Articles Index
How To Treat an Aquarium with Hyposalinity
Hyposalinity is a simple, effective, and natural way to help rid marine fish and fish-only aquariums of ich infestations, without harming the animals or the system. When the amount of salt in water is lowered, it results in a lowering of the "osmotic pressure" of the water as well, thus the related name Osmotic Shock Therapy (OST). Fish and a few other creatures can adjust to this change in pressure around them, but ich organisms cannot. Reduce this necessary pressure, they literally explode!
How To Tips for Feeding Saltwater Aquarium Fish and Invertebrates
How To Tips for Feeding Saltwater Aquarium Fish and Invertebrates | Why won't my Angelfish eat? Why is my tube worm's feathery crown shrinking? Why is my coral shriveling up? If you find yourself asking these or similar questions, you can learn how to feed saltwater aquarium fish, corals and other invertebrates in captivity with greater ease and success using these simple feeding tips from your About Guides to Saltwater Aquariums.
How To Paint an Aquarium Background
Instead of using the standard stick or tape on type imaged or colored aquarium background, we chose to paint the two outside walls of our 92g reef tank with a beautiful complimentary color. The usual black, blue, or reef scene backgrounds one has to choose from can be boring, and this is a quick and simple way to cover the back of glass or acrylic aquariums to hide equipment from view, as well as add a splash of color. Here's how to paint an aquarium background.
How To Preventing Aquarium Sump Overflows
How To Prevent Aquarium Sump Overflows during power outages or sump pump failures. Simple step by step instructions for preventing your sump from overflowing.
How To Give Fish a Freshwater Dip or Bath
One of the simplest and fastest ways to reduce and eliminate the numbers of all types of ich organisms, as well as flukes and lice that are parasitici on saltwater fishes is to give them a quick freshwater dip or bath. This method of hyposalinity is very effective, takes little time to prepare for, and is strongly recommended as the first step in treating ich diseased fish prior to placing them into a QT for long term treatment with the proper medication for what ails them. Here's How:
How To Treat Ich Diseased Fish with Formalin
Formaldehype is most effective at ridding fish of common parasitic protozoan Black Spot, Clownfish, and White Spot marine ich infestations, as well as flukes, lice, and fungal diseases that both fresh and saltwater fishes can contract. Although a toxic chemical that is hazardous in its pure form, by purchasing and using a standard over-the-counter formalin product, typically a 37% solution of formaldehype diluted with water, it's rather easy to treat ich diseased fish. Here's How:
How To Submit a Photo for Display | Email Instructions
How To Submit a Photo for Display | Information and instructions for how to submit a photo to your Saltwater Aquarium Guides for review, and consideration of the picture being included as a future photo contest entry, as well as added to the many photo galleries for display.
How To Preclean Live Rock Before Using It
When uncured and even "so-called" cured live rock is first placed into an established saltwater system, is being cured or used to cycle a new aquarium with, some degree from light to heavy die-off of the organisms that reside on and inside the rocks will occur. The build-up of this dead or dying organic matter creates ammonia, so to help lessen excessive ammonia spiking problems, as well as shorten the curing time of the live rock, here is a simple way to preclean the rocks before using them.
How To Cure Live Rock in a Separate Curing Set Up
The breakdown of the organisms that reside on uncured and even cured live rock contributes to the accumulation of excess organic matter in any saltwater aquarium system. In turn this will cause a build-up or spike in ammonia, which you do not want. To help avoid this and other problems that can arise, here is a standard method for curing live rock BEFORE placing it into an established or a newly set up aquarium for use. It's easy to do, beneficial, and takes just a few items to set it all up.
How To Cure Live Rock in a New Saltwater Aquarium
Curing live rock in a separate curing setup is the best way to handle it before placing it into a new saltwater system you are just starting. Unfortunately this is not always practical for everyone, as you may not have the extra room or equipment to do so. If the only container you have to work with to cure live rock in is the tank you are setting up as your main aquarium, here is a simple way to cure it inside the aquarium, preferably before you add substrate and start aquascaping the rocks.
How To Build a Simple DIY Aquarium Trap
Here is a simple do-it-yourself aquarium trap you can build and use to easily capture and remove fish, as well as modify to catch common saltwater aquarium pests with, such as problem crabs, bad type errant bristle or fireworms, and mantis shrimps.
How To Clean Dirty Bio-Balls
It is NOT the bio-balls in a wet/dry trickle or other type of biological filter that go BAD! Just like with an undergravel filter, it is the "lack of proper maintenance" that turns them into a nitrate factory. If you periodically rinse them off and keep them clean, nitrate and bio-balls woes should decrease, as long as this is the sole source that is generating the nitrate problem in the aquarium.
How To Separate Aquarium Pets During a Move
When fish and motile invertebrates are in an aquarium there are plenty of places where they can hide to keep away from and avoid conflicts with other tankmates. However, if you are moving and have to transport aquarium pets to a new location, when placed into a container where they are freely-swimming about together with no cover present, harassment and fighting will occur amongst some species. To avoid this problem, here is an easy way to pack-up and keep the animals separated during transit.
How To Make a Simple PVC Tap Water Filter
If you are using fresh tap water as the source to make-up aquarium saltwater or top-off your system with, here are easy to follow instructions for making a simple PVC constructed tap water filter that can achieve about the same purification results as with a more costly commerical TWP (Tap Water Purifier).
How To Repair Small Leaks in Glass Aquariums in 9 Easy Steps
With a few inexpensive items and a little time you can easily repair small or minor leaks in a glass aquarium using these simple instructions from your Guides.
How To Clean and Rejuvenate Old Air Stones
Save some pennies by learning how to clean and rejuvenate old clogged air stones to reuse them with these simple instructions from your Guides.