Here are some tips and pointers to look out for with your pond this August:Thin your oxygenatorsOxygenating plants like Elodea and Hornwort have been growing rampantly throughout summer and will need thinning out. Reduce the clump to no more than ⅓ of the pond’s surface area by removing the old, darker stems and retaining the fresh green ones. Lay the foliage at the edge of the pond f...
Juwel are one of the easiest aquariums to set up and are virtually plug and play. They’ve sold over one million aquariums worldwide and have proven results across the decades. Key to the Juwel aquarium system is the built-in filter. The filter uses mechanical, biological and chemical media in combination to clean water and break down fish waste, without the hassle of setting up an external filt...
LED lighting provides control and adjustability, economical running costs, cool running and a small, compact form factor. Because of all of the above attributes its the most popular type of lighting for reef tanks. It does differ in controllability, brightness and spectrum depending on make and model though, and how it fits to the tank. And all LED lighting is not the same. Retrofit LED ...
Angelfish are iconic marine fish and most people with marines want to keep them. They are some of the most beautiful reef fish but they aren’t without their issues and there are several rules to keeping them. How many types of angelfish are there?Angelfish can be broadly grouped into two types - dwarf angels and large angels. Dwarf angels include the Flame, Coral Beauty, Bicolor, L...
Check that it is plugged in and switched on. If it is, go to the fusebox and check that your outdoor electricals circuit is switched on and hasn’t tripped. Next check the filter. Is the filter clogged up with dirt and algae, blocking the pump? If it is clean the filter and replace sponges if necessary. Check the sponge What type of pump is it? Does it have a prefilter sponge insid...
The pH or a marine aquarium should be in the range of 8.1-8.4. The pH of the ocean is approximately 8.3 and if you can pH up to 8.3 and hold it there, great, but most salt mixes mix to about pH 8.1. What’s important with pH is that it doesn’t fluctuate on a daily basis and is stable. A reef tank with a permanent pH of 8 is better than one that goes up to 8.4 and down to 8 in a day. Radical ch...
Barbs are a large group of tropical and temperate freshwater fish. They come from Africa and Asia and range in size from just a few cm in length to several feet long. The most famous barb is the Tiger barb, and its managed to single-handedly tar all barbs with the same fin nipping brush.Tiger barbs can nip fins although its more frequent in wild caught fish, hungry fish and fish that aren’...
Moving a fish tank is not always straight forward as you need to meet the safety needs of your fish, yourself, and the people around you. Here’s how. Don’t lift the tank full of waterNo fish tank should be moved when it’s full of water. You won’t be able to physically lift most tanks and if you could, you risk splashing water at best and broken fingers or a dropped, broken ta...
Do I need a sump?No, you don’t have to have a sump however most longterm reefkeepers on their second or third reef tank have a sump. A sump provides extra water volume but most people employ one to house all the extra equipment that a reef tank needs, like a protein skimmer, filter socks, reactor, return pump and an auto top-up device. If you choose a reef tank a sump will pay dividends lon...
Ponds are great on so many levels, providing a feature in the garden, somewhere for wildlife or even a hobby. They can be big, small, deep or shallow, but they don’t have to be expensive and can be quick and easy to install. Here are a few ideas…Re-use somethingPonds can literally cost nothing if you have something waterproof lying around that you can re-use. An old bathtub makes a gr...