Both the EazyPod and Nexus Filter are available for viewing at Fish Fish Fish so why not come and see a demonstration yourself on how “Eazy” these fantastic pond filters really are.

The Eazy Pod Filter Complete has just got even easier! Now fitted with an integrated 18 watt UV clarifier, the EazyPod Complete really is the ideal solution for pond keepers who want an all-in-one, easy to use, filtration system. This filter features all of the benefits of Evolution Aqua's highly successful EazyPod, which means it delivers crystal clear and healthy pond water with ease.

The Nexus 210/310, Evolution Aqua's world leading filtration system has now got better. Incorporating the industry proven Kaldnes Moving Bed coupled with the exceptional New Eazy mechanical filter. Combined they provide outstanding water clarity and quality. It is extremely 'Eazy' and pleasurable to clean. 

The Nexus 210/310 is a cleverly combined mechanical and biological filter creating an effective, high performance filtration system for all sizes of pond. It has and continues to revolutionise the way ponds are filtered.

Well done Evolution Aqua for producing high quality products and being recognised for doing so by the Koi Hobbyists.

Take A Look At There Filter Range

The aim is to deliver first class service to customers who perhaps only need a small spare or part for an Aquael product rather than returning it under warranty. Where ever possible, Aquael will endeavour to fix the fault rather than the item have to be returned by the consumer – taking a lot of hassle out of warranty needs.

Aquael now have a supply of spare parts in the UK to deal with most warranty issues rather than have to deal directly with Aquael in Poland. This will speed up delivery and fault rectification.

Moving forward, Aquael will deal directly with the customer rather than the customer have to deal via the retailer – this in turn will speed issues up quicker and enable the customer to liase with an Aquael product specialist direct.

If you have an issue with your Aquael product and it is still within the warranty period, please do not hesitate to contact Aquael direct via email support@alfltd.co.uk . Ensure you give your contact details and they will phone you back to try and resolve.

Well done Aquael for enhancing the customer service experience.

The Siamese Fighting Fish is a very popular fish due to its vibrant colours and large flowing fins. They been developed into the following varieties Veil tail, Delta and Halfmoon.

Also referred to as ‘Betta’ fish – this is taken from the genus derived from ikan bettah, taken from a local dialect of Malay.

The wild ancestors of this fish are native to the rice paddies and swamp areas of Thailand, Malaysia, Cambodia and Vietnam. They are found in the slow moving waters that the rice paddies offer where there are plenty of meaty foods and lots of hiding places.

In captivity they are not always easy to keep. If cared for in the right conditions they will live up to 5 years.

In the wild, Betta’s spar (fight) for only a few minutes before one fish backs off. Bred in captivity specifically for fighting, domesticated Betta matches can go on for much longer, with winners determined by a willingness to continue fighting. Once one fish retreats, the match is over.

The King of Siam started licensing and collecting these fighting fish. In 1840, he gave some of his prized fish to a man who, in turn, gave them to Dr. Theodor Cantor, a medical scientist. Nine years later, Dr. Cantor wrote an article describing them under the name Macropodus pugnax. In 1909 the ichthyologist Charles Tate Regan renamed the domesticated Siamese fighting fish Betta splendens.

Betta Veil tail are the most common seen in retail stores. They have extended fin lengths and non-symmetrical tails with the caudal fin rays usually only split once.

Betta Delta tail is one where the tail spreads less than half that of a half-moon and the tail has sharp edges.

Betta Half Moon has a "D" shaped caudal fin that forms a 180 degree angle. The edges of the tail are crisp and straight.

To keep your Betta healthy they require good clean warm water. Betta’s like water temperatures to be kept between 25-30 Degrees Celsius. Below these temperatures will affect their immune systems making them susceptible to diseases.

Betta fish have an organ known as the labyrinth organ which allows them to breathe air at the water's surface. This doesn’t mean that you need not maintain good water quality as sometimes stated on forums.  This is a misconception as poor water quality makes all tropical fish, including Betta more susceptible to diseases such as fin rot and other diseases.

It is best to keep your Betta in a tank of no less than 20 litres but 40 litres would be better. You will often see them kept in less space than this in shops but this is only temporary and they do need space for long term survival.

