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I'm going to set up an aquarium, but I'm not sure which gravel to use. Which should I buy?
Your choice of gravel can certainly be a tough one. There are many types and colors available these days. If you're setting up a typical community tank (no burrowing fish or a multitude of live plants) the choice of the gravel, or substrate is simply a matter of personal preference. Some aquarists like brightly colored gravels, or large marble sized pebbles, and others like my staff and I, prefer the natural look. The closer it looks to nature, the better! Like I said, the choice is yours. Just make sure it is aquarium safe, and be sure to thoroughly wash the gravel before using.
What types of fish should I add to my aquarium?
There are a variety of fish you can add to your aquarium. As a rule, tropical fish and goldfish should not be mixed. Also keep in mind the size that the particular fish will reach as it matures. As fish grow, they may outgrow your tank. The type of fish to choose will depend on the size of your aquarium and the temperament of the fish. There are community, semi-aggressive, and aggressive fish. If you mix in an aggressive fish with a community fish, it could mean the death of your new fish. Your local pet store can offer a wealth of information, to help you select just the right fish.
How often should I feed the fish in my aquarium?
If possible, it's best to give your fish two or three small feedings per day. Each feeding should be an amount of food that the fish can consume in about 2 minutes or so.
I currently have an undergravel filter in my tank. Should I get a power head for it? What exactly does a powerhead do?
An undergravel filter can be fairly effective with a standard air pump, but a powerhead can greatly improve the effectiveness of your filter. A powerhead will draw water down through your substrate and the UGF and pump it out through the powerhead. This creates water movement in the aquarium as well as delivering oxygen to the fish and the beneficial bacteria that lives in the substrate. Most powerheads also have a port for attaching a surface air tube.
I'm considering setting up my next tank with a power filter. Can you explain how they work?
Most people agree that power filters are much easier to maintain and can be as economical as undergravel filters. There are many styles of power filters, but the most common hangs on the back of the tank. A siphon tube pulls water from the tank into the filter box and passes the water though a mechanical filter (typically a porous foam sponge, or pad). The sponge doubles as a biological filter. A internal pump then returns the filtered water back into the aquarium. These power filters come in many sizes suited for small to large aquariums. The foam sponge can be easily inspected for clogging or removed for cleaning. You must clean the sponge regularly to remove the solid wastes before they decompose and dissolve back into the water. Many power filters now come with all sorts of advanced features (bio wheels, bio balls, various media) to enhance the biological aspects of the filter.
How many hours a day should I leave the hood light on?
In general, you are trying to replicate a natural day and night time cycle. Turn on the light when you get up in the morning and turn off the light in the late evening. Most species of fish will need the light on for 10 – 12 hours. You can simplify this task by using a simple household timer to turn the lights on and off.
Why do you seem to favor Tetra brand products in your store?
You're right, we do currently advertise and sell more Tetra brand products than any other. Drawing from our many years of fish-keeping experience, we've found that Tetra has always produced great products at a fair price. Pound for pound, and dollar for dollar, we believe that Tetra offers the most "bang for your buck" in many categories of aquarium dry goods currently on the market today.
I would like to start up my first salt water tank. You don't seem to offer any products for salt water aquariums. Why is that?
Our main focus is to get this site established with the freshwater enthusiasts needs taken care of first. We will eventually add marine products to our line up, or will branch off to another site altogether. We have extensive knowledge in this area, and realize that many of our customers will want these products offered. Keep in mind that many items in our current catalog are dual purpose, and can be used for your salt water setups.
I live in a temperate climate, and it doesn't get too cold here. Do I really need heaters for my aquariums?
If you are keeping tropical fish, you will need a heater. A heater insures that a tank doesn't get too cool, and that the temperature stays steady during the course of the day, and night. For many tropical fish, a temperature of 78F is ideal. There are two main heater types. Submersible heaters stay completely below the water. A second, more traditional style, has a partially submerged glass tube (which contains the heating coils), but leaves the controls above the water. Submersible heaters are the better design, as they can be placed horizontally, out of sight, along the tank's bottom. This helps keep tank temperature uniform (heat rises), and prevents the heater from becoming exposed while doing partial water changes. If your room is never more than 8-10F degrees cooler than your target tank temperature, a heater of roughly 2.5 Watts per gallon will suffice. If the differential is higher, up to 5 Watts (or more) per gallon may be necessary. Remember, the heater needs to keep the tank at its target temperature, even when the room is at its coldest point; the tank's temperature should not fluctuate. Heaters (especially cheap ones) will fail. Most often the contact that actually turns the heater on and off gets permanently stuck, either in the on or off position. In the former case, your tank can get VERY hot, especially if the heater is larger than your tank actually requires. To minimize potential problems, avoid heaters larger than the optimal size for your tank. To prevent winter disasters, use two smaller heaters in parallel rather than one large one. That way if one fails, the consequences won't be as disastrous.
How often should I change the water in my aquarium?
You should do a 25% water change every 2 weeks. There is no reason to remove the fish during the water change. Make sure you stir the gravel or use a gravel cleaner during the water change. When adding water back in to the aquarium, use Tetra AquaSafe® to remove the chlorine and chloramine. Try not to do over a 50% water change, this will remove the beneficial bacteria and can cloud the tank.
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