PondQuip Blog

Home is where Your Heart is, and My Heart is in Nature

2013-10-15T17:29:00.002-07:00

An eternal battle has reached its peak, now its time to restore the balance in nature

Mankind and nature should always be in balance. Once upon a time, when there was no technology to help men with their everyday problems, they were depending on the mercy of mother nature. Back then, it seemed that nature will prevail and then men would not be able to fight it the whole time. If our ancestors could avoid death by some wild animal, they would probably die due to lack of medicine. Even the slightest cold could have been deadly back then. But suddenly, something started to change. Mankind started to develop, and many devices and machines were invented in order to keep this balance under control. However, men has this innate struggle for power, and the control that was given to him was not enough. Therefore, new machines were invented and nature was slowly falling into the greedy hands of men. Today, men believe that they control nature in all aspects, but that is not really the case. Even the slightest earthquake can be dangerous, and there is still nothing we can do to prevent it. But there is one thing we can do, that would make us feel more human and that will be a kind of support towards keeping this balance that I have mentioned. Namely, there are a lot of "green” organizations nowadays that fight for keeping this balance and restoring order between mankind and nature. Now, you might wonder how you could help? Well, in this article I am not going to write about going out to meet nature but rather about welcoming nature in your home.

biOrb Life Aquarium

Let the waters flow in your home

To be more specific, I am going to write about aquariums, because, as the subtitle suggests, life has begun in the water, and the first step to thank nature for creating life is to bring water to your home. Of course, water is not the only thing you will be bringing, but fish as well. Although I am not an expert in this area, I will try to give you a few suggestions on how to choose and maintain an aquarium. First of all, you will have to choose whether you want to have an ordinary fish tank or you prefer oceans and seas and you want to have a marine aquarium. You may not notice the difference between these two at first but there are some, and they are pretty big. For example, marine aquariums require more time and energy when it comes to maintenance. But let's focus on ordinary fish tanks at first. The second thing you will have to do is to choose what kind of tank you would like to have in your home. There are some really huge ones that could cover one whole wall, and there are also those small ones for one fish only that will not be very prominent. The variety of tanks to choose from is really huge, and the best thing you could do when it comes to choosing is to ask someone who has done this before to help you out. There are people who have spent their whole life dealing with fish and fish tanks, and this kind of choice is more than natural to them. This may seem like an irrelevant thing to discuss about, but it is actually very important if you want to do this as a hobby.

Secondly, you will have to spend a certain amount of time learning about maintenance. This may seem easy at first. All you have to do is to change the water frequently and grab a sponge now and then in order to clean your aquarium. But is it really that easy? I think there is more to it than that. First of all, you have to wonder where you would put all the fish once you want to change the water in your aquarium. Well, I do not really have one answer for that, and I will let you Google it and find what you think is the best option. However, there are some tools that can help you a bit when it comes to cleaning. You can check the internet or with your local aquarium supply store. Aquarium filters are electricity based and could help you a lot with cleaning. What they do is keep the cleanliness of water as much as possible before changing, by adding different substances. This way you would not have to change water that often and thus, you would save much time and energy.

There are also a number of different pieces of equipment that will help you with all the work that an aquarium requires. For example, water in aquariums has to be on a certain temperature, since all the fish live in slightly different surroundings than we humans do. Therefore, aquarium heaters are devices that will help you with changing and keeping the temperature of the water. But appearance is also an important part of owning an aquarium. If you are a type of person who likes to decorate their home, there are loads of things you can buy and put in and near the aquarium that will emphasize the importance and beauty of it. You can also buy different types of lights that will lighten up the aquarium and make it more beautiful and more noticeable.
To sum up, some people are, nowadays, trying hard to return to their ancestors and to synchronize with nature in order to restore that balance. There are many ways to achieve that, and one of them is to accept nature as a part of your home. You can use your imagination and have loads of different plants and animals in your home, but my advice is to get yourself an aquarium, because water is the representative of life itself, and besides, it's fun.

Fish, Dogs and Other Pets

2013-04-03T03:00:00.000-07:00

Both friends and acquaintances tell me every day how great it is to own pets, to have little fluffy creatures running around your apartment, or almost static ones in an aquarium, or something similar. From cats and dogs to tarantulas and even pigs, any animal can be a pet nowadays. I’m just waiting for the day when we’ll have dinosaurs in our backyards, or is that only possible in Jurassic Park?

Nevertheless, we can own almost every type of animal on the planet, either in our homes, or in zoos. It makes no difference, they are all pets to us. Yet sure, having one in your home certainly beats visiting one every once in a while in a public place, far from your house. But, no matter where an animal was, or how cute it was, my grandmother never allowed them in our home. And we obeyed her wishes, not really because we respected her, but more because she owned the house in which we lived in and it wouldn't have surprised me really if she had had us thrown out if we hadn't obeyed.

Not having a pet in my childhood is probably the reason why I didn't really understand what is so special about having them anyway. But I was bound to change my views after hearing about them every single day. The things that occurred afterwards were bound to happen.

Now, I am a proud owner of one cute little puppy and an aquarium full of colorful fish, and besides these, I am thinking about getting another pet - haven’t really decided what kind I will get, but I’m in no rush.

It is obvious from the paragraph above that I changed my mind about having pets, and I want to tell all of you that you should, too, if you are one of those who still don’t have a pet, and who have an opinion about the subject that is negative in any way. “One of those” – it’s like I’m implying that you are bad people, but don’t sweat it, I’m not. I’m implying that you are something far worse! Just kidding – I just want to point out that you seriously need to consider stop being “pet-less”.

If you are considering it, great, it will be easy and it will make you happy. Plus, it will get you more in touch with nature and in this ugly-looking 21st century where technology is sacred, industry is the means to achieve it and nature is just a resource, ready to be consumed for the betterment of what is sacred to us. We really need to pay more attention to our surroundings. If not that much, at least you’ll be one of many who show respect for the greatest victims of modern society.

Maybe this sounds to “green” for your taste so you should just think about many other things you can gain from having a pet. Furthermore, think about how easy it will be, just like I previously mentioned. It will be easy because you have them everywhere and you have so many different kinds that it’s almost impossible not to find the one that will suit you best. Like I said before, we can own almost all species and the only ones we don’t are probably the endangered ones and the ones that are extinct – again, a little joke.

If you are like me by any chance, then fish will definitely be good for you. I haven’t found anything that is as soothing as just standing in front of my aquarium and looking at them. Add some interesting things to the landscape of the aquarium – little fish forts, algae and similar, and it’s complete. Nothing more to add... well, except for the fish of course... and a filter, a pump, and all the other gadgets that are used in a fish tank. You know all that already, I presume. Feed them regularly and there’s nothing more to do but to look at them and relax. Attach some light to the rest of the accessories and it will be even more beautiful. Just looking may sound silly to some, but you still need to try it before you can judge.

On the other hand, maybe you simply are not a fish person, maybe you want a pet that you can actually touch and play with, without it dying in your hands. I am partly like that and that’s the reason why I got a puppy, too. Dogs are a man’s best friends, aren't they? Yet, cats are still more popular. I never understood that. Yes, they are cute, and fluffy, and they can purr, and... Oh well, it seems I do understand why they are so admired. And there it goes! I know what my next pet will be. You see how easy it is?

I mentioned tarantulas before – they too can be a good choice. That is, if you are not afraid of spiders. But then again, there really is no reason to be afraid of them. They truly can do nothing harmful to people. They eat flies and other small insects. And when you think about people training lions and playing with them, an oversized spider doesn't seem scary anymore... Hey… lions? That sounds like a good idea, but is that even legal?

I’m digressing; let’s get back to fish again. I remembered. You don’t really have to keep them in aquariums. If you want something more dynamic, you can get a pond for your yard. That’s even more close to nature than aquariums, which are more downtown-small-apartment oriented. Ponds are great for all kinds of houses. And, you can also get some bigger fish, since they tend to be more active and thus more interesting. The cleaning part of this can be a bit more tiresome, but then again, you can’t get away from some sort of work, if you want to own a pet. As much as they are great companions, fun, etc., they are still a big responsibility. Always have that in mind when you are thinking about getting a pet. Now I sound like a parent… Sorry about that.

How exotic are fish? - A Rhetorical Question

2013-04-03T02:59:00.001-07:00

Hello all, I'd like to talk to you about fish and aquariums and how much you should have them. Oh nice, I sound like a salesman - there’s a probably prosperous profession for me in the future. How annoying will I become to a great number of people? But that’s not the point. I wanted to talk about these pretty little animals because I adore them; I’m not really trying to sell anything. Sure you’re not - a sarcastic voice is heard from a few readers. Oh well...

Nonetheless, I still want to talk about them. First of all, aren't they exotic? Well, those from the sea at least. I keep watching them on National Geographic or some other channel and my amazement never eases. I can’t really find a good word that could describe this, but I’m positive you get how amazed I am. And you’re thinking to yourself – why would I care? Well, you don’t need to my friend, but just think for a second. The oceans cover most of our planet, the greatest number of species is beneath these oceans, from the smallest plankton to the greatest creatures known to man – the big blue whale – the biggest animal ever to exist, and the whales eat the plankton – an interesting circle of life, isn't it? And that’s not all – some fish live so deep that a human head will definitely explode from the pressure! Plus, the oceans are, by far, the least explored parts of the world. Who knows what else lies under that blue color If you still don’t care, then I honestly don’t know if there’s anything that can astonish you in this world. That’s a bit sad...

After this fun fact session, let’s move on. Do you have a cat? If you do, please don’t keep any fish, or get rid of the cat... too extreme? Well, then just don’t keep the fish. You certainly know that these two are not a good combination. I made that mistake once and will not do it again, that’s for sure. If you still want to keep both of these, please consider getting a big aquarium, or at least put the small one somewhere higher. But then again, that can simply look ridiculous and still prove to be of no good. Once again, my own experience, I lost my parrot when I was a kid even though its cage was standing on the outside of the window which even my father could barely reach, but a small cat still could. The cage fell, and... you know the rest. From that day a great hatred for cats was born in me which disappeared many, many years later – with much trouble. So, the point is, keeping these two together is too much of a risk, and if it can be avoided, then avoided it should be. You have probably watched enough of Sylvester and Tweety to get the picture.

Since I mentioned aquariums, we need to talk about that too. I’m boring already? Don’t be silly. So, aquariums... Consider getting bigger ones, not only for the reasons mentioned above but because it’s just much better that way. With a bigger aquarium, you can get as many fish as you want! Okay, not literally, but you will certainly be able to have plenty. And that’s important because it’s best to start with a smaller number and move upwards.

With a bigger aquarium you will lose less room to the essentials like pumps and filters and all that stuff that keeps the water healthy and clean and great for the fish’s rich and joyous life! No, they actually just float around and do nothing, but there’s such calmness in that and grace too, when you see all of them together in harmonious movement, you cannot but feel wonderful. You can’t play with them though. Only looking, no touching unfortunately.

