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101 Practical Tips for Setting Up, Operating and Maintaining a Successful Reef Tank

Aquariums are vivariums that consist of one transparent side where animals or water-dwelling plants are kept. Fish keepers use aquariums to keep aquatic plants, turtles, marine mammals, amphibians, invertebrates and different species of fish.

Most of the aquariums consist of glass panels banded together by silicone along with plastic frames and connected to the lower and upper edges for decoration. A glass aquarium is considered normal in size if it has more than 1000 liters or 250 gallons. Aquariums come in different shapes like hexagonal, cuboid, and bow-front varieties. They are angled to fit in the corners. Fish bowls are usually made of either glass or plastic, spherical or several other round configurations.

Acrylic aquariums are the main rival of the usual glass aquariums. It is much lighter and stronger than glass. Acrylic-soluble cement is used to fuse acrylic together. The laminated glass can be used because it combines the advantages of acrylic and glass.

Large aquariums use stronger materials like fiberglass-reinforced plastic to withhold the weight. Reinforced concretes are used for aquariums where space and weight are not factors. The concrete should be coated with waterproof layers to avoid contamination from the concrete and to avoid water from breaking down the concrete.

An aquarium could range from small bowls which can hold less than one liter of water to immense public aquariums that can house all ecosystems like kelp forests. A larger aquarium is usually recommended to hobbyist because of their resistance to quick fluctuation of pH and temperature, making the system more stable.

Typical hobbyist aquariums often include a chiller or heater as an artificial type of lighting system as well as a filtration system that depends on the dwellers inside. There are many aquariums with a hood to protect the fish from jumping out, and also to avoid water from evaporating.

There are numerous types of aquariums like saltwater and fresh water. A saltwater aquarium is harder to maintain as compared to fresh water aquariums since the ecology of the saltwater aquarium vary and need to be taken cared of and handled with proper knowledge. However, saltwater aquariums appear more beautiful, colorful and appealing for the simple reason that they can house a greater variety of mammals and fishes, anemones, live corals, jelly fish or crustaceans.

Cleaning the tanks of saltwater is different from cleaning the tanks of freshwater due to the saltwater ecosystems that possess a delicate balance. The right temperature, chemical balance fertilizer and food supply and are all main factors in keeping tanks healthy.

Tips on cleaning saltwater aquariums:

Check the filter weekly and clean it by hand if it is already dirty. Make sure you buy high quality filters. Clean the aquarium glass weekly with a scraper to take away algae. You can also take away algae by using phosphate drops. Consider purchasing snails and hermit crabs that keep saltwater tanks clean from algae. Keep the water clean by changing it to 10 percent to 35 percent once a month with a newly replaced non-chlorinated saltwater. Do not clean the tank over twice a month otherwise you kill all the beneficial bacteria that help maintain a healthy aquarium.

Stir or siphon the gravel at the saltwater aquarium’s bottom. Move the larger rocks and clean it underneath them. Make sure to use cleaning tools safe for the acrylic tank. Buy a timer for the tank lighting system. More than 9 hours of every day light fosters excessive algae development. It is also significant to light the tank at very similar times each day.

2. Alternatively you could take the opportunity to feature pictures of the key workers in your team. A head and shoulders photo and a name plate will enable first time visitors to recognise the person they are to meet and to determine their position within the management team. This is considerably comforting when you are about to meet someone for the first time. It also helps to make the staff feel valued and a real part of the organisation.

3. If you think that you need to be a little more creative why not feature your staff in poses that display their favourite pastime. If the M.D. is a keen angler, or the Sales Manager takes part in amateur dramatics, feature them in suitable attire. This makes the person appear “human” and not an office automaton thus making them easier to relate to.

4. If customers are to be required to wait a while, or even if waiting to make a complaint, consider carefully how you can entertain them while they are waiting. You need the area to be calming and friendly so avoid aggressive colours such as bright reds or solid blacks and consider featuring pastel colours in abstract designs of a gentle nature. You may even consider some humorous cartoons or caricatures of the senior management as a way to present yourselves as people of a good humour and friendly nature. Try to be general in subject so as to appeal to everyone. For example, avoid pictures of football clubs etc even if the M.D. is a big fan. If customers are entertained and relaxed by your choice of images and you come out to meet them with a big helpful smile on your face, they will find it harder to be angry with you when you first meet.

