The power filter usually hangs on the back of an aquarium. This fish tank filter sucks up water through an inlet tube which hangs inside the aquarium. The water passes through the filter pads and the filter media. The filter pads contain charcoal which acts as chemical filters to trap the debris. The filter media which contains biological media, provides the required biological filtration. After passing through the filter media, the water returns to the tank.

The power filter is powered by a powerhead which is located inside or at the top of the filter unit. A powerhead is a piece of equipment consisting of an electric motor-driven pump sealed in hard plastic. It helps to draw water up through the tubes. A current is provided in the water by the powerhead which helps to return water to the tank. Powerheads have adjustable valves to regulate the speed of the airflow and thus, the speed and force of the water flow can be adjusted. These small valves are useful in small fish tanks which require less water flow, as the water flow can be adjusted to suit the need. Furthermore, the outflow can be directed to a specific area in your aquarium.

Powerheads can draw water at a faster rate than most air pumps. Hence, by using a powerhead, more water can be filtered within the same period of time. As a result, water can be cleaned at a faster rate and this benefits the fishes in the aquarium. The filter pads in power filters require regular maintenance. You need to clean these pads by rinsing them with dechlorinated water and replace them about once a month.

As described above, a power filter is an effective aquarium filter. One benefit of this type of aquarium filter is that it comes in various sizes and types, and you can choose one that suits your need. Furthermore, with the use of a powerhead, the aquarium water can be filtered at an increased rate. Hence, you can consider using a power filter for your aquarium filtration needs.

Canister filter
An aquarium canister filter combines mechanical, biological and chemical filtration. It is a unit which contains a filter chamber for filter media and an electric pump for circulating water. The water from the aquarium enters the canister filter, is pumped up through the filter media, and flows back to the aquarium. The filter chamber consists of several filter media such as sponges, carbon (charcoal) and ceramic medium.

There are external and internal aquarium canister filters available. An external aquarium canister filter has inlet and outlet pipes for water to flow from and to the aquarium. Whereas for the internal aquarium canister filter, it has slits for water to flow into the filter and an outlet from the pump. It is commonly placed on the floor beneath the aquarium or attached to the back of the aquarium glass. Aquarium canister filters have the capacity of filtering several hundred gallons of aquarium water per hour. The benefit of this type of aquarium filter is that its output can be adjusted to any part of the tank.

Undergravel filter
An aquarium undergravel filter is a plastic plate placed between the substrate and the aquarium base with uplift pipes. Water is being drawn down, passing through the substrate, and returned through the uplift pipes. The aquarium undergravel filter is considered as an excellent method for biological filtration. The benefit of this filter is that as the inlet is the whole aquarium base area, there is no way that wastes can escape from being processed. There is a large amount of filter medium available for bacterial colonization. The disadvantage of an aquarium undergravel filter is that when the system gets clogged, the cleaning task requires a major upheaval.

Undergravel filters are most suitable to be used in aquariums which do not have big rocks or decorations blocking large sections of the gravel bed. If such big rocks exist, the block plates would create dead spots on the filter. For udergravel filters, it is preferable to use regular gravel substrate as smaller substrates will tend to fall through and larger ones tend to hide huge amounts of debris.

Sponge filter
An aquarium sponge filter provides biological filtration. It consists of a perforated plastic tube fitted with a cylindrical sponge. The tube is attached to an air pump. It draws the aquarium water through the sponge, which acts as a medium for trapping bacteria. As a sponge filter does not have the tendency of having young fishes being sucked up into the filtration unit, it is suitable for use in aquariums with small fishes. Sponge filters are also good to be used in quarantine tanks where fishes are placed for treatment. This is because sponge filters have no chemical filtration which can affect the effectiveness of medications being used for treatment. As sponge filters only provide biological filtration, they are not suitable to be used in large tanks which have higher filtration requirements. This type of fish tank filter is mainly used in aquariums with low filtration needs.

Aquarium filters provides filtration which is essential in all aquariums in order to keep the clean for the fishes to live well. The above are some types filters used for aquarium filtration. These filters provide different level of filtration needs. You can consider using these filters based on the needs of your aquarium.

Duckweed (Lemna minor)
Duckweed has oval green leaves and it grows very fast. As the leaves of this plant spread widely, this aquarium plant can help to block light rays shining on to the water. Too much light can heat up the water in the fish tank causing harm to the fishes. Also, high exposure of light can cause the growth of harmful algae. The leaves of Duckweed provide shelter as well as spawning sites for the fishes. Some fishes like to feed on this plant and it provides good nutrition due to its high content of vitamins and minerals. Duckweed takes in ammonia and hence, helps to reduce its content in the water. This plant only requires moderate lighting. However, as this floating water plant is fast-growing, it requires pruning to keep it in shape.

