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What we wish we knew before we started fishkeeping


Taking up a new hobby is always an exciting thing and fishkeeping is no different. It’s hard to describe, but the innate appeal of fishkeeping is intangible and hard to explain to others. 

That being said, like anything else – once you get into it, you learn just how much you have to learn and sometimes those learning experiences come about from mistakes and or misconceptions you may have had about something heading in. And all of that is OK! It’s good, in fact – that’s how most of us learn. 

But today, we’re going to talk about some things we all wish we knew before getting into fishkeeping or we suppose more precisely – some things you’ll realize relatively quickly. 

There are so. Many. Fish. 

At first – just figuring out which kinds of fish you want to have is overwhelming. There are large fish, small fish, high maintenance fish, fish that play well with others, fish that don’t play well with others, salt water, fresh water – you name it – there’s a fish. 

But make no mistake about it – your choices will be important. Like when you choose a dog – a dog comes from the same general gene pool. They have differences among breeds, but they almost all come from essentially the same place. Fish do not. Some fish are completely different from other fish and their genetics have never crossed, not even once. 

How certain breeds interact, socialize, eat, swim – it’s all over the place. And you really DO need to put the thought into what you’re willing to handle. Many breeds aren’t a simple feeding every day – they’re extremely involved, high maintenance creatures. So take your time. There’s no rush and make sure you take advantage of all the resources that are out there. 

There’s more expense than you think

Fishkeeping can either be the most cost-effective pets you can have and then turn into the most expensive BY FAR pretty quickly. There’s the up-front startup costs like your tank, fish, plants, substrate, hardscape, filter, lights, heaters, pump, etc. They’re pricey, but they’re one time expenses. 

The hidden cost comes with the maintenance. Food, potential vet bills, utility bills, water bills – believe it or not; your fish will impact all of that. Remember they have certain appliances that run 24/7 in order to keep their communities humming along and those expenses will end up on the ole utility bill. So remember – just be mindful of not biting off more than you can chew. 

Maintenance is more than you expect

Fish tanks are beautiful, but they don’t clean themselves. They can help take the edge off, but you’ll have to pitch in and the quality of the tank will be a direct product of your ability to maintain them. Long story short – you get out of them what you put into them – and even the bare minimum can be a little time consuming. 

Even a small tank will need to have water changes every few weeks, have the glass scrubbed, filters changed, rocks washed, etc. It can be a solid half hour to do this and even for those with a lighter schedule – it can be tough to work up the motivation on the weekend to take care of it. 

Fish tanks are awesome and fishkeeping is wildly rewarding – but it’s not effortless. You must put in your fair share and be willing to keep up with maintenance and the like. You have a lot to learn – so we recommend you keep learning until you’ve got as comprehensive a view of things as possible before taking the plunge. Until then – good luck and if you need help, feel free to give us a call!

Tricks you can use to save on your fish tank hobby


Keeping and maintaining a fish tank is one of the more rewarding hobbies a person can have but let’s not kid anyone, here. It can get pricey in a hurry – especially when you’re starting from nothing. 

And while we’re all very conscientious about not wanting to cut corners, there’s nothing wrong with being creative and finding some ways to save some money. A little here and a little there can make a big difference, not just in your own wallet – but also with your tank as well as resources can be redirected to other areas you might want to improve. 

So today, we’re going to discuss a few money saving tips you can use to help save money on your fish tank. Let’s jump right in!

Getting more out of test strips

Making sure your aquarium is staying balanced chemically is a big part of the overall body of work you put into maintaining your tank. As such, using test strips to get various readings is essential. One trick you can use is to get a very sharp pair of scissors and cut the test strips down the middle so that both halves have all the necessary reagent pads. But cutting them in two – you still get accurate results. Do this with all your test strips and you can actually double the number of tests in a given bottle. 

Not only can this last you longer, but you could also use ti to test more frequently so that you can catch something if it’s off faster. 

The good, ole algae scraper

Believe it or not, while algae scrapers do the best job of doing what they say they do; do you know what else does? An old credit card or gift card! In fact, they’re more than a perfect algae scraper. They’re gentle enough to use on both glass and acrylic tanks and when one side wears down, you can flip it around and use the other edge. The one thing you DO want to be careful of – is that the cards do delaminate after a little while, so don’t use a driver’s license or something like that. But instead of blowing money on algae scrapes, just use those old gift cards.

