Cooling an Aquarium

As it is the height of summer here in the northern hemisphere and the temperatures in my tanks can get as high as 85F (30C) I figured a post on cooling an aquarium would be relevant and useful. If you don't have air conditioning in the room where your aquarium is located or in your home at all, these tips can help to reduce the stress on your aquarium.

Just like the sun on a hot summer day, the lighting in your aquarium is probably responsible for most of the heat raising the temperature in your aquarium. With planted aquariums, the lighting often gets very hot and if the temperature of the room where the aquarium is is high as well, this can rapidly warm the water. Therefore, one of the ways to cool your aquarium is to cool your lights. Cooling the aquarium lights also helps to extend the lives of the bulbs, so if your lighting doesn't come with any sort of ventilation fans, consider adding some. They can be purchased at almost any aquarium supply shop or online.

Another way to cool your lights is to raise them up off any sort of canopy you may have. This will improve air flow around them and in turn reduce their temperatures. Also, removing an aquarium lid or canopy can also reduce the temperature in the aquarium through evaporation. As the water evaporates, it cools the remaining water and with the top of the aquarium open, evaporation occurs much more rapidly. The downside to this is you will have to top up your aquarium much more frequently to make up for the increase in evaporation.

For a simple and cheap way to cool your lights and your aquarium at the same time, try placing a regular household fan next to your aquarium at water level so it is blowing across the top of the water. Or you can get specially designed aquarium cooling fans like the ones above. By moving air across the surface, you are increasing the rate of evaporation and therefore cooling the remaining water. The moving air will also cool the lights. Again, the downside to this approach is watching the water level and topping it off to make up for all that water being lost.

If you have money to spend, the best option for cooling an aquarium is a chiller. These are not cheap and are usually at least $500 but it is basically an air conditioner for your aquarium. Some use electricity and a semiconductor to cool the water and others move the water past coolant. I would only really recommend these if you have money to burn or if you live in an area where the temperature of your tank is consistently pushing 85-90F (30-32C) and you are trying to keep heat sensitive specimens such as shrimp.

A final, and marginally effective method is to do partial water changes with cool water. A word of warning here: do not use very cold water and do not change a lot of the water at once. Large temperature swings will be very stressful on your fish and could end up in illness or death. Instead, change small amounts with slightly cooler water often. Another idea I've seen discussed is to use a small plastic container floated on the surface full of ice. As long as you have good circulation in your aquarium and as long as it isn't too much ice, this should work alright as well. However neither method will bring the temperature down very low without a lot of effort.

Good luck!

Dutch Vs. Nature Style Aquariums

In the world of aquascaping and planted tanks, there are two major schools of thought: the Dutch style and the Nature style (also called Japanese style, but not to be confused with the el Natural style which is not a style of aquascaping but an entirely approach to keeping a planted aquarium). Both are popular styles that are based on the arrangement of plants in the aquarium and the way it is aquascaped and are by no means the only way to aquascape a tank. Most hobbyists choose to loosely follow one school based on their own personal preference of what they think looks better.



Dutch aquariums are an older style of aquascaping, dating back to early 20th century Holland. The style focuses on neat rows of plants radiating out from a central focal point, with lower plants in front and taller plants in the back (creating depth). You'll often see this described as "streets" or "avenues" using plants.



Dutch aquascapes also feature more colorful aquatic plants. They can be likened to a well kept garden, where all the plants are arranged with a purpose and kept well trimmed and defined. It may not be the most natural looking, but it is extremely beautiful and visually interesting. A significant hardscape (rock and/or driftwood) is usually not present or visible. Color, contrast, and the beauty of the individual plants is paramount.



The Nature aquarium style was pioneered by Takashi Amano in the last decade. The style of this type of aquascape is very much focused on nature and imitating both natural landscapes and snapshots of natural environments. This means that a Nature style aquascape can look like a miniature version of a mountain range with tree lined slopes, or like a scene under the surface of a small river.