Crystalwort (Riccia fluitans)
Riccia fluitans is a popular floating water plant used in aquariums. It grows just below the surface of the water. This plant has tiny strands mat together which forms a solid mass. Riccia fluitans provides benefit for bubble-nesters as they use it as a point of attachment for their nests. This aquarium plant is also often used as spawning sites. It grows well in bright lighting and receives plenty of carbon dioxide.

Amazon frogbit (Limnobium laevigatum)
Limnobium laevigatum is beautiful floating water plant with waxy leaves. This plant can produce shoots that will form a small plant at the end. If this end breaks off, it will form a new plant by itself. This floating water plant is a tropical species and if placed in a fish tank, it survives well with moderate lighting.

Water lettuce (Pistia stratiotes)
Pistia stratiotes has soft, large leaves which are light green in colour. The leaves have a velvety texture and they grouped together to form a beautiful rosette. Pistia stratiotes has fine trailing roots which grow below the surface of the water. Having this plant in the aquarium benefits the fishes as it provides plenty of hiding places for them.

The above are some common floating water plants you can consider using in your aquarium. Besides using these plants to enhance your aquarium décor, having them in your aquarium has benefits for your fishes as well. Fortunately, these plants are not difficult to keep as they thrive well in most conditions.

Fanwort (Cabomba caroliniana)
Cabomba caroliniana is a fine-feathered plant which is light green in colour. This aquarium plant looks stunning when planted in groups of three or more. It grows fast and lives well in bright lighting. It can grow up to a maximum height of about 50cm. Cabomba caroliniana is one of the most common species available and fairly easy to keep. An advantage of having this plant in the fish tank is that it is good for filling up spaces and hiding areas at the background. Another advantage is that it can be used to capture the eggs scattered by fishes. The majority of community fish kept in aquariums uses the egg-scattering method for their reproduction. The disadvantage with this aquarium plant is that fish loves to nibble on it and its leaves come of very easily. Thus, you will often find many leaves floating around in your planted aquarium.

Elodea (Egeria densa)
Elodea is a popular aquatic plant. It is fast-growing and can grow to a height of about 50cm. It is a suitable plant for beginners. Growing the Elodea has many benefits. Firstly, it is easy to keep as it survives well in a wide range of conditions. Secondly, it grows very thick if kept in bright lighting and thus, is an excellent plant for filling up spaces. Thirdly, it secretes substances that help to prevent algae growth. Fourthly, Elodea is known to remove great amounts of nitrates. Hence, it helps to purify the water. Lastly, a small piece of the plant can actually regenerate to become a new plant within a short period of time.

Amazon Sword (Echinodorus bleheri)
The plant derives its name ‘Amazon Sword’ from the fact that it grows in Amazon and the shape of its leaves is similar to that of the blade of a sword. This beautiful plant can greatly enhance your aquarium decor, especially when it blooms. Echinodorus bleheri lives well in moderate lighting. However, a point you need to note is that Echinodorus bleheri has large roots and thus, it needs additional fertilizers for it to grow well. Also, if you placed this plant in your aquarium, you need to ensure that the large roots of the plant do not choke out other plants.

The above are some common live aquarium background plants you can consider placing in your aquarium. These plants can certainly help to make your aquarium decor more stunning. They can help to conceal unsightly items at the rear of the fish tank and fill up the spaces. As described above, each plant has its own benefits as well.

Cryptocoryne (Cryptocoryne wendtii)
Cryptocoryne wendtii has long leaves which are green in colour with red-tinted areas. This aquarium plant is short and grows slowly. As it stays short over time, it can be placed in the foreground of fish tanks. It will certainly not block the view of the plants at the rear of the fish tank. Due to its low height, Cryptocoryne wedtii can also be placed in small fish tanks. It is suitable for aquariums with low lighting. With its red tints, Cryptocoryne wedtii looks attractive. When placed in the aquarium, it helps to add more colour to the aquarium decor. 

Pearl Grass (Hemianthus micranthemoides)
Hemianthus micranthemoides is a very common plant used for the foreground of an aquarium. It is light green in colour and survives well in medium lighting. A bushy plant with small fine leaves, it tends to develop side shoots in all directions after some time. Hence, pruning needs to be carried out to maintain its shape. Hemianthus micranthemoides is usually planted in small groups. The plant will grow to about 15cm tall.

Dwarf Anubias (Anubias nana)
Anubias nana has broad green leaves. When added to an aquarium, it makes the aquarium look more colourful and stunning. This plant species is easy to maintain and hence, it is suitable for use by beginners. With low lighting and average water conditions, this aquarium plant will still survive well. Anubias nana does not need to be embedded in the aquarium gravel. It can be attached to driftwood, rocks or tree roots. Anubias nana grows very slowly and can be planted in all kinds of freshwater fish tanks.

