both discussed below) and other “natural” filtration systems, such as the refugium (A refugium is a body of water physically separated from the main tank, but which shares a common circulation and water supply, for the purpose of growing beneficial animals and plants).

This beautiful HOB style refugium (created by CPR, brand name “Aquafuge”) is not only functional but can be a beautiful focus of attention all its own. They are places to foster the growth of caulerpa (a macroalgae which takes out excess nutrients like nitrates and phosphates, decreasing algae in the main tank) and protect the growth of smaller dentrivores (various species of microfauna, mostly pods, which help decompose waste), which suffer excess predation in the main tank.
The last element generally included with filtration (but technically slightly different) is protein skimming. This is highly recommended for any marine tank with fish in it, especially one that is well-stocked. There are small technical differences between the various types of skimmers, but all work on the principle that organic waste (primarily fatty and proteinaceous in quality) tend to float to the top of the water column; the protein skimmer uses the foaming up of tiny bubbles in a special chamber to separate them from the main flow of water. They are often combined with sump wet-dry filters or other types of filtration (in a smaller HOB filter, the combined name is “skilter”).

A typical Berlin style protein skimmer

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Powerheads
Though not an absolute requirement in some tanks, extra powerheads (which are just little mini-pumps for moving water around) can add overall benefit. They not only stimulate circulation and prevent dead zones in the tank, they also create flow patterns in the water that simulate natural waves. Different corals like current to varying degrees (individual preferences require some personal experimentation). Some people put their powerheads on “wavemakers”, which turn different ones on and off in a regular pattern, further creating wave effects.

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Live Sand: Laying Down the Foundation
Sand for the marine tank is more than just substrate. In an established tank, it will become home to millions of bacteria that help with the nitrogen cycle, as well as dentrivores (tiny animals that help consume and decompose waste and uneaten food; in particular, amphipods and copepods). For the marine tank, the composition of sand that works best is calcium carbonate (AKA “aragonite”). This can be found in crushed corals (CC), or finer sands. For most purposes, the finer and rounder sands work better for promoting dentrivores than CC, which can have jagged edges and is of a large gauge, but both are OK. Silica- and quartz-based sands are fairly inert and also alright to use, but will not give the same buffering benefits of aragonite. Brand names of commercially-available aragonite sand that are safe to use include “Southdown” and “Yardright” Caribbean play sands (from Home Depot and Lowes hardware stores, respectively, only in the NE United States, far more difficult to find in other parts of the country), and for those who have to resort to buying more expensive LFS brand names, “Caribbsea” and “Aragamax”. For the best results, sand should be laid down in the very beginning, because it will cause white cloudiness for days (this is not harmful to life, but it can be a pain to watch and wait out). For optimal effects, a deep sand bed (DSB) should be relatively deep; at least 4-6″ in small to medium sized tanks, >6″ in large tanks (the deeper, the more benefits to the denitrification process). You do not need to buy it all “live” to begin with and should buy it dry in bags (rinsing is not necessary, as there are beneficial sediments in the sand, but expect lots of cloudiness either way for a long time!). Large quantities of truly “live” sand are very expensive and difficult to obtain. Most people layer their dry sand, get their systems up and running, and then “seed” it from another source; a generous fellow reefkeeper who lives in the area, an LFS with a healthy display reef tank, or if they can afford it, buy it online from a place such as Inland Aquatics. Most of the bugs in the sand will reproduce and spread fairly fast under good conditions. You will know it is truly live when you see small tunnels digging through your DSB, usually the work of little shrimp-like crustaceans called amphipods.

An amphipod is a small beneficial creature you may find crawling through your live sand once the tank is established

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Live Rock: The Cornerstones of a Healthy Tank
Many new to the marine hobby gasp when they hear prices, but especially when they hear the prices for live rock. It is probably one of the more expensive items that can be bought “per pound” from a pet store. However, it is for a reason that this stuff is not cheap. Live rock is the actual foundation of the reef itself, intricate calcium carbonate skeletons that were once put down by countless corals over the ages. It now comes at a high premium due to laws that ban or limit collection in most areas of the world (for good reason, since the uncontrolled collection of it has the potential to dessimate the endangered reef). However, when you buy the good stuff, you are buying much more than just “rock” for decoration. You are buying a storehouse of beneficial bacteria that will function as natural filtration to clear your water of impurities. You are buying protection and homes for the fish and inverts on your list later, and anchoring places for coral. You are buying a huge number of beneficial hitchhikers that you don’t see right away, which will reproduce and help establish your tank… most importantly, a number of dentrivores, such as amphipods and copepods. Not only this, but because it is made up of calcium carbonate, it will also help buffer your water as it adds dimension to the physical appearence of the tank. So the more the better… but not only quantity (per pound), but you should look for quality in live rock:

1) Try to go for Fiji rock when you have a choice. This is less dense and more porous.
2) While the large majority of hitchhikers (bristleworms, various pod crustaceans, spaghetti worms, feather dusters, etc.) are good, try to avoid anything which may have mantis shrimp or aiptasia (a pest anemone that reproduces very fast) in it. Hitchhiker ID is beyond the scope of this article, but some good FAQs can be found on the subject in Reef Central’s library.
3) Truly “live” rock should be stored in a tank with active circulation and heated water. If it is dry, then this can be used as base rock (to build a foundation), and true live rock can be laid over it; this can be money-saving, and eventually the live pieces will populate the base rock.
4) Coraline algae (encrusting, hard purple calcified algae) and bryopsis (a brush-like, dark green macroalgae) are types most people find attractive and desirable, but other types of algaes may become a pest.
5) Look for interesting shapes and holes, where fish and inverts can create homes; this also helps when aquascaping with corals.

