SO i though it might be interesting to breakdown the different constituents of commonly sold fish food (be it frozen, flake, liquid etc - they all fit in somehow).... you know at the back of the container/packet it usually breaks down the elements; ever wondered their importance?
Protein
They are very important elements which are the building blocks of life and perform a huge number of biological functions. They are made up of many different amino acids in different combinations to create different proteins. Most fish food contains types of fish or meat in crude form to provide the proteins to your fishes diet i.e. beef heart etc. When using frozen food it is important to consider that the actual freezing process causes the internal cell walls of the frozen product (i.e. brine shrimp, plankton or blood worms) to break releasing all the good nutrients; this a good reason to not feed your fish a frozen food only diet.
Feeding your fish only frozen foods (such as blood worms etc) can lead to your fish to developing deficiencies.
Vitamins
Vitamins are organic compounds essential to animals in small quantities for growth and healthy living. These essential nutrients are also often lost from fish food due to the process of sterilisation, freeze drying or freezing. Some vitamins are able to be synthesized by the animal itself where as others need to be provided as part of the diet. Vitamins can be both water and fat soluble therefore, it is important to feed your fish good quality food to ensure it is formulated well and, contains these essential vitamins which they need to get via their diet. It doesn't hurt to feed your fish a variety of foods just to make sure you cover all their essential dietary requirements.
Fats/Lipids
Lipids provide many very important biological functions in animals including fish. They are used as structural components of animal cell membranes, they provide fuel for internal processes, and of course insulation. Many fish foods contain amounts of fat or lipids as they are essential nutrients to fish however, can also do harm if fish are fed this particular element in abundance. There are both saturated and unsaturated types of fats and foods such as beef heart contain high amounts of saturated fats. In most instances the quality flake/pellet food available at your local fish store will contain the right amounts of saturated and unsaturated fats. These foods also contain types of preservatives to stop the food from going off and things such as fats from breaking down. Probably best to use a spoon instead of your fingers to feed your fish because, the water in your aquarium (and even you tap) contains many different types of bacteria and fungi which start the process of spoiling your fish food....
So to sum up best to feed your fish a varied diet frozen, freeze dried and pellet/flake food. Where possible do not overfeed them with frozen or live foods as its not healthy for them and, try and keep the food container free of wet fingers :)
Tuesday, June 22, 2010
Monday, June 14, 2010
Carbonate hardness/pH.... what is it?
The carbonic acid-bicarbonate (ion) buffer system
pH and carbonate hardness in aquariums - and in general when it comes to water chemistry - can be seen as linked due to their overlapping relationship. Often when reading blogs, books, magazines, or talking to other hobbyists, people interchange terms like carbonate hardness and pH. The relationship is not that simple especially if chemistry isn't your favourite subjects (like most of us) but, I will have a go at explaining anyway.
What is pH ? It is the concentration of Hydrogen (H+) ions in a solution. The scale is logarithmic ( i.e. when you get a pH reading of 8 or 10 - you actually have a much lower concentration of free H+ ions then if you have a pH of 3.... sounds backwards.... that's science). The pH of tap water is around 7 which is considered neutral.
What is a Buffer ? In aquariums and other solutions they are substances which act as regulators for H+ ions i.e. they accept them or release them depending on their availability in the solution and also the concentration of the buffer. This causes them to buffer the pH at a certain value hence the name.
What are acids? they are substances which release hydrogen (H+) ions
What are Bases? they are substances which take up hydrogen (H+) ions
So how are they all linked? Consider a saltwater aquarium with a pH of 8.3 (High pH = basic). Carbonic acid is formed in a reversible reactions via the following reaction:
CO2 + H2O <--> H2CO3 (carbonic acid) <--> H + HCO3 (hydrogen and bicarbonate ions)
When the aquarium experiences an increase in hydrogen atoms (H+) the bicarbonate (or base) combines with the H+ to form carbonic acid H2CO3 (acid). The carbonic acid is relatively unstable and eventually turns into H2O and CO2. If there is a increase in hydroxide (-OH) ions in the aquarium the carbonic acid actually releases bicarbonate and water e.g.
OH (Hydroxide) + H2CO3 (carbonic acid) <--> H2O (water) + HCO3 (bicarbonate ion)
So basically these two reactions keeps your pH stable.