Please be careful with fish and be considerate. Get them everything they need – they don’t need much but they are very fragile creatures and should be taken care of. Get good fish food and feed them regularly and thus the only death among them that will eventually occur, is the natural one. If you manage that, then you can say that you've been taking good care of them. The more fish you have by the way, logically, more of them will die and you need to be prepared for that. They are small creatures and they don’t live long obviously. If that’s a problem, well, you can’t avoid it, most animals don’t live really long. Everyone loses their pet in the end - that’s simply inevitable… sad, but inevitable. Rare are the occasions when a pet outlives its owner.

On the other hand, you can get a fish pond for the outdoor, thus you’ll be able to get the bigger ones that probably live longer than the aquarium types. Regrettably, that means more work when it comes to maintenance and cleaning. But we need to clean almost everything we own, so that isn’t really going to be a problem.

Anyway, maybe I should get back to the fish once more. I told you how exotic they are, maybe I should also tell you how colorful they are? I mean, you know that, but have you thought how, because of the variety of colors they can embellish the design of your room? If you already have many colourful pictures, statues and similar, think how the unusually colored fish will fit in with that and enrich the interior? Yes, you haven’t thought about that, pets can be used in that way to. Well, the fish at least. I hope this doesn’t sound wrong some levels...

I hope this was enough to make you want them, or if you already have them, to take better care of them. Or, if you already have them, and you do indeed take good care them, then you have wasted your time on this text. Now let me tell you something about... Nothing, that was it actually.

Order, above all – Home Design Order!

2013-04-03T02:59:00.000-07:00

Order is the thing that keeps the world going. Everything has its order, everything operates in some order and everything can exist because it functions through order. When you disrupt the order, everything can fall into chaos. And even though we liked Heath Ledger in The Dark Knight, and him saying that we should introduce a little anarchy into the established order; that simply is not the way it should be. He says it himself, finishing the previous by saying that everything becomes chaos; chaos is no good to anyone.

We humans are creatures of habit, and we need that order. That’s why it is not strange at all that we do everything in our lives in accordance with something, some order that we, or someone else established. That’s why none of us likes it when something is not in order.

The best examples are our houses. You wake up one morning and you realize your whole house is a mess. Not in the sense that it’s dirty and it smells like a hundred cats call that place a home, but in the sense that it’s simply messy. Nothing is in order and it looks like a tornado struck it. That’s when you realize that the thing you really have to do is organize all of that, find a place for everything, or to go with the same figure of speech, you put everything the way it was, before the tornado struck.

Organizing everything you have in your home can sometimes be a pain in the rear. No, scratch that, it always is a pain in the neck. Yes, I changed the idiom in this second sentence. But that is beside the point. What I was saying was how annoying organizing things in the house is. Don’t get me wrong, I’m really not the person who should tell you that that’s annoying. I actually love organization, because I’m a bit of a control freak. So you see my point there? No? I thought not. I wanted to say that even though I like organization, I still hate organizing when it comes to my home, and all the things in it.

Bringing everything back in order will make us feel better. The house will look better and it might even feel better itself. An inanimate object feeling something, I’m going all science fiction over here. Anyway, bringing some material things in life back to some order makes you feel good because we are creatures of order. We are creatures of habit, like I said previously, but we are creatures of order too. Who knows what kind of creatures we are as well, besides these two.

As much as we live in order, animals do too. The only big difference is that rarely something disrupts that order, because nature is a perfect mechanism. It is us who destroy that order that nature imposes on all living things. Maybe we don’t like that something else wants to impose anything on us, because we value our freedom above all, maybe we just don’t like nature being the leader... who knows, it’s not really important. The important thing is that nature doesn't do it, we do. I sense some hypocrisy there – we like order, but we don’t like the one that nature has.

It really is amazing how everything has its place in nature. That whole circle of life thing, the food chain, etc. Everyone has its place, no one goes hungry, and everything is great! If it were that way with us humans, the word utopia wouldn't signify a perfect yet an impossible world, but would denote only the former. Nothing would be impossible. Then the word impossible wouldn't even exist and we wouldn't be able to say what I just said. Hmm, interesting...

Anyway, the most astounding part of the world of nature is the life under water. Of all of nature’s creations, the ones that live in all the waters of the planet are the ones with the largest amount of order, if we can say it like that. The sheer size of that world, the number of species, everything about it surpasses almost all the rest combined. Nature is at its best down there. In the depths of the world’s oceans is the magnificence of everything that is not human. Those are the few places where no man has ever set foot. It is the kingdom of the fish, with its own order. The most amazing thing about it is how every single part of it has its place; the word order has a new definition down there, as it is pure perfection.

Maybe those are the reasons why are we so amazed with that world. Maybe it’s the order that caught our attention, who knows. I think it is the order, because like I said before, it is order that keeps us in existence and that is what makes us grow and prosper. And it stands to reason that we, who are not as perfect as nature is down there, will be full of respect for that world.

We love animals of the seas and rivers, and that is why we have them everywhere: in zoo’s, in water parks, in ponds and aquariums of our homes. We want them in our homes, as we are amazed with their perfection. Yes, we do need to feed them, keep their aquariums clean with all the pumps and filters that we buy to achieve that, but it still pays out in the end. When you embellish your aquarium with some pretty lights, put in some castles and all sorts of accessories, it makes you happy. And it really doesn't make them any less special if we have to take of them, they may be fragile and weaker than us, and they may not posses the brains like we do, but their perfection lies in something else, and I hope that I have made it very clear throughout this text and that now all of you can see that perfection.

Nature in Your Home Makes You More Human than You Have Ever Been Before

2013-04-03T02:39:00.000-07:00

Many people who are about to design their homes in different ways are breaking the rules of traditional design and opt for something new. Of course, it is always better to think of your own way to design and decorate your home, but there are several more general „patterns” that will help you during the process. You can, for example choose this well-known pattern of a traditional house. In that kind of house you will have a lot of wooden furniture, a fireplace, old rugs and vintage wallpapers. Of course, a rocking chair is an inevitable addition to that sight. You can also choose a pattern of a more „modernistic” house. Many young couples pick this one. It includes predominantly white walls and and a lot of stylish, unusual furniture. In this article I would like to write about one approach to home design and that is a „naturalistic” approach. As you may guess, it includes a lot of elements that resemble nature. But they need not only resemble it, they can be nature itself in your home. You, probably, have already thought of one or two of those elements. But there are several, and even those you have thought of have many different classes and versions. So, let's start with nature.

Do not sleep with the fish – let the fish sleep with you

The first thing I want to talk about are aquariums. Many people love fish and their aquariums are not really there for decoration, but they are indeed a very important part of it. When a guest enters your living room, the first thing he will notice is your aquarium and the fish moving in it. The only way to make it more noticeable is to take good care of it. However, cleaning it, changing its water and feeding the fish is not enough to make your aquarium look beautiful. There are certain ways to decorate it and make it more unique, and I am going to write about a few of them. First of all, the shape of the tank itself should be taken under consideration. If your room is full of cubical elements with sharp edges, then your tank should be like that. It would be the best if you can fit it somewhere so that it covers the empty space between your bed and your wardrobe, for example. But, if your room is filled with pillows and different not-so-square-shaped objects, there are tanks that will fit that kind of environment as well. You have probably seen those oval ones in cartoons, where usually only one fish is being kept. But these kinds of tanks can be a lot bigger.

Furthermore, they need not be oval necessarily. There are ones which are square shaped with blunt edges that will also fit perfectly to that kind of environment. The next thing that will make your aquarium more beautiful is lighting. You can choose a variety of colors and add them to the bottom of your aquarium thus making it a beautiful colorful paradise. It is also very interesting to have neon lights in there while all other lights in your house are turned off. If you want to support this „natural” approach, there are also light-bulbs that are environment-friendly and which will not cause any harm to nature. Of course, some tools are there to help you with cleaning your aquarium. Aquarium filters, for example, can help you a lot. It will reduce the amount of time you spend brushing and changing the water, and it will save you a lot of energy.

Spongebob Squarepants and Squidward are living at the bottom of the sea... in your aquarium

You have maybe heard of a certain type of aquarium called „marine” aquariums. As the name itself suggests, marine aquariums keep animals from the ocean and from the seas. Since the environment on the bottom of the ocean is different, this kind of aquariums require more energy and, of course, more money. There are a lot more things to look after than there are in regular fish tanks.

For example, water in marine aquariums should be salty. There are, of course, containers with salt, which can be bought at any aquarium equipment store. The salt is added to water, thus keeping the salt level always at the right amount. The second important thing is that water at the bottom of the ocean is very freezing. But technology has advanced enough to help us solve that problem as well. Devices called „Aquarium Chillers“ are also available at most shops which do that kind of trade. Those devices will keep the water in your aquarium cool enough so that plants and animals will be able to survive. Finally, organic waste may be hazardous in these kinds of aquariums, therefore, there are devices called “Protein Skimmers”, which remove that kind of waste in order to save the disaster that could happen in there. Once again, I do admit that these aquariums are really hard to maintain, but the beauty of them is unexcelled. They can fit in almost any environment, even in those that have nothing to do with nature, because things that live at the bottom of the ocean are colourful and above everything else, magnificent and beautiful.

There are also several things that can be very useful when it comes to decorating your home with nature. For example, certain fountains and sculptures can effectively give an impression of a „natural” house, but they are a topic for some other discussion. Once again, it is important to use your imagination before everything, because after all, you still want your house to be place for humans and not for some tropical lizards. Everything can be overstated, even in this kind of activity which seems to be easy and fun at first. I do not deny the fun part of it. Come to think of it, buying and owning an aquarium must be the most interesting thing I have ever done, because it fulfills my life and it makes me feel like I am human more than I ever was.

Which Pet should You Get?

2013-04-03T02:38:00.001-07:00

Getting a pet and owning one are sometimes two equally difficult things. You have to find one that’s suitable for you and which can also feel that you are suitable for it. You have to keep it safe, clean, well fed, happy, etc. All of that together can be very complicated and not without its problems. But there is always a way to get through all these things, as there is always some way to get through anything in life. Well, except death, that one is inevitable, but I don’t want to be gloomy and morbid.

I’m actually here to talk about pets, and all that they bring and take from you for that matter. When I talk about them like that it sounds like they are your babies, and that’s not far from the truth, because babies may be cute and wonderful and we live our lives for them (if they are ours obviously) but they are still little and are developing and thus, not really smart. That may sound harsh, but that’s the way it is, because no one is born with knowledge, you earn that through life. But that matters not, as they give us unconditional love, and that’s all we need really.

For starters, getting a pet can really be problematic. Thankfully, most people don’t have a problem with having a place to get one, or enough money for it, the real problem is choice. There’s too much of it! Choosing is really a problem. Not always, when you have set your mind on a specific pet before even deciding to get one, then you are fine. But when you haven’t, that will be a problem. It’s best to always start with the regulars, like dogs and cats, maybe parrots, and if they don’t suit you, then you move on to something else. But I guess that in general, people buy these the most, and fish of course. People with snakes, pigs and something like that are actually rare. And, if you want to get a lama, or something even weirder, it’s ok! I guess everyone is entitled to their own wishes, no matter how strange they may be. But who am I to judge...

