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FAQS and Tips
Moving Your Aquarium
Leaving Your Fish For Vacation
Algae In Your Freshwater Aquarium
Pond Considerations
Feeding Your Fish
Moving Your Aquarium
How To Move To Phoenix....
Or Anywhere Else For That Matter
When moving a tankful of fish there are two primary considerations: transporting the fish themselves and reestablishing them in a biologically stable environment. Moving from Flagstaff to Phoenix shouldn’t be difficult in most cases; longer trips are increasingly complicated. Here are some points to consider.
1) Pack your fish in plastic bags, preferably in styrofoam boxes. This both insulates and cushions them. Bags need only enough water to cover the fish. Trap air (for longer trips use oxygen) in the bag. Never, never, never fill bags by blowing into them. The more you can spread your fish out within the bags, the better.
2) The bacteria in your filter media is your
most important concern when reestablishing your fish in their aquarium. Keeping the filter media wet will help. Gravel can be moved in buckets and filter cartridges can be kept in aquarium water. Canister filters are a bit more complicated since bacteria tends to die quickly in a closed canister. We recommend opening the canister and keeping the media wet.
3) Set your aquarium back up before you do anything else. Don’t clean things too thoroughly at this point. Your media should maintain some bacteria but it has already been compromised. Chlorine and chloramine (which is added in some communities) quickly kill bacteria so water should be treated before being put in the aquarium. The water temperature should match closely the temperature in the transport bags. It can be raised gradually after the fish are in the aquarium.
4 )Get your fish back into the aquarium as quickly as possible. Bags can be floated minimally if necessary, but never over 20 minutes. Net the fish back into the aquarium and discard the transport water.
5) And finally, watch them carefully. We recommend that you test their water regularly for ammonia and nitrite and use one of the bacterial products to protect against bacteria loss. Only treat for Ick if absolutely necessary.
Good luck - and have a safe move.
Leaving Your Fish For Vacation
One of the advantages of having fish is that they’re one of the easiest pets to leave behind for weekends as well as extended vacation times. With a little advance planning, most well-maintained aquariums can easily survive their owner’s extended absence.
For short term weekend trips it is usually best to just leave your aquarium. If everything is in working order, and your fish are fed normally before you leave, your fish will be fine. Although there are aquarium vacation foods, fish will not starve in a 2 or 3 day weekend and most will survive easily for up to a week.
For longer trips, you may want to have a friend or neighbor watch them for you. Be very specific in your instructions.
Preparation: Make sure equipment is working; do a water change; leave written instructions.
Feeding: Cut your feeding schedule in half; leave premeasured amounts of food; invest in an automatic timer ahead of time.
Temperature: Write down the correct temperature; don’t allow adjustments without specific instructions. Tape heater adjusting knob.
Water Changes: Wait until you get home; show how to add dechlorinated water at the same temperature to maintain water levels.
Algae In Your Freshwater Aquarium
Algae, that green stuff that appears in your aquarium on the gravel, rocks, plants, and glass, is a consant nuisance for many aquarists. Technically, It is an aquatic, photosynthetic organism that it is no longer classified as a plant, but it responds in every way as one. As light patterns change, and become stronger, algae usually blooms.
In an aquarium, algae ranges in color from bright green, to blue, to brown, In appearance it ranges from smooth to hairy. Often, it shows up in aquariums as cloudy water. In almost all cases, it can be controlled or prevented by following three simple tips.
First, aquariums should be properly located. Direct exposure to sun light or a location in a bright room, can cause algae to bloom. Exposure can be increased as the seasons change.
Second, aquarium lighting should be controlled. Usually, 10-12 hours a day is adequate, lighting should be turned on and off at the same time (we recommend using a timer), and aquarium lights should not be used as a nightlight. With lighting, the goal is to recreate normal daylight patterns for your fish. Live plants can help since they convert excess nitrogen into oxygen and eliminate nitrogen as a nutrient for the algae.
And third, a plecostomus in your aquarium will help manage any algae that does grow.
There are many other aspects to algae management, but the above tips provide a sound place to start. By understanding the cause of algae, preventative steps can usually control it satisfactorily.
Pond Considerations
Ponds are becoming more and more popular in Flagstaff and throughout the northern part of the state. We have customers who have built ponds from wading pool size to those holding hundreds of gallons. Some are successful in over wintering fish and all share common experiences of water clarity, disease, and maintenance. At Aquarium Center we stock a complete line of pond products including liners, pumps, filters, water additives, treatments, foods, and fish.
Considerations For Building a Pond
Most people who build ponds want to keep fish. To do so, a pond needs to be large enough to accommodate fast growing fish and deep enough for them to winter safely.
Pond fish are usually fast growing and can add inches in length and girth in a single season. It is not unusual for a fish to double in size in a
summer. Many spawn in Flagstaff ponds.
Fish are ectothermic, which means that they maintain their body temperature at about the same temperature as their environment. Cold water pond fish store nutrients when the water is warm, then go into a semidormant state when water temperatures drop. In our area, where water freezes over, minimum recommended pond depths are 402. At depths any shallower, pond fish risk freezing.
Some keepers in the Flagstaff area have experimented with keeping a small section of the pond open with special pond heaters or de-icers. Others have covered ponds to keep temperatures higher and prevent freezing. Both options can work.
Introducing Fish To Ponds
The pond season in Flagstaff begins sometime at the end of May and runs into September. It is completely dependent on the water temperature.
As temperatures rise in the spring, established fish become more active. New fish should be introduced when the pond water temperature is as close to their holding temperature as possible. Generally, we recommend waiting until water temperatures reach a minimum of 60 degrees before adding fish to an outside pond. Remember, as with all fish, sudden and dramatic temperature changes can cause stress and disease.
Small Water Fountains
A related idea for those who want the sound and feel of running water on a small deck or patio, but don1t have the space or time for a pond, is a small water fountain. Although these can be purchased they are often expensive. We have seen an increasing interest in home built fountains over the past few summers.
It's easy. Find a container that you like that holds water, decorate it with rocks, wood, or pottery, add a small submersible pump, and sit back and enjoy the soothing sound of water.
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Mailing Address: 2532 N 4th St #312, Flagstaff AZ 86004
Phone: (928) 526-1469
Email: sales@happiestfish.com
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