A Certain Approach to Nature!

Our story begins in the period of time when matriarchy was dominant. Namely, once upon a time, the central figure in society was a woman, believe it or not. Our ancestors believed that the great goddess was a woman, and that the woman was actually the representative of mother earth. People lived in belief that we were all children of nature, and nature was idealized. Of course, their religion was based on bringing sacrifice to goddess and other stuff that does not exist in today's world (at least, I don’t think so). However, there came the time when man realized that he also has a role in reproduction, and that nature and women are not the only creators of life. Through the course of history, the central figure changed from a woman to a man. For example, man became the head of a family as the main deity became male. But that is the period of time when this synchronization that existed between men and nature was disordered. Namely, men realized that they have the power to control. First of all, they started controlling one another, and, not being satisfied with that power, they decided to gain control over nature. Now lets move several thousand years forward. Nowadays, we live in a society that is mostly dominated by men. However, certain things have changed, and we have developed as human beings. Most of us became aware of this inequality, and we decided to give women a chance. But aye, there's the rub. We think that we control every aspect of nature nowadays, and we are not even aware of how quickly she is dying out. Both men and women must join their forces in order to save what’s left and live in harmony once again.

In this article, I want to talk about the decoration of your house. If you are one of those people who would like to help nature, and who enjoys just being out there, having the sun shining all over their faces, you would maybe like to decorate your house so that you bring all that nature into your home. There are several ways you can do that. For example, you can have many exotic plants in one special room, or you can have different exotic animals caged in your bedroom. But the most natural way to express your attitude towards nature are aquariums. Owning an aquarium has its pros and cons, but the feeling of having a part of „where life came from” in your living room is one of the best enjoyments you can have in a lifetime.

Pros and cons of owning an aquarium

First of all, you can make your life a bit more interesting with a new hobby. Many people enjoy fishing and spending time on their boats and yachts, but the truth is, it is much more of an enjoyment to have the fish in your home. It is scientifically proven that looking at fish calms nerves, and makes you a stronger person. I do not say that you should spend all day watching your pets swimming left and right, but an occasional look now and then would really have an outstanding effect on your temperament and on you as a human being. Secondly, this is the best decoration that you can get. Now, seriously, you can have all the sculptures and paintings that you can, but nothing will ever make you satisfied as well as an aquarium can. When a guest arrives, he will have much more fun playing with your fish than staring at a painting of an author whose name he has never heard of before. And finally, it is a lot of fun. You will spend many hours cleaning and maintaining your aquarium, but believe me, with the right tools, all that seems to be a very relaxing process. Namely, there are certain tools that can help you with maintenance. For example, as we all know, the water temperature needs to be different from the temperature where we live in. Fish that live in deep seas can only survive if the temperature is much cooler. Therefore, aquarium heaters are tools that will constantly change the temperature and keep it adequate, in order to keep your fish and other sea and river creatures alive. You can also include aquarium filters if you are going to shop, because they will save you a lot of time and energy when it comes to cleaning the water and cleaning the aquarium itself.

On the other hand, that constant and repeating action of cleaning can become a bit boring. If you are not the kind of person who can overcome these kinds of problems, you will have to cope up with cleaning very often, and I advise you to find joy in this as soon as possible. Secondly, your fish can sometimes be very needy and you will have to feed them regularly and even the slightest error in the feeding pattern can kill them. Therefore, if you are not a responsible person, you better let somebody else who lives with you do it. Finally, aquariums can take up a lot of space. If you are living in a, for example, one flat of standard size, you will have trouble adapting your living space to the aquarium. They are best kept in big rooms with a lot of free space in between.

I am no expert when it comes to home decoration and design, but I do know this: it is the new era that will bring certain changes into the minds of people, and all we can do is follow that change by changing ourselves and our environment. You need not necessarily own an aquarium in order to support that change, but anything that will make your approach to nature more direct will come in handy. Therefore, you need to use your imagination and decorate your home however your heart desires. I, myself, have opted for aquariums because they calm my soul and my eyes, and because I believe that water is much more important in our lives than we think.

