Tag Archives: saltwater

11.05.12

Choosing the right tank for you...

Posted by Tim // 2 Replies

When getting in the hobby the question often comes up, “Should I get a glass or acrylic tank?”

Let me break it down for you….thanks to Christina’s “put a little humore in it” venn diagram or something.

Ultimately, glass tanks are less expensive which is usually a main concern. The glass aquarium is usually made of plate-glass with a thickness that varies with the capacity of the aquarium. This style of tank usually comes with a black plastic band around the top and base of the aquarium as well as a center support to prevent bowing. There are definitely still some cons with a glass tank.

Glass tanks are typically made with metal, and can sometimes have a green tinge to it. Glass also weighs a LOT more than acrylic. The larger the glass tank the heavier it gets. This is why most glass manufacturers don’t make very large tanks. You can have them custom-built, but I hope you have a lot of friends or a forklift. Glass tanks are also held together with silicone, so there is always a chance that they can leak over time.

Acrylic tanks are made of a crystal clear, cell-cast material. They are lightweight, and the quality is unsurpassed both structurally and visually. The seals are chemically bonded together insuring a lifelong, leak proof seal. The acrylic aquarium has been known mostly for its use as a “custom” aquarium. This style of tank is often seen at large zoo aquariums and in custom home installations. As acrylic is a type of plastic, it is easily molded into any shape imaginable and carries the trademark for its ability to fit into places that glass aquariums can not. You will always get what you pay for, and acrylic is usually more expensive than glass.

With today’s technology you can get glass tanks that are made with less metal and are more clear view, called “starfire”. These tanks are more durable and harder to scratch, but if you do scratch a glass tank there is no easy way to get the scratches out. Acrylic tanks scratch easier but can be buffed out, even with the water still in them.

If you are looking for a tank that is a standard size, free-standing unit, under 200 gal; glass may be a more cost-effective option for you. Our tank in our dining room is actually a glass tank and it is a 210 gal.

If you’re wanting a larger or custom size, and great quality, then acrylic is the way to go. Our next tank is going to be HUGE once I can talk the lady into it, so we will need acrylic. Maybe a gigantic round stingray tank?

Keep in mind if you are doing an in-wall aquarium, glass tanks are made with a trim piece around the bottom, acrylic tanks are not. A flush edge will usually be more convenient to build around.

Both glass and acrylic tanks serve their intended purpose well and it will ultimately depend on your situation and desired installation. Remember to weigh the pros and cons carefully as your decision will likely be in place for years to come.

10.30.12

We Will Soon Have a Baby Shark....Hopefully

Posted by Christina // 7 Replies

The other day we did something a little crazy…..

We went to our local fish store and picked up a couple things.
One of those things, was a shark egg.

I do believe our fascination with getting a shark egg began while we were on our East Coast Road Trip.
We ran across these babies while at the Shedd Aquarium.

We have been researching ever since.
Now that I re-watch that video, I feel like we should clean our egg up. Tim will be checking in to give you an “egglet update” and give you all the specs in case you decide you need a little baby shark in your life as well. It is a learning experience for us and we have been told that something like one in six don’t ever hatch. We have been holding light up and looking for some movement, T says the little guy is growing but I have yet to see him. If you never hear about our shark egg again, you will know things didn’t go so well! Say a little prayer that we will soon be proud shark parents….

10.10.12

Our fish get crunk when we vodka dose....

Posted by Christina // 10 Replies

Recently, Tim and I had a bit of a nitrate problem.
We did some research and kept coming up with a very strange remedy.

Vodka dosing.
This perfect drawing found right here.

Let me tell you that the night T came to me and said he wanted to put vodka in our tank with my beloved fishies, I was a little more than leery.

I did my research right away since like most men, he couldn’t wait more than five minutes to get started.

Since we are still officially “youngins” we did happen to have an extra bottle of vodka just lying around, but before he started ~~popping bottles~~ pouring away…I had to get my facts.

I have heard stories of haters pouring nasty bleach in their enemies tanks to kill everything in the tank…..so mean.
If you ever want to break my heart, just threaten that above sentence.

I did what any caring fish mama would do….I made a pun.
Then I got my research on and found out where this crazy idea came from.

Charles Delbeek, M.SC. who is a marine biologist at the Steinhart Aquarium explained that: “the “vodka method” is a means to add inorganic carbon in the form alcohol to cause bacteria to grow. In boosting bacterial growth, nitrate and phosphate are incorporated by the bacteria, lowering these values in the water. The excess bacteria are then either removed through skimming or are consumed by other organisms, such as sponges.”

There were a few debates over this method but the general consensus was it works really well but is a little bit of a shock to your tank so don’t dose alcohol everyday or anything. Which is fine by us because we don’t want to host an A.A. meeting in our tank every Monday.