As Betta prefer slow moving waters in their natural environment, ensure the water flow from your filter isn’t fast. In an aquarium they still like slow moving water flows. This does cause problems with filtration so it is important to ensure regular cleaning and water changes take place to keep water quality at the best level for your Betta.

Betta will flare or puff out their gills in order to appear more impressive, to intimidate others or in an act of courtship. If stressed or frightened they will show horizontal bars. If females display vertical bars, this indicates a readiness to breed

Betta’s are carnivores – they like meat! They like a high protein diet so a mixture of specially formulated Betta food and frozen food is essential. They do have small appetites however, so don’t be tempted to over feed – there is only one in a tank remember! Feeding correctly will ensure that your Betta maintains a healthy immune system and will live for a long time.

To mimic their natural environment, Betta’s do like places to hide. They like softer places to hide such as live or artificial plants rather than rocks. Without places to hide your Betta will stress and this will increase their risk of disease.

Betta can be kept with other fish, but not other male Betta fish or other fish with flowing fins such as Guppies, Angel Fish, Mollies. Other colourful fish should be treated with caution too such as Swordtails. They are naturally defensive towards their territory and will fight other fish to defend their space.

You also have to be careful that other fish will not nip your Betta. If your Betta has nipped or shredded fins then they may get an infection which will cause stress or worse death.

Keeping Betta fish just takes a little bit of pre-planning and care. Ensure there is enough space, water flow is low and tank mates are appropriate. With these in mind, you should be able to enjoy having a Siamese Fighting Fish in your tank, adding vibrancy and colour, for many years.

Now is the time to think about re-potting your aquatic plants into new baskets with new aquatic soil.

Prepare your plants by taking out the existing plants from your pond. Cut off any dead leaves and remove any old aquatic soil to reveal the core of the plant.

If needed, split the plant up and ensure that you keep good roots and crowns for replanting. Alternatively, you can buy good healthy pond plants from your local pond retailer or on-line.

Get an appropriately sized planting basket. Line your planting basket with hessian. This will help stop the aquatic soil leaching out into your pond.

Put an inch or so of aquatic soil on the base of your new pot. Place your plants neatly and firmly into this soil and place more soil around the roots of your new plant until supported upright. Cover the soil with a layer of gravel – this will help stop the soil being washed away.

It is preferable to water your newly planted basket before putting into your pond. This will ensure there are no air pockets which would then erupt and when placed into your pond sending all your soil everywhere!

Gently place your newly planted basket into your pond and position as required.

The hessian will eventually bio-degrade and the pond basket will be covered in plant roots and blend into your pond over time. Over time, the roots for your pond plant will be taking the nutrients from the pond water and not from the aquatic soil in the basket.

Pond plants help keep a natural balance within your pond water and are a haven for insects and wildlife.

Sit back, relax and enjoy the vibrant colours and textures your pond plants create during the Spring, Summer  and Autumn months.

How To Keep Discus, we think Discus’ are the finest freshwater aquarium fish around.

These exceedingly graceful fish have vibrant colourations and markings making them one of the most attractive fish to have in any aquarium. They often grow to 12cm in size and being relatively ‘round’ the Discus creates great displays of colour as they majestic glide around your fish tank.

Discus’ aren’t easy fish, but at the same time are worth that extra effort.

There are three Discus in the family which gives them the different colours.
Symphysodon Aequifasciatus - Green
Symphysodon Haraldi - Blue, Brown
Symphysodon Heckel - Red, Blue

Discus’ originate from the Amazon where they naturally live in deep water and hide among roots and rocks. They do like to hide and require shelter in their aquarium. Artificial varieties available now and these include Blue Diamond, Snow White and Red Leopard. Names of the Discus’ are made up of two part – colour first and then the pattern. For example: Red Leopard is red in colour and has markings similar to a leopard.

Discus’ are fussy about water quality so this has to be kept at optimum levels at all times to prevent them falling ill. Discus’ naturally come from waters that are warm, soft and acidic. This creates many challenges for maintaining Discus in your home. Many Discus’ are kept in soft water made from RO water – particularly if you live in a hard water area. Ensure you discuss how to keep Discus in optimum water with your retailer or us as Discus do need excellent quality water at all times for their health and wellbeing to be maintained and for their colour to truly shine.

