Cats, Dogs & All Pets

Currently, T5 lights are the most popular form of lighting a reef aquarium. Years ago, aquarists struggled to keep corals because the light was not intense enough. These new T5 bulbs are more intense than traditional bulbs and use significantly less power. The fixtures are extremely sleek and fit inside more aquarium canopies. Each bulb should last for about one year before it needs to be replaced.

When comparing T5 to VHO there are several advantages. The biggest difference is the amount of power each bulb uses. The VHO bulb uses 110 watts of power and the T5 bulb uses 54 watts of power to light a 48 inch lamp. Yet, the T5 bulb puts out significantly more intense light. VHO also requires a larger electronic ballast that can be difficult to mount in tight places. T5 bulbs are also significantly smaller in diameter which saves space.

There are also a wide range of T5 bulbs available. Popular brands are ATI, Giesemann, UVL and Ice Cap. These manufactures make bulbs with varying colors ranging from 6,500K, which is a yellow to a 10,000K crisp white to a 420nm actinic. You can mix and match between brands and colors to create the ideal light color for your aquarium. Most fixtures come with bulbs and may offer two switches to control both daylight and actinic bulbs to create a dawn/dust effect. The stock lighting arrangement is usually a one to one ratio of daylight to blue bulbs. Some people are just fine with this combination, but you may prefer to replace one of the white bulbs with another actinic bulb. Fixtures and replacement bulbs are readily available for tanks 24 inches to 72 inches long. Standard bulb wattages are 24 watts, 39 watts, 54 watts and 80 watts.

When you are ready to buy a T5 light, start by searching online. This form of lighting will allow you to keep almost any variety of coral. Most tanks require four to six bulbs for the best effect. I prefer to use three actinic bulbs for every daylight bulb, but most stock fixtures come with one actinic bulb for every one daylight bulb. Another reason to use T5 lighting is it will help your corals grow faster. This is important if you have many coral frags.

If you plan to hang the T5 fixture, make sure to order a hanging kit. Most light fixtures come with mounting legs that fit on the aquarium trim. If you do hang your light, make sure that it is firmly mounted. That way it will never accidentally fall into your aquarium. Some hobbyists put it on adjustable pulleys or chains.

Visit our website to learn more about T5 Lighting and Saltwater Aquarium Lights

If you are looking to start a freshwater aquarium, then you are probably trying to decide what supplies you need. Some of the starter kits include fluorescent lighting, but some others include incandescent. The truth is that the fish really do not care. Fluorescent light bulbs will last much longer than incandescent bulbs. They will also put off less heat, but are more expensive to replace. Incandescent bulbs will usually last six months if kept on a timer for ten hours or less per day. They usually cost about $3 per bulb; where as the average normal output fluorescent bulb costs about $15. There are other fancy colored bulbs like green and blue available, but you should get a white bulb as the other colors might promote more algae growth.

For those with planted fish tanks, you may be considering power compact or T5 lighting. I’m going to make this easy for you, buy a T5 aquarium light. Here is why. Power compact lighting is older technology. Power Compact bulbs typically need to be replaced every 6 months because they rapidly lose their intensity.

A standard 55 gallon aquarium would have four 65 watt bulbs, or a total of 260 watts. Each bulb costs about $25 online or $50 retail, so your total operation cost for the year is $200-$400 depending on where you buy your bulbs. A T5 light for the same 55 gallon aquarium will also have four 54 watt bulbs.

The biggest advantage is each bulb only needs to be replaced once per year. You will probably find that a T5 fixture costs a little bit more to buy, but in the long run you will save a lot of money on bulb replacement costs. Many people simply compare watts and think power compact is more intense, but that is not the case.

Therefore, a T5 fixture is more efficient because it produces more light and uses less power. You may have heard a rule about watts per gallon, this is an old standard used in the 1980s and 1990′s. Freshwater T5 fixtures cost and power compact fixtures cost the same amount of money to buy, but T5 bulbs only need be replaced one per year. Each bulbs costs about $25 online, so bulb replacement costs for the year are about $100. When selecting a bulb for a planted tank you may opt for a 6500k rating bulb. This k or kelvin rating is the bulb color; in this case it is yellow. You will find that plants grow faster under these lighting conditions, but if you are less concerned about growth you may select a 10000K bulb, which is whiter and more desirable to the eye.

Read our review on the popular online fish store Marine Depot and be sure to discover more about the Coralife Aqualight

If you’re looking into breeding your own tropical fish, there are a few tips you should keep in mind before diving into this opportunity. First of all you must determine what type of tropical fish you would like to breed.

There are plenty of types to choose from, so don’t be in a hurry to decide until you have done some research. If this your first time breeding fish, choosing a live bearing fish would probably be a good choice. This type of fish doesn’t lay eggs, but rather gives birth to live young.

It’s definitely a better choice for a beginner. If you go with the live bearing fish, be sure to breed them in a separate tank so that other fish don’t make a meal out of them. The mother can be transferred back into the main tank after she has given birth.

Research the particular type of fish you want to breed. Since every type of fish requires different care, it is best to find out as much as you can before you even start.

One of the most important things you’ll need to know is the optimal temperature of the water for your breed. The right temperature is essential for the safety and well being of the fish you’re breeding. Tank size is another important factor.

You may not a huge tank to breed them in, but it will need to be large enough to provide them plenty of room as they grow. They’ll need to be in this tank for awhile until they’re old enough to be moved to the main tank with the other fish.

Placement of your tanks is another important factor to keep in mind. Placing the tank in the wrong place is the biggest mistake of new breeders. Keep your tank away from sunlit areas.

Sunlight promotes the growth of algae. The other thing you want to avoid is for the water temperature to get too warm.

