10 Most Infamous Stains in History

Everyone has a stain story. One time your cousin stumbled down the stairs carrying a bottle of ketchup. The resulting mess resembled a gory crime scene ... and required the expertise of professional carpet cleaners. You even had to repaint part of the ceiling to obscure the tasty reddish disaster.

But those kinds of stain stories generally stay within the family circle. No one else really cares to hear about your crazy, tipsy relatives getting careless with condiments.

In the course of human history, though, there have been some truly epic stains. Stains that no laundry detergent can rinse from our collective story. Stains that perhaps change the course of millions of lives.

For better or worse, those kinds of stains are the toughest to get out. Not only do they permanently damage clothing and other materials -- their most lasting impression, really, is on our psyches.

Keep reading and you'll learn all about 10 of the most infamous stains ever to leave their mark on human possessions -- and our minds, too.

Read more »

10 Ways to Break Into a House

When we think of a burglar, we think of a stereotypical ski-masked man dressed head to toe in black, crouched down, creeping in the dead of night, carrying a professional break-in artist's ideal toolkit. As common a culprit, however, is the average-looking person dressed in average street clothes on your average workday, entering via an unlocked door or a brick-induced hole in a glass door.

There's no time of day in which your home is immune from burglaries; there are no standards of practice when it comes to how a burglar breaks in. Of the reported 2 million commercial and residential burglaries reported to the U.S. Department of Justice in 2009, most (61 percent) were forcible entry. 32.6 percent of burglars found the easy way in, and the balance represented foiled attempts [source: U.S. Department of Justice].

If your home is burgled, the financial losses you'll sustain are bad enough. The trauma and unease in its aftermath, however, is a bell that can't be un-rung, and many burglary victims never again feel safe in their own homes.

The best way to handle burglars is to pre-empt their plans with proven preventive measures. Burglars look for, and sometimes create, specific characteristics and situations when choosing where and how to break in. In the sections to come, we will look at what stamps a bull's eye on your home, methods used for break-ins and 21st century tools that burglars use for finding their next victims.

#10 Find an Ideal Target

Burglars aren't going to bother with targets they don't think will allow them to get in and out undetected, loot-rich. Ideal targets are homes with indications no one will return soon. A plastic-wrapped phone book left all day on a driveway, a note left on a front door for an afternoon package delivery -- these are examples of the types of things burglars look for.

Signs of life are likely to put off would-be thieves. They can be fooled by strategic lighting and loud broadcasts (radios consume less energy than TVs, and talk shows sound like conversations in the home). At night, lights and a radio or TV on timers keep homes looking occupied into the wee hours, deterring burglars and keeping families safer long after bedtime.

Bold burglars peer through windows hoping to spy silver services, plasma TVs and baseball card collections. Best bets: Move valuables out of sight, and keep stashes safe by closing window coverings while away.

To keep a house safe while on vacation:

• Place lights on timers. Lights burning 24/7 scream, "Empty house!"
• Ask neighbors or friends to perform daily checks and collect newspapers and mail.
• Given last names, anyone can find most phone numbers. Names on mailboxes and un-retrieved packages encourage possible thieves to park outside, dial the number and see if someone picks up. Any time the house will be empty (vacations, workdays), best use call forwarding so someone always answers.

#9 Remain Inconspicuous

Most burglars aren't looking for trouble. The typical burglar avoids confrontation, has scant interest in an arrest and fears physical harm. Homeowners can use these concerns to their advantage, using lighting, alarms and dogs to discourage thieves from breaking in.

After dark, the best first defense for single-family homes is lighting, and lots of it. While interior lighting implies people are home, blazing exterior lights discourage a closer look. Undeterred daredevils may dash toward sides or back doors obscured from view. Those hidden areas, characteristic of houses at ends of cul-de-sacs, are best secured with bright lights and extra security measures on doors and windows. Motion-sensor lights save energy costs and deliver effective, flee-inspiring startles to jumpy criminals.

Next, imply a threat. Lawns and window signs advertising alarm systems deter many break-in attempts. Should burglars ignore warnings, the resulting sirens will prompt quick and possibly empty-handed exits.

The third line of defense (and one of the best) is the barking dog. Dogs chained outside in a fenced yards offer little threat. Burglars' encounters with unanticipated indoor canines, however, add factors out of burglars' control. No time or energy for pets? Many homeowners swear by their fake four-legged friends. Imagine a motion sensor triggering a bright light accompanied by the loud barking of up to five angry dogs.

Ever wonder how burglars actually enter homes? Next, we look at the number-one point of entry.

#8 Find a Good Opening

Warm spring days and crisp fall air make open windows irresistible -- especially to burglars. Thieves think nothing of walking the circumference of your home, trying each door, window and cellar opening until one relents to prying hands. Of course, first-floor windows and doors are more susceptible, but climbable trees and tables used as makeshift ladders place second-floor windows in as much risk.

Even when home, families should ensure their doors and windows are closed and locked; unattended or dark parts of the occupied homes are vulnerable. Consider bustling dining rooms and kitchens during dinners, when second floors can become targets for quiet burglars. Or consider the dark second-story bedroom where someone is sleeping near a wide-open window.

More about easy entries:

• Knob locks are easily jimmied using credit cards; deadbolt locks aren't. All doors need deadbolts.
• A word about hiding spare keys: don't. Burglars know to examine flower pots, ledges and bushes. Best to stash spare keys is in the hands of neighbors.
• Heavy rods in tracks prevent opening of sliding glass doors fully. Other professionally installed mechanisms prevent tampering with screws that secure doors and frames.
• Burglars break windows, so keep yards free of bricks and heavy rocks.
• Security companies can help with kick-resistant doors, window mechanisms that limit openings and break-resistant glass.
• Check access when workers leave. Even with an alarm, workers may open doors or windows from the inside in preparation for a later break-in.

#7 Find a Place to Hide

Even with the brightest of lights, full-grown shrubbery and thick trees near houses conceal stealthy burglars. Tall, dense greenery near home allows burglars to remain hidden for as long as it takes to focus on opening windows or doors despite, or perhaps because of, the sense of security offered by the lights.

Such dense flora also provides burglars with secret places to wait. If burglars identify regular family departure times, they can take cover in the greenery and wait as the sound of the car engine fades in the distance, and then begin their nefarious work.

It's best to keep shrubs trimmed no higher than the bottom of window sills. This way, burglars have less room to hide, and will seek other, less visible, opportunities.

#6 Wait for the Holidays

Burglars who prefer to plan their heists in advance are particularly attentive to seasons and occasions. Just beforeChristmas, for example, burglars love to look in, and then break in, large picture windows displaying dozens of presents underneath sparkly trees. On December 25th or 26th, burglars scout curbs, where empty boxes inventory potential loot -- large-screen TVs, expensive game systems, packages from high-end department stores and fishing gear. To take your home out of the running, leave the tree, but move presents from window views. Haul those empties to a public trash receptacle.

Summer vacations get burglars giddy, too. Families who take precautions to make their homes look lived-in should enjoy worry-free vacations.