A pH of around 6-7 and a GH of 10-degrees is about right for most tank bred Discus. It is important to monitor these parameters and ensure the water quality is kept steady. The use of a pH buffer is advised.

Discus are incredibly intolerant to ammonia, nitrite and nitrate changes. Ensure these are carefully monitored and kept low or to zero if possible. Discus are prone to diseases such as white spot and hole-in-the-head, so it is essential to ensure that nitrate levels particularly don’t increase.

Discus would naturally feed on aquatic insects and larvae whilst also enjoying the odd small crustacean, worms and other small animals. They will eat plants and algae too. So they like a good variety of food but are known to graze – so little and often is best with Discus. Manufacturers have developed a great range of Discus foods to meet their specific dietary and health needs. They also enjoy bloodworms and daphnia as part of their balanced diet.

Be careful if feeding your Discus live foods. Discus’ are susceptible to parasites being introduced and where possible this should be avoided – so use live food with caution.

Generally, Discus are imported as Juveniles. Young fish reach maturity in a year. It is however, impossible to sex Discus so it is always a gamble if you’re looking for a mating pair. They breed in a similar way to Angelfish other than the eggs must be left with the parents. The parents feed the newly-hatched fry with special mucous produced by their skin.

The parents will clean a vertical surface upon which to lay the eggs. After 3-4 days the eggs hatch and once the fry are swimming they graze on the flanks of both parents for anything up to two months. The fry will also eat newly hatched brine shrimp – an ideal source of nutrition from about two weeks after hatching. Don’t despair if you don’t get any survivors as it often takes a few attempts by the parents before succeeding to breed.

Discus’ prefer to be kept in groups of 6 or more where possible, but never keep in groups below 4 in number. They can also be kept with other warm acidic water liking species of Ancistrus Catfish, Corydoras or Tetra. Some Hatchetfish are also good as they make the Discus feel calmer.

Choose your tank mates VERY carefully. Make sure the fish being added agree with the conditions required for Discus as not all Tetra’s and Corydoras will tolerate the high temperatures. You also need to avoid fin-nippers such as Sepae Tetras and Black Widow Tetra’s. You also need to avoid active fish as this will terrorise the Discus who prefer calm.

Due to their natural tendency to hide and seek shelter in rocks and plants, Discus do not particularly like bright lights. Ensure there are plenty of plants in your aquarium including floating plants if possible to break up the aquarium lighting.

Discus do like warm water. 26-degrees minimum for normal conditions and 30-degrees if looking to breed.

So to summarise.

Excellent quality water is required for keeping Discus. Ensure your water quality is maintained to the correct ph & GH levels at all time with no ammonia, nitrite or nitrate and a temperature of at least 26-degrees. Excellent filtration and regular water changes along with regular monitoring of water quality is required.

Keep stocking densities low, but ensure they are in groups of at least 4 but preferably 6 or more. A larger aquarium is best for Discus as they need space and will grow.

Keep plenty of plants, shade and hiding areas for Discus.

Choose tank mates VERY carefully as Discus frighten easily.

Follow the above and your Discus will be a pleasure to keep and give you much enjoyment over many years whilst adding a great deal of colour to your home.

Not everyone knows but chlorine and chloramine from our tap water prevents your aquarium filter from working properly.

Practical Fishkeeping stated that these will "demolish filter activity" and allow pollution within the aquarium to reach dangerous levels – ouch!

The knock-on effect to this is your fish will become ill.

The chlorine itself can also damage the delicate membrane found in fish's gills.

To prevent the problem from occurring, fish-keepers are encouraged to use a Tap Water Conditioner or Tap Water De-chlorinator to remove any impurities from the tap water. It is important when filling your aquarium for the first time to use a water de-chlorinator AND when topping up your aquarium with tap water ensure this has been treated with de-chlorinator too.

There are many good brands of de-chlorinator out in the market place but check them out for the quality of the product as they vary a great deal.

We Recommend Seachem Prime

Yes, we’ve had some lovely days but Spring isn’t quite here yet and even if it was, it is still too cold for many of us to start buying Koi and adding to our ponds.

