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| Cold Water AquariumA coldwater aquarium is not just limited to children or beginners as it can give you the pleasure and rewards that you are looking for without the heating bills associated with a tropical aquarium set up. The following section will look at all the aspects involved at setting up a coldwater aquarium from start to finish. | | | Cold Water Aquarium PlanningThere are many aspects that you need to consider before purchasing a coldwater aquarium. The aquarium and stand or cabinet that you choose will depend on how much you want to spend, the available space that you have for the positioning of the aquarium, and the fish that you decide you want in the aquarium. Once these aspects are thought about and dealt with, the options are endless, with small bowls that will fit onto a kitchen worktop, Cabinet style aquariums such as Juwel Complete Aquariums and ultimately custom made aquarium such as Clearseal Custom Made Aquariums that can be built into a wall, with weird and sometimes strange set ups in between. | Cold Water Aquarium installationThe following points are a basic guideline to the installation of an aquarium.
1) Position the aquarium and make sure that it is level and on a flat, even surface, add polystyrene tiles underneath if the manufacturer recommends.
2) Add the substrate. The substrate is a personal choice which can include gravel, sand, or even large pebbles or stones. Which ever substrate you decide on, make sure that it is fully cleaned before it is placed in the aquarium. A substrate depth of roughly 2 inches 5cm is perfect as you can then place plants in easily without the worry that the roots are exposed.
3) Position the internal filter in the required position, or if an external filter is to be used make sure that the inlet and outlet are positioned appropriately at either end of the aquarium so as to allow good water movement. Do not plug in any equipment until the aquarium is filled with water.
4) Arrange your ornaments, bog wood, plastic plants, rocks or whatever you wish to decorate your aquarium with, and position them, making sure that the tallest is at the rear of the aquarium, and the smallest at the front. At this point you can position the chosen items so as to cover all equipment within the aquarium such as the filter or air lines.
5) Install any other equipment such as air stones, Penn Plaxx bubble wall, Hydor mini-spot lights, etc
6) Pour the water into the aquarium so as not to displace the bottom substrate. This can be done by pouring the water over a rock in the aquarium, or by placing a plate on the bottom and pouring the water on to this.
7) Fill the aquarium almost up to the top, and then add your water conditioners such as Tetra Aquasafe, Waterlife Haloex or API Stress Coat for assisting with chlorine removal and Tetra Safestart, Tetra Bactozyme, Waterlife Bacterlife or API Stress Zyme for the introduction of the good filter bacteria which break down the fishes waste.
8) Install the lid and all the lighting according to the manufacturer's instructions. Plug all the equipment in and do any necessary changes as to your own preferences.
9) Once the aquarium has been running for 24 hours you can put any live plants in.
10) Leave the equipment running for the required duration which is normally one to two weeks.
11) Test the aquariums water using a water test kit such as the Interpet or Tetra Ammonia test kit, Nitrite test kit and Ph test kit.
If the main poisons Nitrite and Ammonia are not present then all is ok with your water and you can start to introduce a few of your desired fish. Initially the water should be tested weekly and fish should only be introduced in small numbers, and over a period of a couple of at least six weeks. | Cold Water Aquarium FiltrationCold Water aquarium filtration is needed in all cold water aquariums to remove all the toxic and harmful substances produced within the aquarium from all the fish, and any left over uneaten food or rotting plant matter. There are two main types of filtration, the internal filtration and external filtration. The internal filters such as Fluval Internal filters and Tetratec Internal filters are positioned within the aquarium itself and are used mainly on smaller set ups. External filtration such as Fluval, Tetratec and Eheim External Filters are outside the aquarium, normally positioned under the aquarium in a cabinet, and these are usually used on the much larger aquariums with a much greater capacity. | Cold Water AerationCold Water aeration is important in all aquariums as it places additional oxygen within the water, which in turn makes for healthier fish. Aeration is applied to the aquarium in a number of forms, the main method is via an air pump that diffuses bubbles through an air stone or air ornament such as the Penn Plaxx opening/closing clam, Penn Plaxx treasure chest, Penn Plaxx deep Sea Diver or UFO. Good quality air pumps are the Tetratec Airpumps, Hydor Ario Underwater Airpumps and Rena Airpumps. You may also find Algarde Airline Fittings a useful aid in the installation. | Cold Water Aquarium LightingThe lighting in any aquarium has a major effect on the visual effect of a aquarium, yet many people do not apply any thought into this aspect of fish keeping. Conventional fluorescent light systems can be achieved using Arcadia Light Units and Arcadia Freshwater Lamps from 9" to 48". To improve light output you could use an Arcadia Enhancer lighting Reflector.
