Tropical fish Tanks Guide to Lighting and Plants

Aquarium plants play multiple roles in the tank life: they decorate the aquarium and make it look beautiful, they are an attraction for the fish and some of them help regulate the oxygen level.

While completing the aquarium structure with plants, it is good to know a few facts.

One of them is to keep in mind that plants should decorate the aquarium but, at the same time, leave enough space for the fish to swim. For example, the feathery plants look much better when there are many of them in small clumps. This makes them seem like bushes. The tall, grassy type is better to be placed in rows.

Planting rooted plants into the tank sand can be done like this:
1. hold the tips of the bunch of roots between the thumb and second finger
2. put the rest into the sand
3. push the upper part of the roots with the first finger approximately 2cm into the sand
4. scrape some sand over the uncovered parts of the roots with the thumb and second finger

The same method is applied when planting rootless plants. The lower ends of the stems are squeezed together and treated like they were roots.

Another aspect is the water level in the tank. The water surface should be just up to the lower edge of the top angle iron of the tank. If the water level is bellow the top angle iron, the aquarium will look like a water container. Ideal is that when somebody looks at the aquarium from the front, that person should imagine that there is no water there and fish are swimming freely.

The lighting in the aquarium is also a vital element for the fish health and a key factor if you want to grow plants. The lack of light damages the plants and also causes the fish to lose their color: red can turn into pink and green to white.

You can choose natural light or artificial light or even a combination of both. If you want to expose the tank to just natural light, place it near the window that’s facing north. But if you want artificial light, you can choose between incandescent or fluorescent light. Whatever the type is, you must also be careful about the amount of light you have in your tank. Too much light can make the water green and too little will not help them grow. Most of the times, adjusting the light level is a mater of multiple trials and tests.

The lighting system should be made of wood and placed above the tank. Some of the most spectacular aquariums have the light placed behind.

Also, if there is no natural light during the day, leave the artificial light turned on. Fish breeders recommend that the aquarium is lightened for about eight hours a day. If after a few days you see that the water is turning green, reduce the amount of hours to 6 or 7.

Aquarium Fish Health: The White Spot Disease And Its Treatment

One of the most frustrating moments in the life of a fish breeder or fish owner is when one or more fish dies. And this is one of the most common problems aquarists face. But sometimes, no matter what you do, death is inevitable especially in a fish tank. Many diseases are caused by internal or external parasites that live in the tank.

This is why you should observe as often as possible your fish and detect the problem in early stages. Many diseases, if discovered quickly, can be treated.

White Spot disease is one of the most common infections that appear on fish and is caused by the parasite - Ichthyophthirius Multifillis which swims and attaches itself to the fish.

Here are some behavioral symptoms in a fish that is infected with White Spot disease. If you notice some of them, start a treatment.

- The fish looses its appetite and has no response to food

- It stays constantly on the water surface or on the ground
- If it stays on the water surface it opens the mouth frequently and gasps for air

- The fish has a tendency to get close to the rocks and rubbing the body to against them

- Lethargy and a general state of weakness

- Hovering in a corner

- While swimming, the fish keeps the clamps up.

But one of the most obvious signs of infection is the pin head-size white spots that appear on the fins and sometimes on the whole body. This is a clear sign of infection with White Spot Disease.

This ailment can be treated with a solution of Methylene Blue. This solution can be bought from a chemist or from any fish shop. The treatment is like this: a 1% stock solution is poured into 0.8 to 1.0ml per gallon of tank water. Ad all the amount at once and repeat the process in a day or two. Before you start the treatment it is good to remove the dirt from the bottom of the tank and use aeration with bubbles near the water surface. A dirty tank bottom could inactivate the solution by absorbing it.

It is very important not to interrupt the treatment till all the white spots are gone. After the spots disappear, change all the tank water because a long exposure to the Methylene Blue chemical can affect the fish’s fertility. If used in a weak dosage, the Methylene Blue has no side effects to young fish and also to aquarium plants.

If your filtration system is charcoal based, you should consider removing it, so that the Methylene Blue isn’t absorbed by the charcoal.