Now you have bought a pet and it’s done. Well it’s not. You cannot go with the “it’s so fluffy I’m going to die” thing. Yes, you can actually, but it’s not all just fun. There’s a lot of work to be done, and a lot of work to be continuously done as long you have that pet! I mean, it never stops. You have to be prepared for that. If you are not ready to devote a few hours a day to it, then just revert to step one: picking the pet, and just don’t even pick it! Leave the poor animal alone and go find something else to amuse you, because this is not only for fun. Do I have to state that further? I think I was clear enough.

If you got a dog, you have to train it, if you got a cat, well you can’t train it as that will be tough to do. If that’s not something you can do, get a trainer – you can’t leave your animal by itself. It is a pet. It depends on a human in all aspects. If you let it run wild, it will be wild, and you’ll have a wolf or a wild cat on your hands. That won’t be pretty, so please avoid that by preventing it before it even happens.

If you got fish, they won’t give you problems. I prefer them the most as their needs are simple and easily taken care of. They are not “fluffy” but they are other things of course. They are for looking and contemplating. By this I mean that, just like long showers can get you to think about a lot of things, fish too can do that too. Or, it can even go the other way round, they can get you to stop thinking and just relax and enjoy that time. A special kind of animals, these fish are. It is truly amazing. Of all the pets, they are the only ones that can indirectly do this for you. Maybe they are not the only ones, but they are the only ones known to me.

By telling you that, I think that I can also tell you that fish will be the best choice for you if you don’t want to spend much of your precious time on your pet. All these little bundles of joy need is an aquarium, filled with clean water. You have pumps, filters and similar things which will help you keep that water clean. So that won’t be a problem at all. Get them some good food a few times a day and that’s all that you need to give them. I even love to watch them feed, they are not messy like other bigger animals can be, fish are neat actually. This is yet another wonderful thing about them.

Further on, you can also embellish the aquarium. By this I mean getting different sea plants, some cliché castles and towers, and some sand at the bottom, and you are set. The aesthetic part is finished and you have yourself a wonderful decorative addition to your home. You see, fish can also be good for that. So many practical applications for them, it is truly amazing.

I don’t want to go on any further as I have told you what I wanted to tell you. I tried going for different animals, but I really can’t, I will always go back to fish, it’s unavoidable. I tried to suggest different kinds, but as you can see, I can’t even stick with that, I got back to fish anyway. But it’s alright I guess, if you don’t want them, don’t listen to me, go and get yourself whatever it is that you are looking for!

A Certain Approach to Nature!

2013-04-03T02:38:00.000-07:00

Our story begins in the period of time when matriarchy was dominant. Namely, once upon a time, the central figure in society was a woman, believe it or not. Our ancestors believed that the great goddess was a woman, and that the woman was actually the representative of mother earth. People lived in belief that we were all children of nature, and nature was idealized. Of course, their religion was based on bringing sacrifice to goddess and other stuff that does not exist in today's world (at least, I don’t think so). However, there came the time when man realized that he also has a role in reproduction, and that nature and women are not the only creators of life. Through the course of history, the central figure changed from a woman to a man. For example, man became the head of a family as the main deity became male. But that is the period of time when this synchronization that existed between men and nature was disordered. Namely, men realized that they have the power to control. First of all, they started controlling one another, and, not being satisfied with that power, they decided to gain control over nature. Now lets move several thousand years forward. Nowadays, we live in a society that is mostly dominated by men. However, certain things have changed, and we have developed as human beings. Most of us became aware of this inequality, and we decided to give women a chance. But aye, there's the rub. We think that we control every aspect of nature nowadays, and we are not even aware of how quickly she is dying out. Both men and women must join their forces in order to save what’s left and live in harmony once again.

In this article, I want to talk about the decoration of your house. If you are one of those people who would like to help nature, and who enjoys just being out there, having the sun shining all over their faces, you would maybe like to decorate your house so that you bring all that nature into your home. There are several ways you can do that. For example, you can have many exotic plants in one special room, or you can have different exotic animals caged in your bedroom. But the most natural way to express your attitude towards nature are aquariums. Owning an aquarium has its pros and cons, but the feeling of having a part of „where life came from” in your living room is one of the best enjoyments you can have in a lifetime.

Pros and cons of owning an aquarium

First of all, you can make your life a bit more interesting with a new hobby. Many people enjoy fishing and spending time on their boats and yachts, but the truth is, it is much more of an enjoyment to have the fish in your home. It is scientifically proven that looking at fish calms nerves, and makes you a stronger person. I do not say that you should spend all day watching your pets swimming left and right, but an occasional look now and then would really have an outstanding effect on your temperament and on you as a human being. Secondly, this is the best decoration that you can get. Now, seriously, you can have all the sculptures and paintings that you can, but nothing will ever make you satisfied as well as an aquarium can. When a guest arrives, he will have much more fun playing with your fish than staring at a painting of an author whose name he has never heard of before. And finally, it is a lot of fun. You will spend many hours cleaning and maintaining your aquarium, but believe me, with the right tools, all that seems to be a very relaxing process. Namely, there are certain tools that can help you with maintenance. For example, as we all know, the water temperature needs to be different from the temperature where we live in. Fish that live in deep seas can only survive if the temperature is much cooler. Therefore, aquarium heaters are tools that will constantly change the temperature and keep it adequate, in order to keep your fish and other sea and river creatures alive. You can also include aquarium filters if you are going to shop, because they will save you a lot of time and energy when it comes to cleaning the water and cleaning the aquarium itself.

On the other hand, that constant and repeating action of cleaning can become a bit boring. If you are not the kind of person who can overcome these kinds of problems, you will have to cope up with cleaning very often, and I advise you to find joy in this as soon as possible. Secondly, your fish can sometimes be very needy and you will have to feed them regularly and even the slightest error in the feeding pattern can kill them. Therefore, if you are not a responsible person, you better let somebody else who lives with you do it. Finally, aquariums can take up a lot of space. If you are living in a, for example, one flat of standard size, you will have trouble adapting your living space to the aquarium. They are best kept in big rooms with a lot of free space in between.

I am no expert when it comes to home decoration and design, but I do know this: it is the new era that will bring certain changes into the minds of people, and all we can do is follow that change by changing ourselves and our environment. You need not necessarily own an aquarium in order to support that change, but anything that will make your approach to nature more direct will come in handy. Therefore, you need to use your imagination and decorate your home however your heart desires. I, myself, have opted for aquariums because they calm my soul and my eyes, and because I believe that water is much more important in our lives than we think.

A Love Story about Mankind and Nature that You Know Very Well

2013-04-03T02:02:00.001-07:00

There is some kind of order on this planet that makes it turn around. Some people say it is love but some claim that money makes it go around. As far as I am concerned, we will never know. However, one thing that kept everything under control and kept the world in balance was the relationship between nature and men. Since the dawn of days, man was a servant to nature, and nature rewarded him for that service with its fruits. However, men started being obsessed with power. It was not enough for them to control only one another, but they also wanted to control nature as well. And so it began – we started making this planet sicker and sicker with each new day. Many oil companies were built, the atmosphere was polluted and nature started dying slowly. Oceans, seas and rivers suffered the most. Many species that we were not even aware of disappeared from the face of the earth just like dust in the wind. It is something that happened in a blink of an eye, and we were not aware of it at all. However, lately the awareness has raised, and many people started to think a bit differently. There are more and more campaigns that indicate how endangered the planet is, and that we are going to destroy ourselves if we do not do something immediately. You now ask yourself how can you help? Well, there are many things you can do. I am going to write about nature in your home in this article because bringing nature to your home is the first step towards a better future for our planet.

Can you put a river in your home? I think you can

The first thing that comes to my mind when it comes to „bringing“ nature to your home are indoor aquariums. People who have aquariums are said to be more relaxed and to enjoy life more than others. Just looking at the fish moving makes your brain and muscles relax and makes you feel better. There are also more benefits that fish ponds can bring you. For example, I enjoy cleaning and keeping my aquarium „in shape“. It fulfills me and makes me forget about other things in my life which make me stressed and depressed. There is a big number of different fish tanks to choose from in order to match them with the theme of your home. For example, there are those old cubical ones, that can fit almost everywhere, but if you are a person of style and taste, there are other shapes which will emphasize the importance of owning an aquarium and having nature in your home. On the other hand, aquariums can be a bit tricky to maintain, since you are dealing with something where life should be preserved. Fish are very sensitive creatures and even the slightest error in maintenance can lead to their death. Therefore, it is extremely important that you educate yourself before getting an aquarium. There is plenty of useful information on the internet, but the best thing you can do is to ask for advice from somebody who has had an aquarium for a very long time. It is even better to let them show you how things work and how you should „approach“ the whole situation. I can provide you with information about some basic equipment that aquariums require here. First of all, let me start with unnecessary ones – lights. The look of your aquarium is also important, because those which are clean but not decorated can be repelling to an eye as much as the dirty ones. Therefore, one of the best way to let your aquarium catch an eye of a visitor is to make it more visible, and that is achieved by lighting. You can place lights at the bottom of the aquarium and make light go upwards, which makes the atmosphere in the room relaxed. Or you can put lights on the sides and emphasize the fish themselves in the first place. There are different kinds of lights. The thing that will make your aquarium even more interesting are neon lights and not just neon but colorful ones. That will make a pretty small circus or concert inside your aquarium with your fish as clowns and rock stars. I even went further on and made the lights move. Do not do that without anyone who is good with electricity because there is a big possibility that it will come in touch with water. If that happens you can say goodbye to your fish, or you would not have to because you will be dead as well.

Eventually you are going to get tired of cleaning your aquarium. Although it is worth the work, sometimes cleaning can be very exhausting and time-consuming. But you can solve that problem by buying Aquarium Filters. These devices can save you a lot of time because they do all the filtering of water and make sure your fish do not die in filth. You can look for one on the internet, or you can check you local aquarium store for it. I am not sure about how much of these thing are there for sale. The last thing I want to tell you is something about Aquarium Heaters. As the name suggests, they will change the water temperature to a certain degree. This is extremely necessary if you take into account that fish that live in deeper water can survive only in cool water, whilst the ones that live near the surface prefer warmer water.

To sum up, I have just shown you one of the aspects of decorating your home. Of course, you need not be some kind of ecologist or environment lover in order to have an aquarium in your house, but it is always better to know that by owning one you are contributing to the movement that fights for saving nature and the planet earth from the destructive force of this new age.

Silly Little Creatures, or Not?

2013-04-03T02:02:00.000-07:00

I'm writing this with one idea in my mind, one idea only. Are fish stupid and unnecessary creatures? Many think they are. And why? Probably because they had them home in their pretty little aquariums or they saw them in someone else’s aquarium or they saw them in some sea world, I don’t know. After all of that, after seeing and watching them for some time, you can’t but start thinking how ridiculous they are.

All that they do is go around in circles in their little tanks opening their mouths at same intervals without even blinking. When you look into their eyes they have to remind you of some retarded look made by someone. The only thing that lacks is that they start drooling like retards. All fish remind me of Patrick star from Sponge Bob. Or even better, all those fish bystanders with their heads looking at the sky and all of them look so silly that I always laugh just by seeing them. You know what I mean? I thought that everyone has seen or at least heard of Sponge Bob. If not, I’m sure that you can see that retarded look on their faces once you've looked close enough and paid attention to it.