The above are some common aquarium plants that can be used as foreground plants in an aquarium. These aquarium plants are short and grow slowly. Hence, it is best to be placed them in the foreground of the fish tank. Besides, they are not difficult to maintain. You can choose these plants to enhance your aquarium decor. Good selection of plants for your aquarium makes a great difference to your aquarium decoration.

Produce Oxygen
During the process of photosynthesis, with the presence of light, plants produce oxygen and uses up carbon dioxide. This process provides an additional supply of oxygen in the aquarium. The fishes benefit from this as it uses the additional oxygen produced.

Aid Filtration
Plants help reduce the amount of nitrates and phosphates in the water by using them as natural fertilisers. Having less content of these chemicals, the water will be cleaner. Fishes living in the aquarium will be healthier. Hence, the plants help to maintain the water quality in aquariums.

Reduce algae
Having nitrates and phosphates in water promotes algae growth. In an aquarium, as plants use these chemicals as natural fertilisers, the amount of these chemicals in the water will be reduced. As a result, algae growth will be less. Aquarium plants also prevent light from reaching on gravel surfaces and this would prevent algae from forming.

Reduce ammonia
Plants utilize ammonia from the fishes’ waste products. If there is a high content of ammonia present in the fish tank, the water will suffer from pollution. Hence, the plants help to keep the water clean by reducing the content of ammonia in the water.

Aid Spawning
Aquarium plant leaves help in many ways for fish to spawn. Fishes choose large aquarium plant leaves as spawning sites. Aquarium plants with feathery leaves are used to catch falling eggs scattered by some fishes that spawn above. Surface plants are used by bubblenesters to help anchor their nests.

Protect Small Fishes
Sometimes, plants help small fishes to escape from larger fishes which prey on them in the aquarium. Small fishes make use of plant leaves to hide themselves when a large fish wants to eat them. Large leaves, in particular, can serve as a good hiding place. This tends to happen in a densely planted aquarium.

Food Source for Fish
Some fishes feed on plants. If there are aquarium plants available, these fishes will feed on them. As such, live aquarium plants can serve as a food source for the fishes and help them to survive.

The above are some of the benefits of having plants in your aquarium. As you can see, they help your fishes in many ways. Most importantly, they help to maintain a natural, biological balance in your aquarium and contribute to the survival of the fishes as well. Furthermore, your aquarium will become more beautiful with the addition of plants.

The intensity and the period of lighting needed depend on the type of fishes you have in the aquarium. If your fishes are those that are more active in the night than day, then low lighting is recommended. If you have fishes which are already accustomed to bright light while in the wild, they would certainly prefer to have bright lighting when placed in a fish tank. Hence, you need to provide brighter aquarium lighting for this kind of fishes.

As live plants are dependent on lighting for their survival, there should be sufficient lighting provided for them within an appropriate length of time for a day. It is important to note that providing too little light can cause the gradual death of plant and corals. This is because too little light will inhibit the process of photosynthesis and the plants will turn yellow. On the other hand, providing too much light can cause the production of algae. The growth of algae would not only be found on the glass of the tank, but also on some of the plants as well. The plants will eventually be choked to death by the algae. Thus, it would be good that the aquarium light is connected to a timer and be switched on for about 10 hours a day. All fishes need a day and night light cycle to be repeated.

It is advisable to note that a fish has a biorhythm that responds to changing intensity of lighting. Initially, when you switch off the aquarium light, you should wait for about 10 minutes before switching off the room lights. This is to allow the fish some time to adjust. If they are plunged to sudden darkness, they may panic and swim wildly. After the fishes are well adjusted to the surroundings in the aquarium, you can switch off both the aquarium lights and room lights at the same time. Another point to note is that fluorescent tubes radiate light in all directions. In order to direct the light to shine on the aquarium, it would be good to fix a reflector to the lighting. That would help to maximise the use of light produced.

Aquarium light exposure for your fishes is an aspect you need to consider carefully. The above are some points for you to note when you consider the amount of lighting you wish to provide for your aquarium. Appropriate amount of lighting is necessary for them to live well.

Many fishes are dependent on their coloration during signalling and courtship. As aquarium light helps to enhance the colours of the fish, it aids the fish in these activities. Fish aquarium lighting also enables the fish to see their surroundings better. In particular, it helps them to see their food as and other fishes. Plants depend on light to survive. They need light to photosynthesize and manufacture their own food. Furthermore, in the process of photosynthesis, they give out oxygen which is beneficial for the fishes. The best part of all is that lighting enhances the beauty and colour of the fish tank.