A small piece of quality live rock may hide a whole living universe

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Let There Be Light
Lighting, as mentioned previously, is not very important in the FO or FOWLR setup, but is the most important, and usually most expensive, piece of equipment for the reef tank. It’s for good reason–the large majority of corals and anemones depend on good lighting for photosynthesis. To understand lighting, we have to understand both the elements of color spectrum (quality of light) and intensity (quantity of light). Most normal output fluorescent lights that come standard with many hoods are fine for fish and look OK to the human eye, but inadequate for growth of almost all corals and anemones, in both spectrum and intensity.

Color spectrum refers to the wavelength and frequency of the light (which are in turn inversely proportional)… to the human eye, they appear as different colors, with red on one end and blue-violet on the other end of the visible spectrum. Most photosynthetic pigments that are needed by the zooanthellic algae living within corals require a wide spectrum, with peaks in the red and blue range. Blue light also has the added advantage of being able to penetrate water to greater depths, since it has shorter wavelength and greater frequency, which is why many “actinic” lights (very blue in color) are used in reef tanks. Color is measured by the Kelvin (K) rating.

Light intensity is measured in lumens. Output and intensity does decrease with time, so bulbs must be changed regularly (interval and half life depends on the specific type of lighting used). It is primarily achieved through 3 types of alternative high output lights, which also each require their own special ballasts:

Power Compact Fluorescent (PC)
Very High Output Fluorescent (VHO)
Metal Halide (MH)

One style of PC lighting
There are pros and cons and individual opinions on each one of these light types that are simply beyond the scope of this very basic article, since this is another complex and controversial topic. Also, not all corals and photosynthetic organisms do best under the same exact lighting requirements (as a general rule, most “easy care” soft corals are ok with low to moderate lighting, but SPS and clams require high lighting). I will defer a more detailed discussion of this topic to this reefkeeping 101 article on lighting or Albert Thiel’s Chapter on Lighting, in THE MARINE FISH AND INVERT REEF AQUARIUM.

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So, there you have it; a relative crash course in saltwater basics. Now that you have all this equipment, what next?

The growth of microfauna (tiny animals & bacteria) in live sand and live rock can be promoted by the process of cycling the tank before you add any of your fish or main invertebrates to the tank. In some ways, cycling a SW tank can be easier than FW because of these “live” elements (sand & rock) and the decreased emphasis on external filtration. One method is to throw a frozen shrimp into the tank once it is set up and running with all the above elements, and just let it decompose for a at least a few weeks (this is before you add any of your livestock to the tank). Do regular measurements of ammonia, nitrite and nitrate; initially you will see the first two spike up due to the shrimp addition. As it decomposes, you should after a few weeks see them go down to zero and your nitrates rise; when both ammonia and nitrite are steady at zero, you are done cycling, and ready for your fish and/or inverts, and eventually, your corals! Yes, this takes a long time, but rushing to add animals to an uncycled tank can spell disaster in the early stages of tank setup.

I was told something years ago that really stuck with me: “In this hobby, only bad things happen overnight. Good things take time.” Along those lines, I guess one could say that the most important basic components of a marine tank are patience and knowledge. Since the day I started with this hobby, I haven’t gone a day without learning something new about it, and I hope you don’t either. Have a good time with it, and please check the links to the side for more information sources and places to do further reading!

Tip on using this FAQ: Rather than scrolling through the entire list of Q&A if you have a specific question, you can go up to the toolbar on Internet Explorer, go to “Edit”, and click on “Find”. You can then type in a keyword to see if it is mentioned somewhere in this article.

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Q: I’m brand new to fishkeeping. How do I get started and what do I need to buy?

The best advice I could give anyone is to be patient and to learn as much as you can about the hobby before you even buy a tank. Whatever you do, DO NOT purchase fish the same day that you set up their home. For more detailed tips, start here.

Q: Why did my new tank suddenly turn cloudy, almost overnight?

