Home Design Tips – Aquariums

It is only natural that, when you are working on improving the design of your living environment, you will take into consideration various aspects. Some people spend a lot of time in choosing the right colour for wall tiles in every room, while others worry about which furniture they like or don’t like. In essence, you should make your home design be your own personal statement. When someone walks in it for the first time, he or she should be able to establish a valid opinion about your personality (and this is something that most people do). So, you should try and personalize your home environment, because you want people to have something nice to say about you, and, above all, you should make sure that you find your home to be pleasurable and relaxing place, since, that way, you improve your overall quality of living. When you do this, you will come to realize that coping with everyday obligations is becoming much easier.

I have been working on my interior design for a long time. I have added loads of ornaments, and I have hung many interesting pictures on my walls. I have painted my rooms the way I like, and I have bought all the necessary furniture and electrical equipment. But, there was still something missing.

I noticed that my apartment was lacking missing a very crucial component. Since, in the 21^st century, everything is oriented around an urban environment, with big apartment buildings and loads of corporate edifices, people have lost one of the most important aspects of human life, which is one’s contact with nature. So, I got myself some interesting plants and I put them all over the house. This helped, but not to an extent that I was hoping for.

Then I started thinking about pets. Now, I am a person that doesn't like a mess, and I want all my things to be at their place. So, if I were to buy a dog, for example, I would not be satisfied. While I was aimlessly walking down the street I saw a store that sells fish and equipment forfish-keeping. I was amazed with what kinds of aquarium designs are present nowadays. They make traditional looking marine aquariums and fish tanks that are in the shape of bowls or cuboids, but they also have rather interesting and modern designs. I have come to realize that, by purchasing an aquarium, you do not only get yourself a piece of the animal kingdom in your home, but you also get a very stylish home decoration. 

I thought that fish-keeping is very difficult, because I thought that you have to do all sorts of maintenance errands, but modern aquariums take care of themselves, more or less. Naturally, you have to do things like changing the water from time to time, and adjusting the water temperature as well as the water chemistry to make sure that your fish feel like they are in their natural environment. This is done to insure that the fish have a normal life span.

So, I purchased a big aquarium that has very impressive looking artificial lighting, and has a number of plants and pebbles inside. I also got numerous types of beautiful-looking fish of various colors and sizes. When I placed the aquarium in my living room, I knew that that the design of my home was complete.

After work, the next day, I got home late. It was a very hard day and I was very tired. When I got in, my new aquarium was lighting up the whole room, and while I was lying down on the sofa to relax a bit, I got the feeling that I was in the bottom of the ocean, enjoying perfect peace and quiet. The feeling was extraordinary.

After some time, I came to realize that people that keep fish are considered to be both sensitive and successful, which is, in my opinion, a good combination. An aquarium contributes to “making a statement” (mentioned in the beginning of this article) in this way.

To sum up, I hope that my experience has helped you in some way. Nevertheless, after reading everything stated above, you can conclude that an aquarium is a good investment. In some cases, it is the final touch that has to be done, in order to make your home look perfect (just like in my experience). So, feel free to ask around, or search the internet, for additional information. I promise you that you will be amazed with some aquarium designs, and you will start planning your budget so that you can get one for your home. By getting in touch with nature, I promise, you will get in touch with yourself. So, get going, and good luck. 

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The Advantages of Having a Fountain

It is a very common issue if having a fountain is in any way beneficial for you. Lots would say it’s just a waste of money and time. But, water fountains do not only provide a great accent to your office or home, but also to beauty and many health benefits, believe it or not. Imagine yourself chilling in your back yard with your eyes closed, exhausted and stressed, ready for your five minutes of meditation next to your fountain. The nice sounds that the water produces may provide a sense of being in some natural environment, beneath the waterfall or next to the river flowing by. It’s all up to your imagination. In next couple of passages, I’m going to concentrate on some interesting advice and information I've got and many different benefits of owning a fountain, trying not to include only the well-known facts. Now, do me a favor and take a look at this fountain: 

http://www.pondquip.com.au/products/Bali-Wall-Fountain-Water-Feature.html

Interior and exterior décor

It doesn't really meter if you’re looking for an indoor or an outdoor fountain. Adding an instant beauty to your environment is something I guarantee will happen. Whether it’s a tabletop fountain, a garden fountain or a large-wall fountain you've decided on, showing off your style and sense for decoration is surely to be provided. A wall fountain can usually be seen in an office or at some reception desk in a hotel, but I personally think it can look even better and really classy in your own home. Still, designers tend to use wall fountains as main point when arranging commercial and residential locations. Many landscapers and architects also use indoor and outdoor fountains in designing landscapes andbuildings. So, you can just imagine how it all will look when you get to decide on design issues and the placement of the fountain. It will make you feel like you have just spiced up your décor a little bit, for sure.

Five minutes of meditation

When it comes to health benefits, water fountains are something to be highly recommended. All of us have stressful moments in our lives, and to get some relief at the end of the hard day would be a really noble thing. It’s not that it will bring relaxation to yourself only, but also to the whole environment you live or work in. It can be good for your favorite room, garden, patio or office, because that’s a place you would like to relax in the most. If you do a little research to find your perfect fountain, look for the one that’s too overbearing or not producing sounds, but the one that produces nice sounds similar to the sounds of water in the natural environment. Make sure that your fountain of choice has an adjustable pump so you can regulate the flowing of the water just the way you like it.