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A Love Story about Mankind and Nature that You Know Very Well

There is some kind of order on this planet that makes it turn around. Some people say it is love but some claim that money makes it go around. As far as I am concerned, we will never know. However, one thing that kept everything under control and kept the world in balance was the relationship between nature and men. Since the dawn of days, man was a servant to nature, and nature rewarded him for that service with its fruits. However, men started being obsessed with power. It was not enough for them to control only one another, but they also wanted to control nature as well. And so it began – we started making this planet sicker and sicker with each new day. Many oil companies were built, the atmosphere was polluted and nature started dying slowly. Oceans, seas and rivers suffered the most. Many species that we were not even aware of disappeared from the face of the earth just like dust in the wind. It is something that happened in a blink of an eye, and we were not aware of it at all. However, lately the awareness has raised, and many people started to think a bit differently. There are more and more campaigns that indicate how endangered the planet is, and that we are going to destroy ourselves if we do not do something immediately. You now ask yourself how can you help? Well, there are many things you can do. I am going to write about nature in your home in this article because bringing nature to your home is the first step towards a better future for our planet.

Can you put a river in your home? I think you can

The first thing that comes to my mind when it comes to „bringing“ nature to your home are indoor aquariums. People who have aquariums are said to be more relaxed and to enjoy life more than others. Just looking at the fish moving makes your brain and muscles relax and makes you feel better. There are also more benefits that fish ponds can bring you. For example, I enjoy cleaning and keeping my aquarium „in shape“. It fulfills me and makes me forget about other things in my life which make me stressed and depressed. There is a big number of different fish tanks to choose from in order to match them with the theme of your home. For example, there are those old cubical ones, that can fit almost everywhere, but if you are a person of style and taste, there are other shapes which will emphasize the importance of owning an aquarium and having nature in your home. On the other hand, aquariums can be a bit tricky to maintain, since you are dealing with something where life should be preserved. Fish are very sensitive creatures and even the slightest error in maintenance can lead to their death. Therefore, it is extremely important that you educate yourself before getting an aquarium. There is plenty of useful information on the internet, but the best thing you can do is to ask for advice from somebody who has had an aquarium for a very long time. It is even better to let them show you how things work and how you should „approach“ the whole situation. I can provide you with information about some basic equipment that aquariums require here. First of all, let me start with unnecessary ones – lights. The look of your aquarium is also important, because those which are clean but not decorated can be repelling to an eye as much as the dirty ones. Therefore, one of the best way to let your aquarium catch an eye of a visitor is to make it more visible, and that is achieved by lighting. You can place lights at the bottom of the aquarium and make light go upwards, which makes the atmosphere in the room relaxed. Or you can put lights on the sides and emphasize the fish themselves in the first place. There are different kinds of lights. The thing that will make your aquarium even more interesting are neon lights and not just neon but colorful ones. That will make a pretty small circus or concert inside your aquarium with your fish as clowns and rock stars. I even went further on and made the lights move. Do not do that without anyone who is good with electricity because there is a big possibility that it will come in touch with water. If that happens you can say goodbye to your fish, or you would not have to because you will be dead as well.

Eventually you are going to get tired of cleaning your aquarium. Although it is worth the work, sometimes cleaning can be very exhausting and time-consuming. But you can solve that problem by buying Aquarium Filters. These devices can save you a lot of time because they do all the filtering of water and make sure your fish do not die in filth. You can look for one on the internet, or you can check you local aquarium store for it. I am not sure about how much of these thing are there for sale. The last thing I want to tell you is something about Aquarium Heaters. As the name suggests, they will change the water temperature to a certain degree. This is extremely necessary if you take into account that fish that live in deeper water can survive only in cool water, whilst the ones that live near the surface prefer warmer water.