A: It’s most likely what’s called a bacterial bloom. This usually happens when the nutrient content of your water is quite high, and the bacteria suddenly have a population explosion as a result. Don’t panick, because this in itself is not necessarily something that will hurt your fish, but it is an indication of what your water values might be. This often occurs in relatively new tanks, which are not balanced places for fish to live (see cycling links below). Check your ammonia and nitrite levels, and if you don’t have a kit yet, I strongly suggest you buy one. Suddenly cloudy water can also sometimes be caused by overstocking, overfeeding, or a relatively sudden change in the water conditions of the tank. Usually, just keeping up with regular water changes will allow the bloom to burn itself out in a few days, but perpetual cloudiness can happen in tanks which are always overstocked. Doing very large water changes (>50%) can actually be counter-productive, in that they will feed the bloom and continue the vicious cycle by introduction of more nutrients. If the cloudiness has a green tint to it, it’s very similiar, only the bloom is caused by algae. In addition to nitrogenous compounds of fish waste feeding it, organic phosphates will also contribute.

Q: I see white, wiggling worms that are tiny and look almost like “cat hairs”. What are they and will they hurt my fish?

A: If they are not attached to your fish, chances are that they are harmless free-living nematodes. Parasitic worms tend to live most of their adult life cycle in or on the fish, not swimming out in the water, and nonparasitic nematodes are common in tanks where the nutrient content is high. Read this.

Q: My fish have started gasping at the surface and/or a whole bunch of them died after I just set my tank up–what happened?

A: Please check this article on the nitrogen cycle, this article on fishless cycling, or read up on new tank syndrome here. Gasping is a sign of a gill problem, which for beginners is most often caused by ammonia poisoning in an uncycled aquarium that does not have “good” bacteria in the filter yet (it is also seen sometimes when people do too thorough a job of cleaning and washing out the filter, because they kill the bacteria that are there). Ammonia comes from fish waste, and is toxic to animals; it is degraded by bacteria, but it takes time to build up these populations. Please read the articles for more information. Red gills and gasping at the surface CAN also be caused by other agents, including gill flukes and other infections, but these are more uncommon.

Q: Why are my fish scratching against objects?

A: Scratching (also called “shimmying”) is caused by skin irritation. One of the more common causes of skin irritation is a disease called ich. When it is well-progressed, you will see the characteristic ’salt grain’ white spots on the skin, but in the earlier stages, you may not see this. If you suspect ich, read my BellaOnline article on the disease. Irritation can also be caused by a number of other things, including other skin parasites (velvet, fish lice, anchor worm, etc), or even an irritant toxin in the water, but these are not as common (for more on various diseases, including photos, check here). A special note on this issue–skin diseases, especially ich (and the secondary bacterial infections that it predisposes the weakened fish to), LOVE to attack stressed fish (stress = a poor immune response). In addition to curing the direct source of the disease with medication, try and look for indirect causes of stress, including sudden temperature changes, sudden pH changes, recent addition of unquarantined fish to an uncycled tank, a recent ammonia spike, aggressive attacks by a “bully” fish, etc.

Q: My fish is swollen and its scales are sticking out like a pinecone–what is this?

A: For pictures of diseases, check my disease photo database. Look at the picture of dropsy, is this what you have? This is caused by fluid accumulating in the body cavity, a very bad sign of a tough internal infection. Sometimes there is nothing you can do about this, but in rare cases, improving water quality and/or an antibiotic will help.

Q: Why does my fish clamp its fins and stay on the bottom all day long, refusing to eat?

A: This is a not-so-good general sign of disease. Unfortunately, it is one of those things that is so general, you can’t diagnose it right away just based on this, without more specific signs.

Q: My fish has white/grey, stringy feces (poop), is this ok?

A: This is most likely due to some sort of internal infection of the gastrointestinal tract (commonly bacterial, sometimes parasitic). It’s almost the equivilent of diarrhea. In many cases, it resolves on its own (just like it can in people) without medication… if it is eating and still swimming normally, I would just do water changes and leave it alone. If it comes with other signs like not eating and hiding all the time, consider quarantine and treatment with antibiotics.

Q: My fish is having trouble swimming upright, and frequently floats on its side and/or “twirls” in midwater, not able to get its balance–what’s going on?

A: This is due to either trauma or infection of the swim bladder. An ominous sign in a new fish (more often the result of trauma for newly added fish, due to trauma in transit), these are fish you may not be able to save. However, if you’ve had the fish for some time and it starts to do this, you may try antibiotics and a water change; if caused by infection, it is possible to cure. In fancy goldfish and “squat-bodied” fish, this is caused by a related but different entity commonly referred to as “swim bladder disease”–it may be due to infection, but may also be due to intestinal blockage/air trapping/constipation. Not feeding for a few days, and careful low-concentration treatment with epsom salt in the water may help; in the future, presoaked foods and feeding high fiber plant-based foods may help prevent reoccurence.

Q: I thought my water was the wrong pH, and I added pH up (or down) solution to it and tried to adjust it. But it never stays that way for long, and now my fish are looking sick. What happened?