Hardscape usually plays a role in framing the aquascape or helps to create flow. Nature style aquascapes are often also one of three shapes: concave shaped, convex shaped, or triangular. Concave means that the height of the plants decreases to some central low point, then slopes back up. Convex is the opposite of concave, and is often called an "island" shape since the plants are low on either side but high in the middle. Finally, triangular shaped aquascapes are shaped like a right triangle, and the height of the plants slopes gradually from high on one side of the tank to low on the other. In most Nature style aquascapes, there is only one main focal point and it is almost always positioned according to the Golden Rule. Natural appearance, flow, and other Japanese gardening principles are most important

Within each of these styles there are further sub-styles that I'll explore a little further in another article.

Aquascape Analysis #5: ADA Tank 35

This week's Aquascape Analysis is ADA Tank 35 from the ADA Thailand website. This is a beautiful tank with a mossy foreground, tall busy background plants, and a great sense of depth.


If we take a look at the profile, we can see fairly easily that this is a "V" shaped aquascape. In fact, the plants on either side nearly reach the surface of the aquarium. The deep drop in the middle combined with the gradually shorter plants towards the middle create a sense of perspective as well, creating depth.


The focal point of this aquarium is the only red plant in the aquascape, off-center in the background. Since it is the only red plant in the aquascape, it draws the viewer's gaze immediately. A red plant among green is often the easiest way to create a focal point. There are several secondary focal points as well, with the bright green plants on the right and left dominating. However, the small anubias in the midground also serve as a secondary focal point due to the contrast in leaf shape, size, and color against the moss and a dark background.


As for the flow of this aquascape, it tends to originate from the focal point (as in most Amano style aquascapes). It then moves towards the left side of the tank. This is the dominant side of the tank, despite the brightness of the right. It's the depth and contrast of textures on the left side that draws the viewer's gaze. The viewer's gaze then either returns to the focal point or moves to the right side, directed by the moss covered driftwood. A large part of the right side is also dark, adding to the submissive role this side plays in the overall aquascape.


As for the foreground (green), midground (yellow), and background (blue), the foreground is clearly almost entirely moss. This aquascape makes use of moss as a ground cover and it helps at a messy, wild feeling to the aquarium (without actually being too messy or wild, almost a controlled chaos). The midground makes up the bulk of the right side and most of the moss covered driftwood. I included the right side in the midground because I feel that due to a lack of depth, the right side almost feels like it is right up to the glass (and it is to some extent, note the large dark space in the bottom right). The background makes up the remaining part of the tank, including the focal point and some of the plants from the right hand side that are further towards the back of the tank.

The major lesson that can be learned from this aquascape is that the use of depth can affect the flow and composition of the aquascape greatly. By using depth on the right hand side, the aquascape draws the viewer's gaze to this side. The right side is much closer to the viewer, and is thus not as comfortable to look at compared to the left side. Perspective and depth can also be forced in smaller tanks by placing plants in a gradually descending row. This effect has to be fine tuned, but if used correctly, can add depth to even the smallest tanks.

Taking the First Steps Towards a Planted Aquarium

So you currently have a fish only aquarium and you're interested in adding live plants, but you're daunted by all the equipment needed and extra time and money spent on fertilizing and trimming. You barely have the time to maintain your current set up and doubt you'd have any extra time to care for the plants. You read articles about CO2 and NPK and substrates and light levels and it all just overwhelms you to the point of giving up.

If this sounds familiar, read on.

Most people are daunted by planted aquariums, and rightly so. Obtaining a shimmering paradise of lush green plants and vibrant fish is not an easy task. You are emulating nature, and keeping everything in balance is no easy task. The key is to start out slowly. Before spending money on lighting upgrades and CO2 systems and other bells and whistles, try some hardy, low-light plants in your current set up. As long as you have a light, there are certain plants you can grow in any aquarium. Picking the right plants is very important though. This is where a lot of people's dream of a planted aquarium dies as they watch their first (or far from first!) plants slowly wither away and die.