It’s so silly that you shouldn't even consider calling it a face. Who knows what it is. Who even cares!? It’s just an animal which can’t even hurt us or do anything bad to us, or do anything to us for that matter. The only good thing that can come out of it is making it our food, and even that isn't really satisfactory. Alright, it has at least one good substance, iodine, which is good for our brains, specifically our memory. They always say to students that they should eat fish before exams because they’ll be able to remember more, and it is true. So I guess this is one good thing about them. But it barely has anything else and you can’t even get full from eating just that – you always have to eat more besides the fish. Another funny thing that I have always wondered about is why it is like this – in Christianity, when they are fasting and are not allowed to eat anything that comes from an animal – they are allowed to eat fish! What’s up with that? It’s like the biggest religion in the world is telling us that we shouldn't even think of fish as animals. That’s one way to look at it, right?

Anyway, they seem to be not good enough for eating, but that’s not what the Japanese seem to think. They eat fish in huge quantities. Just like we all now the Chinese for the rice consumption, we know the Japanese for their sushi or other fish related products. And, besides that, they are leading manufacturers of fish. They have thousands of boats going out every day to catch fish. They catch it in such large quantities every day and yet the fish are still there, they are not extinct, or something like that. When the Americans started moving west and started hunting buffaloes, it didn't take long before the buffalo was almost completely gone, and these were the animals that used to rule the large plains in the center of the USA. So one can conclude through this that the fish are like vermin, you can’t even destroy them, not that we want, but if we did want, we probably would never be able to do it.

They reduced the number of whales you say, because of the hunting all over the planet? Well my friend, whales are not fish, they are mammals, so you can throw that theory through the window.

Besides this, everyone loves dolphins and consider them very intelligent and human-friendly. But they too are not fish, but mammals as well. I seem to be onto something maybe?

Or, maybe not. How many of us keep fish at home? Too many probably. They are one of the favorite animals to keep as pets, after cats and dogs obviously. No one can replace those furry, cute little animals and man’s best friends. So, how can they be stupid, unnecessary and all of that, when so many people keep them? There must be something amazing about them, since we actually do love them, even though they look retarded.

I think that not much is needed to be said to make it obvious why we love them. They make us relaxed with their grace in their movement. They may be going around in circles, but they do it with such grace, that it is amazing. Besides that, they may look retarded, but they are the sole rulers of the seas, and the seas cover most of our planet, and like I said, even if we wanted to exterminate them, we wouldn’t be able to do it. That does not make them vermin, but very strong creatures actually, since they can withstand the human tyranny.

Those mammals from the sea, which we consider so amazing, wouldn't even be there if it weren't for the fish. They depend on them, the same way each nature’s creature depends on some other. All of them are a part of one greater circle, a chain if you will, and a chain would break if you were to take only one ring out of it.

Besides that, it is so easy to keep them, since they are one of the animals that don’t ask for much, if at all. When you get an aquarium, you only need to get some filters and whatnot, just in order to keep the water clean and fresh, and you need some food, which you don’t need to give them too often. You can get a lot of decorative items for the aquarium, lights, heating, some scenery like castles, sand, etc, yet all of these things are optional, the fish don’t need them – it is more for our pleasure. Because we love how pretty, graceful and peaceful they look in their little tanks, we like to embellish their surroundings. They really do deserve our love.

Technological Advancement or Total Disaster? Aquariums Hold the Answer

2013-04-03T02:01:00.002-07:00

Can you imagine what would life be like if we were to return to nature, living without electricity and without all the necessary equipment that we are used to? Can you imagine life without the internet or without television, where everyone would be able to be themselves. I do not say that this rather new technology is harmful. On the contrary, it has helped us a great deal so far, and without the internet, for example, we would not be able to see what is happening on the other side of the world. But the bad side is that all these tech advancements have caused some changes not only among people, but in nature. New technology requires more power, and power is achieved by controlling and exploiting nature and its fruits. Once upon a time, we were reasonable when it comes to using nature's gifts, but men have become greedy, and the more we had the more we needed. Oceans and rivers seem to be the most endangered. Many fish and other species that live in still unexplored areas of the ocean die on a daily basis due to oil leaks. But there are ways to fight back. I have been a man of nature and a fighter for the „green” world for a long time, and I have been searching for certain methods of fighting back and bringing everlasting peace in this struggle between man and nature. I am talking about bringing nature back into peoples’ homes. This can be achieved solely by owning a garden with different plants, or owning a small zoo with a few animals that you will love and feed every day. But the thing I want to talk about the most are aquariums.

All the fish in all the oceans, rivers, lakes and seas in the world – unite

First of all, owning an aquarium is a direct approach to fighting against endangered species in the oceans. As I have mentioned, many fish die every day, and just by having some in your home means a lot to the world of pisces. If you are about to buy an aquarium and support this movement, I suggest you seek a few pieces of advice from someone who already knows a lot about this kind of hobby. I am no expert in this area, but I will try to explain several things when it comes to owning and maintaining an aquarium. You should, firstly, decide whether you are going to have fish from the rivers or from the oceans and seas. As you know, oceans and seas have salty water and, logically, the sole existence of fish from rivers would not be possible in such an environment. Therefore, there are normal aquariums, also known as fish tanks and ponds and there are kinds of aquariums that are built specially for fish and other creatures that live their lives at sea. Now, the size does matter, no matter what they say. Of course, I mean the size of the aquarium you are about to buy. If you are planning to devote a lot of your time to the fish and aquariums, you can buy those big ones that will cover one whole wall. But, if you are new to this hobby, I suggest you take a smaller one, and have no more than five fish. Then again, if the fish are not that big or needy, you can have more than five, even with no experience at all. At the end, it all comes down to the fact that you are about to start something new which will eventually become an important part of your life, believe it or not. It is the same story as with other pets. For fifteen years I had been trying to persuade my parents to buy me a dog. At the age of twenty five, my father bought me one for my birthday and from that moment on it was him who could not take his eyes off the pet. They literally became best friends, and it took him fifteen and more years to realize how much pets can actually mean to people. The same story goes with the fish. These little creatures can become part of your family in no time, and you will be very happy to have them in your life.

But now comes the time where I must warn you about some other consequences of buying an aquarium. As you may know, they will require a lot of maintenance, which you will have to do on a daily basis. You can do it by yourself, or you can hire someone who has experience in that area to do it for you. However, a lot of time spent on the internet, made me think about certain devices that can help me with cleaning and generally maintaining the aquarium. I found about these things called Aquarium Filters, which made the whole cleaning process much easier. What it did was keep the water clean as much as possible by adding certain substances into in. Therefore, the time you spent just changing the water in the aquarium can be reduced twice or even thrice, and you will save a lot of energy also, since that procedure is very exhausting. Other devices such as Aquarium heaters can help you with keeping the temperature of the water constant, because some fish will require constant water temperature.

To sum up, although technology is very helpful nowadays, we should spent more time in nature and use high tech devices a little bit less in order to save planet from the extinction that has been threatening it for the past two or three decades. You can help nature even by doing some other things such as decorating your home in more “natural” way. Among all the other things that you can put in your home I recommend you buy an aquarium since that can be a way of helping endangered species that die every single day due to pollution.

Methods for catching a fish from a tank

2013-01-25T04:25:00.001-08:00

Every fish keeper on earth has probably had various problems and issues with the things I’m going to talk about throughout this article. I can see myself chasing fish for 30 minutes all around the aquarium. In the end, they would get into the net, stressed and exhausted. It is an extremely uncomfortable experience both for you and for the fish.

It is unavoidable that at some point you’ll have to be catching some fish when owning an aquarium full of them. Reasons to do so are selling, buying or moving unhealthy fish into the quarantine tank, getting back the aggressive types of fish or moving parental ones. In chasing fish, you should be on the lookout for lashing with a net because it may stress or harm some of them. The other possibility is you won’t even catch the right one. The solution to this is to pour out some tank water and leave less space for the fish. The possibility to catch them will then increase. Now, I’ll give you some tips how to catch your fish the easiest way.

Netting the fish is one of the most common and the easiest way of catching fish. The net itself can be of any color and size. White nets are thought not to be among the best ones, unlike the ones that come in black or green, that don’t scare off the fish and, apart from that, they give them a, sort of, sense of security. But, using a white net to scare off the fish to the green or black one placed on the other side of the tank is a good tactic to catch them. Make sure you do everything gently. Eventually, the fish will go into the net by itself. If the fish’s fins get into the net you shouldn't be worried. Put the fish back into the aquarium, hold the net and the fish will free itself. If it doesn't work, carefully cut of the net with scissors. Netting can be helpful when feeding the fish, as well, but you’re trying to keep some fish apart from others. Just use a white net to separate them, and the green one to put them together, for example.

Catching fish with your hands is a method used usually with bigger fish. You have to do this carefully because some species have spines used to defend themselves. Use both of your hands to catch a fish, gently take the fish by its tail and support it from underneath. Keep in mind that all this has to be done gently and with a lot of patience. Fish that have electricity or are poisonous shouldn't ever be touched by human hand, logically.

Catching fish with the help of a bottle is a method appropriate to catch species like shrimp, dwellers or snails that are usually on the bottom of the tank. Green provides fake security for the fish (as mentioned above), so use a green bottle so you can see them and make them feel safe. Before putting the bottle into the tank, you should clean it up a little in some hot water. Don’t use detergents or anything similar to clean the bottle. You should opt for a glass bottle rather than a plastic one, because it sinks to the bottom. Place the food into the water, put it on the bottom of the tank and let it getfilled with water slowly. Switch the lights off and wait for the fish to get into the trap. Leave some room light on, and switch them off in the evening hours. Close the entrance of the bottle with your finger, after you make sure that the fish are trapped. This is a method that requires gentility and patience. It might take some time, but your fish will definitely be less stressed out. By using this method you’ll leave the same depth of the water to fish and there’ll be no need to remove the water. Also make sure you don’t hitthe tank edges while using the bottle to catch desired fish. Catching fish with glass dip tubes is not a quite popular method. The only ones who use this method are the, so called “breeder-aquarists” who have to this to catch the fry and don’t spoil it.

Conclusion

To conclude, I’ll say that keeping and catching fish all the time demands some experience and knowledge, because otherwise you may hurt or kill your own fish. I’m sure you wouldn't want that to happen, would you?

The Soothing Sound of Water

2013-01-25T04:14:00.000-08:00

The world today is tough. Not only do you have to put in loads of hours in your work, so that you can earn the means to survive, but you have to cope with selfish bosses, irritating coworkers, bad office space, the traffic, the economy, and all that jazz. I think that this is reason enough to make your home a peaceful, beautiful, comfortable and well designed place, so that you can rest, think things through, and wake up the next day, ready to tackle every problem that comes your way. In this article I am not going to talk about what furniture to chose, how to color your walls, how to organize the lighting, what electrical equipment to choose, but I will talk about a certain aspect of home and garden design that has been around for centuries. I will be talking about water features.

● What are water features?