A: If you are a beginner, I’d advise you NOT to try and adjust your pH, especially not this way. pH up/down solutions are pure acids and bases, and often won’t work, depending on your KH (buffering capacity or carbonate hardness). If your KH is high, then you are performing a very futile experiment (much like an acid/base titration, only with living creatures in the solution that don’t react well to it) and if it is low, your pH will swing rapidly. It’s the pH “bounce” that can stress and hurt fish, not really being kept steadily at the same pH. Many fish are amazingly adaptable if given time, but if their bodies are asked to do it quickly, they will either be stressed or go into rapid and life-threatening pH shock. I advise beginners not to mess with pH adjustment, and to try and match their FISH to the WATER (in other words, find out your pH first, and then buy fish that do well in that range), not vice versa. Also, there is no such thing as “perfect” pH, since different fish have different ranges of preference, and some are quite broad. 7.0 only means entirely neutral water, but this is not even necessarily the preference of many species, which may have ranges that center below or above neutral water, but cover a broad spectrum of tolerance. Trying to adjust pH can be necessary for the advanced breeder or keeper of hard-care species, but this should only be done by the experienced, and then with great care to watch all water parameters.

Q: I’m very confused, some people say that I should add salt to my FW tank, and some people say not to do it. Who is right?

A: This is a controversial subject with fishkeepers. I discuss pros, cons, and contraindications in my article, linked below:

To Salt or Not to Salt?

Q: Is it safe to put shells, (dead) coral, or rocks I found laying around in the tank?

A: With many freshwater tanks, the general answer is that it is not a good idea. Shells are composed of calcium carbonate, which will dissolve in soft to neutral water (the type of water many of our fish live in). It will gradually harden the water, as the ions go into solution. Many soft water fish (such as neon tetras), will not react well to this. Shells and corals are safe to use in a hard water or marine setting, however, because the buffering capacity (KH) of the water is already quite high, and they won’t dissolve at the same rate; when they do, the ions contributed are ones that the fish prefer in the water anyway. Similarly, some rocks also contain substances that will gradually dissolve in the tank–limestone, for example, is also largely calcium carbonate. Some other rocks may contain impurities that also hurt your fish if you don’t know their composition. The rule of thumb is to be safe rather than sorry, and buy only known aquarium-safe decorations; sometimes, collected rocks and materials can be boiled or put to the ‘vinegar test’ (if it fizzes with a little vinegar drop, it is not safe)–but this does not always work, because there are some things that dissolve very slowly and will gradually change your water chemistry over long periods of time.

Q: Why is the new driftwood I added turning my water brown?

Driftwoods can come from many sources, and some contain more organic material than others. The ones which still have organic material will still do some minor decomposition in the tank, and will gradually “leak” out tannic acid, the compound that turns water a brownish tea color. This generally won’t hurt fish, and some soft water fish actually prefer the tannins, because it softens the water and simulates the natural environment of the Amazon River. However, excessive tannins are not always preferable, so boiling the wood in a pot of water until it runs clear (this may take many hours) before adding it to the tank may be a good idea for some of the more organic woods. Also, new carbon in the filter and frequent water changes will help keep the color clear.

Q: What is causing all this brownish-green film on the sides of the tank, the gravel, and the decorations/how do I get rid of algae?

A: Most likely, you are seeing diatoms, or brown algae. Algae problems most frequently occur where there are high nutrients–particularly nitrates and phosphates. The solution for diatom and most single-celled algae problems involve just more frequent water changes and decreased feeding. Also, there are products that will bind the nutrient compounds, such as phosphate sponges and Purigen bio-beads, which can be added to the filter. Reduced lighting may help in some cases, though not nearly as much as water changes (brown algaes can actually thrive in low-light conditions). Some of the multicellular hair and brush algaes are far more tenaceous and must be removed by hand or by vigorous pruning of plants. I do not recommend algacides for the tank, because though they will clear up algae problems, they frequently interfere with biofiltration and may risk causing a tank crash. Some bottom feeding fish will help some algae problems, but not all, and you should note that some “algae eaters” may not be appropriate for some tanks (plecos and clown loaches both grow close to or more than a foot long and need huge tanks!); these fish also do not eat all types of algae, need supplemental feedings to stay healthy, and may not do as good a job of algae control as you might expect.

Q: How do I clean off the white chalky deposits on the top of the tank without hurting my fish?

A: Obviously, never ever use soaps or toxic detergents (including undiluted bleach) in the fishtank. A good alternative for removing the white deposits (caused by alkaline calcium deposits, usually from tap water) is to try a a little white or apple cider vinegar. You can also try scrubbing the more stubborn spots with rock salt and an unused (soap-free) brillo pad.

Q: Why are my plants dying?

A: The most common cause of plant death in beginners’ tanks is inappropriate lighting. This is much more common than inadequate fertilization, since fish wastes are in some cases enough to supply nutrients to the roots; lighting is an important limiting factor before fertilization and CO2 considerations. Most aquarium plants, contrary to myth, will not grow well under standard “cool” fluorescent lights that come with many hoods. Please read my article on planted aquariums for more details on lighting:

An Underwater Planted Paradise

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At any rate, these are just a few of the problems that arise a lot with beginners. What do they all have in common? Almost all can be preventable if you stick to rules of cycling the tank beforehand, doing regular water changes (yes, when in doubt, a water change never hurts!), not overcrowding, not overfeeding, doing research on species-specific care (therefore minimizing stress), and quarantining new fish. Yes, sometimes fish DO just get sick, but hopefully we can prevent this from happening on a regular basis. Good luck!

