What You Need to Know About Koi Pond Filtration

The filter is the heart of your Koi pond. Koi pond filtration is the single most important function performed in your pond! It is what keeps the water clear and healthy for your fish.
One surefire method for having a Koi pond that fails is to spend all your hard earned money on installing a beautiful pond and then trying to save money on your filter.

A Koi pond filter serves two purposes. First, it serves as a mechanical filter that removes the organic waste produced by your fish along with anything else in the pond that would cloud the water.
Secondly, it serves as a biological filter by converting the ammonia produced by the fish into nitrites and eventually into nitrates which are less harmful to your Koi. Some filters are very high maintenance and require constant attention while others are quite easy to maintain.
The first thing you need to know when it comes to Koi pond filtration is that you can never have too big a filter. When selecting a filter, choosing one that is slightly large for your pond can turn out to be a very wise investment!
For any pond over 1000 gallons it is wise to use a pressurized biological sand or bead filter that can be back washed. There are pros and cons to each.
During the backwash portion of the operation sand, since it is heavier than water, falls to the bottom of the tank instead of flowing out through the valve with the waste. Plastic beads,since they are lighter than water, float to the top. As they are smaller than the valve-strainer's holes, they get washed out through the valve into the waste stream. More and more beads are lost during each backwash operation.
Bead filters also have limited efficiency. Smaller beads have more surface area for good bacteria colonization, but tend to get flushed out during the backwash procedure. This doesn't happen to the larger sized beads, but they have less surface area and thus are unable to filter as efficiently.
By under-loading the sand filters, and backwashing them more frequently with higher pressures and flow rates, you can take advantage of the greater food processing surface areas, while eliminating the chance of plugging. Many manufacturers recommendations for loading sand tend to be too high.
This causes the sand to plug the filter which is the main drawback of sand as a filtration medium.
Up-flow and gravity flow filters need to be cleaned regularly and it is a filthy job. The filter media is packed with rotting organic matter and foul odored fish waste.
As you clean and handle all the various parts of these filters you will find small, white feces-eating worms crawling on your hands and arms. Add to this the ambiance of the offensive odor described above and you don't exactly have nirvana!
The up-flow and gravity flow filters, though inexpensive to make, cost a fortune to purchase. So, in addition to paying a premium price to buy one, you are also spending so much time and labor that you might as well have paid at least twice the price!
If you use a pressurized filter, all it takes is the turn of a handle for 2 to 3 minutes and the filter is clean. Almost like magic! This saves lots of time, inconvenience, labor, mess, and wear and tear on your Koi. It uses slightly more electricity to operate a pressurized pump, but the savings in labor more than make up for it in most pond owner's eyes!
You can also use the waste water for your plants. It is packed with nitrogen and works even better than many of the fertilizers created especially for this purpose!
As you can see,to find the type that is right for you, you have several decisions to make about Koi pond filtration.

Freshwater Aquarium Plants - Why You Want Live Ones

Live freshwater aquarium plants assist in maintain the natural balance in your tank. Simultaneously they do a lot for the aquascape. These inhabit plants can stipulate the water in the aquarium by taking away carbon dioxide in addition to as sulfur substances. They likewise further the development of bacteria to help get rid of other permissive waste in the tank. This natural filtration breaks up ammonium hydroxide into a lesser extent adverse substances that live plants utilize as food. Plants will utilize these nitrites and nitrates as a source of more demanded nitrogen for themselves.

I am certainly everyone has heard of photosynthesis. This is the method where plant life use light to produce food inside themselves and emit oxygen in the process. This is really valuable in holding the water in the tank for your fish. Just think once you switch off the light in the aquarium and it becomes dark, those plants will invert the process and ingest oxygen and emit carbon dioxide similar to your fish's breathing process.

Live plants may likewise be a food source for some species of fish that likes a large number of vegetation in their diet. Of course this entails that you may have to continue replacing the vegetation if your fish experience a big appetite.

You might also discover your fish's color is brighter in a naturally planted aquarium and those live plants will likewise give them many more sense of security. A healthy planted aquarium will furnish a little protection for pregnant fish attempting to break loose from the more combative males. Simultaneously it allows shelter for the smaller timid fish and those fragile, long-finned fish.

Live plants can supply additional, more pleasurable dimension to your fresh water aquarium. as you gain experience, you can expand your knowledge of live freshwater aquarium.

The Truth Why Algae Eaters Are Great Fresh Water Aquarium Fish

Algae eaters are an outstanding add-on to any aquarium but its best to wisely or you may regret your decision to introduce them to fresh water aquarium.

Algae eaters are used to help control algae. They are great fish to clean up the bits and pieces of algae that are inevitable. Algae is a typical product of fish keeping usually caused by build up of nitrates in water. However prevention is a key when it comes to controlling algae.