Cheap rocks

Dragon stone, seiryu stone and other aquarium rocks can be a lot more expensive than people expect. It gets way worse if you have a big tank to fill. With this in mind, it’s not a bad idea to take a trip down to the local landscaping shop and ask them what they’ve got. Do some research online to see which kinds of stones are compatible with a fish tank and go shopping. They’re only around 10 cents a pound, so you might find yourself paying a ⅓ of what you would be otherwise. 

Thinking a little bit outside the box can certainly help save you time, but also help save you some money. We hope you found these tips helpful. If you need help finding the right filtration media for your tank – or have aquarium keeping questions in general, feel free to give us a all today. Until then – good luck!

Four Aquarium mini-hacks that will make your life much easier


Maintaining a fish tank can be a lot of work – especially if you’re new to it. Today, we’re going to share some tips – or more precisely – some hacks that you can use to make maintaining your tank a little bit easier. These will help make it so you spend less time stewing over cleaning your tank and more time enjoying it. 

Let’s jump right in!

Clamps for water changes

Glass safe clamps are a godsend when you’re going water changes. Instead of standing there and aimlessly holding the hose and letting the tank fill, if you purchase a handi-clamp – the clamp can help hold the hose in place so that you can tend to other things. 

The infamous credit card algae scraper

Algae scrapers are pretty much standard issue insofar as maintenance tools go for an aquarium owner. However – some areas are tough to get at, or you need a little bit more of an edge to get the gunk off. Now some people use razor blades and magnetic scrapers – but instead of dealing with sharp objects that might scratch your glass- just use an old debit card/gift card/credit card.

This has become such a popular way of doing things, that they sell things like the Flipper Scraper – which are designed to fit onto cards so you can get to hard to reach areas. Don’t go nuts – just use what you have at your disposal. 

Test tubes and syringes for water testing

Keeping the appropriate chemical balance in an aquarium is essential to the overall health and vitality of your tank. There are plenty of test kits you can buy out there that make running these tests really easy – but the problem is that many of the test tubes they give you are really small, cheap and oftentimes made out of glass. They’re small, easy to misplace and even break with relative ease. 

We recommend just buying a basic set of syringes and 15ml test tubes. You’ll be able to use them over and over again – and the extra roominess will make it so that you’re not making as big of a mess. 

Bio media

Bio media like bio balls are great for helping to maintain the cleanliness and overall health of your aquarium. They’re easy to use, easy to recycle and don’t cost an arm and a leg. There are many types you can use and what you choose will depend largely on the makeup of your aquarium. If you want a well-balanced, clean and healthy tank – purchase some bio media. 

We hope this helps to take a little bit of the edge off of owning an aquarium. If you have any questions about what the best setup is for you, feel free to give us a call today. Until then – good luck!

Common mistakes new saltwater aquarium owners make


The last few months we’ve dabbled in discussing saltwater aquariums a little more than usual – and that’s because – as most of you know – they are a little bit more involved. While telling people what to do is always helpful, there are times where telling them what NOT to do is actually the best route. 

And today – that’s just what we’re going to unpack. Here are some common mistakes new saltwater aquarium owners make and what you should avoid. Let’s jump right in!

Research

Research these days is always tough because it’s hard to know who’s reputable, who’s not, and then, well – there’s just so much noise to tune out all at once. Our advice on research is pretty straight forward: First, don’t just trust one person or community. Try to get a lot of different views – everyone’s experience is different, so you never know what you might learn and/or pick up. 

Second, be careful reading product reviews. Read many of them but also do so understanding that most reviewers usually have a negative experience and many of their experiences are more the exception to the rule rather than the rule itself. 

Third, be on the lookout for owners with a real resume. Not that time spent in the hobby is necessarily a difference maker; but we’re willing to be a guy who’s had an aquarium for 10 years and has a 400 gallon tank probably knows what he’s doing at this point. 

Money

Don’t underestimate the up-front costs of owning a fish tank. It can cost more than you think. It’s not exactly going to drive you to bankruptcy or anything, but most of what you’ll buy, you’ll buy up-front. 

The other thing to understand is that when it comes to aquariums – the most expensive option isn’t always the best. The best product is the product that helps you actually meet your goals as an owner. We don’t recommend that you cheap out, exactly – that’s bad, too; but we think you should consider ‘fit’ more than simple function. 