The term is confused with water properties, which are connected to the temperature and chemical structure of the water. Water features are numerous fountains and ponds that can be put either in your home or in your garden, depending on the product, of course (some are designed for indoor, and some for outdoor use). They come in all sorts of shapes and sizes. Fountains can be everything from traditional Greek statue figurines, to futuristic looking fountains that shoot beams of water that, when combined with the LED lighting that is installed within, look like a very cool light show.

Ponds can be simple – a whole in the ground with water in it, or they can come in the form a beautiful waterfall. Ponds, unlike most fountains, are ideal for keeping fish. You just have to make sure that you know the properties of the natural habitat your fish are used to by nature, and that the pond is big enough so that the fish have appropriate swimming space. This information is usually provided by the pet store where the fish are bought, or you can look for such information on the internet, of course. Then, it is all about making your pond have the same properties as the fish’s natural habitat, and there are products available in the market that will aid you in this process very much.

● Benefits for you

Apart from the fact that you will be considered as a person with taste, a water feature in your home will help you enjoy relaxation to the fullest. When you sit down near it, after a hard day’s work, at first, you will simply look at it, admire its beauty and feel proud about yourself because you have managed to purchase such a beautiful thing. Then, as your eyes start to close, the sound of water moving will make you feel like you are in touch with nature and all its magnificence. You will fall into a quality sleep, and, when you wake up, you will be good as new. This is something that I can guarantee in light of my experience, and the experience of many other satisfied water feature owners. Furthermore, this kind of thing will add value to your home, if you plan on selling it at some point in your life, and it might even pay for itself at the end. Apart from everything else stated above, a water feature, graciously displayed in your garden, will most certainly make your house stand out from all other houses in the neighborhood, and it will turn the head of each of your neighbors, as they are passing by, which will certainly make you feel good, if nothing else.

To conclude, I have already said that in this article I will not talk about the basics of home design. Actually, each individual has specific needs, so there is no such thing as a perfect home design on the market. You have to improvise, work with what you can find, and hope that it will all turn out just as you have imagined it in the end. Take everything that you have read in this piece of text as something that should be considered as a finishing touch to your home design process. So, when you get everything you need, treat yourself to a water feature, because you will not regret it.

Aquariums – Making Fish Feel at Home

2013-01-25T03:59:00.000-08:00

In the modern world, people have drifted away from nature due to the constant urbanization process that is taking the world up by storm, so, it is “only natural” that people have incorporated loads of things from nature into their own homes, which is something that is very good for everyday life, in my opinion. Several people have loads of plants, and it is not that uncommon nowadays to have a pet. Both of these things are literally used to live up the place and get it more in touch with the roots of our existence.

In this article, I am going to focus on all those people who have chosen fishkeeping as a way of making their home more natural, and I will provide some advice on what to do in order to get the best out of it.

First of all, an aquarium or fish tank is a place where you can keep both plants and animals, so it is, as the expression states, killing two birds with one stone. Now, modern technology has done its part and made the process of keeping the aquarium clean and well-functioning much easier to humans. There are several water cleaners and pumps that will do the filtration process and take care of all the waste that is produced by the fish. But there is a more important thing to worry about. You see, each type of fish is used to living in a specific kind of water, which is, yet again, “only natural”. When you purchase fish, make sure that you have done your homework and that you have determined what are the water properties that will suite your fish the best in terms of water heat, the pH value, the salinity, and so on. When you have done this, you have to make sure that the water is set to these properties prior to putting the fish in the aquarium. There are numerous test kits that will aid you in the process and all of them come with a detailed description of how they are used, so I will not elaborate on that in this piece of text. I will, however, tell you that if you don’t do this, you will have to deal with a tank filled with dead fish, which is something that, as far as I can tell, no one wants.

When it comes to the decoration of the aquarium, it is not just about how good it will look to you, but how natural it will be for the fish, and there are ways to make both things work. Fish are used to having plants in the water, and apart from that, they are used to all sorts of inanimate objects that they consider hiding places. So, anything that is not very big, and doesn’t use up a ton of space in the aquarium will do. Needless to say, there are loads of ornaments particularly designed to be used in an aquarium, so make sure that you explore your options as much as you can and go for what you think is best.

You should also think about the shape of the aquarium itself, because some fish are used to having a lot of space, while others do not have problems in traffic. That is yet another thing that you should keep in mind when purchasing the fish – how will it feel in your aquarium (it is logical that you purchase the fish that will like it in your aquarium that to purchase the aquarium after purchasing the fish).

To conclude this article, I will say that you purchase fish so that you bring a dose of nature to your own home, which is cool, but you should make sure that the fish are happy and satisfied, just to make sure that they have as long a lifespan as possible. If not for humane reasons, this is done for economic reasons as well – you won’t have to buy new fish as often as inconsiderate people.

All in all, fishkeeping is a noble process, and people who have fish in their homes are considered to be nice, considerate, successful and calm, so if you are thought to be such a person, do live up to your reputation.

How to Keep a Fish Tank

2013-01-02T13:46:00.002-08:00

Extra fish in your aquarium can cause a lot of problems. More fish demand more oxygen and additional production of ammonia. If you own a filter that deals with a higher level of ammonia you are, let’s say, in the clear, but, with a high ammonia level, you’ll end up with increased nitrate production and you will have to change the water more often to keep it low. Some more solid waste might also appear out of nowhere.

Some people, who are experts in this field, think that a tank with too much fish can lead to the stop of fish growth, or, as this phenomenon is more commonly called, to stunning. If the fish are kept and left to breed in the same aquarium where the adult fish are, you will notice that future generations will be smaller than their ancestors.

To sort this out, get another aquarium to raise the fry in – especially one that is big enough to serve a spawning pair, or for pregnant females.

On the other hand, many would find a quarantine tank the best among all the others. To be a successful keeper of fish, this kind of a tank can be very helpful, and is often recommended by any retailer. Many people forget to use a microscope when purchasing fish, and that’s why they usually aren't aware of whether the fish are suffering from any kind of illness. If you buy new fish and bring it to your home, regardless of its healthy look that may mislead you, it can infect your existing livestock. The solution to this problem is to set up a separate aquarium for the new ones and keep them there for a few weeks so you can be sure they’re not infectious.

These tanks can also be used to keep and treat fish that have been bullied or ill in the main tank. It’s more effective to treat them in an unfurnished, clean tank. A medium sized tank is cheaper to treat than a heavily stocked one. You’ll also avoid a risk of killing any inverts or knocking out beneficial bacteria in the main tank, which are pretty essential.

Not all fish are compatible. When you’re a fish-keeper, there’s so little time and too many fish. This hobby can get a little complicated. The water conditions, the size of the fish and their temperament is a key thing to take into consideration.

To solve this, set up some more tanks to help you out, and sort them into hard-water and soft-water set-ups. When it comes to the radical differences, you can set one up as a rocky Rift Lake, and another one as a flora oriented one, for example. New tanks always look nicer. As time passes by, fish aquariums seem to be getting much nicer and better designed. Check out BiOrb Life 60L or Fluval Edge 46L - Water Cube, for example. There was never a choice of so many sizes and shapes, as there is now. For many people, showing off their tank is a big part of keeping fish. Like every work of art needs a good frame, having a good tank for your fish is also of big importance.

Furnishing fashion for homes changes all the time and you have a choice to have a brand new tank and not an old one made of mahogany. For many people, keeping fish is kind of a new challenge. Keeping fish attract many different people and there’s just the right kind of fish for everyone. You should try coral propagation or take the challenge of breeding. It takes some determination, skill and time to breed fish so that you provide them with everything they need and want. And don’t forget to feed the fry. When a fish-keeper is a real fanatic, he or she must come to this point: to want to make a fish room. If you’re one of them, consider that a fish room can be any room in your house - a spare room, for instance.

To sum up, keeping fish seems to be a hard and demanding job. But, it has many advantages. It’s there to bring in new colors to your living space and keep you occupied. It’s also good for relaxation and, if you have kids, it would be a lot of fun for them to have their own private part of the sea. Whatever the reasons are, make sure you don’t forget about the fact - fish can’t play with you, but still are living beings.

Lighting in an Aquarium

2013-01-02T10:54:00.000-08:00

The basic role of the aquarium lightning is to allow the fish-keepers to watch their fish. But, what’s more important, it provides the energy to the plants and animals that are photosynthetic. It’s usually the primary and the only source of lightning and it’s of big essence to any system that has plants, coral or anemones that are photosynthetic. The behavior of your fish is also influenced by the source of lightning and their psychology and health and the well-being of the whole tank depends on lightning.

Different set-ups demand different kinds of light fixtures and light bulbs. There are various different lightning options for fish-keepers and their fish, of course. The diversity of types of lightning makes it possible for the aquarists to provide the proper source of lightning for their fish. Tank lightning is grouped into three general types: there’s the common fluorescent lightning, metal halide lightning of high intensity and compact fluorescent lightning. Common output fluorescent lightning or standard fluorescent lightning are the easiest to provide the illumination for an aquarium. Choosing this sort of lightning is best for saltwater-fish-only tanks and fresh tanks, too. There’s a large selection of bulbs made for this sort of lightning and everything seems to allow the fish-keeper to customize tank lightning. You can use different bulbs in order to provide the right kind of lightning for you fish.

Actinic white bulbs create a mild blue or white light that, actually, recreates the marine light. It is a mix of a blue and white actinic light. This light may be pleasing to your eyes and, also help the photosynthetic growth of corals. Color-enhancing bulbs emit warmer and richer colors and really increase the spectrum of colors. They are made to display the colors of your tank’s inhabitants. It’s good for saltwater and fresh-fish-only tanks. Daylight bulbs provide something close to natural sunlight because they emit the wavelengths of already visible light. The whole color spectrum is also emitted. These bulbs are made for general purposes and ideal for any type of saltwater and fresh tanks. Actinic bulbs provide all kinds of blue of the color spectrum. They imitate the light conditions of deep water and help creating the needed energy for growth of photosynthetic corals. They are appropriate for marine aquariums and coral reef tanks. Plant bulbs provide the light needed for the plants’ growth. Because they emit both blue and red regions of the spectrum of colors, they maximize the photosynthetic activity of plants. High-intensity bulbs emit a crisp white light and are usually combined with actinic bulbs in marine tanks. They imitate a brilliant light that’s found in deep water and they emit a white-blue light. This light appears pretty cool. Compact fluorescents are a higher version of normal output fluorescent lightning. This lightning doesn't have single tube bulbs, but incorporates quad or dual tube bulbs so that greater light is emitted. It can easily replace two normal fluorescent fixtures, and provide as many light as the common fluorescent fixture does.

They also save a lot of space and are a good choice if you want to upgrade your fish tank and your light system in it. They are nothing more difficult to handle than normal fluorescent light systems, but they still have all the advantages of the normal ones. Compact fluorescents are ideal for marine and freshwater tanks. Metals halide lightning systems have a good reputation among advanced fish-keepers. Unlike other HID system, this one provides a wide range of colors of the color spectrum and the rendition of colors produced by them is well suited for tanks. They are great for aquariums, especially reef tanks, because their inhabitants need high lightning conditions. Metal halide lightning is most commonly used for very large tanks or the ones that are deeper than 25 inches. That’s because of the inability of other systems to provide that much light.