There should be plenty of foliage for the fish to hide in. You want to simulate their natural environment as much as possible, so use the foliage recommended for the type of fish you’re breeding.

Also, limit the amount of time you have the aquarium lights on. 8-12 hours each day is the maximum amount of time they should be on. Make sure the type of foliage you selected tolerates the lighting.

If your fish aren’t going to someone else, when they get older you might be in need of more tanks. If that isn’t possible, then at least keep the males and females separate, because your fish population will grow to become more than you can handle.

Breeding tropical fish is fairly simple, as long as you know your facts before you start. Connect with a few expert breeders for support and tips, and read all the material you can lay your hands on, and in a very short time, you will be able to call yourself an expert breeder as well.

Scentsy are hand crafted, safe, smokeless, wickless candle products that produces no fire or soot and contains no lead or soy. Work directly with our award winning Scentsy Consultant team – a top performer in the company!

So you got your fishes and a spanking new aquarium, the next thing to do is how to keep the fishes alive. You may have to study a little about finding the best food and vitamins and to find the right type of nutrition for your pet fishes. You can find different types of fish food made in assortment and they can be grouped into three categories namely dry, frozen, and freeze dried.

(A) Dry Foods
Dry food can be purchased in different mix and active ingredients and is available in numerous forms such as flake, pellets & sticks and wafers. Flake foods are manufactured by rolling the ingredient mixture into a thin sheet and drying it to form a thin sheet. It is subsequently broken into little bits or flakes which can be fed to fish. These flakes are made from active ingredients such as eggs, brine shrimp or earthworms and are fortified with vitamins and minerals. Flakes are made to float, sink slowly, and quickly and therefore provide the fishes to have the same chance to get their meal. Flake foods are very sought after with aquarists and are appropriate for small fishes that are less than 4 inches (10 cm) so that it is able to sustain properly and deliver a good vitamin rich meal for them. Fish food can also be made into pallets and sticks. Pallets are available in a range of sizes from tiny bits to hearty lumps. Tiny bits are small adequate for the newly hatched fry and the hearty lumps are ideal treats for the biggest specimens. Wafers are produced from ingredients that are cast into disks which will submerge to the bottom when dropped into the tank. They are best the food for herbivorous catfish, which feed primarily on the bottom.

(B) Frozen Foods
These are generally food organisms frozen to preserve the nutrients and are a good replacement for live foods. Some examples of frozen food are frozen brine shrimp, water fleas and bloodworms. There are many assortments of frozen foods available in the market today which include combining the food organisms and different blends of all sorts of fish foods. They are well accepted by aquarium fishes and are nutritious treats for your pets.

(C) Frozen Foods
They are food organisms frozen to retain the nutrients and are a good substitute for live foods. Some examples of frozen food are frozen brine shrimp, water fleas and bloodworms. There are many assortments of frozen foods available in the market today which include combining the food organisms and different blends of all sorts of fish foods. They are well received by aquarium fishes and are nutritious treats for your pets.

(D)Others
There are other types of fish food such as “homemade” and live foods. Homemade are made by putting different ingredients in a blender with a binding agent like gelatine and freezing the resultant paste or gelled food. Live foods such as white worms, baby brine shrimp, daphnia and microworms can be obtained from a few dedicated aquarium stores and they have huge appeal to most fishes but they are generally not commercially available in the market nowadays.

Want to find out more about fish food, then visit Jerry Takashi’s site on how to choose the best food for fishes.

Tropical fish can be a lot of fun to own. You want them to live as long as possible, but sometimes they can be threatened by preventable ailments. Here are some common health issues tropical fish can face and how to eliminate them so your fish will thrive in your care.

Nitrate, ammonia and carbon dioxide poisoning – Too much waste gathered in the tank can raise the PH level of the water and can cause bacterial harm to some tropical fish. Be sure to keep their tanks clean, keep proper aeration going and check the water’s PH level if the fish require a certain amount. Never neglect proper tank maintenance. Using the right filters is also important, so you should make sure they are the right type for your tank.

Gas Bubble You will see gas bubbles if the water in the tank is too cold, or if the water quality is not optimal. Blisters appear on the fish in response to a change in gas pressure in the tank. If this occurs, keep aeration going at a higher speed and keep the aquarium light off to minimize stress to the fish.

Ichthyophtirius or Ick – This is characterized by tiny white dots that look like grains of salt on the body and fin areas. It is caused by a parasite and it can be cured only if caught in the early stages. Malachite Green is what most people use to treat infected fish. Although it’s considered to be toxic to most invertebrates, it is considered to be safe for tropical fish.

Hemorrhagic bacterial infection – This is a bacterial ailment seen in goldfish. It’s characterized by blood-red streaks found on the fins closest to the body. Aside from the streaks there is no sign of other skin damage. This condition is easily cured with an antibiotic treatment such as tetracycline. A professional can tell you what type of antibiotic treatment you should use.

Velvet infection. Also parasitic in nature, this infection starts in open wounds and spreads to the gills. It looks like yellow-brown or gray dust along the dorsal fins. It can cause the fish to pant and also it will appear that the fish is trying to scratch the affected areas. You can easily alleviate this problem with commercial medications.

A kidney infection known as Dropsy – This is another bacterial ailment that affects the kidneys. It will cause the fish to bloat and the fins to stand out. If caught early on, this infection is easily reversible and further kidney damage is prevented.

These and many other issues can affect the life of your tropical fish. It’s important to take good care of the fish from the beginning to help minimize their chances of contracting any of these types of ailments.

No matter how well you take care of your fish, sometimes these problems can still occur, so check your fish daily for any signs and catch the issues early on so that they can be on the road to recovery right away.

Chat rooms are great places to meet new people from all over the world. Chat rooms provide a gateway to share interests, ideas and make new friends locally, nationally and internationally.