Other events fraught with dangers from burglary include:

• Homes for sale -- Lock boxes hung on doors indicate houses are likely empty. With the right tools, burglars can break in quickly. Homeowners preferring to skirt this risk may work with realtors to either forego lock boxes or hang them in discrete locations. During open houses, visitors should not be free to roam, and after the event is over, realtors and homeowners need to check that doors and windows remain secure.
• Funerals and weddings -- Large family gatherings provide additional opportunities for burglars to know when homes will be unoccupied, usually for hours at a time. Best bet: Ask neighbors to house sit, with their cars parked in the driveway, to ensure it appears someone is home.

#5 Innovate

Determined burglars may use ruses to gain entry into homes that promise of big pay-outs. They may be setting up to steal immediately or to scout the premises for later by pretending to be a utility employee, the cable installer or even a police officer. Homeowners should ask for identification, and then call the company or agency to verify that the visit is official. (Use the number listed on your bill; don't trust a number the visitor provides. Their cousin could be the one answering the phone.)

A common ruse is posing as delivery or moving companies. This is highly effective, since most neighbors will not question a large van in the driveway with uniformed workers carrying contents from the house. Alert stay-at-home neighbors that you'll never have a van at your home unless you've informed them first. The neighbor who spots such a van can call you or the police right away.

#4 Be Camera-shy

Astute burglars look for surveillance devices. These thieves may feel ever-so-clever when spotting, then disabling, your above-door camera before it enables identification.

Lack of sophistication can come back to haunt cocky burglars who assume surveillance is like the days of yore: Recorded images on film are viewed later in some operation control room. Not so, and surveillance is one technology that gives home owners an advantage.

New Internet-enabled webcams provide not only recording of activities, but real-time monitoring. And they do so using small, easily-hidden devices, which means four, five or six webcams can be positioned to give different views of the same area. Dummy cameras disabled by burglars have no bearing on the live webcams still humming away. Internet-based surveillance gives owners an immediate view of what is happening outside and inside their homes. Compared to alarm systems, webcams are the next-best thing to catching a burglar red-handed. Help is a quick 911 call away.

#3 Be Prepared

The police aren't the only ones using stake-outs. Although many burglars are opportunistic and simply look for the nearest empty home that holds promise of undetected entry and high return, others do their homework, investing hours staking out neighborhoods or houses. They note how many people live in each house, when people come and go, what cars are usually in the driveways and typical traffic patterns. These careful planners aim to identify just the right house for just the right time.

Observant neighborhoods and unified neighborhood watch teams should take note of strange cars with unknown passengers that keep returning to the area. Call police; they should assess the situation.

Another way burglars come prepared is by bringing their tour de force of the trade: the bump key. Little known to those outside the locksmithand burglary trades, the bump key is a master key normally used by locksmiths to help those who have locked themselves out of their own premises. Some say they open up to 90 percent of traditional locks [source: Hundley].

The bump key is a bigger threat today than ever. Internet videos, intended to teach locksmiths, teach anyone how to make bump keys. Worse yet: Burglars can purchase bump keys on the Web.

The good news is that homeowners can work with locksmiths to install locks that can't be picked using standard bump keys, but can still be opened by a trained locksmith. Electronic keypad locks, too, seem to be favorites among those trying to evade bump-key bandits.

#2 Surf the 'Net

Part of a career in crime is staying a step ahead of those trying to catch them. Just when the authorities catch on to one new trick, criminals move on to the next. Message boards on the Internet bring together like-minded people to communicate via postings; they've become peer education groups for many professions, burglary included, where they may advance their knowledge together.

On these forums, real and would-be burglars debate the best ways to break into a house -- how to quietly break a window, why carding (using a credit card to release a lock) is still the best method and why some still prefer the kick-in-the-door approach. Even retired breaking-and-entering pros chime in with stories of their greatest successes. Inventive ways of getting people to open the door are discussed, too, leading burglars toward the more serious and dangerous crime of robbery. Posing as the host of a TV prank show or ringing a doorbell while holding a large check are likely to lure someone out of the house.

The lesson: Opening doors to strangers is generally a bad idea.

It's not possible for most homeowners to keep up with the ways burglars target and break into homes. It is possible, however, to identify a trusted security expert who is known to stay up-to-date on the latest burglary methods. The homeowner can invite the expert to inspect the property once a year to suggest where vulnerabilities may be further secured.

#1 Embrace New Technology

Web 2.0 is changing our world and, sadly, assisting burglars too. Here are some of the ways burglars exploit new technologies:

Burglars look for over-sharing online. On Facebook, for example, a teen may post about a family vacation -- where they're going, when and for how long. A father may boast about taking the brood to the movies: "We'll let you know how we liked it!" A single working person may complain via Twitterabout a long line to buy hot concert tickets.

These people have just invited burglars into their homes. Online profiles often include last names and location information, such as the place a person goes to school or works. Posting a relationship status lets thieves know how many people are likely to live in the home. For a burglar willing to do his or her homework, social media can yield a treasure trove of information about when and how long people are going to be away.

Geolocation may be the ultimate burglar research tool. These services provide fun ways to meet people and play treasure hunt-type games. The ability to tell exactly where the user is at any given moment is a dream for burglars, who can enter homes while monitoring the owner's location, and wrapping up the job when the service signals their return.

Read more »

Top Ten Ways to Help Your Cat Stop Peeing Outside the Litter Box

Addressing Inappropriate Urination

When your cat starts shunning its litter box in favor of other places throughout your home, it is definitely not something you want to become a habit. Address the issue quickly with these simple ways to help your cat stop peeing outside of the litter box.

#10 Define the Problem

The first thing you need to do when you discover pee where it doesn’t belong is determine whether it is the result of spraying or inappropriate urination. Spraying is a result of cats marking their territory, and is generally just a splatter, whereas inappropriate urination will be a larger puddle.

#9 Tackle the Problem Quickly

You will want to address any urination outside of the litter box quickly, before it becomes normal behavior for your cat. If your cat is spraying, try making it feel more secure in its territory, as that is often why cats get possessive. In a multi-cat household, it may help to provide separate living areas for each cat

#8 Thoroughly Clean the Mess

Be sure to thoroughly clean all areas where your cat has peed outside the box. You really want to be sure you’ve eliminated the odor, not just for your own sake, but so the smell doesn’t draw your cat back to that same spot.

#7 Add an Additional Litter Box

One litter box is often just not enough. The general rule of thumb is one box per cat, plus an extra one. Think about it – if you were on the second floor of your house, would you want to run all the way downstairs to use the bathroom? Neither does your cat. Making it convenient for your cat to use the litter box will usually avert problems.

#6 Address Litter Box Location

Think about where you have the litter boxes located. If you have multiple stories, you'll want at least one on each floor. If your litter box is too tucked away, somewhere inconspicuous, your cat may not bother to go find it. If your cat keeps peeing in the same spot despite your best efforts, try moving the litter box over that spot, and then slowly moving it back to where you want it.

#5 Try a Different Box

An enclosed litter box may fit nicely within your decorating standards, but your cat may not agree. Enclosed boxes can be small, dark, smelly and difficult to turn around in – not conducive to cats doing their business. You will also want to make sure the sides of your litter box are not too high for the cat to easily step over - especially as the cat reaches old age.

#4 Clean Your Litter Box Regularly

A dirty litter box is one of the first things that will send a cat peeing elsewhere. Cats are very clean creatures by nature. Would you want to go walking barefoot through your cat's litter box? Well, neither do they. Be consistent about cleaning out the box and changing the litter.