Conclusion

When choosing the right system of lightning for your tank and your fish depend on your taste, the size of your aquarium and the fish’s needs. But, make sure not to experiment with lightning systems that are not made for fish tanks. The health of your fish and the beauty of your aquarium depend on the source of lightning a lot. So, be well informed, and choose carefully.

Home Design Tips – Aquariums

2012-12-02T17:11:00.001-08:00

It is only natural that, when you are working on improving the design of your living environment, you will take into consideration various aspects. Some people spend a lot of time in choosing the right colour for wall tiles in every room, while others worry about which furniture they like or don’t like. In essence, you should make your home design be your own personal statement. When someone walks in it for the first time, he or she should be able to establish a valid opinion about your personality (and this is something that most people do). So, you should try and personalize your home environment, because you want people to have something nice to say about you, and, above all, you should make sure that you find your home to be pleasurable and relaxing place, since, that way, you improve your overall quality of living. When you do this, you will come to realize that coping with everyday obligations is becoming much easier.

I have been working on my interior design for a long time. I have added loads of ornaments, and I have hung many interesting pictures on my walls. I have painted my rooms the way I like, and I have bought all the necessary furniture and electrical equipment. But, there was still something missing.

I noticed that my apartment was lacking missing a very crucial component. Since, in the 21^st century, everything is oriented around an urban environment, with big apartment buildings and loads of corporate edifices, people have lost one of the most important aspects of human life, which is one’s contact with nature. So, I got myself some interesting plants and I put them all over the house. This helped, but not to an extent that I was hoping for.

Then I started thinking about pets. Now, I am a person that doesn't like a mess, and I want all my things to be at their place. So, if I were to buy a dog, for example, I would not be satisfied. While I was aimlessly walking down the street I saw a store that sells fish and equipment forfish-keeping. I was amazed with what kinds of aquarium designs are present nowadays. They make traditional looking marine aquariums and fish tanks that are in the shape of bowls or cuboids, but they also have rather interesting and modern designs. I have come to realize that, by purchasing an aquarium, you do not only get yourself a piece of the animal kingdom in your home, but you also get a very stylish home decoration.

I thought that fish-keeping is very difficult, because I thought that you have to do all sorts of maintenance errands, but modern aquariums take care of themselves, more or less. Naturally, you have to do things like changing the water from time to time, and adjusting the water temperature as well as the water chemistry to make sure that your fish feel like they are in their natural environment. This is done to insure that the fish have a normal life span.

So, I purchased a big aquarium that has very impressive looking artificial lighting, and has a number of plants and pebbles inside. I also got numerous types of beautiful-looking fish of various colors and sizes. When I placed the aquarium in my living room, I knew that that the design of my home was complete.

After work, the next day, I got home late. It was a very hard day and I was very tired. When I got in, my new aquarium was lighting up the whole room, and while I was lying down on the sofa to relax a bit, I got the feeling that I was in the bottom of the ocean, enjoying perfect peace and quiet. The feeling was extraordinary.

After some time, I came to realize that people that keep fish are considered to be both sensitive and successful, which is, in my opinion, a good combination. An aquarium contributes to “making a statement” (mentioned in the beginning of this article) in this way.

To sum up, I hope that my experience has helped you in some way. Nevertheless, after reading everything stated above, you can conclude that an aquarium is a good investment. In some cases, it is the final touch that has to be done, in order to make your home look perfect (just like in my experience). So, feel free to ask around, or search the internet, for additional information. I promise you that you will be amazed with some aquarium designs, and you will start planning your budget so that you can get one for your home. By getting in touch with nature, I promise, you will get in touch with yourself. So, get going, and good luck.

The Advantages of Having a Fountain

2012-12-02T16:56:00.001-08:00

It is a very common issue if having a fountain is in any way beneficial for you. Lots would say it’s just a waste of money and time. But, water fountains do not only provide a great accent to your office or home, but also to beauty and many health benefits, believe it or not. Imagine yourself chilling in your back yard with your eyes closed, exhausted and stressed, ready for your five minutes of meditation next to your fountain. The nice sounds that the water produces may provide a sense of being in some natural environment, beneath the waterfall or next to the river flowing by. It’s all up to your imagination. In next couple of passages, I’m going to concentrate on some interesting advice and information I've got and many different benefits of owning a fountain, trying not to include only the well-known facts. Now, do me a favor and take a look at this fountain:

http://www.pondquip.com.au/products/Bali-Wall-Fountain-Water-Feature.html

Interior and exterior décor

It doesn't really meter if you’re looking for an indoor or an outdoor fountain. Adding an instant beauty to your environment is something I guarantee will happen. Whether it’s a tabletop fountain, a garden fountain or a large-wall fountain you've decided on, showing off your style and sense for decoration is surely to be provided. A wall fountain can usually be seen in an office or at some reception desk in a hotel, but I personally think it can look even better and really classy in your own home. Still, designers tend to use wall fountains as main point when arranging commercial and residential locations. Many landscapers and architects also use indoor and outdoor fountains in designing landscapes andbuildings. So, you can just imagine how it all will look when you get to decide on design issues and the placement of the fountain. It will make you feel like you have just spiced up your décor a little bit, for sure.

Five minutes of meditation

When it comes to health benefits, water fountains are something to be highly recommended. All of us have stressful moments in our lives, and to get some relief at the end of the hard day would be a really noble thing. It’s not that it will bring relaxation to yourself only, but also to the whole environment you live or work in. It can be good for your favorite room, garden, patio or office, because that’s a place you would like to relax in the most. If you do a little research to find your perfect fountain, look for the one that’s too overbearing or not producing sounds, but the one that produces nice sounds similar to the sounds of water in the natural environment. Make sure that your fountain of choice has an adjustable pump so you can regulate the flowing of the water just the way you like it.

Natural moisturizer of air

Fountains act as some kind of humidifiers or moisturizers of air in a dry room. Mechanical moisturizers often produce loud and uncomfortable sounds, but with a fountain in your room you won’t have such problems. They humidify the air while you sit or lay somewhere near and enjoy the calming sound of running water. Humidifiers can usually get mold and evoke problems you don’t need, while a fountain is filled up with water that moves constantly and it will not develop mold as often as mechanical devices. If you have plants inside your home, fountainswill provide extra humidity and help you grow your plants properly. It’s not only good for your plants, but for your animals, too. If you own a dog or a cat, they can come and drink water from the fountain whenever they want. But, always make sure that you haven’t put any harmful chemicals into the water!

Air pollution in your home

Since we happen to be living in an electronic world, there are many objects that produce negative ions in our environment. A fountain inside your home or office can improve the air and reduce the air pollution caused. Negative ions attract dust and water fountains purify the air. So, it’s not only improving your mental, but your physical health, too.

Conclusion

In conclusion, having your own fountain isn't such a bad idea at all. It gives freshness and beauty to your environment, whether it’s your home, garden or office. It’s such a shame that this industrial and corrupt world forces us to buy ourselves a fountain instead of already having it all. But, a man’s got to do what a man’s got to do! Maybe, purchasing a fountain is a useful investment and a fight-back to world’s constraint.

Keeping Fish for Beginners

2012-12-02T16:33:00.000-08:00

If you’re a total beginner when it comes to petting fish, but you've decided to pet some, I’m here to give you some advice about the main things you’ll need. First of all, you have to think over the reasons that made you keep fish. If you think of it as a “job” that doesn't require time and responsibility, then you’re not the one to do the job. Keeping fish surely can be considered the least demanding activity, but still, it requires some attention and commitment. I don’t want to underestimate you by making statements like the one in the previous sentence, but it somehow happens that people forget to do all the petting, although it’s not much, and end up with dead fish floating in their aquariums. I’m sure you wouldn't want that to happen.

On the other hand, if you’re a person that enjoys colorful images for instance, then you’re the one to keep fish, with just a little effort you’ll have to put in. You may have a chance to possess a living picture that constantly moves and brings relaxation into your life. It really is relaxing and extremely interesting to observe life that goes on right in front of you. It can send you back to the days when you were a kid and evoke some emotions that you had probably forgotten about. In the text that is about to be written, I’ll try to concentrate on how often you’ll have to change the water and feed the fish, choose them, also the choice of light and aquariums, and of course the right temperature of the water and the decoration of the fish’s environment. So, if you’re willing, continue on reading this article, because I’ll be precise and concise in giving advice to you who are beginners.

Aquarium size depends on the number of fish you have, but also on their sensitivity to change of nitrogenous waste and their temperament. It is a lot easier to keep a big aquarium clean, than a small one. The big aquarium is also more flexible when it comes to rapid changes in temperature and water chemistry. Since you’re a beginner, the best option for you when it comes to buying an aquarium is the medium sized one. If you have budget problems, and you’re thinking over a small one with expensive fish, and a medium one with not so fancy fish, you should go for the second option, definitely. As a beginner, you can’t handle these pricy fish because of the lack of experience.

Changing the water is something you’ll have to do despite all the strong mechanical, chemical and biological filtration existing. Since we constantly bring in a lot of new nutrients by feeding our fish, it’s hard for an aquarium to become a perfectly balanced ecosystem. As a beginner, it’s good for you to choose sturdy beginner species that require changing 30% to 50% of the water once in a week. It might be a little messy at first, but by repeating this action, you’ll learn to do it without making any mess and with a minimal amount of spilled water. If you keep on changing that 50% of the water once in a week, you’ll solve the usual beginner’s problem such as over-feeding the fish. If tap water is the only one you have, you’ll need to first keep it in a bucket for a little while until the chlorine is gone, or use a dechlorinator to do it faster.

Feeding the fish requires a little research done to find out which food a certain specie needs. For common beginner’s species, flake food is a good solution. You can even use your own fruit files. If you keep bottom species, it’s not a good idea to use flake food because it probably won’t even reach the bottom. But, if you get sinking pallets or similar, you’ll cope with the needs of the bottom species. The algae-eaters won’t be pleased only by eating algae, but would like to be provided with some vegetable based foods. It’s better to feed your fish a few times a day rather than only once a day. But make sure to give them only as much as they can consume within 5 minutes. If you’re not around for few days, you won’t have to sip extra food, because there are always some leftovers for your fish. If you give them some extra food, you’ll only end up with fouled water, and that’s something you really don’t need.

The temperature depends on species and their needs. Do a little research about your species, and you’ll find out just the right temperature. Generally, it’s important for the temperature to be stable. Fish love to hide, so make sure you provide them some aquatic plants. Since you’re a beginner, choose adaptable and sturdy fish species, because you’ll handle it easier. Later on, if you improve in fish-keeping you can have more delicate fish species.

Conclusion

To finish this article, I’ll add that keeping fish is actually really interesting and creative because it’s different from any other pet. If you choose to improve and get skills in fish-keeping you’ll have a lot of fun and colorful time!