When I first started out in this hobby, I dreamed of a lush, planted tank, and only ended up with a half-year struggle of pale, dying leaves, finally surrendering to the ease of plastic plants. I never liked them, and kept trying, and only recently have I managed to achieve that beautiful underwater jungle.

A winning photo in Tamura’s On-Line Planted Tank Contest, showing how color contrasts can really be brought out with thoughtful aquascaping.
If this is what you are trying for too, then be prepared to spend a little more money and time than just with a fish-only tank, but in the end it is definately all worth it. Plants are living creatures with their own requirements; they won’t just flourish without any attention. Sometimes these requirements are in accord with those of their finned neighbors (both benefit from frequent water changes and often have similar pH/temperature requirements) but sometimes they are at odds with one another (most plants prefer less water agitation and aeration, which can deplete CO2, whereas fish can only benefit from more aeration, especially in an overcrowded tank; addition of peat moss as a source of fertilizer can be a source of bacterial and fungal disease organisms for fish; also, medications that cure fish diseases can be deadly for most plants). Thus, the key word to remember with planted aquaria is *balance*.

My largest discus stands out regally in this planted tank, with a red rubin swordplant as the centerpiece, and a red dwarf lily on the side.
Unlike fish, however, I have found that it is best to add a lot of plants all at once (hardier species first to condition the tank for plant growth) instead of a little at a time12. Adding just one or two difficult plants at first can let algae get a foothold in the aquarium, which in turn makes it harder for the plants to do well. The addition of many “easy care” plants (such as Wisteria, Anarchis, Vallisneria, Hornwort and Parrot’s Feather) at once depletes most of the nutrients from the water and can prevent algae growth before it starts; also, they make the environment less harsh for more demanding plants. From my experience, I’ve distilled the secret to a successful planted tank down to three important elements:

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Good Lighting

There is just no getting around it; lighting is absolutely key in getting plants to grow well. Those fluorescent lights that come default with the pet shop tank covers and hoods may look bright to the human eye but they are really the cheapest kind of “cool” lighting available and will NOT do your plants any good. With lighting, both wattage and spectrum are important. Most aquatic plants need 2 watts per one gallon of water (more in “deep” tanks and for demanding plants). Most “average hoods” do not even come close to providing this bare minimum for low light plants.

Plants need either a daylight spectrum bulb or one that targets the blue/red range. I have had success with Triton® and Coralife® 50/50™ bulbs, but they can be pretty expensive, and cost-to-value, generic brands are more worthwhile (although the newer Triton bulbs last longer than regular bulbs without decreasing light output by much). I would say that the best way to go is to first of all ask for a DOUBLE light strip hood (these often don’t come automatically with the prearranged setups sold at most pet stores) and put in one daylight and one actinic blue or partial actinic mix bulb in; my 54 gallon corner tank is doing amazingly well with this arrangement and the plants are just growing out of control, requiring frequent pruning. Some actinic bulbs give off more of a unnatural-looking bluish aura than others, so this may not be the best idea for everyone.

If money is not an object, metal halide lamps are ideal, but these often produce large amounts of heat and run upwards of several hundred dollars each (whereas daylight fluorescent bulbs are only a few dollars at the hardware store).

Another great solution I have found is power compact fluorescent lights (shown in the above picture). These work WONDERFULLY for planted tanks, because they run cool but give off great intensity, even for the same wattage. If you cannot find PC lights in your region, try eBay, sometimes you can find one for almost the same price as a NO (normal output) fluorescent, which won’t grow plants nearly as well. Usually, however, expect to pay around 2-4X’s the price of a NO light, but this is just the price we pay for good plant growth.

An eBay search for “power compact” in Home & Garden > Pet Supplies > Fish

I do not recommend incandescent light hoods. They tend to overheat the water and encourage algal growth a lot more than all fluorescents.

Lastly, keep in mind that all fluorescent bulbs lose 50 percent of their luminosity every 6 months, so replacing them twice a year is necessary to keep your plants at their best.

I cannot emphasize enough how important the correct lights are, even to low-light plants such as java moss and java ferns!

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Fertilization

Just like land plants, aquatic plants need replenishment of nutrients and minerals that are depleted. Aquarium plants can get some of this from fish waste, but it is a myth that this alone will be enough for most plants. There are many commercially available liquid fertilizers that are excellent (Seachem®’s Flourish™ works great for me; Tetra®’s FloraPride™ is another good brand to try); most are a mix of potash and chelated iron (one of the most important minerals for plant growth). Just make sure that they are especially for aquarium fertization and safe for fish, not general yard-type fertilizer which may contain pesticides, chlorine, or excessive phosphates (phosphates encourage algal growth). I would also recommend using them in conjunction with solid tablet-form fertilizers, which promotes healthy root growth and keep the nutrients locked up and inaccessable to algae. The ones I have been happiest about so far are AgSafe™ Plant Spikes offered by Arizona Gardens, which in my opinion, offers the best selection of discount (*not wholesale-only*) aquatic plants and plant accessories you can find on the web.

