Essential Aquarium Accessories

Below are some of the aquarium accessories that are necessary for the proper maintenance of an aquarium.

A constant level siphon is designed to maintain the water level of an aquarium from going higher than a specified height. It does not empty itself when the flow ceases, but remains ready to resume its function automatically when the water level rises. It is especially useful to prevent overflow in aquaria where there is constant inflow of water.

A dip tube is a plastic or glass tube, usually 12 to 18 inches long, comprises the principal part of a dip tube. Glass tubes are extremely fragile, however. There is usually a bulbous section near the bottom, narrowing down again at the mouth. Some models have a flared mouth to eliminate picking up gravel. To operate this tool, one finger is held over the top, tightly closing it. The mouth of the tube is placed in the aquarium directly over the dirt or debris to be removed. When the finger is removed, the water rushes in, carrying the dirt with it. The dip tube is emptied by inverting it into a container. There are also “take-apart” dip tubes which can be dismantled after use for greater ease in cleaning. A dip tube is more convenient than a siphon for removing a small amount of debris and also for working in smaller tanks.

A power dip tube is a modification of an inside filter operating from the air pump. The air-lift tube is lengthened enough to reach the bottom of the aquarium. Usually a handle is provided for convenience. For best results all the air that the pump provides should be used, it drains through the filtering material back into the tank. Usually only glass wool is used as a filter medium.

The power dip tube is faster than an ordinary dip tube in use, but not as fast as a siphon. It is particularly useful to people who do not have a source of water suitable for fishes readily available and therefore wish to reuse what they have. New aquarium vacuum cleaners serve the same purpose, but have built-in motors and cloth and it is also used like a squeegee to polish the glass. The razor blade is used for the removal of tougher algal growth. This latter type of scraper is not rust-proof and should be taken apart and dried carefully after use. The sponge aquarium glass cleaners are excellent sack filters.

An aquarium scraper is a long-handled razor blade holder. It is used to scrape the inside of the aquarium glass. Some scrapers have a rubber blade in addition to the razor blade. The rubber is used for removing soft settlings.

Planting tongs are long-handled forceps to make possible the removal or placement of items in the aquarium without putting your hands in the water. They are also convenient for use in closer quarters. In planting, the crown of the plant is placed in the tip of the tongs with the plant parallel with the tongs. It is then slid into place. Never poke a plant straight down. Start an inch or two away from the desired location and slide it forward and down. If it is placed too deeply, tug at it very gently and bring it to the desired height. Two sticks with their ends flattened and notched are often used for planting. One is used to hold the plant down, while the other pushes gravel over the roots.

Planting scissors are long-handled scissors which are used to trim aquatic vegetation. Tying sticks to the handles of an old pair of scissors works admirably.

Feed rings are rings, usually glass or plastic, which float. They are used because dry food placed on the water has a tendency to spread out over the surface and drop in all areas of the aquarium. A feed ring prevents this spreading. Food which drops below it can be located and removed more easily with a dip tube. Don’t get too small a feeding ring. Make sure that there is room for all the fishes under it. In some cases one fish will become the other fishes away from the ring. In that case, it is advisable to use two or even three rings. If there is a bully fish driving all the other fishes away from the ring, it is advisable to use two or even three rings.

A worm feeder is made of glass or plastic and is shaped like a cup. It has a number of small perforations in the bottom. It floats at the surface. Tubifex or white worms, when placed in it, wriggle slowly through the holes, to be consumed by the waiting fishes below. This eliminates the possibility of their crawling into the gravel, as might happen if the worms were just dropped into the water. It also enables you to determine just how many worms the fishes eat. As with the feeding ring, so with the worm ring: if you are feeding a large number of fishes, or if one fish dominates the feeding area, use several rings.

There are different types of worm feeders available. A worm feeder will keep live tubifex worms in one place. This will allow all of your fishes an opportunity to feed on the worms and prevent the worms from entrenching themselves in the gravel.

Suction cups are small rubber suction cups with a rubber band or a thin stainless steel wire attached. They have many uses in keeping the aquarium neat. They can be used to keep air-line tubing in place, to keep feed rings from floating away, to attach thermometers in an easy-to-read position, and so on.