Aquagarden Barracuda Pond Pump

2012-09-27T06:54:00.000-07:00

The Aquagarden Barracuda is a filtration type pump. It is great for fish pond filters, especially in dirty water. The cage at the front doesn't have any sponge, so all the particles that are big enough to fit will go through and not get caught up or damage the pump. Because pond pumps sit at the bottom of the pond they get exposed to all sorts of debris, anything from insects to branches and leaves, and this setup – the big wide grill without a sponge – will require less maintenance overall, because it is easier for these materials to simply go through. It can, in fact, handle particles of up to 6 mm in size. This pump can be both submerged and run in line outside of the pond. These characteristics make it ideal for use in polluted water – if you are not experienced and/or had bad contractors and your pond ended up being quite a mess, this pump can help bring it back to life, giving you another chance to create a truly beautiful pond.

The Baracuda uses non-corosive ceramic bearings that ensure a flawless operation over a longer period of time, and has a high quality Vortex impeller. There is a threaded inlet and a threaded outlet on top of which sits another component that adds a lot to the overall efficiency, a ball joint for adjusting the outlet of the hose to various positions without getting a 90o turn that would slow down the flow of water. The next part are the hose tails, they are made to fit different sized hoses and are easily attached to the ball joint. The way they work is quite simple, there are several widths, starting from the narrowest and cascading to the widest – looking sort of like a wedding cake – and if you have a hose that is a little wider, you can simply take a saw and hack off the narrower parts, leaving you with the perfect size hole. All of these components (the cage, ball joint and hose tails) can be removed by unscrewing a screw, making disassembly and maintenance an incredibly easy task to perform. Four screws at the back hold the impeller cover, so from time to time in addition to scrubbing of the cage and cleaning out the tubes, you can take the cover off and give it a more thorough cleaning, although this is not something you will need to do often. The impeller behind this cover is an open type impeller, which means that it doesn't have sharp edged blades and is able to pass larger pieces of debris without them clinging to it – so additional clean up will rarely be needed, but it is easy to do should the need arise.

Regular maintenance is essential for any machine to keep functioning properly, so you should make a mental note to clean up your pond pump from time to time. For the first few days the pump will be working at optimal levels and you will be able to get a feel of how everything looks when it’s running at 100%, so after a few weeks or a month if you look at your pond and you get the feeling that it’s getting dirtier, you will know it’s time to do some cleaning.

The Baracuda pond pump is also equipped with a thermal safety overload switch. You see, what usually happens if you haven’t been cleaning your pump regularly is it gets clogged up, the water flow will slow down, the pump will start heating up, and at a certain point it will burn out. This means you now have to replace your pump. With the Baracuda once the temperature gets too high it will automatically shut down to protect itself, just like a computer that is overheating. The models range from 3600 lph to 25000 lph, so the time it would take an unattended pump to heat up and shut down will vary depending on the model.

The sight of a dirty pond can leave a bad impression of you to your neighbors and visitors – you wouldn't want your colleagues to think you are some kind of swamp monster when you invite them over for a dinner. That is why you need a good, sturdy pond pump that will get the job done and require as little maintenance as possible no matter how dirty the water, and the Barracuda has got your back on this one.

Red Sea Max Marine Aquarium - Perfect Simplicity

2012-09-27T06:48:00.001-07:00

There are quite a lot of people out there who are more than willing to pay for all the bells and whistles and get themselves a very good quality marine aquarium, but even then they are faced with a big problem: it takes a lot of work just to set up a tank and maintaining it properly can be a nightmare. It is sort of one of those old video games where you can’t save your progress, one little mistake and it’s game over, you have to start all over again. At least with video games you only pay for the game once and you just lose some time and your nerves, but with marine aquariums you have to buy new fish every time. There is in fact an easier way for beginners and the busy, hard workers amongst us hobbyists and that is a tank that is set up and ready to use straight out of the box, just add salt water and live rock, wait a while and you are ready to go. You don’t have to be particularly handy with tools and good at assembling things and hooking up electronics, almost all of the work is already done for you with the Red Sea Max aquarium.

This marine aquarium is glass with rounded edges and has a volume of 130 liters, more than enough for a stunning display that will fit perfectly in any room of the house, provided you find a solid base to support the substantial weight. The hood has three separate access panels:

Filter panel – located in the back and allows easy access to the protein skimmer.

Front panel – full width panel, opening one third of the total length of aquarium and folds back revealing a working surface that can hold all the different accessories for feeding and monitoring.

Full access panel – raises the entire hood, securing it at an angle which gives the user full access and full visibility of the entire tank when aquascaping and during regular maintenance

When the Red Sea Max is turned on, the water in the aquarium circulates 10 times an hour. All of the equipment, that you would usually need to install and arrange in some sort of compartment below the tank itself, is housed behind a smoked glass divide that keeps it’s mechanical components hidden from sight so as not to detriment the overall aesthetics of the corral and fish on display. The components that are integrated into the system include:

Reef lighting – dual 55 watt T5 power compact lights and moon glow LED nightlights with a built-in 24 hour programmable lighting timer, located in the hood

Removable inlet filter comb – with adjustable shutter, used for surface skimming
Two-stage mechanical filter

Professional high capacity protein skimmer – with a 1200 liters per hour pump and heater with a thermostat

Biological and chemical filtration compartment – fully equipped

Twin circulation pumps – with adjustable dual outlet jets for optimizing water currents

Water chiller – optional

All of the above components are connected to a built-in power center that is splash proof, allowing only a single cord to portrude from the tank and making it very easy to hook up to a power outlet. There is an external control panel, accessed by opening the small door on the side of the tank, and it contains buttons that allow each separate component to be turned on or off. The door has nice little white symbols of the various components that are affected by the corresponding buttons, thus allowing even a small child to efficiently manipulate the marine aquarium. The Max also comes with a detailed guide on reef keeping and for just a little bit extra money you can get the Max starter kit which contains all the necessary feeding and monitoring accessories you will need.

Those of us who don’t have too much time to spend on our hobbies and want the precious few hours we have to ourselves to be fun and relaxing, not boring and tedious, where it feels like it’s just more work. The best thing about the Red Sea Max aquarium is that we don’t have to worry about buying and setting up all of the equipment, so all of our free time can be spent doing what we love – finding the best fish and reef-scaping. All in all it is a brilliant product that will save you a lot of time and energy, and that even the uninitiated can be trusted with in your absence.

If you want to find out more about other types of aquariums, check out our fish tanks selection.

Outdoor Water Features - Great Way To Cope With Stress

2012-09-27T06:28:00.000-07:00

Today, in this hard economic climate, work is stressful enough to create health conditions that would entail much healthcare cost. Hence, a good solution would be engaging oneself in relaxing hobbies like caring for pets like fishes, having a backyard pond or even an aquarium.

Perhaps you have noticed that Asians are fond of water elements in their home or office setting. Many Japanese homeowners maintain a beautiful Koi pond in their backyard because they find it relaxing to watch bright colored Kois. It can be a truly relaxing experience enough to relieve you from daily stress.

Another great way to cope with stress is pursuing aquascape as a hobby. The water is an important element and Feng Shui is a term that translates to “wind water” and defines the Asian practice of harnessing the energy (“chi”) of a location for maximum prosperity. Using the ancient secrets of Feng Shui to balance your home can help alleviate stress, remove obstacles and invite harmony.

Can you really imagine such a balance in the environment, today?

Just gazing at a refreshing waterscape such as mini waterfall can refresh you from a hard day at the office. You may even find yourself listening to the gentle gurgling of water that drips from rocks. Even gazing at the fluid movements of fish in the water can make you fall asleep.

If you are looking for a water feature that will make your garden pond look both sophisticated and very beautiful, if you want to make all those neighbors jealous, if you are a successful man or woman who has exquisite taste and wants to show it, then, call off the search because the Oase Pond Jet is most certainly the thing you have been seeking. This is a stationary floating fountain unit. It will fit like a glove and improve the overall look of your garden wherever you put it, and if you have any problems with dirty surfaces or ponds that you cannot remove the time has come to stop worrying about it. Just install the magnificent Oase Pond Jet on these surfaces, put an easy chair at a desirable distance from it, sit down, relax, and enjoy the show.

Let’s now go into the details and specifications of this remarkable product.

The Oase Pond Jet has a 12000 liters per hour pump. The maximum height that the spray of water can reach is 3.5 meters in height and 3 meters in weight. If you think about it, this is extremely high. The demotions of the product are 670mm x 540mm. The maximum head of the water is 7.7 meters. It weighs 9kg, and the voltage used is 230V/50Hz. The place where you should connect the water hose is an inch wide in diameter. With it you get a 20 meter cable. Now, these are all just numbers, but, if you compare these numbers to the specifications of another product like this, you will eventually find out that the Oase Pond Jet is better than most (if not the best) of its competition.
This product comes completely ready for installation. This means that you don’t have to worry about the whole process of combining parts and components in order to get it working. The best place to put it is a natural pond or some kind of lake, or even at places where the depth of the water is too big.
The process of installing the Oase Pond Jet is rather easy, with just a small amount of money spent for necessary cost. Of course, a simple and easily comprehensible guide is supplied within the package. Having said this, it is natural to conclude, that you don’t have to have a permanent spot for it. If you are dissatisfied with the place you put it after some time, simply install it somewhere else. You can also use it just for special occasions like fancy dress parties, weddings, birthdays, any kinds of performances, and so on. It will definitely make you feel good about yourself when all of your guests start complementing you and your magnificent garden.
The Oase Jet Pond Illumination Set is sold separately, but it is strongly recommended that you consider acquiring this as well. With it you get loads of fascinating light effects at night. When this add-on is installed I can guarantee that you will be spending more and more time in the garden, just sitting and enjoying the very beautiful display in front of you. You will find that friends and family are stopping by your house more frequently, just to drink a cup of coffee in the garden, but we all know that, besides a healthy conversation with you, they came to relax near the water and enjoy the futuristic light and water effects.
The minimum water level required for the Oase Pond Jet is 1 meter if the water is clear, and 1.5 meters if the water is rather muddy. The illumination functions like this. You have three 50 watt halogen spotlights marked Oase – Laguna 10, and they are connected to UST 150 transformer which are located under water. As a result you get fantastic illumination of the patterns that the spray of water makes.
Within the complete package you get the pump, the float, the nozzle, the dual function nozzle which gives you the opportunity to connect even more nozzles. The lights are sold separately, as mentioned before, but for your pleasure it is highly recommendable that you complete the set by purchasing them too.

In order to show how this product looks like when it is installed properly here are some pictures:

Without lights:

With lights:

In conclusion, is perfect for sitting in the garden during the summer and relaxing with this product near you. It is definitely what you deserve after a long day of work. It is most certainly at the top of the list of outdoor water features, and it has certainly satisfied many customers in the past. Now, it is your turn.

Yasha Nano Reef Tank

2012-08-24T04:11:00.000-07:00

For most people the word aquarium simply means an overgrown fish bowl. They think of it as simply pouring some tap water into a glass container and filling it with a bunch of cool-looking fish. However, there are people out there who can appreciate the finer things in life, and know how to relax and enjoy the colorful nature of the world around them. If you are one of those people, I can tell you that there is nothing you can set up in your home that will bring a sense of serenity and put a smile on your face quite like a nicely decorated marine aquarium. The most beautiful and awe inspiring of these are reef aquariums, with their plethora of colorful corals and various exotic sea creatures.