A group of cardinal tetras and a small angel swims in front of an Anubias nana and some swordplants.
Last but not least, I would be remiss if I didn’t mention the most important plant nutrient of all: CO2. Absolutely essential for growth, it is often used up quicker than it can be regenerated in a medium-sized tank. Commercially available CO2 injectors can be quite expensive, so I highly recommend making one of the many homemade yeast fermentation contraptions seen on the internet. Try NetPet’s Do-It-Yourself Carbon Dioxide Injection Page or Wayne’s Aquarium Setup Page for detailed instructions and good how-to picture guides. For the real nitty-gritty on carbon dioxide and how it will affect your tank, try George Booth’s Aquarium Plants and DIY CO2 FAQ if you want to get more complicated. Homemade injectors are very useful and relatively easy-to-create little projects, but they must be observed carefully when starting them up (sometimes they generate negative pressure in the initial stages, which can end up siphoning water out of the tank continuously if you do not watch it in the first few hours).

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Substrate

Most sources recommend gravel in a 2-3mm size range. Fine sand packs too tightly to allow for good root growth and can form anoxic bubbles where the roots are, and overly course gravel collects too much rotting debris.

It is not essential that you use a special gravel other than the quartz gravel that is sold in most pet stores, however, if you use ordinary gravel, you should use tablet fertilizer regularly. I have gotten *excellent* results from using fluorite (fractured clay gravel), which itself becomes a slow-releasing source of iron. Other sites advocate more complex substrate layering, which I find impractical personally and not necessary for the average planted tank; however, if you want to explore this avenue, you may want to read Jim Kelly’s How to Grow Beautiful Aquarium Plants on a Student Budget (which also, incidentally, is an excellent FAQ that includes tons of other information on cheap lighting and fertilization solutions).

Do NOT use ordinary potting soil (the kind used for land plants), this has far too high an organic content and will rot in the tank. It can also introduce diseases and poisons that will kill your fish.

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Lastly, be sure especially to check out Marcos Avila’s Interactive Underwater Garden at The Age of Aquariums for plant species profiles, with pictures and feedback from aquatic gardeners who have kept each type, it’s a great place to choose which species you would like to grow. To the right of this article are 3 additional aquatic plant sites that you may find useful, and you can check the links from my main page for more under the category “Planted Aquaria”. Happy gardening!

In Choosing a Filter Part I, I explained the basic function of a filter and how it works to reduce waste products in the tank. There are a number of types of filters that do this basic function many different ways, which I will now explore.

Choosing a filter is really a matter of personal preference. Each filter has it’s pluses and minuses, and different people will like different ones for different reasons. I’ll break down what I think the strengths and weaknesses of basic filter types are (mainly depends on your tank size and what you want to keep in it), but this is often a matter of opinion:

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Undergravel Filter (UGF)
A very low maintenance means of relatively natural filtration. The idea is to provide indirect water flow through the plates, as water displaces the air bubbles pumped in through the sides. The filter plates provide a large surface area which is kept oxygenated by constant flow, harboring large numbers of beneficial aerobic bacteria in the substrate itself. This is great in theory for slightly understocked tanks, and in my opinion, they are excellent for these purposes… however, in practice, many people keep either borderline or overstocked tanks. Since the UGF provides NO mechanical filtration (only biological), it should not be used alone for well-stocked tanks.

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Sponge Filter/Corner Filter
These are filters, which again, only work by water displacement (air powered), not by a direct water pump, and so they too have no mechanical filtration capabilities, they only provide a large, aerated surface area for bacteria to grow and thrive. Best used as supplemental filters or a filter for a fry tank (since there is no danger of sucking up baby fish).

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Hang-On-the-Back (HOB) Power Filters (i.e. Whisper, Penguin, etc.)
These are often the classic filters that most people think of, and come in a variety of shapes and sizes. They mostly work with a magnetic impeller which turns like a fan and pumps water through floss-covered filter plates, which can also contain carbon and other substrates (giving them both biological and mechanical filtration capabilities). Some will also have a Bio-Wheel, an innovative and relatively new invention which allows for a separate area where “good” bacteria can grow, without having their entire populations dessimated every time the filter cartridge is changed. The advantages of the HOB power filters are mostly that the cartridges can be changed very easily for regular maintenance. Also, they come in a range of sizes to match different tanks, and are usually relatively inexpensive. Drawbacks include that they sometimes become clogged if regular maintenance and cleanings are not performed. I would recommend them mostly for small to medium sized (5-50 gallon) tanks.