So your aquarium - hopefully a buffered one - maintains a stable pH by using buffers which release or take up hydrogen (H+) and hydroxide (-OH) ions via carbonic acid or bicarbonate. When you measure the kH with your aquarium test kit your a detecting the available bicarbonate molecules. From my experience kH tends to be more important in saltwater aquariums because, the animals which live in these ecosystems require a higher pH and are very sensitive to changes in pH. Many of the commonly available freshwater species (from fish stores) can survive in water from the tap providing it has be been de-chlorinated i.e. they are happy with the neutral pH.
In the aquarium hobby it is quite common for people to add tap water directly into their freshwater or saltwater aquariums. This tap water contains a neutral pH with very little buffering capacity i.e. one of the reasons why it is dangerous to add it to saltwater aquariums.
Hope this info was helpful and not too confusing.....
pH and carbonate hardness in aquariums - and in general when it comes to water chemistry - can be seen as linked due to their overlapping relationship. Often when reading blogs, books, magazines, or talking to other hobbyists, people interchange terms like carbonate hardness and pH. The relationship is not that simple especially if chemistry isn't your favourite subjects (like most of us) but, I will have a go at explaining anyway.
What is pH ? It is the concentration of Hydrogen (H+) ions in a solution. The scale is logarithmic ( i.e. when you get a pH reading of 8 or 10 - you actually have a much lower concentration of free H+ ions then if you have a pH of 3.... sounds backwards.... that's science). The pH of tap water is around 7 which is considered neutral.
What is a Buffer ? In aquariums and other solutions they are substances which act as regulators for H+ ions i.e. they accept them or release them depending on their availability in the solution and also the concentration of the buffer. This causes them to buffer the pH at a certain value hence the name.
What are acids? they are substances which release hydrogen (H+) ions
What are Bases? they are substances which take up hydrogen (H+) ions
So how are they all linked? Consider a saltwater aquarium with a pH of 8.3 (High pH = basic). Carbonic acid is formed in a reversible reactions via the following reaction:
CO2 + H2O <--> H2CO3 (carbonic acid) <--> H + HCO3 (hydrogen and bicarbonate ions)
When the aquarium experiences an increase in hydrogen atoms (H+) the bicarbonate (or base) combines with the H+ to form carbonic acid H2CO3 (acid). The carbonic acid is relatively unstable and eventually turns into H2O and CO2. If there is a increase in hydroxide (-OH) ions in the aquarium the carbonic acid actually releases bicarbonate and water e.g.
OH (Hydroxide) + H2CO3 (carbonic acid) <--> H2O (water) + HCO3 (bicarbonate ion)
So basically these two reactions keeps your pH stable.
So your aquarium - hopefully a buffered one - maintains a stable pH by using buffers which release or take up hydrogen (H+) and hydroxide (-OH) ions via carbonic acid or bicarbonate. When you measure the kH with your aquarium test kit your a detecting the available bicarbonate molecules. From my experience kH tends to be more important in saltwater aquariums because, the animals which live in these ecosystems require a higher pH and are very sensitive to changes in pH. Many of the commonly available freshwater species (from fish stores) can survive in water from the tap providing it has be been de-chlorinated i.e. they are happy with the neutral pH.
In the aquarium hobby it is quite common for people to add tap water directly into their freshwater or saltwater aquariums. This tap water contains a neutral pH with very little buffering capacity i.e. one of the reasons why it is dangerous to add it to saltwater aquariums.
Hope this info was helpful and not too confusing.....
Sunday, June 6, 2010
Algae - A Problem Solver Guide (Julian Sprung)
Search Amazon.com for algae a problem solver guide
Algae - A Problem Solver Guide (Julian Sprung)
What can i say but, what a great book.
So many people are discouraged by the nuisance algae which grows in aquariums and, often the most frustrating thing about algae is how to control it. Often when starting in the aquarium hobby the easiest thing to do to control algae is perform periodic cleaning of aquarium glass. Why would you want to spend all that money on a new aquarium only to have to devote your time every few days (sometimes more) cleaning algae of the aquarium glass/plants/ rocks etc etc. Well the great thing about this book is that Julian explains in great detail the biology of algae, their food sources (primary carbon sources) and, ways to control them. On top of the biology, food and control of algae this book also devotes a whole chapter to pictures and descriptions of commonly encountered algae. Now this book can be used for beginners but, if your a experienced aquarist and, want a detailed read to sink your teeth into then this is for you. Please note most of discussion on algae seems to be focused on algae which is encountered in saltwater aquariums. However, i do believe this logic can be applied to freshwater aquariums and, help you succeed in controlling problem algae in any type of aquarium.