An aquarium pH testing kit is a measure of the acidity or alkalinity of the aquarium. This value is expressed in numbers: 7.0 is neutral; a value above 7.0 (7.4, 8.0, etc.) is alkaline; below 7.0 is acid (6.9, 5.8, etc.).

The majority of our aquarium fishes thrive at a pH near neutral. Most fishes will withstand a change from water of one pH to water of another pH provided the change is gradual.

There are two types of inexpensive kits available to aquarists for measuring pH. One involves the use of u liquid indicator dye, bromthymol blue. A drop or two of the indicator is placed into measured amount of aquarium water. The color of the sample is then compared with a color chart provided for that purpose. Also useful is the roll of impregnated paper which is specially designed for accurate pH readings. It contains a roll of paper in a plastic dispenser. A small strip of this paper is torn off, dipped into the water, and held up a few seconds to dry. The drop of color which forms on the end is then compared with the color chart which is provided on the case of the pH tester.

The aquarium pH can be altered by the addition of chemicals: sodium bicarbonate to make it more alkaline, and sodium biphosphate to make it acid.

A properly set up and cared-for tank will remain at or near neutral by itself. A constant variation or tendency to become too acid or alkaline indicates an unbalanced tank and should be investigated.

Tropical Aquarium - What is the Best Type of Filter for a Beginner?

From the point of view of satisfactory service over a long period of time, an outside filter is the most satisfactory. Hanging in the rear and outside of the aquarium, outside filters are easily concealed yet readily serviceable.

By their very nature, filters become the repository of all the waste and filth in the tank. They should be cleaned every two weeks, on the average, to remove this waste matter. An outside filter is the easiest to disconnect and remove to be cleaned. Also, it can be examined easily to determine the amount of accumulated dirt. If the tank is located where it does not permit the hanging of a filter on the outside, however, it is necessary to employ an inside

The air lift filter is a closed plastic box containing the filtering material. The air-lift tube is straight, instead of curved, and is set in the middle of the filter in the filtering material. This type of filter has perforated sides and rests on the bottom of the aquarium, usually at the rear. The air-lift draws the water from the center. New water comes in through the perforations and passes through the filter material as it makes its way toward the center.

A bottom filter is frequently used by dealers for several reasons. It requires a lesser amount of air than do outside ones. Many dealers have their tanks banked closely together, and do not have space between them for outside filters. Also, bottom filters double as aerators. The stream of air agitates the water as it rises, serving to aerate and circulate the fluid.

Against this, however, is the reluctance on the part of a fancier to disturb a tank once it is set up. There is a tendency to let a bottom filter remain without cleaning for months on end, until it becomes a focal point for pollution. Far from serving as a cleansing agent, it becomes a menace. The same holds true of the other types of filters, but to a far lesser degree, because there is much less tendency to neglect them.

Because under-gravel filters have disadvantages, I usually recommend that they be used in conjunction with a good outside filter. Thus several areas will be served, and there will be less likelihood of difficulty if the under-gravel filter clogs up.

What is a vibrator pump for a tropical fish aquarium?

The same principle of make-and-break current operating in the common doorbell also applies in operating a rubber, leather, or plastic diaphragm which fits over the air chamber of the pump. As the diaphragm moves up and down, air is forced out through one-way valves.

Most diaphragm pumps have a low air pressure but an adequate air volume. They are usually equipped with a knob which controls the volume of air put out. Diaphragm pumps do not usually have so long a life as do cylinder pumps, nor are they so powerful. They are usually less expensive, and for the hobbyist with one or two small-to medium-sized tanks they are perfectly adequate. They have the advantage of no outside moving parts and do not give off any heat. Nor do they require any oiling or other care. Should they break down, it is usually necessary to return them to the manufacturer for repair. In many cases the guarantee specifies that opening the case voids the guarantee.

Another point of information about vibrator pumps: they must be placed on a firm yet resilient surface, not an unyielding one such as a wall, a table top, or a loose floor board. A sponge rubber pad makes an excellent mounting for a vibrator pump. Such material also helps to eliminate the hum which is an unfortunate feature of some vibrator pumps.