There are many additional aquarium lighting options, such as Hydor Mini-spot LED systems, spot lights, and luminaries. For smaller open topped aquariums you could consider the Arcadia Arc Pod.
| Cold Water Aquarium Maintenancebelow is a basic schedule of cold water aquarium maintenance that is required, but it is not set in stone, remember that over time your knowledge will increase and you will find your own routine in the way of maintaining and looking after your aquarium.
Daily:
1.Check, are their any signs of disease or parasites on your fish? Are their any fish being bullied? Observation is the key here.
2.Check, during feeding, are all the fish getting some food? Are you over-feeding the fish at all? Is their any waste left over after feeding? Do not be afraid to stop feeding your fish for a day or two, fish are resilient and will not starve!
3.Is all the equipment running smoothly? Is the filter still giving a good flow in the aquarium? Is the temperature stable or does it fluctuate?
4.Are their any dead or dying fish or plants? If so treat or remove as needed.
Weekly:
1.Clean the glass inside to remove any algae deposits. You could consider using a Magntic floating Algae Claener, API Algae pad or API Heavy Duty Algae Cleaner. For really stubborn algae a Tetratec GC45 Algae Cleaner would make a good choice. If you wanted to reduce the amount of algae in your aquarium you could apply an absorbative resin bag such as the Cleanwater sachet A150.
2.Every week or so check the water conditions within the aquarium using a home test kit.
3.Feed live or frozen food once a week as an additional supplement to their main diet, as this will give your fish a nutritional boost.
Monthly:
1. Clean the filter elements and impellor in accordance to the instructions provided by the manufacturer.
2.Remove dead plant leaves, Cut back or replace any plants.
3.Clean the substrate on the aquarium bottom, the easiest method is to use a device such as a gravel cleaner. Every 3-4 weeks you should perform a water change of 15-20% this is best done in conjunction with gravel cleaning so that the heavily soiled water can be discarded. It is vitally important that you do not forget to condition this water before placing into the aquarium.
Periodically:
1.Change the filter floss and/or sponges if required.
2.Change/clean all ornaments in the aquarium.
3.Replace the air stones if they are getting clogged up with algae.
4.Replace all light bulbs annually, and clean off any residue lime scale from the lid area.
| Cold Water AccessoriesBelow is a small selection of cold water aquarium accessories that are commonly used within a cold water aquarium set up. This is a basic list as there is a wide variety of accessories out on the market.
1.Plants- whether it is live plants, plastic plants, or silk plants that you are after, you will never be lost for choice. There is no right or wrong for selection choice, just personal preference. The Tetra Co2 system or Tetra Plantamin liquid plant food will improve the growth of your natural plants.
2.Rocks/bog wood- these are used to provide shelter, places to hide, and spawning areas for the fish. They are also used to divide the aquarium up into sections and to add colour and structure.
3.Test kits- a vital accessory that is used to check and monitor the water condition within the aquarium.
4.Fish Catching Net- a handy item to have around the aquarium as it comes in useful for removing dead plant leaves from the aquarium.
5.Buckets- always good to have around the aquarium when it comes to the up keep and maintenance.
6.Glass cleaners- whether they are magnetic cleaners or hand held cleaners, they are always handy to have as they aid the cleaning of the aquarium.
7.Inline valve/flow directional valve- used in conjunction with an air pump, it is placed on the air line to allow air to flow through in one direction only. This prevents the water from flowing back down the air line and short circuiting the pump in the event of a power cut or pump failure.
| Cold Water Aquarium Fish SelectionBefore any coldwater fish can be selected, there are many key points to consider. The following are basic guidelines.