One of the most widely used forms of aquarium lighting is fluorescent tubes. However, you should only use aquatic fluorescent tubes which are specially designed for aquariums. One advantage of fluorescent lighting is that it does not produce too much heat and hence, do not have any bad effects on the water temperature of the aquarium. The low heat also allows the tubes to be placed inside a hood. Another advantage is that these tubes emit light from the red and blue portion of the spectrum which corresponds to that of natural sunlight. Thus, it serves as a good alternative to sunlight for the fishes. Besides, fluorescent tubes have a long life, an estimate of several thousand hours. Hence, you do not need to change the tubes very often. This saves you some costs. In fact, fluorescent tubes are not costly to buy and are easy to maintain. Furthermore, they are sufficiently bright for use.

Fluorescent lighting is available in different spectrums. For example, there are white, blue and pink light tubes. White light tubes are designed to replicate the noon sunlight while blue light tubes are meant to replicate the moonlight. Pink tubes are good in enhancing the colours of the fish and improving plant growth. You can have a choice of selecting the colour that suits your needs.

Aquarium light, as shown above, provides benefits for the fishes and plants in the aquarium. The best part is that it is able to transform your fish tank from a dark and dull one to a bright and colourful one. As seen from above, fluorescent lighting has several advantages. Most importantly, they are widely available, and are not costly to install and maintain.

You can find suitable betta food in dry form such as flakes and pellets for feeding betta fish. Flakes can be crushed between your fingers to become smaller flakes or even powder form. Pellets obtained from stores are usually packed in convenient dispenser packages that allow you to tap out one pellet at a time. This form of packaging is convenient to be used for small feeds. If you are giving one betta food, one pellet is sufficient for one feeding. Pellet is considered as the most convenient form of food. As betta has a small mouth, very small pellets should be selected for its food.

Frozen betta food available in stores includes brine shrimps and bloodworms. The disadvantage of this form of food is that it is difficult to obtain a small portion to feed just one betta in a bowl. It is easier to use this type of food for feeding several fishes. If you are feeding your betta with other fishes, you can leave a small piece of frozen food in a little water to defrost. When it is defrosted, you can sieve out one or two worms or shrimps for your betta and use the rest to feed the other fishes. Frozen foods must always be kept frozen. It is advisable not to thaw and refreeze these foods. Blood worm is the most common type frozen food for betta.

Freeze-dried betta food is very convenient to use. You can simply pick one or two free-dried bloodworms or shrimps and drop it into the container for your betta. Freeze-dried foods should be kept in airtight containers. Live food suitable for feeding includes shrimps, bloodworms and mosquito larvae. Some live foods can remain alive for a period of time in the water and allow your betta to be fed over a period of time. There is no fear of these organisms decomposing and making the water dirty.

As seen from the above, there are many kinds of betta foods available. You can select the types most suitable for your use. Bettas survive well with live foods as well as prepared foods. All these food can provide proper nutrition for them.

Copyright : Rose Mary

In order to ensure that your betta have adequate nutrition, it is better to feed it with a variety of betta food. There is a great variety of live foods as well as prepared foods available at stores. You can select a few types of betta food to feed it. You need to vary the type of food to provide a balanced diet for it. Besides, this will also prevent it from getting used to a single type of betta food.

Bettas require a high protein diet. They mainly eat small animals which they can swallow whole or with only a few bites. Besides proteins, they need carbohydrates, fats, vitamins and minerals to stay healthy. Proper feeding with the right betta food not only can help to make them strong, it can also enhance their colours.

If you are feeding a single betta, you can use one pellet, flake or live organism which is considered sufficient for one feeding. Fish is cold-blooded. While warm-blooded animals use food to produce body heat, cold-blooded animals do not. These creatures have lower calorie requirements. Many warm-blooded animals may starve to death if they go without food for a few days whereas most fishes can survive without food for more than a week.

It is important not to overstuff a betta with too much betta food in one feeding. This will cause its belly to bulge. This condition can sometimes be fatal. It is also advisable not to feed it too frequently without giving any breaks. This can result in the betta suffering from obesity or some forms of degenerative diseases. Bettas tend to eat as much as possible the amount of food given to it, hence, you need to exercise caution in feeding it with the appropriate quantity. If your betta shows no interest in eating when food is given, then most probably it has fallen sick. Unless the betta is spawning or tending a nest, there is no reason that it would not be attracted to food.

The above are some tips on feeding betta fish which you can take note in your betta care. You need to provide adequate betta food for your fish to remain healthy and colourful. In particular, varying the type of betta food is necessary to maintain a proper diet for it. 

Copyright : Rose Mary