The book starts off by explaining the biology of algae i.e. what are they, reproduction, structure, phenotypic appearance and then he goes into a detailed description about all the different elements and water chemistry which commonly act as algal food sources, how these elements effect algae and, may even stop them. Followed by the commonly assumed causes of algal growth i.e. lighting, over feeding , filtration etc etc.
Chapter two delves into ways to control algae starting from the biological i.e. snails, invertebrates, macro algae, fish, to biological filtration (corals, plants etc) to commonly available over the counter methods. Really has a tremendous amount of information to go on if your keen to get algae under control.
Chapter three goes into detail about the different types of algae, how to identify them (description and, pictures) and ways to control them.
And, finally there is a glossary and an index.
I would give this book a overall rating of 8/10 - it would be a ten but, being a aquarium fanatic it just left me wanting more information - but, i guess half the fun with this hobby is finding these things out for yourself.
If your keen on learning more about your aquarium and, how to control nuisance algae definitely buy this book.
Features (as described on the back of the front cover):
- Identifies algae that become "problematic" in aquariums
- Explains the physical, chemical and biological requirements of algae
- Over 180 photographs taken including under the microscope to show important identifying features
- Extensive recommendations for ways to control algae growth
- How to eliminate red slime algae once and for all
- How to stop green hair algae from ruining your aquarium
- How to stop a dinoflagellate bloom
- How to control diatoms
- New herbivores for controlling Bryopsis and other hair algae
- New herbivores that eat Valonia
ENJOY
Algae - A Problem Solver Guide (Julian Sprung)What can i say but, what a great book.
So many people are discouraged by the nuisance algae which grows in aquariums and, often the most frustrating thing about algae is how to control it. Often when starting in the aquarium hobby the easiest thing to do to control algae is perform periodic cleaning of aquarium glass. Why would you want to spend all that money on a new aquarium only to have to devote your time every few days (sometimes more) cleaning algae of the aquarium glass/plants/ rocks etc etc. Well the great thing about this book is that Julian explains in great detail the biology of algae, their food sources (primary carbon sources) and, ways to control them. On top of the biology, food and control of algae this book also devotes a whole chapter to pictures and descriptions of commonly encountered algae. Now this book can be used for beginners but, if your a experienced aquarist and, want a detailed read to sink your teeth into then this is for you. Please note most of discussion on algae seems to be focused on algae which is encountered in saltwater aquariums. However, i do believe this logic can be applied to freshwater aquariums and, help you succeed in controlling problem algae in any type of aquarium.
The book starts off by explaining the biology of algae i.e. what are they, reproduction, structure, phenotypic appearance and then he goes into a detailed description about all the different elements and water chemistry which commonly act as algal food sources, how these elements effect algae and, may even stop them. Followed by the commonly assumed causes of algal growth i.e. lighting, over feeding , filtration etc etc.
Chapter two delves into ways to control algae starting from the biological i.e. snails, invertebrates, macro algae, fish, to biological filtration (corals, plants etc) to commonly available over the counter methods. Really has a tremendous amount of information to go on if your keen to get algae under control.
Chapter three goes into detail about the different types of algae, how to identify them (description and, pictures) and ways to control them.
And, finally there is a glossary and an index.
I would give this book a overall rating of 8/10 - it would be a ten but, being a aquarium fanatic it just left me wanting more information - but, i guess half the fun with this hobby is finding these things out for yourself.
If your keen on learning more about your aquarium and, how to control nuisance algae definitely buy this book.
Features (as described on the back of the front cover):
- Identifies algae that become "problematic" in aquariums
- Explains the physical, chemical and biological requirements of algae
- Over 180 photographs taken including under the microscope to show important identifying features
- Extensive recommendations for ways to control algae growth
- How to eliminate red slime algae once and for all
- How to stop green hair algae from ruining your aquarium
- How to stop a dinoflagellate bloom
- How to control diatoms
- New herbivores for controlling Bryopsis and other hair algae
- New herbivores that eat Valonia
ENJOY
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