#3 Check the Type of Litter

Heavily perfumed litter may seem the better choice (who wouldn’t want to smell perfume rather than a dirty litter box?), but cats tend to disagree. They also like to stick with the familiar, so if you adopt an adult cat, it may urinate outside the litter box if you switch up the standard, non-perfumed litter. Studies have shown that amongst cats, the all-around favorite litter type is a loose, clumping, unscented clay litter containing activated charcoal.

#2 Observe the Social Dynamics

Conflicts between multiple cats, or the introduction of a new cat, may cause inappropriate urination. Occasionally, the case may be that your cats got into an altercation in or near the litter box and it has left one of them with associated bad memories.

#1 Consult Your Veterinarian

If inappropriate urination has become an issue with your cat, the most important thing you can do is make an appointment with your veterinarian. Your cat's doctor will perform a physical exam and urinalysis to determine if the problem is medical. Urinary tract infections and kidney failure are just some of the common health issues that either cause a cat to produce more urine, or add an increased urgency to urination. If your cat is given a clean bill of health, you can then move on to addressing environmental or behavioral issues.

Read more »

6 Tips for Choosing Puppy Food

Puppy Food Tips

Having a new puppy in the house is an exciting time but it can also be exhausting. Pet stores can be overwhelming given the endless aisles of dog toys, dog treats and dog foods to choose from. Start by discussing the diet you intend to select with your veterinarian to ensure it is balanced and specially formulated for your growing puppy. Here are some other tips to help you and your puppy start off on the right paw.

1. Choose the Puppy Food Brand Wisely

You want a puppy food from a pet food company that has undergone AAFCO feeding trials. This means that the specific formulation of the diet has been fed to dogs to make sure there are no deficiencies. Many pet food companies make up their food based on a recipe and never feed it to actual dogs before sending it to the pet stores. The better pet food companies invest in scientific research and consult with veterinary nutritionists to provide a food that is completely balanced without any imbalances in nutrients that may be harmful for your puppy’s development.

2. Be Mindful of the Calories

Puppy food should be higher in calories than adult food to compensate for how much energy puppies expend by growing, not to mention all that playing. About half of the calories they consume are spent on tissue growth and development. It is important that the amount of food they are eating provides an adequate amount of nutrients to help them develop properly.

3. Puppy Size Matters

Choose a food that is specifically formulated for the size of your puppy. The bone growth for a Chihuahua puppy and a Great Dane puppy is very different and they should not be fed the same food. Large breed puppy food has a specific ratio of calcium and phosphorus to ensure the bones develop properly to help prevent joint disease.

4. So Does the Size of the Puppy Food

A diet designed for the size of your puppy is also important when it comes to the actual kibble size. A tiny Yorkie puppy may have difficulty with larger size pieces of food, so look for a toy or small breed puppy formula to help with this. If you decide to go with a wet food, be mindful of the food chunk sizes.

5. Check the Puppy Food Ingredients

The ingredients in your puppy's food (and how they are balanced) are vital to the development of your puppy. For instance, a puppy’s nervous system is dependent on the essential fatty acid DHA. Puppy diets should have a higher amount of this than foods meant for adult dogs to make sure the brain, eyes, and ears all develop properly. Studies have shown that puppies fed diets high in DHA have increased memory and trainability

6. Keep Your Puppy Trim & Healthy

Keeping your puppy at a healthy weight is crucial to lifelong health. Underweight puppies may not develop properly while puppies that are overweight are at increased risk of being overweight adult dogs. This can lead to diseases such as arthritis, high blood pressure, heart disease, diabetes and heat exhaustion. Your veterinarian should evaluate your puppy’s body condition score at each visit to make sure you are on track with nutrition.

Read more »

How to Get The Best Price on a New Car

Buying a new car can be both exciting and nerve-racking. After all, beside our home, it’s the usually the biggest expense we have.

But the process of negotiating with

a car salesman at the dealership can also be a highly aggravating and depressing experience. That’s because we never truly know if we are paying a good price or not.  In fact, the entire process often seems designed to confuse, frustrate, and wear out the buyer – until eventually, we just give in.

This leaves us second-guessing ourselves whether we could have bought the car for less.  Worst of all, it mars the excitement of buying a new car.  In any case, nobody wants to wonder if they paid a lot more than the last guy, just because they didn’t bargain hard enough.  

A smart way to navigate this windy road is by finding a company that does the work for you. There are numerous car research sites that have all the data on new cars. They then publish on their websites the actual prices that people have paid recently for specific cars in local areas.  You just enter the make, model, location, and options you want, and these sites instantly show you exactly what prices people paid for that car in your chosen area. This information is gathered through a huge variety of sources, and they have price data on most every make and model.

What’s most impressive is the concise, easily comprehensive way these websites present the pricing data.  After you enter the vehicle you are interested in, they sometimes generate a list or graph that incorporates a huge amount of information in a snapshot visual; including the vehicle’s dealer cost, factory invoice, sticker price, and most importantly, the average price paid by buyers. 

You can look at this pricing on a national, regional, or local basis, and also see things like how the average price is trending (up or down), and the number of vehicles sold during the period. Armed with this information, the consumer is in a much stronger position to determine if the final price they are being offered is fair—or, if they are going to overpay.

These research sites are often FREE because they are plugged into a network of dealers across the country. This way you can instantly compare their prices to the average in the area.  If you choose to contact any of these dealers, they usually guarantee to honor the price they quote on the referral website.

Again, these sites are normally free to use and you don’t have to create an account or provide any personal information to use them.

Read more »

5 Must Have Aquarium Accessories

Keeping fish is definitely a lot of fun, however to make your setup look as nice as possible, you have to invest in a few Aquarium accessories. While some of these accessories are considerably affordable, a few of the accessories mentioned here can be more expensive. At the end of the day, your choice and your budget will determine which accessories you purchase; however each aquarium must have at least one of the accessories mentioned below.  

1. A Bucket:-

Water changes are a must for all aquariums and a bucket will help you change water quickly without spilling it on the floor. The bucket you use should be kept solely for cleaning the aquarium which means that, you should not use the bucket for any other purpose. You should preferably use a new bucket that has been washed with warm water but not soap. Remember, soap is dangerous for fish hence, do not use a bucket that has been cleaned out with soap.

2. A Gravel Cleaner:-

A must for all aquariums with gravel since gravel cleaners help the aquarist siphon off debris and poop effortlessly without removing gravel. There are two types of gravel cleaners available in the market and each of these types of gravel cleaners has its own benefits. The manual gravel cleaner has to be started manually and does not work with a battery, starting the water flow with this kind of cleaner can be hard for beginners. The automatic gravel cleaner also known as the battery operated cleaner is easier to use, but one must take care that the batteries are changed on a regular basis and the batteries are not left in the cleaner when not in use.

3. A Sponge:-

A good old fashioned sponge is the most important aquarium accessory you must have with you while you clean your aquarium. If you have an acrylic aquarium then you should use a soft sponge, glass aquariums on the other hand can tolerate rough and hard sponges. Irrespective of the type of tank you have, you should remember not to scrub the glass too hard since this can cause scratches on the glass.

4.Lights:-

The type of lights you should use for your Fish aquarium not only depends on your budget but also the type of fish you keep. Colored tube lights are cheaper than led lights; however led lights often make the fish and the setup look a lot better. Depending on the fittings you have, you can choose from tube lights, hang on lights, screw on lights and clip on lights for your tank.