If you have seen pictures of huge, wall mounted aquariums and lamented over the fact that you could never afford such beauty, than the Yasha Nano Reef Tank is perhaps just the right thing for you. It is, as its name suggests, a smaller, budget friendly version of its big reef aquarium brothers, and is one of the best and most popular models on the market. It can hold a few sea creatures and fish, but the main focus of a tank, with the size of 36 liters, are the actual live corals themselves. It is designed to best showcase these magnificent corals, without consuming too much space in your house, or in your office.

The Yasha Nano Reef Tank has a maximum capacity of 36 liters, it weighs 15 kg (empty) and it measures 40cm by 30cm by 30cm, so as you can see it really doesn’t take up a lot of space. It can be easily installed in your living room, even if you don’t have a great amount free space – simply put it on a small table, a counter or even in a corner. You could put it in your office to brighten it up with some colour, and it goes well with other room decorations and furniture. It fits both the modern and more traditional interior decorating styles. There are of course larger models if space isn’t an issue, but they do cost more.

In terms of equipment, the Yasha Nano Reef Tank has a rear filter compartment with two components. First there is the Turboflotor Blue 500 protein skimmer, a very important part of the aquarium – it removes decomposing organic compounds before turning into nitrogenous waste. The protein skimmers main task is basically keeping everything inside the aquarium alive and happy. The second component in the filter compartment is the NanoProp 5000 stream pump with an adjustable output ranging from 2000 to 5000 l/h. This reef tank is of a solid construction and compact size, and will remain in perfect working condition for years, even decades if proper care is taken. It can, as it is often the case with beautiful reef aquariums, remain a treasured household item for the generations to come.

In order to better showcase the beauty of the live corals, the Yasha Nano Reef Tank includes three Aquasunspot LEDs, each giving 9 watts of light at a 14.000 Kelvin colour temperature. This keeps the water at an optimal temperature for the organisms living inside, but also helps illuminate the whole reef tank with intense light providing you with an astonishing display that everyone will admire. One must experience the sight of this aquarium sitting atop a table in a dark room to fully appreciate the breathtaking beauty of the intricate shapes and vivid colours of the corals and tropical fish. It is quite something to gaze at as ones mind drifts of, a sort of zen moment you can have a few times during the day as you relax, and put your worries on hold.

All in all, if you are looking for something that will liven up your room and bring some colour and style into your life, but you don’t have the space, time and money to invest in a large fish tank, then you should definitely start your home decorating journey by looking into the Yasha Nano Reef Tank 36L model. It is sturdy and compact, user friendly, aesthetically pleasing and it will only cost you $595, which is quite good as nano reef tank prices go.

OASE Aquamax Eco Pond Pump

2012-08-24T03:02:00.000-07:00

OASE has been making the Aquamax range for about almost two decades now, and their products have only become increasingly efficient over the years. They are great at displacing the dirt and muck, and this really is their main task - sucking muck from the pond and displacing it from the pump into the filter. The Aquamax Eco pump has a big, semi-globular cage with some generously sized holes – each hole is about 10mm in diameter. Anything getting sucked in there will get pumped up to the filter with ease.

Because it draws from such a large area, there is no place on the cage where the pump sucks very forcefully, therefore wildlife tend not to get sucked into this particular design – which means it is good for the environment as well.

This design has two pipes, an inlet and an outlet. The pump sucks from the surface of the domed cage, as well as from the inlet pipe, which allows it to draw from two locations at the same time, while remaining situated at the bottom of your pond. There is also an optional smaller cage that attaches to the inlet via pipe, so that you can then set the inlet to draw with varying degrees of power, leaving the big cage with the smaller percentage of draw power, or disabling the suction on one end entirely. This can be useful in the winter, when the water at the bottom is relatively warm, you can set the part attached to the skimmer to draw at full power, drawing of the surface, so that the water at the bottom of the pond stays pretty much at the same temperature.

The double suction feature especially comes in handy if you have a crescent moon shaped or elongated pond – like a sort of canal, because you can draw from both ends (by attaching a length of a hose to the inlet pipe and draw it out to the desired area while the main apparatus remains on the other end). The inlet can also be attached to the skimmer, so you can actually suck water from the top of your pond, sucking away all the filth and muck, the dead leaves, dead bugs, small twigs and other materials that eventually accumulate on the surface, while at the same time drawing from the bottom of your pond as well. So by setting it fifty-fifty, you can maintain a steady suction on both the surface and the bottom.

As far as what pipework to attach to the inlet and outlet of your pond pump, using a big hose is recommended, so that you have the maximum amount of water being pumped out without pressure. Ultimately you will get more water coming down your cascade or more water being pushed through your filter.

The Aqua Max range carries a 5 year guarantee, and you can be sure that you will still be using them for years after the warranty has expired. Most of the time, when people experience a problem with one of these pumps it is simply neglected. They install the pump and then just leave it laying at the bottom for years, without ever giving it a second thought, so it eventually gets all clogged up. Periodical cleaning of the Aquamax Eco will ensure that the sturdy little pond pump keeps on chugging along, as good as new, for years and years.

The running costs on these pumps are really low, even the Aquamax ECO 16000, which pumps 16000 liters an hour, runs at only 170 watts. Eco models 12000 and 16000 also have “Seasonal Flow Control” (SFC) that adapts all year round to the relevant seasonal changes within the pond, and enables a circulation that is dependent on the water temperature.

They are not cheap to buy, their price range is from $900 to $1150, but in the long run they will save you a lot of money on running costs (since they will last for years with little maintenance you can expect great savings over time), and you don’t have to buy a new one every few years like some of the cheap models found in hardware stores.

So in conclusion, you get a very functional, high quality garden pond pump, with enhanced sucking capabilities, that is also very eco-friendly and saves you a ton of money in the long run. These Aquamax pumps are just one of those things for which you might have to save up and carefully plan to purchase in between various everyday expenses, but then ten years from the time of purchase you will look at the good job it’s still performing and mutter to yourself that it was money well spent.

Garden Pond Filters 101

2012-07-12T05:01:00.000-07:00

An indispensable element of sustaining a healthy ponds is by utilizing garden pond filters to keep pond water clear and sanitized. There are multiple factors continuously doing their best to turn your pond into a murky bed of debris. These factors include decaying grass, sticks, and leaves; fish excrement, and detrimental compounds like ammonia.

A dirty pond is not a pleasing sight, and if there are plants, Koi and other creatures trying to survive in there, hygienic water is vital to their continued existence and health. The best way of guaranteeing sanitary water is by using a verified garden-pond filter, or a number of pond filters together.

Now that you understand how important it is to have a superb working pond filter, you must decide which type of filter suits your pond best. Making the right choice may seem a bit perplexing; however, pond filters are classified into several key groups. First, we will decipher how to select your garden pond filter.

-Garden Pond Filter Shopping Tips

1. First, you must consider how much water needs to be filtered. If your filter is not large enough, you will inevitably have to worry about algae problems, which can turn the water environment of your pond into a hazard for the creatures living there.

2. Check vigilantly for the capacity the filter can cope with. You will find volume-measuring devices that are available through the Internet or at your local pond equipment shop to decide what size is most appropriate.

3. In essence, it is better to have a garden-pond filter that is too large than one that is too small, so if you become a bit confused always select the larger one.

-Different Types of Garden Pond Filters

Pond Skimmers
Skimmers are garden pond filters, also known as mechanical filters that require some type of screen, basket, or net to trap waste. Skimmers are normally installed around the surface of a garden-pond and drags in the top-layer of water, filtering-out floating waste like grass, sticks, and leaves. Skimmers are vital for preventing free flowing debris from ultimately plummeting to the floor of a garden-pond and putrefying. The amount of debris floating within a pond will establish how frequently the filter will be detached-from the skimmer to get rid of debris.

Biological Filters
Biological filters consist of useful bacteria inside the actual filter that sanitizes the pond water at a molecular level. In order to decompose ammonia within the fish-excrement, a biological-filter will be required. Biological filters metamorphoses destructive ammonia into nitrates, that then turns into a form of food for vegetation inside the pond.

-Summary

Mechanical filters with a pond skimmer are quite efficient; however, it must be installed on the exterior of the garden-pond because it can occupy such a wide area. Therefore it is best suited for large garden-ponds. Many people prefer a combination of mechanical and biological filters. The best thing to do is to consider where you have space to install your garden pond filter and how you want the outcome to appear.

If you want to find out more, check out our pond filtration guide:
http://www.pondquip.com.au/pages/Pond-Filtration-Guide.html

Garden Water Features: Calming Influence Provided by the Fountains

2012-06-23T03:27:00.000-07:00

Water features such as mini waterfalls and fountains provide a cool and soothing atmosphere to both the home garden and also to the office reception areas. The sound of the flowing water from the waterfall or the fountain would make the people feel as if they are in the midst of a river stream.

By adding matching decorative features one could really convert the home garden in to a river side place. Among the different water features available, fountain water feature has been found to be most preferred one by the home owners and also by the corporate sector.

Statue fountains are actually made out of glass reinforced concrete and are capable of lasting for a life time.

These statues are available in attractive designs and if you are looking for a particular water fountain statue design for your garden, then you could look at a wide variety of statue designs that are available for selection.

Different fountain statue designs:
1. Cathedral Fountain design
2. Corinthian design
3. Bali wall fountain design
4. Maldives design
5. Two tier Taft design
6. Vernacular design
7. Three tier Versailles design

Each and every design comes with outstanding features that would provide an elegant look and feel to your garden.

Cathedral fountain design comes in the form of two arching podiums with the smaller one sitting inside the bigger arch podium. This fountain water feature design is available in two attractive colors of chocolate brown and Medium Lead. It weighs 73kg and rises to a height of 1240mm. It also comes within an inbuilt pump.

If you are looking for a small fountain for your garden, then you could opt for the Corinthian design. This fountain design weighs 82Kg and is made out of glass reinforced concrete. This design resembles a drum being placed on top of a copper chimney. Corinthian fountain feature is available in dark chocolate brown color.

If you are looking for a fountain water feature that could either be used in your home or in your office, then you could opt for the Bali wall fountain feature.

This is available in medium lead color and raise to a height of 1500mm. The design resembles a rectangular vertical wall being mounted on top of a horizontal block. Water will continue to flow along the walls of the vertical rectangular structure.

Maldives fountain water structure is another attractive design that comes in greenish bronze color and weighs 66kg. They rise to a height of 1655mm providing a beautiful spectacle to the onlookers.

Two tier Taft design is another fountain feature that could be used in both the offices and homes. It consists of two circular discs being mounted on a central tapering shaft with the bigger disc at the bottom and the smaller disc at the top.

The water flows from the smaller disc to the bigger disc and then collects finally at the base. This fountain design is available dark chocolate color and the tapering shaft rises to a height of 1180mm.

Vernacular fountain water feature consists of a metallic sphere that sits on top of a cup shaped structure. You could have a look at the different designs and then choose a design that meets your requirements.