1.Research the preferred ph, hardness, temperature range, and dietary needs of the fish that you may want to purchase.
2.Find out the compatibility of the fish. You may find that some species that you want like to be on their own and not in a community!
3.Make sure that the fish you want looks well fed with a rounded, full stomach, and do not worry too much about the colouration of the fish in question, as the colour will not show to its fullest until the fish is settled in your aquarium and in a stable environment.
4.Make sure that the fish is in good, healthy condition- no clamped fins, no visible signs of disease or parasites, no fungus, but most importantly the fish must be active and aware of its surroundings.
5.Find out the capacity or stocking density that your aquarium can hold as you should not over crowd your aquarium system.
Acclimatising your new additions to your aquarium:
Firstly, turn off the light over your aquarium to reduce the fishes stress levels.
Place the bag of fish on the surface water of your aquarium and float it for 10 to 15 minutes. This will equalise the temperature of the water in the bag to the temperature of the water in the aquarium. Add a small amount of aquarium water into the bag and leave it for an additional 5 minutes. This will acclimatise the fish to your water conditions slowly. Using a small net, you need to catch the fish out of the bag. Transfer the fish into your aquarium and discard both the bag and the water. The water should not be tipped into the aquarium as poisons may have built up in the bag during transit. Keep a close eye on the fish for the first 24 hours, as this is the most crucial period of acclimatisation. If all is ok after the initial 24 hours, then you can probably start to relax, sit back, and enjoy the aquarium in all its glory.
| Cold Water Aquarium FoodsAll fish will fall into the following three classifications, carnivores (meat eaters), herbivores (plant eaters and algae eaters), and omnivores (who need a range or both meat and vegetable/algae). The following food sections can cover all three, so be careful when purchasing the food, and make sure that you read the package carefully.
1.Flake food- these generally tend to float on the surface until water is absorbed, causing them to sink slowly. Flake food such as Tetra Fin Flaked Food is recommended for surface feeders and open water feeders.
2.Pellets- these can come in both floating and sinking varieties as well as in a range of sizes. These are best fed to fish that are slightly larger. Tetra Exotic mini pellet food is specially formulated for the needs of fancy coldwater fish.
3.Tablets & Wafers- Tetra Algae Wafers are sinking food types that are used to feed the bottom dwelling fish or algae eaters which are otherwise overlooked in the aquarium.
4.Freeze dried foods- Interpet Freeze Dried Daphnia, Brineshrimp and Bloodworm have been freeze dried to remove all the moisture and water content. Due to this process they have all the high nutrients and minerals that fresh foods have, yet without the relatively limited shelf life of many fresh foods.
5.Frozen foods- RUTO frozen Daphnia, Brineshrimp and Bloodworm are supplied in ice cube style packs that can be stored in the freezer indefinitely without the worry of them going off or losing their nutritional value. They are accepted by all fish as a natural food source and are highly nutritious.
6.Live foods- these should be added to the aquarium at least once a week as an addition to the basic food requirements of the fish. Live foods are a boost to the fish's nutritional intake as well as allowing the fish to display their natural instinct in chasing and finding natural food items within their environment. Live foods are also very good for new born fish fry as this may be the only food source that they will instinctively feed off. | Cold Water Aquarium DiseasesThe health problems in coldwater fish tend to be easily recognisable and can be treated with great efficiency if caught at an early stage. White spot could be treated successfully with Interpet Whitespot No6 medication or Waterlife Protozin. Bacterial and Fungal infections should be treated with Interpet Fungus & Finrot No8 medication, Waterlife Myxazin or API Melafix. Coldater fish can sometimes suffer from stubborn internal infections such as swim bladder infections and Dropsy. In this instance theat with Interpet Swim bladder Infection No13 medication and Waterlife Octozin.
For all disease situations you should satisfy yourself of accurate diagnosis and treatment suitability. Information in these pages are intended as a generel guide only.
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