5.A Heater:-

A good quality heater with a thermostat is one of the most crucial accessories that your aquarium must have especially if the temperature in your house is not steady at all times of the year. These days it is possible to get both wired and wireless heaters that heat your aquarium water and maintain a stable temperature at all times. Before purchasing this aquarium accessory, remember to check the capacity of your aquarium so that you can get a heater with the right wattage. Conclusion The best way to save money in the long run while buying equipment for maintenance purposes for aquariums is to purchase products from reliable sources. Remember, you do not need to purchase the most expensive equipment in order to keep your fish happy, but you surely need to perform maintenance on your fish tank at least once a week to ensure that your fish thrive.

Read more »

The Complete guide to Aquariums

The word aquarium originates from the ancient Latin language, “aqua” meaning water and the suffix “rium” meaning place or building. Aquariums are beautiful and look good anywhere!

Welcome to the COMPLETE guide to Aquariums. In this ebook you will find up to date

information that will help you make the best decisions and choices when purchasing your

aquarium.

An aquarium is made of glass or extremely strong plastic and is basically made for holding

fish, amphibians or any other type of marine animal. These fish can be tropical or salt

water, or even corals but the aquarium has to be able to maintain the weight of the water

that will be put into the tank. Aquariums are fast becoming one of the leading hobbies

around, many people use aquariums for decorative purposes.

Aquariums range in size, they can be simple gold fish bowls or they can be intensive set up

reaching something like eight or even nine feet wide. Many people even boast of a fish

room. Fish collecting has been around for years and is especially popular in countries like

Japan. The Japanese are renowned for keeping coldwater fish such as Koi in extremely

decorative ponds outside, these Koi are basically beautifully decorated goldfish.

The word aquarium originates from the ancient Latin language, “aqua” meaning water and

the suffix “rium” meaning place or building. Aquariums are beautiful and look good

anywhere! They are perfect for those people who want to devote a lot of time and effort to a

hobby. This is not the type of thing that you can just start and leave. This is an on going

type of project that needs to be constantly assessed and adjusted. The animals inside the

aquarium need to be fed, need to have the aquarium represent their natural habitat and

need space, so you have to get a large enough aquarium to fit the animal or animals of

course!

Aquariums are stunning pieces of equipment but they do need a lot of work and attention.

That's why this hobby is not for young people. It is more of an older person’s hobby who is

going to be willing and responsible enough for all the things that are required when setting

up and maintaining an aquarium. They can be the most beautiful thing to look at if they

are decorated nicely enough, and I’m sure that you will do a great job in making sure that

the aquarium looks just like the creature natural habitat, this is what makes the animal

settle quicker! Just make sure that you are prepared to take on the responsibility before

investing in an aquarium as they are also quite expensive!

Home aquariums are becoming more and more popular, it is a hobby that many people are

flocking too and fish shops are on the rise. Fish are generally easy to keep although do they

need quite a bit of attention. Puppies and kittens were the typical pet but now fish are

becoming more and more frequent in house holds. In recent years fish shops have noticed

a great increase in the rise if people wanting to purchase aquariums and fish, the boom has

been great for local shops as the fish industry hasn’t been such a great industry before now.

When collecting fish for a home aquarium it is always great to seek some advice from your

local pet shop. They are the experts and what they say should be given great consideration.

They explain to you the process in which bacteria builds up. They let you know all the

essentials in setting a great home aquarium and they know the best fish that is suited to

your needs. They let you know all about the responsibilities that are involved when

deciding to set up a home aquarium. Fish shops are brilliant for purchasing the equipment

that you need, it is cheaper than anywhere else, except the internet of course. Most fish

experts will advise you to purchase a ready made aquarium that comes with the tank,

stand, heater, filter and lighting equipment.

Home aquariums can be as small and simple as you like or they can be huge and intensive

set ups that requires hours each week of maintenance. A home aquarium can be a great

experience for all the family and it is something that they can all join in, although keep the

children away from the poisonous fish, and the fish waste! Which ever aquarium set up

that you choose you should always make sure that you take great effort in keeping the fish.

After all it would not be nice to wake up one morning and find that all your fish are dead,

now would it?!

Aquarium Accessories

Aquariums need to be filled with accessories, not just for decoration but for the fish’s or

other animals own survival. If fish don’t have a filter and a heater they will die, it's the

same with some amphibians. They need a lot of light and heat or they will die! You have to

make your tank look as though it is part of their natural habitat; you have also got to make

sure that it functions like it too.

When setting up an aquarium for fish you have to make sure there are lights, heat and

filtration. The filter is extremely important as this keeps the water waste free, which is

essential to keeping your fish alive. The filter sucks in water from the bottom and basically

recycles it and it comes out the top fresh and clean. There are other methods of filtration,

but that is the most common one, unless it is a saltwater tank then you have an external

sump tank and that does all the filtration. Filters can be picked up in any pet or fish shop.

Heating is also another crucial element of setting up an aquarium. This aquarium

accessory regulates the temperature of the tank, and yes it can be used in water. You can

set the heater to a temperature that you want the water to stay at, most tropical fish like

the water around twenty six or twenty seven degrees Celsius. Fish are pretty fussy about

their temperature, they start to do funny things when it gets too cold and when it is too hot

they will die. Heaters are available in every fish shop and you can choose the size and

voltage of the heater, as bigger tanks will need bigger and powerful heaters.

Lights are another essential aquarium accessory, as they help certain fish live such as

corals and anemones; yes they are living creature’s not just plants. They need intensive

lighting conditions to ensure that they don’t size, the lights need to be at least a T-5 which

means one of the most powerful lights that you can buy and of course they are very

expensive and heavy. They are only available in specialised shops and not all fish shops

stock them. They may need to be ordered in or you can purchase them second hand, which

I would say is your best option.

Aquarium Cabinets

Aquarium cabinets often come with tanks when they are purchased from a fish shop. The

size of the tank depends on the size of the cabinet. Most cabinets act as stands for the

aquarium tank. The cabinets usually come with a cupboard under the place where the tank

is located. This is a good place for you to store your equipment that you are not using for

example, spare heaters, ornaments and filters, also the fish food if it is flakes otherwise the

food needs to go in the freezer.

Aquarium cabinets range from all different sizes and colours, they can be custom built or

you can have a generic one. Custom built cabinets are very expensive although you get

exactly what you are looking for. Generic cabinets are available in all different sizes. They

are built to withstand the different sizes of tanks so you can get generic aquarium cabinets

usually up to about six feet long and they are usually sold in maple, black or pine and the

style of design is usually a cupboard with shelves.

Aquarium cabinets are available in all fish and pet shops. Although if you are looking for a

bigger cabinet then it is best to go to a specialised fish shop rather than your local pet store.

The cabinet is usually used for adding a bit more decoration with your aquarium as placing

them on tables and other types of units can look unsightly. The stand is there to add some

more spice to your set up.

A custom made set up differs greatly from a generic one. They are often made to suit what

kind of style that you want, whether that is drawers or open shelves. They are usually made

in about four or five weeks, depending on the size and style of the aquarium that you are

wanting to be built. No matter whether it is a custom or generic cabinet, the aquarium

cabinet should accentuate the beauty of your tank! They are expensive but are worth the

money that you pay for them!