You need plants that are tough and don't need a lot of light. That means they aren't going to grow very fast, but they will probably survive. Here are some options for your first plants in a very low light setup (under 1.5 watts per gallon), and please note that the pictures are of specimens that were probably grown under more light and thus are more lush and green:

Java Fern - an old standby, this plant grows off of a rhizome and should not be planted in the substrate or the rhizome will rot. Simply tie it to a rock or driftwood or anchor it on top of the substrate and it will attach itself via roots. Java Ferns are very slow growers and produce little baby plants on their leaves. These can be separated once large enough and anchored and they will grow into a new plant.

Java Moss - a stringy moss that also grows slowly can be grown un-anchored (it actually naturally sinks) or tied to an object to which it will attach. Not the prettiest plant in a low light environment as it tends to be stringier, but a very hardy plant. It can become somewhat of a pest though if it gets into your filter, though I've never had a problem with this since it sinks.

Duckweed - a floating plant that grows rapidly on the surface of the water, duckweed can often be gotten for free from any pet store, where it is often an unwanted pest. It sucks up nutrients rapidly and can quickly cover the surface of your aquarium blocking most light, so if you have other plants, duckweed is not recommended. It is also quite hard to get rid of once you get it, since the leaves can be tiny and if you leave even just one behind it can turn into hundreds in a short amount of time. Some fish do enjoy eating this plant though, especially goldfish.

Anubias - Most of the Anubias available will grow in almost any light and are quite pretty. However, some grow to be quite large, so you may want to look online for a "petite" variety that tends to stay much smaller. These plants also have a rhizome and should not be buried in the substrate but tied to driftwood, rocks, or anchored above the substrate. Anubias are very slow growers as well.

Aponogetons - These plants grow from a bulb and do well in low light. They can however get quite large as well. Plant the bulb under the substrate just as you would a normal plant. Many come in the form of dried bulbs available as "mystery plants" at less than reputable pet stores. To grow it, simply plant the bulb in the substrate.




Cryptocorynes - Depending on the type of crypt, some can survive in very low light. Most of the commonly available varieties (C. wendtii) are fairly hardy. They grow slowly, but don't like being moved around after they're rooted.


These plants shouldn't need any fertilizers aside from what you regularly feed your fish and should stay alive in almost any aquarium. Growth will be slow, but that's to be expected with these plants and low light. With these plants, you can have a planted aquarium with almost no additional effort on your part. The plants will help to clean the water and add oxygen and should increase the overall stability of the aquarium. Another benefit of these slow growing, hardy plants is that you don't have to worry about trimming back your plants every week (except Duckweed, which may need thinning out every week or so, but all that takes is a scoop or cup).

From there you can slowly add better lights, better substrate, CO2, and fertilizers at a rate that you're comfortable with. I'd recommend adding CO2 first, before brighter lights, only because adding brighter lights with no CO2 can lead to algae problems. That and adding CO2 to an aquarium with low light can till provide a noticeable boost in plant growth (almost as big as a new light).

Or you can simply enjoy it as is. You can certainly make an attractive planted aquarium without any additional technology or effort. So go ahead, add a few hardy plants and take the plunge into planted aquariums!

Benefits of Plants in the Aquarium

While surfing around the other aquarium websites on the internet, most dealing with fish only freshwater aquariums, I noticed that a large part of keeping a fish only aquarium is trying to overcome the drawbacks of not having live plants. It also made me realize how hard it was to actually keep fish when I still had a fish only aquarium. Diseases such as Ich were commonplace, and although the medicine was available to treat the diseases, I still invariably lost a few fish along the way. This never struck me as strange until now. Instead of desperately trying to keep the fish alive, in a planted aquarium the goal shifts to keeping the plants happy. If the plants are happy, the fish thrive. This is due to the immense benefits that keeping live plants in an aquarium can bring, including:

Aeration - Fish only aquariums are often aerated with an airstone in a desperate attempt to keep oxygen levels high so fish can breathe. In a planted aquarium, as in nature, the live plants provide all the oxygen your fish will ever need through photosynthesis. An airstone and air pump (and all the noise and vibration that go along with them) are unnecessary in a planted aquarium.

Filtration - Power filters, sponge filters, and canister filters are the only means of filtration in a fish only aquarium. It's up to these filters to remove all fish waste and waste produced by excess food. This is achieved through mechanical filtration, chemical filtration (via carbon), and biological filtration (via bacteria growing on the filter media). There are many designs of filters out there and some are better than others, but all suffer from one flaw: if not cleaned properly and regularly, their effectiveness drops. In a planted aquarium, on the other hand, only mechanical filtration is truly needed. Plants can handle chemical and biological filtration fairly well. They absorb chemicals that are harmful to fish (in fact they live off of the chemicals produced by fish waste) and provide a perfect medium for beneficial bacteria to grow on. Of course, plants have their limits of filtration as well and most planted aquariums have a back up filter providing mechanical and biological filtration. Chemical filtration in the form of carbon will remove beneficial compounds and fertilizers needed by plants, and is not advised for a planted aquarium.

Protection - In fish only aquariums, the focus is the fish themselves, and their environment can be somewhat neglected. Not having enough protection can cause fish to be stressed and more succeptable to disease. Although artifical decorations and plants can be bought and put in the aquarium to provide protection and cover for fish, they are inferior to real plants in many ways. First, they provide none of the benefits listed so far aside from a location for beneficial bacteria to colonize. Second, they are much more likely to injure fish. Live plants aren't hard and don't have sharp edges like plastic plants can.

Food Source - The only source of food in a fish only aquarium is the owner of the aquarium (aside from algae for algae eaters). That means the fish are entirely dependent on you and the food you give them. If you don't make wise choices and vary their diet, they may not be as healthy and can become more succeptable to disease. Also, if you forget to feed them, they have no alternative food sources. In a planted aquarium, the fish have a choice. Although not all fish will eat plants, most will pick at the leaves and dead or dying plant matter if no other food is available. It also helps to vary their diet. Many fish are omnivorous and need to eat plant material.

Algae Prevention - Algae is often a problem in fish only aquariums, and although keeping algae eaters and scraping the glass with an algae scraper are ways of combatting some algae, other types of algae are more stubborn. Algae occurs because there are nutrients in the water and there is light (even low light). In a planted aquarium, plants can outcompete algae and use up all of the nutrients in the water. Although this can open up a whole other can of worms while you try to get your light levels and nutrient levels right, once you get your planted aquarium balanced, you will most likely never have to clean the glass or pull algae off the gravel again.

And there you have it. These are only the practical benefits I can think of, there are many many more benefits to owning a planted aquarium, and it's easier than you may think. Even just a few floating plants can make a serious impact in the health of your fish and the tank as a whole. So what are you waiting for? Throw out that noisy air pump and dirty airstone, toss the neon pink plastic plants and cheesy castle decoration, and take the plunge into a planted aquarium. Your fish will thank you!

Aquascape Analysis #4: Filipe Alves Oliveira's "Across the River"

This week's Aquascape Analysis is not an Amano aquarium, but that of Filipe Oliveira. This aquarium, "Across the River" won him the 2006 International Aquascaping Contest promoted by the Aquatic Gardner's Association, so it's no small surprise that it's being featured here!


First, it's easily apparent that the profile of this aquarium is that of a mound, or an inverted "V." This creates attention near the center of the aquarium, which is desired for obvious reasons; in this case it is to bring the viewer in towards the focal point and the mysterious darkness right in the middle of the aquarium.


The focal point of this aquarium is the Ludwigia inclinata var. verticillata "Cuba" and more specifically, a section to the right of the center (circled in red). This section is un-obscured by driftwood and is the brightest section in the photograph. Note the use of hardscape to "frame" the focal point to eliminate the creation of too many or too large a focal point. There is also a secondary focal point to the left in the Ludwigia "Cuba" as well. The cove in the middle of the aquarium isn't really a focal point because of its darkness, but it is certainly a point of interest and the dark, somewhat obscured "river" of sand lined by rocks creates incredible amounts of mystery and hence, fascinates the viewer.


The flow of this aquascape is much different from a traditional Amano aquarium in that it does not radiate out from the focal point, but instead brings the viewer's gaze across the Ludwigia "Cuba" and down the driftwood into the Blyxa japonica and also down into the mysterious cove created in the center of the aquarium. This aquascape shows a viable alternative to Amano's radiating flow direction, although the flow here is much more subtle as the aquascape is much less "busy" than Amano's, requiring a much more gentle guidance of the viewer's gaze. Too harsh a flow and the aquascape may look manufactured.


Finally, we can see the foreground (green), midground (blue), and background (yellow). The G. elatinoides makes up the entire foreground, keeping it simple and not drawing attention. The midground consists primarily of the four large Blyxa japonica plants. These plants also serve to block the viewer's gaze of the base of the Ludwigia "Cuba" which like most stem plants, is often less attractive near the base. The Ludiwigia "Cuba" makes up the entire background, bursting with color and texture.

Overall, the major takeaways from this aquascape are that with a simpler scape, you don't need as much influence on the flow to get the viewer's gaze around the aquarium and that major points of interest need not be the focal point. Here, the cove is intensely interesting to the viewer as it is dark and hard to see where it leads, but it is also sheltered, appealing to our primitive instincts. The textures used in this aquascape also complement each other; the long deep green diagonal leaves of the Blyxa japonica contrast nicely with the bright, reddish whorls of the Ludwigia "Cuba." It's not hard to see that Filipe Oliveira has created a masterpiece out of just three types of plants and a very intriguing cove.

Aquascape Analysis #3: Amano's "Dance of the Angels"

For this week's Aquascape Analysis, I've decided to analyze Takashi Amano's aquarium "Dance of the Angels" from his book Nature Aquarium World Book 3. This is a very large aquarium (2590L or 673 Gallons!) that is designed to be viewed from both sides. I wasn't able to find a picture of the other side of the aquarium, so just understand that this is a particularly wide aquarium and has an entire other aquascape on the other side. The advantage of having such as large aquarium is you can use larger plants like Cyperus helferi and let them grow to full size. This aquascape can be imitated in a smaller aquarium though, simply by substituting larger plants like the C. helferi with smaller plants, like Blyxa japonica or Echinodorus tenellus.



First, we can see that the profile is partly obscured by the top of the photograph (or aquarium) but it has overall a sloping profile, meaning it starts lower on one side of the aquarium and slopes upwards to the opposite side. The viewer's gaze will be automatically drawn down this slope, and it also prevents a "wall of plants" effect. There is a slight "V" effect in the profile as well that helps to draw the viewer's attention towards the back of the aquarium between the C. helferi and Java Fern plants.



The focal point is somewhat hard to distinguish because of the angel fish, which obviously draw the viewer's gaze first. However, in real life, the fish wouldn't stay stationary and although they form the focal point in this photograph, the overall focal point of the aquascape is the central C. helferi plant. There are also several secondary focal points around the aquarium as well, including the C. helferi plant on the right side, the bright spot in the background, the highlighted Glossostigma elatinoides in the foreground, and of course, the fish.



Amano has cleverly placed the secondary focal points to draw the viewer's gaze around the aquarium without using obvious driftwood or rocks. If we look at the flow of this aquascape, it is largely determined by the secondary focal points. These have been purposely placed (or patiently waited for in regard to the fish!) strategically around the aquarium.



Finally, if we look at the composition of the aquascape we can see that the foreground (red) is comprised of the G. elatinoides, while the midground (yellow) is made up of two islands of C. helferi and Java fern on the right side of the aquarium. The background (green) takes up almost the entire top left corner. This composition almost pushes the viewer to the right side of the aquarium and up the G. elatinoides carpeted pathway between the gently swaying C. helferi leaves and deeper into this beautiful aquascape.

Beginner's Guide to Planted Aquarium Supplies and Equipment

I've decided to try to take a stab at an idea suggested by a visitor and create a shopping list of essential supplies and equipment needed to start and maintain a planted aquarium. As I thought about exactly what was needed, I realized that the supplies and equipment needed depends greatly on one thing: the amount of light in the aquarium. As I've mentioned before, the light in the aquarium is the engine driving the mini-ecosystem. The more light you have, the more equipment and supplies you'll need to keep that ecosystem running smoothly.

All planted aquariums need light, obviously. So the number one item on the list is a light. Lights come in all shapes and sizes and powers (see a guide to making your own cheap high powered lights). How much light you have on your aquarium will determine the rest of the list.

For low light aquariums (1.5-2 watts per gallon unless you have a very small or very large aquarium, then read this post on light in the aquarium) the equipment and supplies needed are minimal. Most are required for any aquarium:

• Light (at least 1.5 watts per gallon)
• Filter (biological and mechanical, the plants will take care of chemical)
• Heater
• Substrate (can be plain gravel, though not ideal)

That's really all you need. In a bare-bones setup like this, you won't grow fancy plants or even grow things particularly well, but low light plants should survive just fine. As you can see, as long as you have an aquarium with fish already, you will likely only need a better light.

For medium light aquariums (2-3 watts per gallon) you will start to need to supplement your plants for them to grow healthy:

• Trace element fertilizer (such as Seachem Flourish or CSM+B)

For high light aquariums (3+ watts per gallon) you must add the following items otherwise your aquarium will quickly become an algae farm:

• CO2 system or Flourish Excel
• Nitrogen, potassium, and phosphorous fertilizers.

As you increase the amount of light on your aquarium, you increase the demands in terms of fertilizers. Once you get into the high light category, you really need to add fertilizers otherwise the plants will suffer and algae will take over.

It is important to remember, if you add fertilizers or CO2 to a low light aquarium in the proper amounts, you will still see an improvement in growth. There's no rule that says that low light aquariums shouldn't have CO2 or fertilizers. You just have to remember that plants aren't going to grow as quickly and won't need as much fertilization as plants in a high light tank.

As a beginner, I'd recommend starting out with low light and working your way up. Diving straight into a high light aquarium can lead to things quickly spiralling out of control. That, and it's fairly easy to upgrade your aquarium as you go.

Aquarium Beginner's Guides

According to last month's poll, 83% of you wanted to see more beginner's guides. Now my question to you is, what kind of beginner's guides do you want to see? What do you need help with? What aspect of fish keeping or aquascaping mystifies you? I'm not going to put this into a poll only because I want some open ended answers; you can leave yours as a comment to this post! Hopefully I can get some good ideas and write some guides that are valuable to those starting out or those who just want a better understanding of the hobby.

Shrimp in the Freshwater Aquarium

Crystal Red Shrimp

Keeping freshwater shrimp can be extremely rewarding. If you're bored of fish, or want something other than fish in your aquarium that requires less maintenance, shrimp are a great option. In fact, many people keep tanks of just shrimp! There is just as much variety in the types of shrimp you can keep as the types of fish available. They come in all sizes and colors, range from very easy to keep to quite difficult, and are both easy to breed and nearly impossible in a freshwater aquarium. However, there are a few important things to consider when thinking about adding shrimp in general to an aquarium.

Blue Tiger Shrimp

First, you must consider your existing tankmates (should you have any). Shrimp come in all shapes and sizes, but in general are on the smaller side (around an inch or two). This makes them tasty snacks for larger fish. If you have any large fish, like Oscars or other cichlids, you may want to avoid wasting your money. Also, certain fish eat shrimp in the wild and will quickly consume any you may buy for your aquarium. These shrimp eating fish include loaches, puffers, and some gouramis. Mixing shrimp with fish is also not always a good investment due to the fact that if you buy a type of shrimp that does breed easily, baby shrimp will most likely be quickly snapped up. Therefore, your population will not replenish itself and the larger shrimp will die of old age.