I gave Timbo the go ahead and he poured in the dose he already had preportioned and waiting.

We are by no means recommending this, because we haven’t done it enough. I will say that we have seen a drop in the nitrates and maybe it’s just in our heads but the colors seem to really be popping!

Check out what my phone thinks…

We shall see…I will keep you posted.

Don’t you love learning new things about your hobbies!

10.09.12

You need to know about the nitrogen cycle....

Posted by Christina // 1 Reply

When you start a new tank you must let the circle of life take over folks.

We usually call this the nitrogen cycle or sometimes the startup cycle but you will hear it called many different names. It is essentially the process of letting beneficial bacteria colonies establish themselves in your tank so that all your pretty corals and loveable fish can live.

Every new aquarium must go through the nitrogen cycle. It can take anywhere from 3-6 weeks or sometimes longer, but each tank is different so it will vary. You can find out where you are in the cycle by testing your water regularly.

The three components involved are ammonia, nitrite and nitrate. The best way to monitor the nitrogen cycle is by getting a saltwater test kit that will test the three components involved in the process. Test your water frequently and record your results to find the phase. Ammonia and Nitrites should test at zero, and Nitrates would ideally be at zero but can test up to 20 ppm (that’s parts per million for you folks in back) before you hit the danger zone. Once your tank has completed the nitrogen cycle, the nitrates are broken down by special types of bacteria which turn nitrates into harmless nitrogen gases which escape into the atmosphere. Your tank will remain more stable and you are now able to add some livestock.

I know what you are thinking, if there is no livestock to begin with then where does you ammonia come from?
Well, if you add live rock to your tank it will begin the cycle.
You can also throw some fish food in there to get it poppin.

There are a ton of great resources for learning about the ins and outs of the Nitrogen cycle out there on the interwebs.
Now go give your friends this science lesson…you’ll sound super smart!

10.02.12

East Coast Road Trip - Shedd Aquarium

Posted by Christina //

We knew that if we drove straight home from the East Coast we would be seriously depressed…in a car….together….for sixteen hours.
That was if there wasn’t any traffic.
We also knew that Chicago was only a six hour drive (five if your name is Tim).

So we added Chicago to our trip. That cut the depressing drive down by ten whole hours, because we were excited for Chicago for most the way home. Since we couldn’t catch a Cards-v-Cubs game, we went to the obvious vacation destination. Boy oh boy did our cameras get a workout. Hope you like photos! It goes without saying that we had a blast.
But I will say it anyway….we had a blast. We walked right into a show in their main tank. Where do I apply for that job?
I of course oogled the decor. Ummmm hi, where do you all shop?
I got caught oogling a lot that day…. What can I say, I have a real weakness for sharks. Check it. I mean, how do you not love them.
I am totally serious about having a shark tank too.
Luckily, I know where to stock up on sharks. Yes, they had real shark eggs. I have video of them wriggling that I will share later this week.

There was another baby. The baby Beluga was born about a month ago.
Say “hi”

That is my dolphin imitation. It seemed like the theme of the day was large and in charge.
Everything was huge. I know these aren’t the best pictures, unless you are into glare and fuzziness.
The point is look at the size of these monsters. For some reason, this reminded me of Harry Potter. So I ran….fast. Yes, that sea lion was the highlight of my trip.
He knew where the food was, so he would swim three laps then splash out to get some chow.
Everytime he got out I clapped like a….well, sea lion.

My second best friend was this little feller. He was convinced that the rubber duckie was his people.
More convinced that this duck was his BFF forever and ever.

Then there were the jellies. Oh the jellies.

It was what I want heaven to be…and has me convinced our next tank should be a jellyfish tank. That there is the general gist of our aquarium trip…minus about 450 pictures.
Shutter happy people, that’s for sure.

We were not happy to leave Chicago, since that meant our trip was pretty much over.
But we are so glad to be home….planning the next one!

09.11.12

I sure do hope this is true.....

Posted by Christina // 2 Replies

You may remember that we visited the Kansas City aquarium earlier this year.

They had a bunch of “fin facts” and trivia questions all along the way, and this was one of them.

I’m crossing my fingers y’all. Crossing them like my mama said my eyes would stay if I sat too close to the TV.

Here’s why…..this is a spicy starfish….

Ever since I laid my eyes on this little lady I knew I had to have her. Luckily, I am as spoiled as they come and it was cheap so T let me bring it on home.

She was a happy habitant of our tank since about January.

But alas, here she blows today….whomp, whomp, whomp.

She’s struggling….say a little prayer please.

But I gotta tell ya, this girl is a trooper. She has been legless for a couple weeks now and she is still hustling all over the tank. I am calling her my tough cookie, my inspiration, and my teeny survivor.

I mean, if she can walk around a whole tank with two legs….then I can get up and take a shower today!