Aquarium Equipment

Aquariums are not just a tank and a stand, the aquarium has to be filled with certain

equipment such as heaters and filters. Aquarium equipment is essential in the up keep of

your fish. The tank needs to be clean and the fish need to be kept happy if they are going to

survive in their new home. When imported to this country, fish are kept in small boxes so

they have not had any experience of being in a large proper tank.

Heaters are an essential part of your aquarium because if you have any kind of tropical,

they need hot water to survive, anything cooler than twenty degrees Celsius for a period of

time will kill them. The temperature needs to be around twenty six or twenty seven

degrees. Choosing a proper heater is essential when it comes to heating issues, if you buy a

heater with too low voltage it will not substantiate a large tank, and a heater that has to

high a voltage will only fry your fish! Always ask your fish shop staff what the best choice is

for your tank.

Filters are a big part of aquarium equipment, without a filter all the bad bacteria in the

tank will build up and make it hard for your fish to breath; this is known as new tank

syndrome. When you haven’t left your tank long enough to cycle there isn’t enough

bacteria to kill the ammonia and nitrates that the fish produce in their waste. Once the

waste builds up it makes it hard for the fish to breath. If you have enough bacteria in your

filter however then your fish waste will be broken down in the filter and the water that is

put back out of the filter will be clean and pure.

Aquarium equipment is essential in maintaining your tank and its fish, if you leave the

tank to keep it clean then it won’t work, if you leave the tank to heat itself it won’t work.

You have to make sure that you supply the tools the tank needs to keep your fish happy and

healthy; otherwise you are looking at a tank of dead fish!

Aquarium Filters

There are two different kinds of filters; there are external filtration systems and internal

filters. Internal filters are used in salt water and fresh water aquariums. Many salt water

aquariums have an internal tube for the water to flow down into a sump tank, which is just

below the main tank and all the water passes through a certain type of foam where all the

waste and bad bacteria gather and this filters the water. The water is then pumped back up

to the top of the main tank and this flow continues on constantly.

Although a noisy method, it is the second most effective but rather pricey. The other way of

doing internal filtering is to have what looks like a large black rectangle stuck to the inside

of your tank, this sucks up water and waste through its bottom, the water then passes up

through the filter. This method is the third most effective method and is very cheap.

The external filter is the way to go, this filter is a hard working piece of machinery that

keeps your aquarium in tip top condition and gets rid of all the water. It is like the other

two methods of internal filtering above but it is al done outside of the tank. The only thing

connecting the tank to the filter is a long black tube. This is the most effective and

expensive way to filter your tank but it is very worth it.

All these types of filters are available at your local fish shop, but not really your local pet

shop. For the internal filter that requires a sump tank this is usually custom made to suit

your tank so it is expensive but not really worth the money. You are probably better

choosing an external filter, although it will cost you more it is more effective and it creates

less noise.

Aquarium Heaters

Heating in an aquarium is essential for fresh water and salt water fish. They both like their

water to be hot as they are both tropical species of fish. Goldfish are cold water fish so you

don’t need to worry about a heater for them. Often when winter arrives, fish shops get

many calls asking why their fish have just suddenly died or are acting strange. This is

because people have not turned up the heaters in their fish tank! As the weather gets colder

people forget that their house temperature drops and so does the tanks temperature so you

have to adjust the heater for this time of year! If there is just a one degree drop in twenty

four hours it could bring on a fish disease called “ich” or it could outright kill a fish!

When buying a heater you have to look at all the options. You could buy a very cheap

heater but then you have the problem where the heater will probably break, the thermostat

isn’t as good as regulating the tank and you don’t have a temperature heat setting like

others would. Then you have the mid priced heaters, they are generally the ones that

people use. They have semi decent thermostats and hold their value reasonably well. After

a period of time maybe six months to a year you have to change your heater as the heating

element isn’t always working properly after this time!

Try to check your heater every couple of weeks and check the temperature of the tank

everyday so that you can make sure that your fish are not suffering! Too hot and you will

basically boil your fish and too cold and you can freeze their blood. So try and keep the

temperature regulated!

Always try to place your heater near a filter as this helps to distribute the heat. This helps

to save your fish from hot or cold spots! Heating is essential in tanks so make sure that you

are adequately prepared in the seasons that count!

Aquarium Hoods

When you have an aquarium you need to have lighting set up and to do this you need to

have somewhere to put it. Before now when it came to lighting, it used to come attached to

your aquarium hood but that is not the case anymore. The shops are selling the hood,

lights and light attachments separate which is costing people a fortune! Hoods are not only

needed for lights but they are also needed to help the fish stay in the tank, some fish when

they get excited especially when getting fed are often jumpy and is has been known for fish

to basically propel themselves out of the tank, I speak through personal experience.

Aquariums hoods are available in either specialised aquarium shops or your local pet store.

They are just simply a tank lid for the fish tank. It is essential that you have one of these

otherwise you have no place for your lights; unless you get some hanging ones and hang

them from your roof! Hoods are also essential for keeping those jumping fish in the tank!

They are often made from plastic but some are made from wood. The wood variations are

often more expensive than a plastic one, basically because of the wood and there is more

time and effort put into making a wooden hood. Some tanks can have a hood customised to

it. These are the most expensive ones. But at least they have the lights and light fixtures

attached. When you buy a jewel aquarium the hood is included in the price and so are the

lights and fittings.

Aquarium hoods are not very expensive but all the attachments and other accessories are

costing fish collectors a fortune. They have to make sure that the tank has everything that it

needs, but it is getting more and more expensive to run and maintain the tank. Just make

sure that when starting to purchase the tank that you know all about the extra outlays that

are involved with the tank! It would not be a good idea to purchase the tank and then not

be able to afford the rest of the accessories!

Aquarium Lighting

Aquariums need light for the fish to survive, this doesn’t matter if it is a freshwater set up

or a marine set up. There are however different types of lights available for each one. A lot

of fish require different lighting conditions; your fish shop will advise you which is best for

the fish that you are keeping.

Fluorescent lighting is best for brightly coloured fish this gives the impression of bold

colours and a mysterious effect in the tank which makes the fish stand out even more. All

aquarium lights are available in the different sizes to suit your tank, as there are lots

different sizes of tanks available. Most tanks don’t come with lights attached to the hood of

the tank. They need to be purchased separately; this is expensive as you also need to buy

the attachment for the lights as well.

There are harder lights needed for marine tanks, the reefs that can be made in these tanks

need a lot of pure light and getting a lot of light means a large and expensive light bulb!

The corals and anemones need a lot of light and sensitivity to survive, so lights should be a

great factor in your aquarium if you are going to be setting up a coral reef.

Aquarium lighting is available at all fish and pet shops, they are easy to install but are very

overpriced. I think, you can probably find second hand lights better but be sure to make

sure that they are working before you purchase them or that was a waste of money.

Lighting your aquarium is essential that is how your tank is defined, if your lights are

cheap and nasty then don’t expect a good look in your tank, but if you spend that extra on

good reliable and beautiful lights then you are sure to have a fish tank set up that is worth

looking at! Explore all different colours of lights as well don’t just stick to white there are

pink, green and blues out there too, experiment with them and see what best suits your

tank!