Some diaphragm pumps are very cheap, while others are comparatively expensive. In purchasing pumps, as with other items, you get what you pay for. The lower-priced pumps are not necessarily a better buy. Often they are cheap merchandise offered for sale at a low price. In order to compete, some manufacturers sacrifice quality and reliability so that they can offer a low price. Shop carefully before you purchase a pump, especially if you want it to provide long service. Consider only nationally advertised products.

Vibrator pumps require no care; cylinder pumps should be oiled regularly. Some vibrator air pump features an adjustable output of air, allowing you to control exactly how much air is released.

Aquarium Heaters for your Tropical Fish Tank

Heaters are no more expensive than any other small electrical appliance. Remember, heaters are using up electricity only when they are heating. Thermostats do not use up any current; they only conduct it or cut it off.

The warmer you keep your tanks in relation to the room temperature; the more electricity will be required. If you are concerned about the cost of electricity, keep your tanks in the warmest part of the warmest room - but not near a radiator - and maintain your tanks at the lowest safe temperature of 72° to 73° F.

Incidentally, it costs no more to operate a large heater when a small heater in the same size tank. The larger heater will simply heat up that much faster and shut off that much sooner. Many people are under the misconception that a heater gives off only the temperature at which the thermostat is set while heating. This is not so. A heater, once it starts heating, gets as hot as the resistance wire will allow, and stays at that high temperature until the thermostat shuts it off. Then it loses all its heat to the water. A heater does not feel hot to the touch while it is heating, because it is rapidly exchanging its heat with the water. The same heater in air becomes too hot to touch within seconds.

A test light can be wired to a heater, provided you know how to make the hook-up. If the test light goes on when the thermostat and heater are plugged in, turn the temperature control down until the light just flickers off. If the light fails to go on, turn the temperature control higher. The point at which the light flickers on or off is where thermostat is set for room temperature. A thermometer in the room will tell you what the room temperature is. From there it is a simple matter to turn the thermostat up or down.

If the light goes on and fails to shut off when the thermostat contact is broken, it is usually evidence of the failure of a condenser, which should be removed. The heater should then function normally. A new condenser should be put on as soon as possible, rather than operating without it. The absence of a condenser puts a strain on the contact points.

If the test light fails to go on, check the male plug and the contact points first; then look for a break in the element, or a black spot, which indicates a burned area.

Occasionally the points become so coated with carbon that they fail to make proper contact, or constant arcing may build up a high spot, preventing the contact from breaking properly. Fine sandpaper used carefully will remove those spots and return the unit to proper operating.

Where should the fish tank be placed?

First of all, we must consider what the tank is to stand on. Water is quite heavy-8.3 pounds per U.S. gallon. Thus a 15-gallon tank weighs about 125 pounds. This is certainly no weight for a delicate end table to support. The base for a tank must be a sturdy one - flat and level. Any projections, tilt, or unsteadiness may cause leakage. The location should be a fairly permanent one. Tanks cannot be moved readily. Also, the height must be considered. It should be high enough to be seen standing up and low enough to be viewed comfortably while sitting down. An ideal height for a stand is 30″ to 36″.

Stands expressly designed for supporting aquaria are available. Most of these are equipped with a shelf which can be used for an auxiliary tank or for equipment. The artistically inclined often put plants on the shelf and train ivy up the legs to afford an exotic touch. These stands have a flat top, open in the center, with just a rim around the edge to support the tank. The center is left open so that water, which may accidentally drip, will not run under and accumulate below the tank. The outside rim which supports the tank only along the four edges is perfectly satisfactory.

When the stand rests on a rug or linoleum, furniture coasters should be used to prevent damage. Some buyers are surprised to see that there is no lip around a stand to prevent sliding. Because of a tank’s construction, all of the weight and pressure are directed straight down, and it would require a very heavy shove to dislodge a tank. In fact, a shove heavy enough to move a full tank is more likely to break the tank before moving it. The moral of the story is: don’t shove a full tank.

Think twice before putting a tank on an expensive piece of highly polished furniture. Working around an aquarium, water is often spilled, and tank water is injurious to polished surfaces unless it is wiped up immediately. Surfaces which heat up, such as television cabinets, may cause the cement to soften. Several layers of asbestos under the tank will prevent this. A table-top stand has recently become available. This is approximately 4″ high and is designed for holding tanks on furniture.