To sum up, I have just shown you one of the aspects of decorating your home. Of course, you need not be some kind of ecologist or environment lover in order to have an aquarium in your house, but it is always better to know that by owning one you are contributing to the movement that fights for saving nature and the planet earth from the destructive force of this new age.

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Technological Advancement or Total Disaster? Aquariums Hold the Answer

Can you imagine what would life be like if we were to return to nature, living without electricity and without all the necessary equipment that we are used to? Can you imagine life without the internet or without television, where everyone would be able to be themselves. I do not say that this rather new technology is harmful. On the contrary, it has helped us a great deal so far, and without the internet, for example, we would not be able to see what is happening on the other side of the world. But the bad side is that all these tech advancements have caused some changes not only among people, but in nature. New technology requires more power, and power is achieved by controlling and exploiting nature and its fruits. Once upon a time, we were reasonable when it comes to using nature's gifts, but men have become greedy, and the more we had the more we needed. Oceans and rivers seem to be the most endangered. Many fish and other species that live in still unexplored areas of the ocean die on a daily basis due to oil leaks. But there are ways to fight back. I have been a man of nature and a fighter for the „green” world for a long time, and I have been searching for certain methods of fighting back and bringing everlasting peace in this struggle between man and nature. I am talking about bringing nature back into peoples’ homes. This can be achieved solely by owning a garden with different plants, or owning a small zoo with a few animals that you will love and feed every day. But the thing I want to talk about the most are aquariums.

All the fish in all the oceans, rivers, lakes and seas in the world – unite

First of all, owning an aquarium is a direct approach to fighting against endangered species in the oceans. As I have mentioned, many fish die every day, and just by having some in your home means a lot to the world of pisces. If you are about to buy an aquarium and support this movement, I suggest you seek a few pieces of advice from someone who already knows a lot about this kind of hobby. I am no expert in this area, but I will try to explain several things when it comes to owning and maintaining an aquarium. You should, firstly, decide whether you are going to have fish from the rivers or from the oceans and seas. As you know, oceans and seas have salty water and, logically, the sole existence of fish from rivers would not be possible in such an environment. Therefore, there are normal aquariums, also known as fish tanks and ponds and there are kinds of aquariums that are built specially for fish and other creatures that live their lives at sea. Now, the size does matter, no matter what they say. Of course, I mean the size of the aquarium you are about to buy. If you are planning to devote a lot of your time to the fish and aquariums, you can buy those big ones that will cover one whole wall. But, if you are new to this hobby, I suggest you take a smaller one, and have no more than five fish. Then again, if the fish are not that big or needy, you can have more than five, even with no experience at all. At the end, it all comes down to the fact that you are about to start something new which will eventually become an important part of your life, believe it or not. It is the same story as with other pets. For fifteen years I had been trying to persuade my parents to buy me a dog. At the age of twenty five, my father bought me one for my birthday and from that moment on it was him who could not take his eyes off the pet. They literally became best friends, and it took him fifteen and more years to realize how much pets can actually mean to people. The same story goes with the fish. These little creatures can become part of your family in no time, and you will be very happy to have them in your life.

But now comes the time where I must warn you about some other consequences of buying an aquarium. As you may know, they will require a lot of maintenance, which you will have to do on a daily basis. You can do it by yourself, or you can hire someone who has experience in that area to do it for you. However, a lot of time spent on the internet, made me think about certain devices that can help me with cleaning and generally maintaining the aquarium. I found about these things called Aquarium Filters, which made the whole cleaning process much easier. What it did was keep the water clean as much as possible by adding certain substances into in. Therefore, the time you spent just changing the water in the aquarium can be reduced twice or even thrice, and you will save a lot of energy also, since that procedure is very exhausting. Other devices such as Aquarium heaters can help you with keeping the temperature of the water constant, because some fish will require constant water temperature.

To sum up, although technology is very helpful nowadays, we should spent more time in nature and use high tech devices a little bit less in order to save planet from the extinction that has been threatening it for the past two or three decades. You can help nature even by doing some other things such as decorating your home in more “natural” way. Among all the other things that you can put in your home I recommend you buy an aquarium since that can be a way of helping endangered species that die every single day due to pollution.