Aquarium Ornaments

Aquarium ornaments aren’t there to add any benefits to the fish, they are just for you to

add some decoration in the tank. You can have all sorts of ornaments, big or small,

traditional or caricature, simple or even complicated. There are thousands of different

ornaments that you can buy in stores or you can even make your own. However ornaments

are not for all fish, some fish don’t like them, I know for a fact Oscars don’t take well to any

type of ornament or even plant. Some fish do need them though, basically to hide or live in

and keep away from bigger fish.

Traditional ornaments are ornaments like castles and ships, they provide security for

smaller fish from the bigger ones, they also provide a place to stay and play, yes fish do

play! Fish ornaments are available in pet and fish stores. They tend to range from very low

to very high prices. You can of course get more detailed ornaments that aren’t shaped to be

anything except for like branches with weeds on them. Some fish need their ornaments to

resemble their natural home, for example lots of plants and branches in the tank.

If you have amphibians in your tank they often like a waterfall ornament with a bathing

pool at the bottom of it so that they can bath in it. Amphibians need a lot of greenery in

their tank as this resembles their home and therefore you should try to make sure that you

fill you tank full of it! Aquarium ornaments are easy to come across and they don’t take

much effort to put in the tank.

You should always try to keep the ornaments like the animals natural habitat unless it is a

fish that couldn’t care less, like goldfish for example. Goldfish are very easy to keep and

you can decorate their tank with all sorts of funny ornaments. With smaller fish you can try

to decorate their tanks with funky ornaments but I always feel that the traditional ones are

better!

Aquarium Plants

Aquariums plants are not crucial when it comes to setting up a new aquarium but they do

help adding attractive features to it. A tank full of fish or amphibians can be quite boring so

the plants are there to spruce things up a little bit. You don’t need to put plants in a tank

that has bigger fish such as cichlids in them as they will just remove them as they don’t like

a lot of greenery in their tank, they like it rather rocky. When decorating an aquarium that

is going to have smaller fish in it such as tetras and guppy’s plants are essential. These

types of fish like to have a lot of foliage to swim around in.

Aquarium plants can be bushy or slim like trees; they are there for the fish to hind in

between and for the effect of a fish’s natural habitat. Some fish were found in reefs and

some where found among reeds and plants, so their habitats need to be imitated in the

aquarium. A fish’s life expectancy can be greatly raised when it comes to their habitat; if

they have enough room to move around and the aquarium is set up like how they are used

to, then this will keep the fish happy, and when fish are happy they eat and stay alive; an

unhappy fish won't eat and eventually it will die.

An aquarium plant can be used for decorative purposes or can be used for helping the fish.

Plants are there to help your fish survive in its new home, if the fish is unhappy it affects

the way that it lives and feeds. This in turn can affect whether the fish lives or not, and we

don’t want a dead fish on our hands, now do we. So if you are going to get small fish then

make the effort and spend a little more to get the best plants for the fish to keep them

happy, if your going for big fish don’t bother spending the money or wasting the time!

Plants are also used for decoration. Arranging the plants in a pretty way can make all the

difference to your tank!

Aquarium Pumps

A pump is something that isn’t essential in an aquarium set up but it is desirable as this

causes more oxygen for the fish. The pump is usually attached to a long tube which is in

turn connected to a long stone that has small holes through out it; the pump blows air into

the holes creating bubbles in the aquarium. This creates a larger surface area therefore

creating more oxygen for the fish.

It is also good for decorative purposes. Bubbles can look attractive in a tank and also you

get special statues that require pumps, such as opening treasure chests and so on that are

used for novelty tanks. Pumps are generally expensive but very easy to get. When

purchasing a pump you have to buy the special plastic tubing and the ornament that you

want to buy with it, whether it is the long stone or the novelty statue that you want.

Aquarium pumps are easy to buy but are quite expensive however the equipment that goes

with the pump is cheap. It is up to you whether you have a pump in your aquarium,

because like I said, it is not essential and only there for decorative purposes and only a

small amount of extra oxygen. Most simple fish set ups have pumps but harder fish such as

cichlids are fussier about what goes in their tanks and they do not like a lot of bubbles, I

speak from experience! Don’t worry if bigger cichlids re-arrange your tank, it happens!

When purchasing a pump make sure that you have everything that you need to go with it,

the hose and the statue, not to mention a free plug socket. Aquariums use a lot of electricity

and you may think that it does not matter but this will of course add to the bill. The statue

or the long rock that comes with the pump needs to be maintained to prevent any

blockages; you don’t want your bubbles to be stuck... now do you! Just give it a clean ever

few weeks (in a separate bowl of your tank water) and this will help to prevent blockages.

Other than that, that is all you really need to know about pumps. All I can say now is have

fun with your new aquarium.

Aquarium Stands

Aquarium stands are a great thing to have in your home when you have an aquarium.

Placing tanks on tables can be dangerous; maybe the table is not strong enough to

withhold the weight of the tank filled with water? The table may be on wheels? These are

things that you have to think about and you can’t just leave a tank on the floor. When a

tank is filled it is impossible to move as it is extremely heavy with water, and it is not very

nice to get the fish settled then haul them out and start over again. So the best thing that

you can do is to purchase a proper stand and place the tank on it before setting up your

aquarium.

Aquarium stands can be bought at any fish shop; they usually come with a cabinet on the

bottom, and range in size. They need to have their weight spread out so that they can

support the weight of the full tank. Most tanks come in beech or black but they are easy

enough to strip and paint. There are some aquariums that come ready with their stand.

They are like multi pack aquariums, the stand and all the equipment such as heaters, filters

and lights all come together and of course the stand is included. These are probably the

best types of aquariums to buy.

When purchasing your aquarium stand second hand always give it a thorough checking

over, make sure that there are no cracks or pieces of the stand are loose as this could make

your stand faulty and it may not be able to hold the weight of the tank, which is of course

essential. Examine the stand and if you have any doubts don’t buy it, it is not worth it if it

falls to pieces two weeks after the tank has been set up! Choosing your aquarium stand is

not hard; just make sure that it is the right size for your aquarium. Also that it is not falling

to bits and of course it is in the colour that you want.

Aquarium Glass

Aquariums are built from specially enforced glass to make sure that when the water is

added to the tank and all the equipment and the fish are in, the tank doesn’t fall apart and

end up all over the floor. The glass itself is terribly heavy and when you add water it is

impossible to lift, unless you are the strongest man or woman in the world! Fish tanks

don’t just need to be made from glass; they can be made from acrylic too.

Aquarium glass is basically extremely thick and strong glass that is built to withstand the

pressure and the weight of at least ninety litres of water. Some tanks are as big as eight or

nine feet long and three or four feet wide so you can just imagine the amount of water

needed to fill that tank and then the pressure that is on the glass, but the glass never beaks.

It is sealed at the sides to make sure that it can withstand the weight of the water. You

would not want that tank to break and splash out all that water on your living room floor!

Fish tanks can also be made from acrylic. Acrylic is known to be at least twice as strong as

glass and half the weight. The benefits of acrylic tanks are that it can be moulded when

heated to suit whatever shape or style of tank that you want. Also when the sides are

moulded together with heat they are said to be stronger than the sealant used to hold the

glass together. Acrylic tanks don’t sound like a good option to me; I think I will be sticking

with glass tanks. Acrylic tanks are new and not many people have used them yet. The glass

is still the best alternative for me and my fish!

Aquarium glass is easy enough to pick up although it is quite expensive. As with everything

else you can get your aquarium built to suit you, so you don’t have to purchase one from

the shop, although unless you are someone who can build a tank it is going to cost you a

pretty penny or two!