Natural moisturizer of air

Fountains act as some kind of humidifiers or moisturizers of air in a dry room. Mechanical moisturizers often produce loud and uncomfortable sounds, but with a fountain in your room you won’t have such problems. They humidify the air while you sit or lay somewhere near and enjoy the calming sound of running water. Humidifiers can usually get mold and evoke problems you don’t need, while a fountain is filled up with water that moves constantly and it will not develop mold as often as mechanical devices. If you have plants inside your home, fountainswill provide extra humidity and help you grow your plants properly. It’s not only good for your plants, but for your animals, too. If you own a dog or a cat, they can come and drink water from the fountain whenever they want. But, always make sure that you haven’t put any harmful chemicals into the water!

Air pollution in your home

Since we happen to be living in an electronic world, there are many objects that produce negative ions in our environment. A fountain inside your home or office can improve the air and reduce the air pollution caused. Negative ions attract dust and water fountains purify the air. So, it’s not only improving your mental, but your physical health, too.

Conclusion

In conclusion, having your own fountain isn't such a bad idea at all. It gives freshness and beauty to your environment, whether it’s your home, garden or office. It’s such a shame that this industrial and corrupt world forces us to buy ourselves a fountain instead of already having it all. But, a man’s got to do what a man’s got to do! Maybe, purchasing a fountain is a useful investment and a fight-back to world’s constraint.

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Keeping Fish for Beginners

If you’re a total beginner when it comes to petting fish, but you've decided to pet some, I’m here to give you some advice about the main things you’ll need. First of all, you have to think over the reasons that made you keep fish. If you think of it as a “job” that doesn't require time and responsibility, then you’re not the one to do the job. Keeping fish surely can be considered the least demanding activity, but still, it requires some attention and commitment. I don’t want to underestimate you by making statements like the one in the previous sentence, but it somehow happens that people forget to do all the petting, although it’s not much, and end up with dead fish floating in their aquariums. I’m sure you wouldn't want that to happen. 

On the other hand, if you’re a person that enjoys colorful images for instance, then you’re the one to keep fish, with just a little effort you’ll have to put in. You may have a chance to possess a living picture that constantly moves and brings relaxation into your life. It really is relaxing and extremely interesting to observe life that goes on right in front of you. It can send you back to the days when you were a kid and evoke some emotions that you had probably forgotten about. In the text that is about to be written, I’ll try to concentrate on how often you’ll have to change the water and feed the fish, choose them, also the choice of light and aquariums, and of course the right temperature of the water and the decoration of the fish’s environment. So, if you’re willing, continue on reading this article, because I’ll be precise and concise in giving advice to you who are beginners.

Aquarium size depends on the number of fish you have, but also on their sensitivity to change of nitrogenous waste and their temperament. It is a lot easier to keep a big aquarium clean, than a small one. The big aquarium is also more flexible when it comes to rapid changes in temperature and water chemistry. Since you’re a beginner, the best option for you when it comes to buying an aquarium is the medium sized one. If you have budget problems, and you’re thinking over a small one with expensive fish, and a medium one with not so fancy fish, you should go for the second option, definitely. As a beginner, you can’t handle these pricy fish because of the lack of experience. 

Changing the water is something you’ll have to do despite all the strong mechanical, chemical and biological filtration existing. Since we constantly bring in a lot of new nutrients by feeding our fish, it’s hard for an aquarium to become a perfectly balanced ecosystem. As a beginner, it’s good for you to choose sturdy beginner species that require changing 30% to 50% of the water once in a week. It might be a little messy at first, but by repeating this action, you’ll learn to do it without making any mess and with a minimal amount of spilled water. If you keep on changing that 50% of the water once in a week, you’ll solve the usual beginner’s problem such as over-feeding the fish. If tap water is the only one you have, you’ll need to first keep it in a bucket for a little while until the chlorine is gone, or use a dechlorinator to do it faster.

Feeding the fish requires a little research done to find out which food a certain specie needs. For common beginner’s species, flake food is a good solution. You can even use your own fruit files. If you keep bottom species, it’s not a good idea to use flake food because it probably won’t even reach the bottom. But, if you get sinking pallets or similar, you’ll cope with the needs of the bottom species. The algae-eaters won’t be pleased only by eating algae, but would like to be provided with some vegetable based foods. It’s better to feed your fish a few times a day rather than only once a day. But make sure to give them only as much as they can consume within 5 minutes. If you’re not around for few days, you won’t have to sip extra food, because there are always some leftovers for your fish. If you give them some extra food, you’ll only end up with fouled water, and that’s something you really don’t need.

The temperature depends on species and their needs. Do a little research about your species, and you’ll find out just the right temperature. Generally, it’s important for the temperature to be stable. Fish love to hide, so make sure you provide them some aquatic plants. Since you’re a beginner, choose adaptable and sturdy fish species, because you’ll handle it easier. Later on, if you improve in fish-keeping  you can have more delicate fish species.

Conclusion

To finish this article, I’ll add that keeping fish is actually really interesting and creative because it’s different from any other pet. If you choose to improve and get skills in fish-keeping  you’ll have a lot of fun and colorful time!

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