An outside filter is a watertight box suspended outside and alongside of the aquarium. Usually it is made of plastic or glass. The top of the filter is level with the rim of the tank. The filter itself is divided vertically into two unequal compartments by a partition, the lower one-quarter of which is perforated or slotted. The filtering material is placed in the larger compartment. A small tube siphons water from the tank onto the filter material. It sinks through the filter material and runs through the perforations in the partition into the next compartment. The passage of the water through the filter material has cleansed it. The clean water is returned by means of an air-lift tube, which is operated by the pump.

As the intake stem bringing water into the filter is a siphon, it maintains the water in the filter at the same level as the water in the tank. Therefore, the water cannot over-flow. The action is continuous. If the siphoning action is stopped, the return stem - which returns the clear water to the tank - would empty the filter. As the amount of water the filter is usually small compared to the volume of the tank, no harm is done, that is, the tank will not overflow.

For an outside filter to operate efficiently, the water level of the aquarium should be quite high, about one inch from the top. The siphon tube is placed upside down in the aquarium to empty it of air. Still held under water, it is righted, and a finger placed over the shorter open end. Holding this tightly closed, the tube is lifted far enough out of the water so that the short end of the stem can be put into the larger filter compartment, and the longer end remaining submerged in the tank. Only now should your finger be removed from the end. The flow should start and continue until the water level in the filter and the tank is the same.

There are several self-starting stems available today. To start them, hold your finger over the opening in the short end and slowly lower the stem into position. Syringe-type starter balls are also available. This type and the automatic or self-starting stems do offer a good deal of convenience.

Essential Tools to Start a Tropical Fish Tank

There is a wide variety of tools which help you maintain health in your aquarium. Some of these tools are: filters, ornaments, gravel, air pumps, plants, nets, water treatments, siphons, scrapers, and many more.

The gravel for Tropical Fish Tanks

Buy gravel from pet stores. The workers there will help you choose the best one and even give you advice. They will recommend you the pre-washed gravel. You will only need to rinse it a little before putting it into the aquarium. It is clean and sterile. If you get non-washed gravel, you have to boil, cleanse, and prepare it before putting it into the tank. The low quality gravel affects the pH water levels in your tank so buy the best one.

Filters for tropical fish tanks

The filters keep away all the harmful chemicals. There are many types of filters to choose from: chemical, biological, or mechanical. Every type removes fish waste like debris and ammonia. The filters have under-gravel, internal, and external filters. The best ones, and the most costly ones, are the external filters. Breeders recommend combining under-gravel filters with external or internal filters.

Plants for tropical fish tanks

Plants are amazing because they play a double role. They regulate the CO2 and oxygen levels in the tank and also play an aesthetic role. Choose plants that don’t grow higher than the water tank. Also ask the pet shop sales persons to recommend you plants depending on the fish species you have. There are some fish species that like some particular plant types. Generally, marine water plants and fish plants are the best choice.

Ornaments for tropical fish tanks
On the market you will find a wide variety of aquarium ornaments of different shapes and colors. Ask a breeder before buying an ornament. Not all of them are good for the fish. For example, the plastic ornaments sometimes can cause damage to the fish.

After you buy some ornaments, before introducing them into the tank, it is good to boil them and clean the properly. Get advice on how to do that and help from pet shop sales people.

Air pumps for tropical fish tanks
Among the vital components of your aquarium, the air pump plays a key role. It helps the air to circulate and that increases the rates of oxygen.
Do a little research on the Internet before buying one and then go to talk to some professionals. Also, you will find in the shops many types of air pumps. Read all that’s written on the labels and be careful about details. Ask for advice if you don’t understand something and make sure the pump you buy is for the size of your aquarium.

Test kits for tropical fish tanks
Besides all the tools specified by now, you also must have some test kits. With these scientifically aquarium gadgets you will monitor the quality of water. In this way, you will be sure that your tank water doesn’t have unwanted substances like ammonia, nitrates, or nitrites, and many others. Also test the pH levels as well. Always remember that fish produce ammonia through waste. The ammonia turns into non-toxic nitrites, which fish like to eat.