Aquarium Shops

Aquarium shops are becoming more popular, there is now at least two in each mid sized

town. Fish collecting has had a great boost from out of nowhere! The best place that you

can get your aquarium accessories and tanks is an aquarium shop. They are cheaper than

pet shops that sell items for other animals. When buying the more specific species of fish,

aquarium shops is the place to go, pet shops usually only deal in the smaller more basic

types of fish whereas aquarium shops specialise in fish. That's why they have a much larger

range of fish.

Aquarium shops have all the accessories that you need, you don’t need to shop anywhere

else. They have everything from filters, heaters, lights, fish and food! They even stock

tanks, stands and plants! They are the place to go when first starting out your fish hobby as

they are the best for advice on how to get your fish set up on the go! They will let you know

all about the bacteria process and what needs to be done to maintain a healthy tank!

Aquarium shops also stock things such as chemical solutions to help keep the water pure

and clean. They also offer things like water test kits to make sure that your water levels

such as PH, ammonia and nitrates stay at the level that they should be!

When visiting an aquarium shop you should have the type of tank that you want in mind,

whether it is tropical or saltwater. Or what kind of fish that you would like if you already

have a tank set up. Fish shops have a more personal feel to it, the staffs are friendly and are

there to give you some ongoing support with your tank, and they help you start your tank

and are there for the long haul! Aquarium shops are brilliant for either the beginner or the

advanced aquarist! Whatever your level of fish keeping, you will find everything that you

need!

Aquarium Suppliers

Tanks and tank stands are not hard to come by. They are usually available at your local

aquarium supplier. Always try to measure up the size of the tank that you are getting as

you need to have a decent place to put it, try to purchase stand at the same time for the

tank this way you won't be stuck for a place to put it! Not only do aquarium suppliers stock

tanks and stands but they also have every other thing that you will ever need for setting up

and supporting your tank.

Aquarium suppliers should stock all the equipment that you will need for setting up your

tank and keeping it tidy and clean and full of fish, of course! They don’t just sell accessories

they also sell a huge variety of fish. They tend to get one or two deliveries a week so make

sure that you go in the day after a delivery to get the best of the bunch! Some aquarium

suppliers often sell amphibians, things like turtles, frogs, newt and lizards. Some even

stock spiders!

As well as the equipment and the animals they also sell food and water solutions, things

that you can put in your tank to keep the water the way it should be. Some kinds of

solutions you get are ones that will lower the level of nitrates and ammonia and get rid of

the chlorine in the water. When setting up a tank always fill it with the water first then add

some of these solutions and leave your tank to cycle for a little while before adding any

fish. You can also add some artificial bacteria which then knocks time off the time that you

have to wait before adding any fish!

Aquarium suppliers are available locally and they can also be found on the internet. The

great thing about the internet is that it is usually cheaper and you get it delivered to your

door so you don’t have to spend all day trailing fish shops! Now you can shop online for a

quicker and more efficient purchase.

 Freshwater Aquarium Fish

Freshwater tanks are a lot easier to maintain than a saltwater aquarium. The fresh water

fish may not be easy to keep but the set up is a lot less complicated, you do not have to be

chemist to run one of these tank set ups. Basically in your tank should be your filter, your

heater and your lights. You will also need a thermometer. After the tank has been sitting

for a few weeks getting the bacteria to cycle then it is ready for some freshwater fish!

There are different kinds of fresh water fish that you can get. There are of course large and

small and different species of each. If you are just starting out and your tank is only for

decorative purposes then stick with small fish, but if you see this as becoming a great

hobby and you are going to stick to it then don’t bother with small fish as they are a waste

of money, it is better to get the bigger fish! Bigger species of fish aren’t harder to keep than

smaller ones, just different. When I say bigger species I don’t mean that they are bigger to

start of with, but most of the “bigger species” can grow to at least half a foot long. Cichlids

and Malawi's are the usual favourites of fish enthusiasts, although they are both freshwater

fish they both need different types of fresh water.

African Malawi's prefer hard water, and a lower PH. American Cichlids like to have a

different temperature and PH level. Also there is a certain type of fish, known as Discus

which is very, very expensive and hard to keep. There PH level has to be maintained almost

exact throughout their tank life or it can result in death, they also like their temperature

higher than most fresh water fish, nearly thirty degrees.

When choosing your fresh water fish make sure that they are fish that you like! Not to

mention make sure that the fish that you choose are going to be relatively easy for you to

keep, there is no point in purchasing hard to keep fish if you are not going to spend the

time and take on the responsibility to look after them! Fish are living creatures to and they

need a lot of looking after, so don’t purchase them if you are not prepared to do so.

Tropical Fish Aquarium

Tropical fish are beautiful and are brilliant for keeping at home provided that they have the

right habitat. When thinking of keeping tropical fish always remember to have a suitable

home for them, a large enough tank, clean fresh water, a tank that resembles their natural

habitat and plenty of food. When fish are happy then they are likely to live longer so

making sure that you fish has all those things mentioned then you are already on your way

to being a great fish keeper.

There are several types of fish that you can have in your tropical fish aquarium. You can

keep smaller fish such as Neon’s, Tetras, Angel fish, Guppies and Gourami’s or you can

keep larger fish for example cichlids or Malawi’s. When it comes to cichlids and Malawi's

there are different types of fish that fall into these categories. Cichlids are well known to be

like cannibals, there are fish such as Oscars, black belts, jaguars, parrots and Jack

Dempsey’s to name a few. The list goes on. Malawi cichlids have fish like Black Doral’s,

blue nose, chidunga and luhuchi to name a few.

Tropical fish aquariums are made up with freshwater. The water needs to be completely

purified, no salt or chlorine in the water. The best thing to do is set up your tank about four

weeks before purchasing any fish and let the bacteria cycle; this will give your fish the best

start in your tank. You get what is known as new tank syndrome, if you put your fish in the

tank too soon. The bacteria have not had enough time to build up and the fish suffer. The

bacteria is extremely important as this is what gets rid of the fish waste and if there is not

enough bacteria the waste gathers and becomes toxic to the fish. This is also why a lot of

learning needs to be done. Never use fresh water. Always take out boiled tank water to

clean your filter so that you don’t destroy the good bacteria! When cleaning the gravel in

your tropical aquarium always remember to have some water prepared a few weeks

beforehand. Fill up a bucket of water and leave some chlorine solution in it. This will also

help to protect your fish.

A tropical fish aquarium is an absolutely stunning piece of furniture for any home but it

does require constant attention, so you have to make sure that you know what is involved

before getting into fish keeping. If you are ready for the challenge and you can keep your

tank clean and your fish happy, then there is no reason why you can't be a great fish

keeper, good luck!

Jewel Aquariums

You can walk into your local pet store and buy a plain tank and a hood, then purchase all

the lighting and accessories and then the fish to go with it. This is an extremely expensive

method to start an aquarium. It is like when you go shopping if there is a multi-pack you

buy it, because it is cheaper than buying all the items individually. Buying an aquarium is

just the same. If you can get all the items in one bundle for one price it is fantastic. But

there is only one manufacturer that does this and they are called "Jewel". Jewel aquariums

are ready made aquariums with a stand containing built in filters, heaters and lights, some

even include ornaments and gravel.