To cease algae progress you need a strategy to preclude instead of treat algae. You are unlikely to ever be without algae altogether, what you are shooting to do is maintain it at a satisfactory level. Plants inside your fish tank will consume nitrates allowing little for algae to feed upon.

Algae eating fish will help to deal with the rest. So which ones are best and which ones come with a health warning.

Depending upon the size of your aquarium, the planting and the fish that you already have, some algae eaters will be best suitable to your fish tank than others. So once you have decided on what types of algae eaters you will buy, you might want to think about adding some snails or shrimp to deal with other types of algae.

The Siamese Algae eaters are capable of growing up to about five inches in length and ideally they need to be kept in pairs which require them to be held open in a aquarium that is a minimum of about twenty five gallons. They will fit better with most aquariums and eat on brush algae off plants without eating up the plants. They do however have a healthy appetite and are not crabby eaters, tidying the tank of any food that finds its way to the bottom.

Breeding Discus Fish - Best Practices

Breeding discus fish is truly the very next step in the development of your pastime with these entrancing creatures. If you are enterprising enough to do it, you can get some very galvanizing results. Seeing that first discus fish that you know you helped to create can provide you with an awesome sense of achievement. Then there are the different colours that can come out of these tiny fish that are just superb when they are selectively bred.

While this is often extremely rewarding, it may also be quite tedious and there's much to learn before starting. For instance, discus fish are used to being in groups so when working on getting them to reproduce, you do not want to put only 2 discus in your tank, or they will feel a little out of a sorts.

You must have a new tank for breeding your discus fish. A twenty gallon tank should do the job. You need to keep this tank extremely clean and tidy. Some plants placed in there to give them room to cover up will be fine. You are also going to need a slate or another vertical surface for them to be ready to lay their eggs on.

As I pointed out, you will need to keep the tank extraordinarily clean and to have the right temperature. To keep the water clean, change some of the water each day. Usually twenty-five to fifty percent will keep you in fine shape. Also make efforts to not leave any fragments of food in your tank when you change some water out. With reference to the water temperature, the perfect temperature for breeding discus fish is about 86 degrees Fahrenheit.

Keep an eye on the astringency of the water too. Ensure that your discus fish are getting everything that they need to keep fit and happy. If you are feeding them during mating, ensure you select a food that may provide them with all of the nutrient elements they require as malnourishment will only cause to make you annoyed at why the breeding process isn't working.

You will need to have another tank to keep the babies in so they may not get some of the bugs that some adults have. When you get your first baby discus, you'll be wanting to ensure that you understand about feeding and ensure that the babies have everything they need to grow and develop.

Do not feel bad if your first try isn't successful. Breeding discus fish can take you a little while to get it down and worked out. If you aren't getting it the first time, go do more research and see whether you can find what you probably did inaccurately.

Maybe make yourself a check list from your studies to insure that you do not forget anything when you are making an attempt to make them mate.

Breeding discus fish can be an extraordinarily rewarding experience and for the entrepreneurial hobbyist, can make you some cash on the side when you get good at it. Just remember the things that I have told you here and you will do just fine.

Dog Bathing

Taking your pet for bathing is part of your dog's grooming session. Grooming does not only make your pet appear attractive but also keep it clean and germ free. Keeping your pet germ free is also essential to maintain the general health of your family. Especially, if you have small children at home you are advised to take your pet for bath at regular intervals. The following are the steps of dog bathing that may guide you while you take your pet for washing.

Dog Bathing Steps

• At first you are required to collect the ingredients that you would be requiring while washing your dog. Get hold of few clean towels, doggy shampoo, brush, comb and some cotton balls to rinse the dog ears.
• You must know that bathing is usually not an enjoying experience for dogs. They would perhaps get scared. To ease your job you are advised to get some dog treats to keep it engaged and happy.
• Before bathing try to groom the fur of your dog with brush. Get rid of the loose dirt, snarls and mat. The hair tangles should also be freed before the fur of your dog gets wet.
• Depending upon the size and nature of the dog you may either bathe your dog in a kitchen sink in case your pet is small or a big bath tub in case it is of a giant size. Bathing in the kitchen sink might lead to many risks in case your pet dislikes taking bath and has the habit of jumping out of the basin. If you find difficulty in washing your pet in a sink or a tub, you may simply put your doggy under a shower. It is sure to get wet.
• Cover the floor of the bath tub or the sink with a mat or a towel in order to avoid your pet from slipping. A rubber mat at the base will give your pet support to stand and feel comfortable.

Make sure of the temperature of the water. Feel it with your own hands to determine the accurate temperature of the water. Do not make use of your shampoo for washing your dog as the ph level of humans is different from that of dogs. You should also not go for dog bathing every day as that can cause drying up of the fur and damaging of the quality of the coat.