Water treatments for tropical fish tanks
The purity of the water is very important in maintaining fish health. The tap water is full of chlorine and chloramines, dangerous for the fish. These two substances can really do damage to your fish skin and digestion system. You need to treat the water before you put the fish in the tank. Chlorine treatments are ideal and you can find water treatments in any pet shop.

And if you are a beginner and just got your first aquarium, buy a starter kit. It will have everything you need to take care of your fish and keep them happy. You can find more information about this if you go online and search.

What is the Best Location for a Tropical Fish Aquarium Pump?

It is usually advisable to have the pump at a higher level than the tank. This will prevent any possibility of a siphoning action draining the water from the tank back into the pump. Pump platforms are available for pump placement. These are small plastic or metal shelves designed to hold the pump while hanging on the back of a tank.

If it is desirable to place the pump on the floor, or on any level below the level of the tank, there are several precautions to be observed: Backflow seldom starts while the pump is in operation; it is when the pump is not operating that the greatest danger occurs. Backflow may be started by several actions.

(1) The tendency of water to rise in a narrow tube is known as capillary action. If the water in the tank is very close to the top, it is possible for water to rise in the air tube by capillary action to a point where it starts a downward flow and a siphoning action occurs.

(2) The cooling down of a warm pump can cause the air inside to contract and draw the water down.

(3) Over- oiling the pump can cause excess oil to enter the lines. Air pressure will keep the oil clinging to the inside walls of the vertical tubing, but with the air pressure removed; the oil starts to run back. As it collects in droplets, a vacuum is created behind it strong enough to start a siphoning action.

In order to prevent this, keep a small surgical type “C” clamp handy. When, for any reason, the pump is shut off, clamp shut the line leading to the pump. Also shut all air valves tightly. Whenever oil or moisture is seen in a tube, discard that piece of tubing. It is also a good idea to clean the pump when excess oil appears in the line.

Introducing Fish into the Tropical Aquarium

Many people receive fishes shipped from out-of-town sources. Often prompt and proper action must be taken upon their arrival to insure their continued life.

Examine the carton carefully before opening it. If it is wet or damaged, mark the fact on the receipt before signing it. Make the carrier wait and watch while you open the shipment. Check the water temperature immediately. Do not remove any fishes which appear to be dead, unless they are obviously decayed or physically damaged. Many tropical fish can be revived.

If the water is below 70° F., it is important to warm it to a higher temperature. Do not remove the fishes and put them into other warmer water. Instead, add warm water to the original water. Stir as you add the warm water to prevent hot water from touching the fishes. Warming the water slowly is dangerous. The fishes may die before the water gets warm enough to help them.

Once a desired temperature has been reached, change part of the water for fresh water. If the original water was foul, continue making partial changes at intervals until the water is clear. The water which is dipped out is thrown away. This process over a period of hours will give the fishes a chance to adjust to the different composition of your water.

Fishes bought from local source are usually brought home in a small container. These containers should be allowed to float unopened in the aquarium for fifteen minutes. This allows the water in the container to equal the temperature of the tank water. Remove the cover carefully. The fishes are likely to jump as soon as they see the light. Partially submerge the container slowly so that some water from the tank gradually runs into it. Pour out part of the water and repeat. Do this several times before completely submerging the container and letting the fishes swim out.

When transferring fishes from one tank to another, the same procedure is followed. Dip some of the fishes’ own water out in a container and place the fishes in that for transferring. It is unnecessary to float the container first,

Many aquarists maintain newly acquired fishes in separate tanks for ten days or two weeks. This helps to reveal any latent disease before it might be transmitted to the other fishes. During this time strict isolation is practiced. Utensils (net, dip tube, etc.) are disinfected, water drips are avoided, and even hands are scrubbed and rinsed thoroughly before going from one tank to the other.

A fairly good isolation ward for two or three small fishes is a squat one-gallon jar floating in the aquarium. By experimenting with the amount of water in the jar you can determine the proper amount to keep it upright and buoyant. This type of jar can be used for breeding also. A breeding trap, with its perforations which permit the circulation of water, is of course valueless for isolation.