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Canister Filter (i.e. Eheim, Fluval, etc.)
These filters are larger and a little more imposing to use. They are more expensive, but the advantages are that they can pump a large volume of water per minute, and so have both massive biological and mechanical filtration capabilities. They can also be used with a large assortment of media, most of which are highly porous (providing surface area for bacteria to grow). They don’t need to be maintained as often as the HOB filter, but it’s a trade-off, because when they do need to be cleaned out and have their media changed, it can be a project to work with the tubes and valves. Due to their high flow rates, they are not for smaller tanks, but will work very well in large tanks 40 gallons and up.

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Once you have decided on a filter, you can then move on to Other Accessories.

Fish live in a semi-closed environment. A fish needs to breathe oxygen from the water it lives in. If that water is not kept clean and aerated, the fish will experience a great deal of stress, and stress, in turn suppresses the immune system and makes them more vulnerable to disease and premature death. They are unique pets because they live in an aqueous environment, so if they don’t get fresh water, it’s like they are living and breathing in the water from their own toilets.

In Nature, most of the fish we have as pets now came from fast-flowing river environments where there is a constant influx of fresh water from mountain resources to wash away wastes and toxic compounds that can accumulate. They unfortunately don’t have this advantage in the tank, but a filter is a piece of equipment that can help keep a tank system stay balanced and keep toxic wastes at a minimum.

How does it do this? Most filters work mainly by mechanical and biological means. Mechanically, filters have media like floss to sieve out macroscopic waste products that we can see, trapping particles of dirt, detritus, fish poop, uneaten food, etc.

However, surprise! This is not the major function of a filter at all. It’s not these macroscopic particles that really hurt fish; it’s more frequently the chemicals in the water that we can’t see that hurt them the most. It’s these things that can cross gill membranes and interfere with their respiration and day-to-day function.

Here is where the biological function of the filter comes in. Waste products decay into ammonia, and ammonia is a highly toxic substance to fish; it can in fact kill them relatively quickly, or cause them to go into shock (panting, hyperventilating, swimming erratically, laying in the sand, etc.). A established filter that has been running for a long time will have a good population of beneficial bacteria that denitrify ammonia. The process goes from the most toxic forms to the least toxic forms:

Ammonia ==> Nitrite ==> Nitrate (==>Free Nitrogen, rarely in FW tanks, but can happen in a SW reef tank)

Biological filters work by:
1)Providing a ton of surface area for these bacteria to grow
2)Providing constant current, so that the aerobic bacteria get the high oxygen they need

Only an established tank will have bacteria that can convert these toxic compounds. This is the reason why you should cycle your tank before you even get fish with pure ammonia, by the fishless cycling methods linked on the right. This takes patience, but will result in a lot less death and “new tank syndrome” when you do get your first fish, and they will stress and suffer far less.

It does also help to use old filter floss from another established tank in a new filter, as this can help “kick start” the cycling process. If you do not run more than one tank, you can ask a friend with a healthy tank, or an LFS (local fish store) with a healthy tank (don’t go for their sale tanks, use only material from their show tanks which is disease-free) to donate some used filter media. Alternatively, a cup of gravel from an older tank will also help the cycle.

Whatever you do, do NOT stock your tank almost overnight full of a full load of fish, and just expect them to do fine. This will almost certainly result in overwhelming the filter’s capacity, because not enough bacteria have had a chance to build there yet to support the life you want to keep in the tank. This will usually result in instant death for a large number of fish at once from ammonia poisoning.

In the end, please note that FILTERS ARE NOT REPLACEMENTS FOR WATER CHANGES. As you can see in the above graph, ammonia and nitrites are reduced, but nitrates continue to rise, and though these are the least harmful of the nitrogenous waste products, high quantities of it are still a stressor. I recommend water changes of 20-30% every 2 weeks or so, even if you have a filter that is running well. As stated above, it’s the things that you can’t see that are sometimes the most harmful to fish, and a regular water change schedule, along with monitoring ammonia and nitrate levels with a kit, will help insure the long term health of your pets.

The next article in this series, Choosing a Filter Part II, will explain the pros and cons of various filter types.

Of all the under one gallon betta tanks, this one is my favorite. While a 1.5 to 2.5 makes a better overall betta habitat for most people, a smaller tank works well for betta parents who prefer massive, frequent water changes.

The tank comes with a plastic plant and gravel, has an easy flip-top and built-in carry handle (nothing to snap off), and has a large bowed front viewing area. Since the tank has a long axis, it’s easier to see and vaccuum out the inevitable bottom cruds. Also, your betta can watch you more clearly through the viewscreen, making his life more enjoyable.

The plastic plant that comes with the tank could possibly shred a male betta’s fins, although it’s not as sharp a plant as some I’ve seen. If your male has a very intricate tail, or you are worried about fin rot, then remove the plant and go for a live or silk one instead.

Overall, this is a nice small habitat suitable for a conscientious betta owner. I prefer it all other one gallon mini-tanks. This would also make a nice holding pen to place small fish in temporarily while you clean out the main tank, or as a transportation device. It’s a little small for a quarantine or hospital tank for community fish, but might do in a pich, if you add a bubbler and some kind of heat source.