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Aquariums – Making Fish Feel at Home

In the modern world, people have drifted away from nature due to the constant urbanization process that is taking the world up by storm, so, it is “only natural” that people have incorporated loads of things from nature into their own homes, which is something that is very good for everyday life, in my opinion. Several people have loads of plants, and it is not that uncommon nowadays to have a pet. Both of these things are literally used to live up the place and get it more in touch with the roots of our existence.

In this article, I am going to focus on all those people who have chosen fishkeeping as a way of making their home more natural, and I will provide some advice on what to do in order to get the best out of it.

First of all, an aquarium or fish tank is a place where you can keep both plants and animals, so it is, as the expression states, killing two birds with one stone. Now, modern technology has done its part and made the process of keeping the aquarium clean and well-functioning much easier to humans. There are several water cleaners and pumps that will do the filtration process and take care of all the waste that is produced by the fish. But there is a more important thing to worry about. You see, each type of fish is used to living in a specific kind of water, which is, yet again, “only natural”. When you purchase fish, make sure that you have done your homework and that you have determined what are the water properties that will suite your fish the best in terms of water heat, the pH value, the salinity, and so on. When you have done this, you have to make sure that the water is set to these properties prior to putting the fish in the aquarium. There are numerous test kits that will aid you in the process and all of them come with a detailed description of how they are used, so I will not elaborate on that in this piece of text. I will, however, tell you that if you don’t do this, you will have to deal with a tank filled with dead fish, which is something that, as far as I can tell, no one wants.

When it comes to the decoration of the aquarium, it is not just about how good it will look to you, but how natural it will be for the fish, and there are ways to make both things work. Fish are used to having plants in the water, and apart from that, they are used to all sorts of inanimate objects that they consider hiding places. So, anything that is not very big, and doesn’t use up a ton of space in the aquarium will do. Needless to say, there are loads of ornaments particularly designed to be used in an aquarium, so make sure that you explore your options as much as you can and go for what you think is best.

You should also think about the shape of the aquarium itself, because some fish are used to having a lot of space, while others do not have problems in traffic. That is yet another thing that you should keep in mind when purchasing the fish – how will it feel in your aquarium (it is logical that you purchase the fish that will like it in your aquarium that to purchase the aquarium after purchasing the fish).

To conclude this article, I will say that you purchase fish so that you bring a dose of nature to your own home, which is cool, but you should make sure that the fish are happy and satisfied, just to make sure that they have as long a lifespan as possible. If not for humane reasons, this is done for economic reasons as well – you won’t have to buy new fish as often as inconsiderate people. 

 All in all, fishkeeping is a noble process, and people who have fish in their homes are considered to be nice, considerate, successful and calm, so if you are thought to be such a person, do live up to your reputation.

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Lighting in an Aquarium

The basic role of the aquarium lightning is to allow the fish-keepers to watch their fish. But, what’s more important, it provides the energy to the plants and animals that are photosynthetic. It’s usually the primary and the only source of lightning and it’s of big essence to any system that has plants, coral or anemones that are photosynthetic. The behavior of your fish is also influenced by the source of lightning and their psychology and health and the well-being of the whole tank depends on lightning.

Different set-ups demand different kinds of light fixtures and light bulbs. There are various different lightning options for fish-keepers and their fish, of course. The diversity of types of lightning makes it possible for the aquarists to provide the proper source of lightning for their fish. Tank lightning is grouped into three general types: there’s the common fluorescent lightning, metal halide lightning of high intensity and compact fluorescent lightning. Common output fluorescent lightning or standard fluorescent lightning are the easiest to provide the illumination for an aquarium. Choosing this sort of lightning is best for saltwater-fish-only tanks and fresh tanks, too. There’s a large selection of bulbs made for this sort of lightning and everything seems to allow the fish-keeper to customize tank lightning. You can use different bulbs in order to provide the right kind of lightning for you fish.