Japanese, Israeli and UK Koi are only just now being supplied from the wholesalers to the retailers – why now? Well of course it is to ‘capture’ the Easter trade.

The reality is it’s too cold to be buying fish yet. Let your pond warm up a few more degrees – ideally above 10 degrees Celsius  – then start to add more fish to your pond. They will settle in better with your existing stock and will be able to adjust from the ‘artificial’ temperatures they have been bred, transported and kept in on their journey to the UK.

The exception, of course, are UK bred Koi, but again care is required as they will usually have been bred and kept in tanks undercover from the elements or better still indoors.

We all want to see a lovely, vibrant, colourful fish pond on warmer days but be patient – wait another 3-4 weeks and the fish availability will be much improved as will your fish’s health.

Recently an outbreak of Salmonella among young people in America was linked back to pet African Dwarf Frogs.

Keeping any animal requires dedication, good hygiene and following simple practises such as washing hands in warm water and soap after each contact with the animal or their living space.

The US’s Salmonella Typhimurium Outbreak Investigation Team has been looking at the effects on the health of people who keep these frogs as pets. They found 376 cases of the Salmonella strain reported from 44 states between 2008 and 2011. Nearly 70% of these cases were in children less than 10 years of age.

67% of those interviewed had been exposed to frogs and, of those who knew the type of frog concerned, 79% said it had been an African dwarf frog.

Most of those infected had been through indirect exposure i.e. from the aquarium water or its habitat rather than handling the frog itself.

The investigation led to an African dwarf frog breeder from Madera County, California, where S. typhimurium was found in aquarium water, eggs, filters, maintenance equipment and floors.

African Dwarf Frogs can live up to 18 years in captivity if cared for properly. There is still a concern that frogs from this American breeder are still in circulation so it is important to take very good care of them and ensure best hygiene practices are followed to prevent any further outbreak occurring.

Keeping any animal is great and very educational. It is important to ensure that you educate your children and follow best practice when handling African Dwarf Frogs.

To help prevent any contamination or risk of infection, please ensure that you wash your hands with warm soapy water after every contact with your Frogs or any pet in your home.

Recently there have been reports bout humans catching diseases from aquarium fish. OATA, the Ornamental Aquatic Trade Association has confirmed this is very ‘rare’ and so long as good hygiene practices are followed the risk is minimal.

As with all animal keeping it is best to ensure good hygiene practices are followed before, during and after contact – fish keeping is no different.

OATA also advise it is best to buy fish from a reputable retailer. This way, you’ll be sure to know that the fish you receive are of the best of health at the time of purchase .

Remember:-

Always wash hands thoroughly after working with fish

Always cover open wounds with waterproof bandages and wear rubber or plastic gloves of suitable length

Do not eat, drink or smoke while working on an aquarium or pond

Do not wash nets and equipment in sinks intended for human use if possible

Immuno-suppressed persons (infected with HIV or receiving chemotherapy) should not handle potentially infected materials

Wash and disinfect contaminates work surfaces regularly

For more information please see OATA’s Zoonoses fact sheet

Let’s take a look at the positives and the negatives about the Biorb aquarium. For years I have not given them a fair chance

Who manufactures Biorb

Reef One Ltd are manufacturers of the Biorb range of products. As passionate fish keepers themselves, they wanted to make fish keeping accessible to as many people as possible. Biorb say "We looked at the common failures that befall new fish keepers and designed new ways to help avoid them. 

"The Biorb combined new technology with stylish designs and eliminated the need for lots of expensive equipment by putting everything you need in one box. We made it easy to set up and get started in fishkeeping."

The Biorb is now an established brand with over a million aquariums sold worldwide. 

How does the filtration work?

Water is circulated around the BiOrb and passed through several filters. As water passes through the rocks at the bottom good bacteria remove the toxic elements of fish waste.

The physical waste and debris are then drawn into and trapped in the filter cartridge where excess pollutants are also absorbed before the water passes out back into the aquarium.

Unlike traditional filters the BiOrb filter cartridge can be completely removed or cleaned without affecting the good bacteria which always stay in the aquarium.

Plus Points - They function well and are easy to maintain.

Downside - All the filters are the same size no matter what size Biorb you have.