Livestock

Regardless of what kind of aquarium you have – we’d wager that the biggest mistake owners make is impulse buys. They see a pretty fish or coral and they can’t help themselves. Really, really make sure you do your research on every kind of fish you buy. Saltwater species all interact differently to each other and one bad apple can spoil the cart. We recommend starting small – and gradually adding in more over time. 

Owning saltwater tanks can be a real blast, but as you can see – there can be pitfalls all around us, so being cognisant of what NOT to do, can sometimes be helpful. If you need more guidance or would like some more direction on what to do, give us a call today and we’ll be happy to provide you with a free consultation. Until then – good luck!

Is it hard to own a Saltwater fish tank?


So to save you the wonder we’ll answer the question succinctly: ‘no.’ It’s really not that hard to maintain a saltwater aquarium but it does take more time and a little more care than their freshwater counterparts entail. Today, there’s lots of quality equipment and support products that you can use that will help make maintaining your saltwater aquarium much easier that simply didn’t exist 15, 20 years ago, so you don’t really have too much to worry about.

That being said – there are a few things you should probably know before you dive in. Let’s get to those:

Take a little more time up front to make a plan

Like we said above – saltwater tanks involve a little more thinking on your end, particularly up-front so you know and are prepared for what’s coming next. Understanding a couple of things about water chemistry will be more important than it would be for a freshwater tank, but the basic principles of keeping these tanks going is the same. 

We think the major key to success is just taking your time and moving slowly -and whatever the costs – stay within your budget. We definitely recommend speaking with someone who’s owned a saltwater tank and try to stick with one or two main sources of advice. Saltwater tanks CAN get complicated at points – but perhaps more precisely you can achieve unexpected and maybe unwanted results if you piece info together from different sources so keep the information flow on your end simple. 

Buying fish

Make sure you do your homework on saltwater fish. They’ll require a slightly more intensive ‘onboarding’ process – as you’ll have to quarantine them before introducing them to your tank and you’ll also want to make sure everyone gets along and is compatible. Not all fish are and even when some are, you can accidentally introduce diseases to your tank from other fish that can have major consequences. We’re not trying to scare you – it’s really not THAT much more intensive with saltwater fish – but just make sure you’re doing your homework. 

Equipment

With freshwater tanks we usually recommend starting small and building up – with saltwater tanks we recommend you start bigger. Saltwater beginners are more prone to making small mistakes early on, and the bigger your aquarium the more stable and forgiving the environment will be. And definitely don’t skimp on gear. Especially with saltwater devices that take more wear and tear over time – we definitely recommend going big. It’s definitely one of those ‘you get what you pay for’ propositions. 

Do I need experience?

While experience always helps, the answer is definitely ‘no.’ But it’ll require a little more of everything. They’re a little more expensive. They take a little more preparation. They take a little more homework. They require a little more maintenance. As long as you have the time and money you can have a wonderful experience.

Three most important things to keep a clean, thriving fish tank


Owning an aquarium not only gives you the chance to own wonderful pets in fish – but also create something that can provide the perfect accent to any living space you have. That being said – whether you’re in it for the pets or in it for the aesthetic pleasure, you must maintain both in order to get what you’re looking for. 

Cleaning your tank is one thing – keeping it clean for as long as possible is another. So we collected what we felt were the three most important ingredients in order to keep your fish thriving and your tank looking great. Let’s jump right in!

Conditioning your water to work

We as humans need air in order to breathe. Not just air though – we need clean, quality air. Now if we’re talking fish? They need water – clean water. While most everyone is going to be using tap water of some sort to fill their tanks – there are a bunch of properties and characteristics of that water – properties and characteristics that need to be managed and cared for so that it’s a clean, healthy, suitable environment for your fish. 

These will usually come in the form of chemicals and supplements. Things  like dechlorinators and biological supplements should be available at your local pet store. Now remember – each aquarium will need different things depending on the fish you’re choosing to live inside that space. Speak to your local pet store representative to find out what the best mix is going to be for you. 

Maintaining pH levels

pH – when you scrape away the particulars – measures the acidity and alkalinity of your fish tank’s water. Keeping them balanced has a whole swath of benefits for a fish tank – but most important is it’ll help your fish resist illness and help to work to keep the tank clean on its own. Having good pH levels will help your tank better produce the positive bacteria you’ll need and kill off more of the bad bacteria. 