Actinic white bulbs create a mild blue or white light that, actually, recreates the marine light. It is a mix of a blue and white actinic light. This light may be pleasing to your eyes and, also help the photosynthetic growth of corals. Color-enhancing bulbs emit warmer and richer colors and really increase the spectrum of colors. They are made to display the colors of your tank’s inhabitants. It’s good for saltwater and fresh-fish-only tanks. Daylight bulbs provide something close to natural sunlight because they emit the wavelengths of already visible light.  The whole color spectrum is also emitted. These bulbs are made for general purposes and ideal for any type of saltwater and fresh tanks. Actinic bulbs provide all kinds of blue of the color spectrum. They imitate the light conditions of deep water and help creating the needed energy for growth of photosynthetic corals. They are appropriate for marine aquariums and coral reef tanks. Plant bulbs provide the light needed for the plants’ growth. Because they emit both blue and red regions of the spectrum of colors, they maximize the photosynthetic activity of plants. High-intensity bulbs emit a crisp white light and are usually combined with actinic bulbs in marine tanks. They imitate a brilliant light that’s found in deep water and they emit a white-blue light. This light appears pretty cool. Compact fluorescents are a higher version of normal output fluorescent lightning. This lightning doesn't have single tube bulbs, but incorporates quad or dual tube bulbs so that greater light is emitted. It can easily replace two normal fluorescent fixtures, and provide as many light as the common fluorescent fixture does. 

They also save a lot of space and are a good choice if you want to upgrade your fish tank and your light system in it. They are nothing more difficult to handle than normal fluorescent light systems, but they still have all the advantages of the normal ones. Compact fluorescents are ideal for marine and freshwater tanks. Metals halide lightning systems have a good reputation among advanced fish-keepers. Unlike other HID system, this one provides a wide range of colors of the color spectrum and the rendition of colors produced by them is well suited for tanks. They are great for aquariums, especially reef tanks, because their inhabitants need high lightning conditions. Metal halide lightning is most commonly used for very large tanks or the ones that are deeper than 25 inches. That’s because of the inability of other systems to provide that much light.

Conclusion

When choosing the right system of lightning for your tank and your fish depend on your taste, the size of your aquarium and the fish’s needs. But, make sure not to experiment with lightning systems that are not made for fish tanks. The health of your fish and the beauty of your aquarium depend on the source of lightning a lot. So, be well informed, and choose carefully.

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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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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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Yasha Nano Reef Tank

For most people the word aquarium simply means an overgrown fish bowl. They think of it as simply pouring some tap water into a glass container and filling it with a bunch of cool-looking fish. However, there are people out there who can appreciate the finer things in life, and know how to relax and enjoy the colorful nature of the world around them. If you are one of those people, I can tell you that there is nothing you can set up in your home that will bring a sense of serenity and put a smile on your face quite like a nicely decorated marine aquarium. The most beautiful and awe inspiring of these are reef aquariums, with their plethora of colorful corals and various exotic sea creatures.

If you have seen pictures of huge, wall mounted aquariums and lamented over the fact that you could never afford such beauty, than the Yasha Nano Reef Tank is perhaps just the right thing for you. It is, as its name suggests, a smaller, budget friendly version of its big reef aquarium brothers, and is one of the best and most popular models on the market. It can hold a few sea creatures and fish, but the main focus of a tank, with the size of 36 liters, are the actual live corals themselves. It is designed to best showcase these magnificent corals, without consuming too much space in your house, or in your office.

The Yasha Nano Reef Tank has a maximum capacity of 36 liters, it weighs 15 kg (empty) and it measures 40cm by 30cm by 30cm, so as you can see it really doesn’t take up a lot of space. It can be easily installed in your living room, even if you don’t have a great amount free space – simply put it on a small table, a counter or even in a corner. You could put it in your office to brighten it up with some colour, and it goes well with other room decorations and furniture. It fits both the modern and more traditional interior decorating styles. There are of course larger models if space isn’t an issue, but they do cost more.

In terms of equipment, the Yasha Nano Reef Tank has a rear filter compartment with two components. First there is the Turboflotor Blue 500 protein skimmer, a very important part of the aquarium – it removes decomposing organic compounds before turning into nitrogenous waste. The protein skimmers main task is basically keeping everything inside the aquarium alive and happy. The second component in the filter compartment is the NanoProp 5000 stream pump with an adjustable output ranging from 2000 to 5000 l/h. This reef tank is of a solid construction and compact size, and will remain in perfect working condition  for years, even decades if proper care is taken. It can, as it is often the case with beautiful reef aquariums, remain a treasured household item for the generations to come.

In order to better showcase the beauty of the live corals, the Yasha Nano Reef Tank includes three Aquasunspot LEDs, each giving 9 watts of light at a 14.000 Kelvin colour temperature. This keeps the water at an optimal temperature for the organisms living inside, but also helps illuminate the whole reef tank with intense light providing you with an astonishing display that everyone will admire. One must experience the sight of this aquarium sitting atop a table in a dark room to fully appreciate the breathtaking beauty of the intricate shapes and vivid colours of the corals and tropical fish. It is quite something to gaze at as ones mind drifts of, a sort of zen moment you can have a few times during the day as you relax, and put your worries on hold.

All in all, if you are looking for something that will liven up your room and bring some colour and style into your life, but you don’t have the space, time and money to invest in a large fish tank, then you should definitely start your home decorating journey by looking into the Yasha Nano Reef Tank 36L model. It is sturdy and compact, user friendly, aesthetically pleasing and it will only cost you $595, which is quite good as nano reef tank prices go.

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Fish Tanks: How Do I Choose the Right Size

If you have never owned a fish tank before you may think that a smaller tank will be easier to handle than a larger one. While this may seem like good logic, the opposite is actually true - larger fish tanks typically require less maintenance than smaller tanks. There are several reasons why this is true and it is wise to familiarize yourself with the benefits of large versus small tanks before you decide which tank size is right for you. If you know the advantages and disadvantages associated with different size fish tanks you will be better equipped to make an educated decision regarding your own tank.

Large VS Small Tanks

Though it may seem strange to think that larger tanks are easier to maintain than smaller tanks, it all has to do with the water volume in the tank. Small fish tanks like BiOrb Life 30L, Fluval Edge 23L or Fluval Edge 46L, contain less water than large tanks and small water volumes are more easily affected by outside influences. For example, if the aquarium heater in a five gallon tank were to give out it would not take long for the water in the aquarium to become cold. A larger tank, for example Red Sea MAX 250 Marine Aquarium or Juwel Vision 450 Aquarium, however, holds more water and, thus, would not cool quite so quickly. The water volume in a fish tank also plays a role in maintaining stable water chemistry. As your fish excrete waste and as uneaten fish food builds up on the bottom of your tank, harmful toxins like ammonia and nitrites are produced. While in small tanks the presence of these chemicals can quickly affect water quality, large tanks have a greater water volume to dilute these toxins. This is especially important for new aquarium hobbyists to realize – the greater water volume in larger tanks is more forgiving of the mistakes novice aquarists are likely to make than smaller tanks. 

Necessary Considerations 

Aside from the basic advantages and disadvantages associated with small versus large fish tanks, you also need to consider the space you have available in your home as well as the type of fish you plan on raising. Before you bring home a fish tank you need to know where you are going to put it. The ideal location for an aquarium is somewhere visible but not in the direct line of traffic. You should also be sure to keep your fish tank out of direct sunlight or you could experience problems with excessive algae growth. When deciding where to put your tank it is also wise to select an easily-accessible location, not an out-of-the-way nook where tank maintenance might be difficult. 