5. Similar rules apply when decorating the general admin areas of the office. It is likely that the work is constant and repetitive so make the staff comfortable by displaying bright and positive images they can enjoy. But avoid scenes of Far Eastern Beaches and Palm Trees, you might just find them drifting off on a mental holiday.

6. In your Marketing or Sales Area try and avoid the cliché pictures of Lions stating “The Customer is King” etc. While true, such messages are tired and lack impact these days. Instead, why not feature nicely framed letters from happy customers, certificates of achievement, employee of the month awards, pictures of staff outings that were earned as rewards against results. These will make it quite clear why everyone is there and reminders of the rewards they get for effort will spur them on to win future acknowledgements.

7. Make sure your art is modern, popular and right up to date. Framed calendar prints of Monet’s Water Lillie’s in tired frames against decrepit wall paper or wood wall panelling just will not do. They give out signals of being slow, old fashioned and behind the times. If you happen to like the classics it okay to hang them, just make sure you do so in a celebratory way. Big positive prints and good frames will make much more of a statement than something old and tired.

8. As with flowers and fish tanks it may be possible to hire art for your workplace. This has the advantage of regular refreshment as the supplier visits at allocated times to change the displays. It may also just give you the chance to see what you want to keep on a more permanent basis once you have a had a chance to live with them for a while.

9. If you would rather put your money to a good cause why not sponsor a local School or Hospital to provide paintings by pupils or patients. These are fun and different and show a caring side to your business. Framed well, even the poorest of efforts can look very interesting considering the source.

10. Whatever you choose, make an effort to frame it well. Cheap tatty frames do nothing for your image or your perceived attitude to quality. A tatty attitude to your décor could suggest to a client that you have a sloppy attitude to your business or the service you will give them. The presentation you make in your place of work says a great deal about you and what you stand for.

11. Try to discourage staff from littering the walls of their work area with personal effects such as pictures of Pop Stars, bawdy calendars, humorous verses about working here being made easier by being crazy etc. If these areas are encountered by your clients they will give the impression of a loosely run ship. By all means allow staff to personalise their area to an extent, pictures of the family can remind clients that after 5pm this person returns to being human again. If possible, keep the other trends exclusively for the staff room.

12. Try not to make the work environment too sterile. Make good use of plants, preferably synthetic as these do not take the oxygen out of the air, maybe a fish tank, theses done well can look very impressive and encourage tranquillity. Good use of lighting can make an enormous difference to the atmosphere of the place as can a TV screen permanently tuned to a news channel. Again, announcing to all who visit that you are in touch with the World beyond your own doors.

13. Strongly discourage staff from holding personal conversations within earshot of waiting clients. Not only is this immensely embarrassing for the person waiting, it suggests lack of discipline and attention to the job at hand. What Molly did with her boyfriend last night should remain the exclusive interest of – Molly and her boyfriend.

14. Make sure reception staff speak well and convey elegance. Make sure they know your clients name and use it each time they address them to offer coffee or update on your availability. Only select individuals with a good spoken voice to greet clients in person or by phone or make announcements on the P.A. system. This is very important when aiming to establish the quality of your company to clients and staff alike.

15. The smart appearance of staff is essential to maintain standards. Clean shaven, well tied ties, smart haircut etc go a long way to making a great impression. In these days of increased casual attitudes it is not difficult to stand above the competition. You don’t have to go over the top but rolled up shirt sleeves still look much better than a Tee Shirt.

16. Washrooms for use by you and your clients are often over looked when it comes to setting standards. Simple things like making sure soap, tissue, toilet seats (believe it or not) are all there, along with a working extractor fan, hot water and hand dryers are the simple things that can be allowed to let slip. Cleanliness is paramount too of course. Why not go and check your facilities right now and see how much you can improve them.