These little bloodworm treats are fun to keep around to supplement the diet of your fishy pets. The Top Fin Freeze-Dried Bloodworms are a good source of protein (50%) and fiber (15%), and it’s important to keep a few treats on hand to make sure your fish get a variety of nutrients and trace minerals.

I like that they come in a little plastic can that is easy to open and also keeps the bloodworms from getting crunched. It’s important with the bloodworms to keep them as intact and long as possible, so you can wiggle them for your fish.

Why wiggle? Sometimes fish don’t recognize these dried little fuzzy lumps as food. With certain pets, like bettas, I have to wiggle the larger clumps of the freeze-dired bloodworms before the fish show any interest. Bloodworms in the wild are insect larvae - yum! Some fish go right for them: my kilifish and South American cichlids, in particular, really like them.

If you use the treat consistently, your fish will quickly learn these are nice treats and will love to eat them. It’s a good idea to keep offering treats to your fish, even if they don’t really like them at first.

Remember to remove any uneaten clumps of bloodworm after a few minutes, so they don’t eventually sink to the bottom of the tank and start rotting. You can use a turkey baster to suck those right up if the clump has scattered too far to grab by pinching them out.

Fish Food and Treat Basics

You can order Bloodworms from Amazon here:

This product promotes itself as a fast cure for ich and other parasites, and from my experience it is a very effective treatment. I can’t vouch for its claim to cure ich in two days in all cases, but it is a rather fast-working product. I like that this product is not as harsh a treatment as the wide-spectrum antibiotic preparations that people too often use for fish diseases. While it seems natural to reach for strong microbials when your fish are sick, it can stress out your fish even more, making things worse. QuICK Cure cures ich without resorting to antibiotics.

As with all ich treatment regimes, this works better if you raise the aquarium temperatures and keep the hood lights off. That will help speed along the ich parasite’s life cycle and keeps your fish in a quiet healing state.

Other caveats - you have to remove the carbon from your aquarium filters before adding the treatment drops, or it won’t work at all.

You will need to use the smaller recommended dose with tetras. Thin-skinned fishes, like the catfishes, botias and loaches must actually be removed, since the malachite green in the medication is too readily absorbed and is toxic to them.

QuICK Cure comes in a small dropper squeezy container. A 4 oz bottle treats thousands of gallons, which is a lot of ich. In other words, this one product should last your lifetime! Remember not to over-treat; use only the amount recommended per gallon. This product will turn your water blue and will dye anything else it touches. Be careful not to let this stuff touch you too much, since formalin is a cancer-causing agent.

If you have a big ich infestation, I recommend using this medication. Make sure to use it correctly, of course! For a small ich outbreak, you might want to just try high temps, no lights and massive water changes first.

I pretty much rely on Hikari’s Bio-Gold betta pellets as a staple food for my betta pets. While I do vary their diet with treats, I like a basic, healthy pellet food to base their diet upon. The pellets are imported from Japan, where bettas have been bred for centuries.

Bettas are very finicky and can take up to a week to recognize a new food. So it is comforting to them to keep their basic food the same over time, and to use a food formulated specifically for bettas. This product’s first ingredients are fish meal, wheat flour, milt meal, Antartic krill meal, gluten meal, clam meal and cuttlefish oil. Only 38% protein, but still plenty for my little carnivore. Vitamins A, D, E, K, B (a complex of them) and C are listed, as well as a slew of minerals. I would call this a premium fish food.

The Bio-Gold betta pellets float for a long time, giving them time to find and “capture” each pellet. The floating feature also prevents extra food from falling into the gravel (where they need to be cleaned, lest they start rotting and fouling the water). I really do prefer a floating pellet like this for bettas.

The 20 gram package (0.7 oz) has the “Easy-Feed Spout,” which is a better feeding mechanism thatn the smaller package with the plastic cut-out on the front. For one thing, this package can be opened and closed, preventing spills and waste. The food stays mold-free, since the spout closes. And a feature that’s really great about this package: you can put extra pellets back in the bag, after pouring some out into your hand.

That’s a big money saver, since you won’t have wasted food sitting in the palm of your hand after feedings. With the other Bio-Gold package, and most other betta pellet products, it is very difficult to put excess food back in the container. Keeping in mind that each betta only needs about 3 pellets, it’s easy to over-pour with almost all betta food products.

The package on the back shows how to open the package and how to pour the food into the tank. I would make sure you only pour the pellets into your hand, or into a dish first. You do NOT want to accidently pour too much betta food in his tank. Overfed bettas often end up with intestinal problems and, frequently, death is a result from the subsequent swim bladder infections.

Hikari touts this product as a color-enhancing formula. I myself have not noticed that any one food enhances betta coloration, but since this is a complete food formulated with bettas in mind, I will give them the benefit of the doubt. The best way to promote betta color is to give them proper requirements overall - the right temperatures, clean water, stable conditions and a great diet. So the pellets can certainly be a part of that.
Here is your link for the 20g package at Amazon: