DALLAS AQUARIUM EXPERTS

Aquarium Maintenance Service, Aquarium Design and Installions, and Freshwater Aquarium Leasing

Tag: dfw aquarium cleaning

Plastic Plants

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The appearance and variety of artificial plants have really improved in the last ten years.  You can easily find plastic plants in all different colors and sizes to suit your aquarium size and layout.  If you don’t want to crowd the appearance of your tank, buy small plants for the front of the tank and larger plants for the back. 

There are many advantages to artificial plants:

  • Easy to clean
  • Easy to care for
  • Live forever
  • Won’t be eaten
  • Easy to remove
  • Wide variety

There are also a few disadvantages to artificial plants

  • Can look fake
  • Expensive
  • Fish may not like them

During your regular scheduled aquarium maintenance, Dallas Aquarium Experts can rotate your old plants with clean algae free plants on a regular basis to help keep your freshwater aquarium looking it’s best.  Dallas Aquarium Experts offers many different plans available to help us help you keep your Aquarium in top shape, with clean, beautiful, and healthy fish. We can schedule your cleaning visits on a weekly, bi-weekly, or monthly basis, as needed to keep your Aquarium properly maintained. 

Whether your need is servicing an existing aquarium, or you are interested in a new aquarium setup, we will schedule a free consultation where an experienced professional will meet with you at your home or place of business. We will assess your current situation and devise a plan that will help you move closer to the aquarium you have always wanted.

 

Call us at (469) 450-3900

Email us at: sales@dallasaquariumexperts.com

    

Dallas Aquarium Experts offering Services in DFW

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A DFW Aquarium Maintenance Service Company, Dallas Aquarium Experts offers the following Aquarium Services in the DFW Metroplex: DFW Aquarium Maintenance, DFW Freshwater Aquarium Maintenance, DFW Saltwater Aquarium Maintenance, DFW Reef Aquarium Maintenance, DFW Fish Tank Cleaning, DFW Aquarium Cleaning, DFW Freshwater Aquarium Cleaning, DFW Saltwater Aquarium Cleaning, DFW Reef Aquarium Cleaning, DFW Aquarium Cleaning Service, DFW Custom Aquarium Design, DFW Custom Freshwater Aquarium Design, DFW Custom Saltwater Aquarium Design, DFW Custom Reef Aquarium Design, DFW Custom Aquarium Installation, DFW Aquarium set up, DFW Freshwater aquarium set up, DFW Saltwater Aquarium set up, DFW Reef Aquarium set up, DFW Aquarium Leasing, DFW Aquarium Sales, DFW Aquarium relocation, and DFW Aquarium Movers.

Dallas Aquarium Experts offer a variety of Aquarium Maintenance Services to keep your fresh water aquarium, saltwater aquarium, or reef tank healthy, thriving, and looking its best. Our success with aquariums starts with decades of experience and knowledge in maintaining  freshwater aquariums, saltwater aquariums, and reef tanks.  One of the most important keys to our success is superior water quality.  The lifeblood of any aquarium. We always use only Reverse Osmosis De-Ionized water when servicing or installing Reef Tanks, Marine Aquariums, and Freshwater Aquariums. We offer only the best products to our clients and their Aquariums.  Whether your need is an Aquarium Cleaning, Freshwater Aquarium Maintenance, or Salt Water Maintenance, or you are interested in a new Freshwater Aquarium, Salt Water Aquarium, or Reef Tank in your office or home, Dallas Aquarium Experts is the best choice you can make.  We know what we are doing and will make sure you never need to find another aquarium maintenance company. We want every customer to feel like they are our only customer.

Contact us today to schedule your free consultation

 

Whether your need is servicing an existing aquarium, or you are interested in a new aquarium setup, we will schedule a free consultation where an experienced professional will meet with you at your home or place of business.  We will assess your current situation and divise a plan that will help you move closer to the aquarium you have always wanted.

  

Call us at (469) 450-3900

Email us at: sales@dallasaquariumexperts.com

Betta Fish-what you should know…

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  1. Your Betta will thrive in the cleanest water that you can provide for him. He does not require a filtration system, but you should change out a third of his water every three days so it stays fresh and clean and keeps your finned friend from getting bacterial or fungal infections. Aged water (water that has set out for twenty-four hours) is what should be used to replace the old water. Using Betta conditioners is still a good idea. Distilled water should be avoided.
  2. Do not put your Betta fish with other Betta’s. They are called Siamese fighting fish because they are, in fact, fighting fish. They will tear at one another, often causing the death of at least one fish before they stop.
  3. When you clean the plants, rocks, or decorations in the bowl you should never use soap on them. It’s very hard to completely rinse all soap from these items and the soap residue can harm or even kill your Betta. Instead, use warm water and an abrasive brush to clean his things.
  4. Do not over feed your Betta fish.  Adult betta fish should be fed once a day and babies should be fed twice a day. It is extremely important not to overfeed the fish. Keep an eye on them as they eat and remove any food that is uneaten when they are done.
    Generally, a Betta fish should take about two to five minutes to fill up, so avoid feeding them more than they can eat in that time.
    Use a turkey baster to clean small particles of uneaten food or debris from the bottom of the bowl or jar. Allowing this debris to sit at the bottom of the jar will cause the water to become cloudy, unsanitary, and to smell awful.
  5. Keep your Betta tank, jar, or bowl covered,your Beta will jump!  Keeping the water level at least two – three inches from the top of the tank should also cut down on this problem.
  6. The PH level of your water source is important to measure and adjust as needed (betta buffers do this for you). The betta fish prefers as close to neutral water as possible, 7.0, but can manage in water that is between 6.5 and 7.5
  7. The temperature of the water is also important, as the Betta fish is considered a tropical fish. Water between 72 and 82 degrees Fahrenheit is ideal but the betta can adapt to lower or higher temperatures as long as the change is gradual.
  8. Occasionally place a mirror in front of a male Betta fish for some entertaining exercise. However, do not leave the mirror in place for long, as it will exhaust him!
  9. If introducing a Betta fish to a community of fish, avoid inhabiting them with fin nippers or other fish that might irritate or feed on the slow-moving betta fish
  10. Betta fish are relatively hardy, but like any aquarium fish, they need to be taken care of.

Dallas Aqurium Experts the leader in Aquarium Maintenance, Custom Sales and Installation  in DFW.    Our goal is to improve the lives of all fish!  Visit our website today for more information.  www.DallasAquariumExperts.com 

Ten Common Marine Aquarium Setup Mistakes

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1. Impatience: filling the aquarium with saltwater and starting the equipment before; leveling the tank, checking for leaks; testing all equipment and connections.

2. Using synthetic saltwater too soon after it is mixed, at Dallas Aquarium Experts we always mix our synthetic saltwater 24 hours prior to putting it in your aquarium.

3. Placing live rock too close to aquarium walls

4.  Stacking live rock like a stone wall rather than in a natural, open structure

5.  Not allowing live rock to cure before introducing any fishes to the aquarium.

6.  Not allowing time for the tank to “cycle” and for the populations of beneficial bacteria to become established

7.  Failing to quarantine new fish

8.  Adding too many to too soon

9.  Not adding herbivores (maintenance animals) as soon green film algae  begins to appear

10.  Adding uncured live rock after the system has been stocked with fishes.

Tropical Fish Acclamation and Quarantine…. The set-up

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Everyone has a fish that they want in their aquarium that’s hard to find in a local your fish store.  I recently found a very hard to find Frontosa,  Blue Zaire frontsoa “Kitumba” to be specific, from one of our wholesalers in Florida.   We placed an order and began to get ready for our new arrivals.  Dallas Aquarium Experts recommends always using a quarantine tank if at all possible.  We do this to prevent the transmission of any number of possible parasites and diseases into your aquarium. With the numerous holding and shipping tanks that the fish must pass through during their journey to your aquarium, they are subjected to any number of diseases and parasites. The stress of the journey also makes them much more susceptible as their immune systems are weakened. Having a quarantine tank set up and ready for your new arrivals will give them the much-needed time to recover and regain themselves as well as learning what prepared foods are. This is also your time to observe them on a daily basis for any signs of infections or parasites and thus prevent them from infesting your main display aquarium.