Introducing Your Fish To Their New Aquarium

If you’ve just purchased some fish to put into your tropical fish tank you
should get them acclimated to the water before you just start dumping them in.
This article gives you two examples of methods that have been used many times in
the past and are effective.

The bucket method is basically the same as the floating bag method, but instead
of floating the bag in the tank you’re putting the bag inside a clean bucket instead. The bucket method is better than the
floating bag method because you don’t have to worry about any of the bag water
entering your tank.

Open the top of the bag and remove about 25% of the water from the bag. Replace
this water with the same amount of water from your tank. Every 10 minutes add
about 1 measuring cup of water to the bag. Repeat this process for about an
hour. After an hour has passed use a small net to get the fish out of the bag
and gently place the fish into your tank.

The drip method is recommended for most saltwater fish and invertebrates because
they can be more sensitive to pH, specific gravity and other water chemistry
changes.

To do the drip method your going to need a bucket, a vegetable clip with a
suction cup for holding the tube in the tank and a length of air pump tubing
that is long enough to extend from your tank to the bucket. Place one end of the
tube into the veggie clip and then place the veggie clip into your tank. Tie a
knot in the tubing to regulate the amount of water flow coming out of your tank. Get
the siphon going and place the other end of the tubing into the bag in the
bucket. You’ll want a slow drip, drip, drip going. Aim for drips every one to
two seconds. If you’re having troubles using the knot to regulate the drip rate,
any type of strong clip should work. Vice-grips (locking pliers) or c-clamps
would work as well.

How long you do the drip method depends on what your acclimating. If your doing
this method for most freshwater species you should be ok doing it for an hour or
so before introducing the fish to your tank. If you’re doing this method on a
saltwater invertebrate you may want to take 2 or 3 hours for this acclimation
procedure.

When you are new to maintaining tropical fish tanks, you should really make
certain you get all the necessary help you can to have the healthiest fish you
can.

What You Must Know Before Releasing Your Fish Into Their New Aquarium

So you’ve went out and bought some fish and the store told you to float the bag for a while and then release them in a tropical fish tank, right? Wrong!

You need to make certain your fish are much more acclimated to the water in a tropical fish tank than that.

Don’t be afraid to ask anyone where you purchase the fish what you should do. They shouldn’t mind testing their water right in front of you.

They’re trying to sell fish right? Ask them for, at minimum, the pH, ammonia, nitrite and nitrate readings. When you get home, test your own water to see how much the two sets of results differ.

This can really help you set the right water for your tropical fish aquarium.

The floating bag method is probably the most common acclimation method and it works well. You just need to be careful when floating a bag full of unknown water in your tank. Ideally, you’re floating the bag in a previously setup quarantine tank but, sadly, many new hobbyists don’t use a quarantine tank. After you’ve been in this a while you can get much more used to how things are done.

Once you leave with your fish, you will want to go straight home to avoid ammonia accumulating in the bag (in the form of fish waste). Once you get home, open the top of the bag and remove about 25% of the water and then replace this water with the same amount of water from your tank.

Next, float the bag in your tank and bring down the hood opening on the open end of the bag to help keep the bag secure. Every 10 minutes add about 1 measuring cup (use less if the bag is smaller) of your tank water to the bag. Repeat this process for about an hour. After an hour has passed use a small net to get the fish out of the bag and gently place the fish into your tank. The main idea here is to slowly get the fish used to your tank water (acclimated). Do not dump the bag water into your tank! If you do, you risk exposing your tropical fish tank to risks.

Some fish may be difficult to net while in the bag and you don’t want to damage the fish while trying to net them. If you’re having difficulty netting the fish, get a large bowl (large salad bowl works well) and carefully pour the bag water into the net, allowing the bowl to catch the water. You could bypass the bowl altogether and do it over a sink but make sure that the drain plug is in place just in case you miss the fish with the net.

This is a great method to use because when you slowly put in the water, you are acclimating the water to the proper way it should be.