Amano Shrimp

Second, the aquarium is filled with hazards for shrimp that don't exist in the wild, namely filter intakes. Most are shielded somewhat, and this does the job for most adult shrimp unless the filter is particularly strong. However, baby shrimp will be sucked into the filter and, depending upon what type of filter you have, either lead very boring lives stuck in a canister filter or be smashed to death in the impeller. To prevent this, you can either put a piece of stocking over the end of the intake and secure it with a rubber band or plastic tie; cut a hole in a sponge like the types you buy for filter media and stick this over the intake, or switch to air-driven sponge filters. The stocking and sponge options will quickly clog with debris and need to be taken out and cleaned every week or two, so they are quite intensive. The sponge on the other hand is guaranteed not to bubble anything to death, but it will disperse CO2 if you are using it in your aquarium, and they tend to be quite large and ugly (not to mention take up valuable space inside the aquarium).

Cherry Shrimp

Third, make sure the type of shrimp you want matches your aquarium. Neocaridina japonica, or Amano shrimp, grow to be up to 2 inches long and eat algae, but the eggs will not hatch in freshwater. These are best suited for aquariums with fish. Crystal red shrimp can be upwards of $50 per shrimp for a good pattern and are very sensitive to water conditions, but will breed quickly if conditions are right. You wouldn't want to put those in with fish unless you like to give your fish very expensive snacks. Do a little research on the type of shrimp you are interested in and make sure it works with your current or planned setup.

Tiger Shrimp

Finally, shrimp should only be put in a mature tank as they are very sensitive to ammonia and nitrates. They are much more picky about water parameters. I've found that adding certain fertilizers containing trace elements will kill off my Cherry shrimp, but not my Amano shrimp (most likely due to the copper or other heavy metals in the fertilizer). A tank should not be medicated when shrimp are in it. They are often much more sensitive to medications than fish: copper being the most lethal. Even foods should be examined to make sure they do not contain copper.

Overall, shrimp are an excellent addition to an aquarium, and will add color, fun, and help clean the tank!

The Golden Rule of Aquascaping

This is the first in a series of posts about the fundamentals of aquascaping. I'm posting these because I've found them very helpful in creating an aesthetically pleasing aquascape. They are by no means the "rules" of aquascaping, just guides.

When you're planning out an aquascape, one of the most important aspects is where it will draw the viewer's gaze. In fact, a viewer's gaze is what the aquascape is all about. The primary goal of an aquascape is to be pleasing, relaxing, and interesting to look at for the viewer. In order to do so, you need to set a sort of "anchor" for the mind. This is called the focal point. It is the point that draws the gaze of the viewer first, from which they can explore the rest of the tank. A focal point can consist of almost anything, from a red leaved plant to a rock or a piece of driftwood. The only thing it must do is draw attention. You can't have a plant that blends in with every other plant be the focal point, you have to make it stand out in some way. There are a few simple things to remember about a focal point.

First, there should only be one. Having more than one focal point leaves the mind uncomfortable and stressed, looking back and forth from focal point to focal point. Only in extremely large tanks may you have two focal points comfortably. Second, you should have some sort of focal point in every aquascape. Not having any does the same as having too many: the viewer's eyes are left wandering back and forth, stressed and uncomfortable. Third, the focal point should be placed in a very particular (and special!) location. This is where we come to the Golden Rule of aquscaping. This Golden Rule dates all the way back to the Greeks. It seems the they came up with a theory that the ratio 1:1.618 was the most pleasing to the human eye. Many people assume that plopping the focal point in the middle is most pleasing, however, this will again keep your eyes wandering left and right. By placing it slightly off center, you are effectively gently guiding the viewer's eyes. You'll see this Golden Rule used in all forms of art, from paintings to architecture. But how do you use this Golden Rule in the aquarium?

It's actually fairly easy. All you need is a measuring tape (or ruler) and a calculator. Simply measure your tank lengthwise from one end to the other. Then divide that number by 2.618. A 29 gallon tank, as an example, is 30 inches wide. 30 divided by 2.618 is 11.45 inches. Now take your measuring tape again and measure 11.45 inches from one side of the tank (you can measure from either side, but which side to put the focal point on is up to you). At exactly 11.45 inches exists an imaginary line. This is where your focal point should be centered.