17. If welcoming foreign visitors make the effort to ensure you are familiar with their customs when greeting. For example if greeting a guest from Malaysia it is customary not to shake hands (although they will as they are also aware of your culture) but to greet them by placing the palm of your right hand against your own left shoulder as you make a subtle bow towards them. It is also good manners for the majority of far eastern countries to intently study their business card for a few seconds when it is offered to you and to avoid pointing with your finger, instead gesturing direction with a gentle upturned hand.

18. When clients are leaving you after a meeting, make the effort to at least see them to the door of your building or, if appropriate, walk them to their vehicle. So many times I have been given excellent treatment by my host only to feel hurriedly ejected at the end of the meeting. Though this was never intentional, it is often the last few minutes of your meeting that you remember after leaving.

19. Go the extra mile to impress. Always send a short note or Email to thank your guest for coming and to suggest the next steps of your trading relationship. Any deal you are after is not in the bag until the contracts are concluded.

20. Constantly appraise your working environment and create a check list of points to maintain at all times. It’s easy to forget these important details but they can make all the difference to your image both within and outside the office walls.

Betta Costs And Setup As far as pets go, Bettas are fairly cheap, but you will want to make sure you have a little bit of money to provide everything your new pal needs. The supplies you need to get to properly house and care for a betta are: A 5 to 10 gallon tank (don’t get fooled into thinking he’ll thrive in a vase), drops that remove chlorine from your tap water, Betta fish pellet food, rocks for the bottom of the tank, a heater, a thermometer, a filter, and some basic decorations. Depending on what you pick out, these items should cost between $75 and $100. This includes the costs of your Bettas fish itself. One great thing about these costs though is that they are all one time so you shouldn’t have to be spending money after your initial purchase (i.e. bottle of food pellets can last years).

Feeding and Temperature: Maintaining Your Bettas Fish are a hardy bunch in general, and the Betta species tries its best, it really does… But try as they might, Bettas respond poorly to overfeeding and harsh changes in climate. It is important to dole out a Betta fish’s food in small portions, REMEMBER: their stomach is about the size of one of their eyes. For this reason I give my Betta Gilbert just two small pellets in the morning and two in the evening. As far as temperature goes, anywhere between 76 and 86 degrees Fahrenheit should be comfortable, I like to keep my tank around 82. No matter where you have the temperature, the key is to keep it constant. Take the weather into account as large swings in temperature can be stressful to Bettas. Fish like to be comfortable too.

There’s a lot more to know about the specifics of keeping a thriving Betta alive and most deadly Betta mistakes occur without the owner even knowing what’s going on. I found my path to giving Gilbert the best life possible and my “salvation” so-to-speak in Betta Care Made Easy In just a few minutes I learned a whole lot about little things I was doing that were harming my fish and the small cost of the care guide became quickly worth it.

Everything you need to know at http://BettaCareMadeEasy.info.

Originally published at Bettas Fish

While the local retailers could very well assist you regarding all the specifics involved in these types of aquariums, here are some simple tips to understand the basics of aquarium maintenance:

1. To make an ideal 55 gallon freshwater tank, one should always opt for an acrylic tank over the glass aquarium. It is because the acrylic tanks are very light in weight and are far easier to manage. The acrylic tanks also have a better visibility than the glass tank.

2. Make sure to purchase a suitable stand for your fish tank before purchasing the fish tank so that you must place it safe and accurately.

3. You would need several equipments to maintain the fish tank such as heater and thermometer to maintain & watch the temperature of the water in the fish tank.

4. A normal 55 gallon freshwater fish tank would require around 5 bags of rocks. You can also select among other substrates that you would require to line the bottom of your tank. Make sure to pick a very bright color in order to you’re your fish tank rather interesting.

5. Further, you would need a filter to fir on ton your fish tank so that water in their must be clean and safe for your fishes. The market is flooded with many types of filters so the experts always advise to research well before purchasing a filter. The type of filter you purchase sheerly depends on the type of fish tank you have.

6. Certain filters are placed beneath the substrates, that is at the bottom of your tank, and there are also those that are placed at the side of your aquarium. Filters can be very expensive it is not always necessary to buy the priciest one. Many a times the basic filters are also just apt.