The aquarium we will be using as a quarantine tank is a 29 gallon Oceanic Bio-Cube, this aquarium is up and running with a mature biological filter in place.  The quarantine tank will be the temporary home the entire shipment, of  20 plus 1.5 to 2 inch African Cichlids for the next 2-4 weeks.   In addition to the wet-dry filter standard in a Bio-Cube we have  added a Magnum 350 canister filter (without carbon incase we need to add any medications) and will be running a 57 watt Ultra Violet sterilizer.  An Ultra Violet sterilizer is a water filtration device that uses an ultraviolet light bulb to kill microscopic organisms that are free-floating in the water.  Parasites, viruses, algae and bacteria (good and bad) are the type of things that are “killed” after passing through the ultraviolet sterilizing unit.  In addition we will be using a 100 watt heater  and maintain a temperature of 84 degrees to help combat against an outbreak of Ich (ichthyophthiriasis) and an air pump with air stone to ensure the highest levels of oxygen in the water.   We will use rocks, plastic driftwood decor & plants to make our fish feel safe.  

A word about quarantine tank filtration in general.   The filter unit will, most likely, will a canister filter (the other option being a “sponge filter” driven by an air pump) and should be loaded with synthetic wool-like floss, ceramic pipes and other media according to the specific needs of the fish or the medication. Always use oversized filter units and never use activated carbon since it will quickly absorb the medication(s) in use. If you have to set up a quarantine tank on the spot due to an unexpected emergency, it would be a good idea to add some filter media from the filters running in other – healthy – tanks. Beware of possible nitrate/nitrite spikes in your quarantine / hospital tank since many drugs – e.g. most antibiotics – will also affect the beneficial bacterial colony in your filter. A separate heater is a must in a quarantine tank and it should be larger than anticipated since you may have to raise the temperature substantially during the treatment (e.g. in Ich infestations). Finally,  if you have to run more than one quarantine tanks at the same time (I had to run three of them at some point), you should NEVER use central filtration since this distribute the problems from one tank to the others. 

Now that our quarantine tank is ready to go it’s time to sit tight and wait for our fish.   Stayed tuned for PART 2 The Acclamation coming soon…..

Aquarium Health Benefits

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 Entertainment
Everyone remembers a nice looking aquarium as well where and when they saw it.
Aquariums keep guests, clients and customers entertained! In hotel lobbies, restaurants, banks, medical and corporate offices, aquariums are extremely interesting pieces of décor which provide guests, clients and customers with endless amounts of entertainment and ambience while waiting to be served. In addition, aquariums make aesthetically pleasing and relaxing focal points in family and living rooms.  

 

Health
Aquariums make you healthier and reduce stress! Recent studies have indicated a definite correlation between watching aquariums and the reduction of stress. According to a study conducted at Purdue University in West Lafayette, Indiana, researchers found that patients were calmer, sharper and had better appetites when exposed to aquariums full of colorful, gliding fish. Also, episodes of wandering, pacing and physical aggression associated with Alzheimer’s disease decreased.

 

Workplace Environment
Aquariums improve employee morale and productivity! A nationwide survey conducted by the American Pet Products Manufacturers Association revealed the many health benefits associated with the presence of aquariums in the workplace. The study indicated reduced blood pressure, lower stress levels and improved overall emotional and physical health. This, in turn, lead to happier, healthier employees, with more motivation, creativity and productivity in the workplace. One hundred percent of the companies polled agreed that having an aquarium in their offices relaxed employees, 73 percent of the participating companies reported that an aquarium in the office created a more productive work environment and 27 percent of the participating companies reported a decreased absenteeism rate. 

 

 

Informational Links

Health Benefits of Aquarium Fish
http://freshaquarium.about.comTherapeutic Health Benefits of Aquariums
http://saltaquarium.about.com

References and Further Reading

• Barba, BE. The positive influence of animals: animal assisted therapy in acute care. Clinical Nurse Specialist, 1995; 9(4):199-202.

• Beck, A; Katcher, A. Age of aquarium. Psychology Today, 1981; 15:14.

• DeSchriver, MM; Riddick, CC. Effects of watching aquariums on elders’ stress. Anthrozoos, 1990; 4(1):44-48.

• Edwards, N; Beck, AM. Using aquariums in managing Alzheimer’s disease: Increasing nutrition and improving staff morale. 2003. Pet Care Trust Final Report.

• Katcher, A; Segal, H; Beck, A. Comparison of contemplation and hypnosis for the reduction of anxiety and discomfort during dental surgery. American Journal of Clinical Hypnosis. 1984; 27:14-21.

• Katcher, A; Segal, H; Beck, A. Contemplation of an aquarium for the reduction of anxiety. In R.K. Anderson, B. Hart, & L. Hart (Eds.), The pet connection. 1983; 171-178. Minneapolis: University of Minnesota Press.