One of the most important factors in deciding what size fish tank you need is the type of fish you intend to keep. If you plan to keep small species like danios and guppies, a twenty- or thirty-gallon tank will provide plenty of space. Larger species like gouramis and cichlids, however, may require more space. Before you purchase a tank, research the various species of fish you intend to keep in order to determine their tank requirements. You need to not only consider the type of fish you plan to keep, but also the number of fish. When you are first starting out in the aquarium hobby it is wise to limit yourself to one inch of fish (taking into account the adult size of the fish) per gallon of tank capacity. Following this rule will help you to avoid overstocking your tank.

Other Things to Think About 

On the more practical side of things, cost may be a large factor in determining what size fish tank you get. The larger the tank, the greater the cost will be for not just the tank itself but also for the necessary equipment. If you are looking for a way to save money while also purchasing a decent-sized tank, look for aquarium kits that include the tank and all the basic necessities. These kits are affordably priced and may cost significantly less than purchasing the tank and all the start-up equipment separately. In addition to the amount of money you are willing to spend, you also need to think about how much time you have to devote to tank maintenance. The main tasks you will need to perform are weekly water tests and water changes. The amount of time needed for a water test remains the same for tanks of all sizes but the time it takes to perform a water change varies. Though it may take longer to replace 25% of the water in a 40-gallon tank than a 10-gallon tank, the decreased capacity for a 10-gallon tank to dilute toxins makes it necessary to perform water changes more frequently than in a 40-gallon tank. 

If you are able to devote an hour or two each week to tank maintenance tasks, there is only one good reason for you to select a small aquarium over a larger one. If you are a marine enthusiast, you may find it difficult to indulge your favorite past time, especially if you live far away from the beach or may simply be too busy to visit as often as you would like.

Why not consider bringing a small part of this ecosystem into your home? 

There might be a corner of the house crying out for something to fill it; and you may already have enough pictures, flowers as well as other common decorative additions. Consider a nano fish tank; it can just be the inclusion you need, as most will allow you to get creative and use similar theme colours that already exist within your home. Fish come in different shades, and provide a variety as far as matching goes.

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BiOrb 105L Aquarium

The latest biOrb 105L aquarium was introduced at a prestigious US trade show for the pet industry in Orlando, Florida. Designed by UK-based Reef One, the biOrb 105 gained 2nd place in the Aquatics Best in Show category, voted at Global Pet Expo, the largest show of its kind in America.

Like all other biOrb fish tanks, such as biOrb 30L, biOrb 45L and biOrb 60L, the biOrb 105L aquarium uses special ceramic media to provide biological filtration, which has a surface area equivalent to the size of a football pitch. 

The biOrb 105 follows in the same footsteps as the original biOrbs, special from biOrb life collection, but expands on the size without affecting the style and elegance. This wonderful design together with its low maintenance and strong, safe construction will appeal to all age groups in both private and business sectors. Made from strong, crystal clear acrylic with a capacity of 105 litres of water and weighing 115 kilos when full, it is ideal for most types of fish keeping.

If you are interested for other biOrb life fish tanks check out our product pages:

• BiOrb Life 30L Aquarium
• BiOrb Life 45L Aquarium
• BiOrb Life 60L Aquarium

Enjoy the quality of an intelligently designed aquarium that offers built-in features that are not found elsewhere, and an aquarium that looks great anywhere in the house. Any excess waste is collected and held in a filter cartridge at the base of the biOrb.

The biOrb 105L has an intelligent light which uses long life LEDs to automatically replicate a natural 24 hour light cycle.  The high performance Intelligent LED Light is one of the most advanced lights in the aquarium market. The Intelligent Light replicates natural daylight, with a gradual sunrise and sunset which automatically fades into a blue moonlight after the day time cycle has completed. 

For your peace of mind, the lights and pump are low voltage and are backed by a 12 month guarantee.

The aquarium itself is made from acrylic which is ten times stronger than glass. In fact acrylic which is just over one inch thick is bullet resistant.

Acrylic has a transparency rate of 93% making it the clearest material known. Glass only allows 70% of light to pass through and thick glass always has a green tint.