The picture above shows an example of how Takashi Amano has used the Golden Rule in his aquascape. As you can see, he has placed a red, tall pant right at the Golden Rule, creating an effective, pleasing focal point. Take a look at the following aquascapes by Amano and see if you can find the focal point and the use of the Golden Rule:

10 Items a Planted Aquarium Keeper Can't Live Without

There are certain items that I've found are extremely useful if not essential for maintaining a successful planted aquarium. Here are the top ten that I wouldn't be able to live without:

1. Python No Spill Clean N' Fill - ($28.99) This is a lifesaver when it comes to doing weekly water changes on three tanks. I've never had to live without it and I hope I never will. This handy tool allows you to use your faucet as a vacuum to draw water out of your aquariums and then fill them back up with a flip of a switch.

2. Mag-Float - ($5.99-109.99) This powerful magnet makes it really easy to clean off algae on the glass of your aquarium. It's designed not to scratch the glass and can be bought for acrylic aquariums as well. A few simple strokes with one of these and green spot algae is wiped away. A quick fix so you can see your plants and fish!

3. Aquatic Forceps - ($1.99-4.99) Extremely helpful when planting tiny plants in deeper aquariums, and even for grabbing things when fingers are too clumsy. If you are planting any sort of ground cover or small stemmed plants, these can prevent much frustration and ripping out of one's own hair.

4. UV Sterilizer - ($30.00+) Although many will argue with me that a UV sterilizer is not necessary, it sure does help a lot. After trying to combat my first outbreak of green water by myself with blackouts which killed half my plants, I invested in a cheap UV sterilizer and it has made the difference between having crystal clear water and pea soup. Even if you don't have green water, it cleans up the water so well the water is extremely clear.

5. Fertilizers - (prices vary) A good set of fertilizers (nitrogen, potassium, phosphate, and trace elements) is vital for keeping healthy plants. There are a number of different sources of fertilizers, but the two best are Seachem Flourish and Greg Watson. Seachem fertilizers come ready to use in a bottle but are far more expensive while Greg Watson's fertilizers come in dry powders at must be measured yourself but they are very inexpensive.

6. Water Conditioner - (prices vary, under $10.00) A decent water conditioner will make the difference between healthy fish and dead fish. A staple even in fish only aquariums, you may already have a water conditioner. However, some are better than others and some remove more impurities than others. Generally, Tetra Aquasafe, Kordon NovAqua, and Seachem Prime are the top of the line conditioners.

7. pH test kit - (prices vary, under $10.00) You may already have one of these if you keep a fish only aquarium, but it will be invaluable in a planted aquarium. pH allows you to roughly determine CO2 levels and keep them within an acceptable level. Also, some plants prefer acidic or alkaline water, so frequent pH testing will become habit. Dip strip test kits are fairly accurate and generally alright, but are not accurate enough for extremely precise measurements.

8. Nitrate/Nitrite test kit - (prices vary, under $10.00) Somewhat more important than a pH test kit in a planted aquarium is a nitrate/nitrite test kit. Nitrite is poisonous to fauna and is converted into nitrate by bacteria. However, if something goes wrong, having a test kit to measure levels of nitrate/nitrite may be the only way to prevent all of your fish from dying if you act quickly. It is also important because nitrate is one of the three major fertilizers for plants, and maintaining a steady level keeps growth regular and plants from stunting.

9. Aquatic Tissue Scissors - ($2.99-5.99) When it comes time to trim plants, you'll need a pair of sharp, precise scissors to make clean cuts to prevent damage to your plants. You'll also need scissors that won't rust when exposed to water frequently. These aquatic tissue scissors are perfect for the job, making trimming quick and painless for your plants.

10. Planted Aquarium Substrate - ($15.00-$40.00) Last but not least, a good planted aquarium substrate makes an enormous difference in a planted tank. If you've ever tried planting some plants in regular aquarium gravel or struggled to get fine-rooted pants to grow, you'll understand. These substrates are specially made to make it easier to grow plants. They are often more fine, allowing better root growth and many contain fertilizers as well. Each brand has its own positives and negatives, but I've never been unhappy with my Eco-Complete from Caribsea. Most substrates are black or dark brown too, which brings out the colors of your fish and plants better than a white or artificial color often found in regular aquarium gravel.