7. Your aquarium would also require the right lighting. The fishes respond to light in a very positive manner, yet they need a balance of lights in & out. You can either opt to keep the lighting of the fish tank very basic, or may shift to some very technical settings. For most types of fishes, switching on the basic light for a few hours a day is great.

8. Make sure that your fish tank contains ample amount of plants. They not only beautify the fish tank but also purify the water in the tank by absorbing the chemicals & providing oxygen. The water plants break down water and ammonia. Then these plants filter the ammonia & the bad or contaminated pat of the water that is the portion that contains bacteria. Plants maintain the balance between all the chemicals in the fish tank as the fishes produce lot of ammonia. Also the fish love to hide away in the plants. There are many varieties of fresh water plants to place in your 55 gallon aquarium.

9. In case you do not want to get hassled with the live plants, you can also opt to purchase the plastic ones. Unless and until the fish try to eat the plants, the synthetic plants’ variety available out there is so impressive that your fish would never be able to figure out the difference between the real and the plastic plants.

10. Once the tank is all set to welcome your fish, you can choose from a large variety of starter fishes. In case you want to start with the hardy fishes try keeping some live bearers such as barbs, gouramis, and danios. These fishes are naturally capable enough to handle the high nitrate levels in your fish tank.

11. Before adding some new companions for these fishes, wait for a month that is 30 days, so that your earlier fish get acclimated to their tank.

12. Make sure to keep a watch over your fishes else you might never know if they are ill or at unrest. Usually such symptoms show up only after 30 days.

13. While transporting your new fish, be careful and take good guidance form the pet shop from where you purchase them and some trained people in this hobby, else, you might make the fish ill.

14. Ideally a 55 gallon fresh water aquarium is capable enough to handle around 15 to 20 small fishes, in total. Make sure that your fish tank gives them enough space to grow and play healthily.

Accidents that occur in aquarium fish ending in tragedy is usually down to the ignorance on the part of the owner in not providing adequate fish care. When planning on setting up an aquarium in your home it is important that you learn everything you need to know on how to care for your fish, especially for the different types of fish. The most commonly sold fish is the goldfish, which with your patience, requires attention with proper care and maintenance. You can get a lot of advice from your local pet store as well as books to buy so that you can read up at home, and use as a reference when you need to refresh your knowledge. You can also books from your local library.

An aquarium is the ideal habitat for a goldfish as it gives them ample room to breathe, and swim. They are much bigger than a goldfish bowl or small container which were largely used in the past. Goldfish have great demands for oxygen like many other living creatures, and they have acquire this from the surface of an aquarium. Choose an aquarium that gives sufficient space for this. To calculate the space required you need to look at the length in inches of a fish, and the depth of the tank. For each inch of a goldfish, the recommendation is about 30 square inches of surface space. You will also need to add on a few extra square inches to allow for your goldfish to grow, which it will in time. This ensures that they have plenty of oxygen to breathe.

When shopping for an aquarium, the store assistants should be able to assist you on the ideal tank for your goldfish. You will already have an idea of how many goldfish you wish to keep, so this will be a deciding factor of the size of tank required. Read up on the different variety of goldfish on the market so the store representative can provide you with the correct information and aquarium suitable. Do your research first before you purchase anything so you know what to look for straightaway. As living creatures, it is up to you as fish owners, to preserve their lives. By doing research, you will become knowledgeable and be able to decide on the ideal variety that appeals to you. You will learn about maintenance of the plants and other fish you may want to keep in your aquarium. Having a basic knowledge is a good thing so you know exactly what goes well together in a tank and how to maintain it.

Most fish apart from the odd few need high quality water. Tap water is usually fine, although it is more likely to build up pollutants. Ask your local pet store for advice before using tap water and see what they recommend. They will have local knowledge of the condition of tap water in the area, and whethe it is suitable for maintaining fish. Tap water should be run for about five minutes before you fill up the tank as this will rid it of any chemicals or dissipate them. Water can also be left overnight to rid it of more chemicals as it contains chlorine, copper, metals and all sorts of contaminating substances. By setting the water overnight, you will minimise the build up of chlorine, and the water will also reach room temperature.