Consistency

Whether its sports, investing, business, personal health – anything in life; it’s the people who find consistency in work ethic, routine, and productivity are the ones who rise to the top. And you know what’s amazing about consistency? It seeps into every area of our lives. Even keeping your fish tank clean! Our biggest advice is always this – build it into your schedule. Got time on Sunday between football games? Clean it once a month. We’re all busy – but if you want to get the most out of your tank, this is what you’ll ultimately have to do. Build a schedule and stick to it – that way the water is always where it needs to be and it’ll always look its best! 

We hope you found today’s blog helpful. If you’ve got more questions about keeping your aquarium clean, what filtration media you should use and the like, give us a call today and we’ll be happy to help. Until then – good luck!

Why people use bio balls


There’s a lot to sift through when it comes to choosing the best filtration media for your fish tank and lots of way to skin the proverbial cat. However, bio balls have become an extremely popular with tank owners as a way to maintain a healthy aquarium.

The reasons for this are pretty straight forward: there’s nothing complicated about them, they’re affordable and they’re easy to maintain. Today – we’re going to talk about the biggest benefits of using bio balls as your preferred form of filtration media and how they can benefit your tank. Let’s jump right in!

Easy to clean

The thing about bio balls is they never go bad. You don’t have to throw them away, you can reuse them and cleaning them is a breeze. A simple rinse and your media will be good to go again. NOW – there’s a caveat – we don’t want them to ever be TOO CLEAN – many of the bacteria they generate is a net positive for your tank. But you won’t have to worry about racing through packages of filters, changing them out and the like heading forward.

They’re workhorses

Regardless of what kind of tank you have or how big it is – you’re going to generate some bacteria. Some of it is bad for your tank and you’ll need to make sure it’s cleaned. There are other kinds of bacteria that are GOOD for your tank. Bio Balls allows for the growth of a lot of positive kinds of bacteria and their open-ended design actually ends up resulting in a much larger surface area for said bacteria to inhabit. That means a filter that takes up less space, but provides more of it while simultaneously helping you to maintain a healthy environment for your fish.

Ease of use

This one’s going to be short. You can either toss bio balls right into your tank if you’d like. Or – if you’re extremely daring or have an appetite for the exceedingly complex – you can put them in a bag and THEN put them in the tank. That’s literally all you’ve gotta do. That simple.

Is there a downside?

Honestly – if there is one – it’s not very significant. And that usually has to do more with people confusing what their actual purpose is. They’re there for biological filtration only. They provide a home for bacteria. They’re NOT there to remove waste from the water. Bio balls maintain chemical balance – but they’re not there to do absolutely everything. No filtration media does.

But when used effectively – bio balls are a great tool that provide an outstanding benefit to your fish tank. If you’re interested in learning more, feel free to give us a call today and we can walk you through it. Until then -good luck!

The three best fish for beginners


A lot of owning a fish tank for the first time isn’t so much having an idea of what you want the end product to be, but rather where you actually start. It’s not always as straightforward as it looks and once you get through the tough stuff like choosing filtration media, setting up the tank and the like – you then need to settle in and decide which fish you want to inhabit said aquarium.

We have three types of fish we think are best for beginners. They’re relatively low maintenance, they look cool and they mostly play well with others. Keep in mind – certain fish can be a really heavy lift up front for newbies so we really do recommend you start here and then consider adding on later. Let’s jump right in!

Neon tetras

Neon tetras are small fish – but oh boy do they bring some big time pop and color to your tank. They’re easy to take care of as well. All you’ll need is ample space and flake fish food and they’re a pretty happy bunch. They do like to roam around in schools, so don’t purchase one – get them a couple of buddies so they’ve got some companions to keep them company. And don’t worry about the cost – these fish are very cheap. You’ll also get a really great value, too. If you take care of them, they can live up to 10 years old. 

Cherry Barbs

Cherry Barbs might take a little while to settle into their new environment at first – but once they’re settled in, they’re a spectacular first fish to own. They can tolerate a variety of environments and are super adaptable when it comes to water temperature. Best of all – they tend to play very well with others, so if you’re looking for a community founder of sorts, Cherry Barbs take particular joy in being the major. 