Acrylic aquariums retain heat nearly twice as well as glass which means they require less power to heat.

You can keep larger species of fish in your biOrb 105 - go tropical or marine - and still enjoy the benefits of an aquarium which is simple to look after.

BiOrb 105L box package contains: biOrb 105 aquarium, 900g of ceramic media, Air stone, Filter Cartridge, Plug top 12v transformer, Low voltage air pump, Water conditioner and beneficial bacteria liquid, Fish food and Instructions.

Dimensions: Height: 24.8 inches (63cm), Width: 24 inches (61cm), Weight (empty): 10, Weight (full): 115 kg, Volume: 105L

Transformer: 12v transformer, 12 month guarantee

12V Intelligent LED light: Low voltage 12V AC Power 50/60 Hz, 3x daylight power LED's (supplied fitted), 1x Moonlight LED (supplied fitted), Built-in automatic electronic timer, Optional day-length modes, Low power consumption, 12 month guarantee

12V Air Pump: Quiet operation, 1.5m air line with 1-way valve, 1m power cable,12 month guarantee

Voltage: 12V AC, Frequency: 50Hz or 60Hz, Safety Standards

The 105 liter fish bowl incorporates a clever and easy to change filtration system that has been designed to provide maximum benefits to both fish and fish keepers. Maintenance is reduced thanks to the easy to change filter cartridge system.  

The biOrb 105L makes maintenance easy, compared to similar sized aquariums this fish tank has the biggest biological filtration system (in fact many aquariums with external filters have less biological filtration). Also the biological filtration in the biOrb 105 remains in the aquarium at all times, ensuring that filtration is not disturbed when maintenance is carried out. The biOrb offers multi-stage filtration, every cartridge contains mechanical filtration, chemical filtration and water optimizers to give your fish the ideal water conditions and keep maintenance lower for you.

If you need additional information check out our web store PondQuip - Aquarium & Pond equipment and supplies. PondQuip are specialists in the fish pond and aquarium field offering a comprehensive range of pond supplies delivered from Newcastle NSW direct to your door anywhere in Australia.

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BiOrb Fish Tanks - BiOrb Life 30L, 45L and 60L

Biorb fish tanks can make your home or office, fully inspired and brightened, by the unique style and creative design of these aquariums. My personal favorite collection is the BiOrb Life, available in three different sizes as square style Life 30L and portrait style Life 45L and Life 60L.

BiOrb Life aquarium collection includes the BiOrb’s advanced filtration system keeping the water clean for long time, providing a healthy habitat for fish.

For your peace of mind, the lights and pump are low voltage and are backed by a 12 month guarantee. The aquarium itself is made from acrylic which is ten times stronger than glass.

Available in three colours White, Black and Red.

BiOrb Life 30L aquarium – aquarium set dimensions:
Height: 16 inches (41cm), Width: 16 inches (40cm), Depth: 9.5 inches (23cm), Weight (Full): 35kg

Biorb Life 30L Black and a new tank-mate

BiOrb Life 45L aquarium – aquarium set dimensions:
Height: 23 inches (58cm) Width: 15 inches (38cm), Depth: 10 inches (26cm), Weight (Full): 50kg

Finn, Halfmoon Betta in Biorb Life 45 with friends 

BiOrb Life 60L aquarium – aquarium set dimensions:

Height: 25 inches (63cm), Width: 16.5 inches (42cm)), Depth: 11 inches (28cm), Weight (Full): 65kg

60L BiOrb Life with Halfmoon Betta and WCCM's 

These fish tanks are suitable as a cold-water aquarium for fantail goldfish, guppies, neon tetras and any other small fish. If you want to keep tropical fish you can simply equipped your fish tank either with the BiOrb heater pack or the BiOrb Intelligent Heater.

For more information check out my Google+ post about BiOrb Life Aquariums or check out our web store PondQuip - Pond Supplies and Equipment.

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