Room temperature can be maintained by using humidifiers, or dehumidifiers, which can be kept near the tank. Goldfish water should be made pure and clear of chemicals at all times. So that you can maintain pure fish water, you can purchase filters, vacuums, gravel, floss and other items which all help. You will need to learn how filtration works as ammonia builds up in aquariums as well. Read and learn about biological, chemical and mechanical filters.

In addition, you want to make sure that you feed your fish according to their demands. Some fish require food every three days, while other fish may not. To maintain the water you will need to use filters, etc, to evaporate the water and remove chlorine build up, which you will also add calcium to. If you own saltwater fish it is recommended that, you add iodine salt at least 2-times each week to the tank. In addition, you want to clear the tank of photosynthetic organisms (Algae) buildup regularly.

Each week you will need to remove at least 10 percent and no more than 15% of the aquarium water. Once you remove the water refill the tank with pure water. The process will help eliminate unwarranted chemicals. If you fill your tank with tap water, make sure you seek advice from your local pet shop, since these people know if the area water is sufficient to maintained fish health. Water builds up chlorine, ammonia, copper, metal, and so on. If you have chemical buildups in your water supply you will need to buy water purification systems, or else take measures to de-chemicalize your water. Chemical, biological, and mechanical filtration systems are available that most pet stores where fish are sold. Inquire with in.

When you change the fish water, make sure you remove rubbish from the gravel by drawing off your filters, vacuums, etc. You can purchase test kits and buffers at local pet shops where fish are sold as well. The tester kits are important to have, since you will need to test the fish aquarium at least every two weeks. After you test the water, it is recommended that you wait 24-hours before changing the water. The test kits will help you spot nitrite, ammonia, chlorine, metal, copper, calcium build up, nitrate, etc, including pH water levels. Bear in mind that fish produce their own level of nitrites, which is non-toxic to fish. Nitrite is defined as nitrous acidy salts, which esters of nitrite is produced from acids. Nitrates are utilized to change organic compounds and turn them into nitrates. Nitrates help to breakdown ammonia, turning the ammonia into nitrites while nitrates will produce ammonia build up. In addition, monthly you should check for alkalinity build up. Alkalinity is the measurement of alkali, which is concentrated and measured in terms of water pH. Test kits typically are used to test alkalinity.

Fish tanks typically include filtration systems or filters, such as the chemical, biological, and mechanical filters. It is important that you replace these filters once spoiled. Check the filters every two weeks.

In addition, each month you should replace at least a quarter of the fish water to purify. It is recommended that you keep records on specific details of fish care and aquarium care. To learn more go online now.

For those who are not familiar, e-Bay is an online auction house and one of the biggest sales venues in the country today. Every day hundreds of thousands of people visit e-Bay to view what is for sale and to list their own goods. The advantage of e-Bay over more traditional sales venues is that it allows competition to drive up the price of its products so that there is literally no maximum amount of profit a product can sell for. The name of the game is for buyers to outbid each other until one buyer finally makes a bid so high that no one else is willing to try to top them or the time for bidding has passed.

Registering to sell on e-Bay is simple. All a would-be seller needs to do is open a seller’s account, which can easily be done by following the instructions on e-Bay’s homepage, www.ebay.com. Once a seller account has been created the seller can begin to list their goods. It is free to establish a seller account; however, there are certain fees associated with selling on e-Bay, so it is necessary to determine if the potential profits justify the amount of these fees before committing to selling through this venue. Chances are the answer will be yes.

There are some steps which can be taken to make sure that the saltwater aquarium an individual is attempting to sell will sell quickly. Including a picture of the aquarium with the listing is important, as many novice aquatic enthusiasts will not recognize a written description of an aquarium. A picture will draw their attention. The one line description should include as much basic information pertaining to the aquarium as possible, as the attention span of most buyers is extraordinarily short and if it is not captured in a first glance their business will probably be lost. It is also important that the minimum bid be competitive with other, similar aquariums on e-Bay. It is free to search these listings, and it is not necessary to have an account to view them.

Selling an aquarium on e-Bay is an excellent way for a owner to recoup some of the money which they have invested in their marine life while at the same time assuring that their saltwater aquarium is going to a good home. Saltwater Reef Aquariums