There are several different kinds of Jewel aquariums: They record 60, 70, 96 and 120. The

numbers stand for the size. They all come with the cabinet/stand, light, heater and filter. If

you bought this on the internet, it is likely to be a lot cheaper than your fish shop, but your

fish shop is likely to be a lot cheaper than you pet shop! There is also the Rio range; they

are available in five sizes, the 125, 180, 240, 300 and 400 litres, they come in black and

beech. Then you also have the jewel vision series of tanks which include the 180, 260, and

450. This tank offers a curved front glass which makes it different to the other two styles

that jewel offers. Last but not least the Trigon range, they are corner fish tanks and stands

and are the most expensive of the lot. They include the 190 and the 350. All of the tanks

include filtration, heating and heating systems.

All jewel aquariums are beautiful and ready made to suit you. The internet prices usually

include delivery. What is great about delivery is that you have a couple of extra people lift

the tank in for you which is brilliant as it is very heavy. The cabinets however are to be built

at home, they are flat packed!

Marine Aquariums

You basically have to be a chemist to do a marine aquarium set up, they require a lot of

dedication time and effort, you are looking at about half a hour per day at least. The

aquarium set up is difficult to master and then taking care of the fish that go in the marine

is even harder. I'm not trying to put you of. I’m just warning you that this is for no light

hearted or easy going fish friend; this is for the avid hard bearing fish enthusiast! They

require the correct PH level and temperature constantly, and also the correct level of salt to

water level; this would be the most important part of any marine set up as the fish need the

salt to survive!

Most salt tanks need a salt level of about 1.6 or 1.7. You can buy tools that will measure

what kind of level that your salt is at. They also require a specific PH level; collect fish that

need roughly the same PH level or you could end up with a disaster. The marine aquarium

needs a complex filter system that is made by professionals and is very, very expensive to

buy. The equipment, the storage and the fish are almost double the price of a freshwater

aquarium but the end result is worth all the effort and hard work. The fish are absolutely

stunning and are worth whatever you were willing to pay for them, not only that you are

not limited to fish in this set up, you can have coral reefs instead! You can have anemones

and special corals and you need only a few fish with some bottom feeders like crabs and

shrimps and this still provides a beautiful tank, but because of the delicacy of the corals, it

does tend to require a little bit more work. I know you think that more work isn’t possible

but it is!

A marine aquarium is stunning when it is set up, but the filtration system is complex, the

materials and the fish are expensive and the whole thing needs a lot of time and work,.Only

use this kind of aquarium if you are willing to do all those things I have mentioned!

Tropical Aquarium

Tropical Aquariums are for keeping tropical fish, but you can have two different types of

fish, saltwater or freshwater. Saltwater fish obviously needs saltwater and the salt needs to

be a regulated level along with the PH and temperature. Freshwater fish need to have fresh

purified water, both of these set ups need the good bacteria that helps to keep the

aquariums clean.

Tropical aquariums that contain saltwater are only for saltwater fish. If you put a

freshwater fish in this tank it will die! Saltwater fish are made to stand the levels of salt and

are essential for the fish to breath and move. If salt wasn’t present they would die a death

like suffocation. In saltwater aquariums you need to make sure that there are living rocks

in it, this means rocks that already have the good bacteria present. You then need to leave

the rock in the tank for at least two months before putting any fish in, this is to get a

bacteria cycle on the go. Once the bacterium has built up, I set up the filter. After that it is

safe to add the fish.

Freshwater tropical aquariums are for fish that need clear and clean water. This water has

to be chlorine and ammonia free. The freshwater tank also needs to be set up and cycling

for at least four weeks before adding any fish to it, as this will help the bacteria to build and

make sure that the ammonia levels are kept to a bare minimum, ammonia is a substance

that will kill our fish as it makes breathing for them very hard to do. You know when your

tank has very high levels of ammonia because the fish are at the top of the tank struggling

to breath but the trick is not to change the water, what to do is clean out the filter in some

of the tank water (in a separate bowl of course) and then put it back in within a day or so.

The water will be in a completely better condition. Purchase a water test kit to check your

levels or nutrients before putting in your fish, they are not expensive but are a great help.

Tropical aquariums are stunning ornaments in any household! Just make sure that you

don’t forget about the work and responsibility involved, they may be fish but they are still

alive and should of course be kept that way!

Reef Aquarium

When choosing the route that you want to follow when it comes to aquariums a reef set up

is probably one of the more complex set ups that you can choose. Reef aquariums are full

of corals and anemones; they also include some reef fish. Some fish can’t be included in a

reef set up as they eat the anemones! Anemones are very delicate types of plants. I must

say that they eat their food very funny! When feeding an anemone just lay the fish food

over the anemone and the anemone then takes the food in its tentacles and starts to curl its

self over and then place the food down into its mouth (the small crease that opens when

the anemone is feeding in the middle of it!)

Reef aquariums are one of the most beautiful set ups that you will see, with a special set of

lights you can ensure that your corals and anemones are going to look stunning. Also some

fish can be included in your reef aquarium. Although when setting up your reef aquarium

make sure that you avoid bottom feeders such as shrimps and crabs, another type of fish to

avoid when it comes to anemones are the different kinds of puffer fish as they like to eat

them although they sting! Crabs and shrimps like to eat and pick away at the reef life as

well. So these are not advised!

After choosing the things that you want to include in your tank, you then have to make sure

that you have the proper conditions for them. You have to ensure that the PH level, salt

level and temperature are all correct for the things that you are going to place in your

aquarium. If the conditions are not what the reef requires, then it will die! If taken care of,

your reef will grow to a beautiful picture and look absolutely stunning! What would you

prefer?

Saltwater Aquarium

Saltwater aquariums are for fish that can only live in salt water obviously. Some of the fish

are grouped for example triggers and groupers. Each play their part in the salt water

aquarium set up. You can also keep corals and anemones as well as saltwater fish, but

avoid things like crabs and shrimps and snails as they will try to eat the anemones.

Fish are a beautiful addition to this kind of tank, the lights accentuate the beauty of the fish

and the tank looks like the deep blue sea, try to add a solid blue background at the back of

the tank and the light will make the tank look fantastic and like something that you will

only see in movies. There are lots if different fish that are available to be put in the tanks

such as: Lion Fish, Puffer Fish, Eels, Panther Groupers, Shrimps, Crabs and dog puffers.

Each of these fish is stunning and under the light of tank against the deep blue background

will keep you in awe!

Another variant that you can keep in a saltwater aquarium is a coral or an anemone. Some

people only have these types of living things in their saltwater tank but they can be put in

with some fish, most other fish will try to eat them especially the anemones. These types of

plants are living, the anemones need to be hand fed, you should just place the food on top

of it and it will then curl itself around the food and open up its mouth and feed itself, its is

a miraculous thing to watch.

Saltwater aquariums are like watching the ocean, the colours bounce of the fish and hey all

get on so well, but it is like any other type of fish species; if it is smaller it will get eaten by

something bigger. You also have to watch out because some of the fish are poisonous, for

example the lion fish; its tentacles if touched will sting your hand and you need to seek

medical help straight away! Saltwater aquariums are only for the professional fish keeper

though, as it takes a lot of work to get the conditions for the fish correct, the saltwater

needs to be at a safe level as does the temperature and the PH. This is a hard work task but

the rewards are well worth the effort.

Read more »