For the best results, make sure they have some live plants and a few hiding spaces. Just like neon tetras, we definitely recommend you purchase a school of five. These fish are very easily stimulated and enjoy being entertained by well – each other. 

Corydoras

Corydoras are great scavengers and in a way – nice to have as your community’s cleaning service. They primarily thrive off of food at the bottom of the tank, so they’ll help clean up a lot of debris and other undesirable stuff. They also play very well with other fish and though they’re more laid back than tetras or cherry barbs, mostly go along with the flow when it comes to others. The biggest thing you’ll want to make sure you have though – is a more smooth substrate at the bottom of the tank. While it’s not super necessary, it’s better for their health and will prevent them from scratching their fins. 

Hopefully today’s blog gave you a little inspiration as to where to start when it comes to choosing the first fish for your tank. If you have any questions or would like some advice, always feel free to give us a call. Until then, thanks for reading and good luck with your new fish tank!

Caring for fish when you’re on vacation


Before you know it, it’ll be holiday season and chances are if you’re like 70% of Americans – you’ll likely be on the move to celebrate them. But just like everyone else – you’ll probably be wondering or grappling with what to do with your pets.

And for the sake of our blog today – what do you do with your fish?

Thankfully, aquarium fish are easier to care for because they don’t need walks, don’t need to be let outside to go to the bathroom and you really don’t need to even feed them every day. But just because they’re lower maintenance doesn’t mean you won’t or shouldn’t be concerned!

Today, we’re going to share a few tips that’ll help bring your anxiety levels down a notch. Let’s jump right in!

What to do before you leave

Give your tank a good cleaning before you head out for the holidays. Do a water change, vacuum the tank and clean out the filter. We’d recommend doing this a few days before you leave that way you can rest assured that everything is in good work order before you leave. This way you know your fish will be kicking back in a clean environment while you’re away.

Feeding

There’s a few ways you can tackle this. For one, if you’re not leaving for a long time- like say a three day weekend – you don’t really have to feed your fish. Most are equipped to go several days between feedings depending on the species. As always, check what their requirements are. 

On the other hand, if you feel guilty or have a species that does require increased feedings, consider adding an auto feeder that’ll release food into the tank at a specific time every day or every other day. This solution however, will cost you a little money. 

Pet sitters

The last thing you can always do is either hire a pet sitter or someone to stand in as one. This can be a friend or even a neighbor. This person can stop by every day and feed and/or checkup on your fish. You can leave food behind with instructions and labels and rest assured that someone trusted is keeping an eye on your pet. 

Hopefully, one of these methods can help you relax a little more and rest assured knowing that your fish are in good hands. Enjoy the coming holiday seasons and as always – if you have questions give our team a call today! Good luck!

What you need to think about before buying an aquarium


Taking care of a fish might not seem to be a big deal to some, but if you’re someone who’s considering purchasing a fish – there are some things we’d like for you to think about first. 

Owning a fish means being responsible for a life and people are often surprised to learn that fish require more maintenance than people originally think. As is the case with any pet – the decision deserves thought, time and care. 

Here are some practical tips for you to consider. Let’s jump right in.

Understanding the responsibility of owning a pet

Animals – no matter how big or how small – are completely dependent upon you to provide them with food, a clean environment and care for their health. Owning a pet is a serious commitment and neglecting the pet due to your own lack of awareness isn’t acceptable. Make sure you have the time and the resources to commit to pet ownership first!

What kind of breed will you be buying?

Fish come in all shapes, sizes and yes – even a variety of temperaments. THey also have a range of needs – some need warmer temperatures, there are saltwater fish, freshwater fish, some are aggressive, some are loners and others need friends. Think about things like the size of your home, time and resources that you have and whether or not your tank is going to be large enough to house that particular breed. 

Educating yourself on common care problems

Whenever you own any pet we recommend that you speak to professionals and other fish owners to learn as much as you can before taking the plunge. Find out what common mistakes there are, find out what ailments are most common with fish, ask about the kinds of chemicals and food you’ll need, etc. Become a sponge. Knowledge is power here and essentially in order to maintain a healthy, happy fish. 

We hope you found today’s blog helpful. Owning a fish is a commitment – so make sure you have your T’s crossed and your I’s dotted before giving yourself the green light. If you have any questions  or are looking for more guidance, feel free to give us a call and we’ll be happy to help you out. Until then – good luck!




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