Lighting

You have 3 choices

Standard led lighting

An LED light With a curved underside to help moisture run off the sur- face, reducing the need for cleaning. The bright white LEDs are suitable for 50,000 hours of lighting.

Moonlight led lighting

The biOrb Moonlight Unit is suitable for the biOrb Classic and biUbe aquariums, this is due to an adapter ring which is supplied.

This unit is designed to automatically switch to moonlight when the room gets darker, keeping the mood of the environment it is in and preventing too much algae growth in the process. This happens using the intelligent sensor located on the top of the unit.
Product Features:

100% Waterproof.
Energy Efficient due to Long-Life LEDs
Automatic Light Sensor switches to moonlight when the room is darker.
Fits all classic biOrb & biUbe Aquariums via adapter ring.

Biorb intelligent lighting

The high performance Intelligent Biorb LED Light is one of the most advanced lights in the aquarium market. The Intelligent Biorb Light replicates natural daylight, with a gradual sunrise and sunset which automatically fades into a blue moonlight after the day time

Create a 24 hour lighting cycle as nature intended - reducing the stress on your fish. Simply plug it in - no set up required.

Sunrise, daylight, sunset and moonlight cycles - change at the push of a button with 7 different cycles, allowing you to increase the length of daylight to suite your requirements.

Automatic 24 hour timer - just plug the light in and it cycles at the same time everyday.

The old Biorb lighting had many problems, they got very hot and the algae in the aquarium was off the scale. In true Reef One style they have fixed the problem and now have great led lighting.

Plus Points - Great economic LED lighting; Variable lighting settings via  the Intelligent Lighting Unit

Downside - none!

Style

The Biorb is very modern and stylish.

Being made of acrylic, it is very lighweight.

The accessories and ornaments are also stylish and modern to compliment the overall Biorb look exceeding well.

Plus Points - Stylish, Lightweight and iconic

Downside - Very Fragile ornaments, Acrylic can scratch easily if not careful

Spares

There is a very simple range of spares available for Biorb. This keeps things simple, easy and less confusing and ensures are readily available.

Plus Points - simple list of spare parts which are readily available and easy to use

Downside - none!

Conclusion

The Biorb has come a long way since first introduced to the market.

The current models remain stylish, iconic and simple to use with spares always readily available.

The lighting has significantly improved overtime and the choices compliment the aquarium well.

If you're looking for an easy maintenance stylish aquarium, then a Biorb is a great choice.

StackACave provides a safe haven for small tropical fish to lay their eggs away from larger fish in your aquarium encouraging them to breed

These terracotta tubes have one open end and the other end is sealed

Available in several sizes.

Heavy enough to stay on the bottom of your fishtank and not float to the top like cheaper plastic versions

Handmade in the UK from quality terracotta

Stack your aquarium cave ornaments up to create great spaces for your fish

Non-Toxic
These aquarium ornaments are made of a completely non-toxic eco-friendly terracotta material that is very similar to the material in plant pots.

Hand Crafted
These Aquarium ornaments are hand-crafted and can be combined and arranged in many ways to create a wide variety of beautiful and unique aquascapes.

Hi Everyone
Me and my friends just love sheltering in these new Stack A Cave’s. They look fantastic and we can rest here watching you watching us watching you!

Made of natural material they complement our fish tanks very well. With a few of these Stack A Cave’s in your aquarium, you’ll provide lots of shelter for all your fish and create a great looking ornament too.

Why don’t you treat your fish to a new Stack A Cave? They’ll love it – just like we do.

Take A Look At Our New StackACave Website

Garden ponds in winter can look as wonderful as in summer.

There are however some things you need to consider for your garden pond in winter. Late autumn and early winter will see leaves fall from tress. You may wish to consider using a pond cover net to keep the leaves out of the pond and from sinking to the bottom and rotting.

Garden ponds in winter create havens for birds and wildlife, so if you can, make sure that the water continues to flow for as long as possible. Flowing water has a lower freezing point than still water so your pond water is less likely to freeze if the water pump is left on.

Whilst creating a great haven to drink, you'll have to be mindful that some wildlife may be looking for more than a drinking hole. Herons particularly target garden ponds in winter to feed. Your fish are slow moving, very docile and easy picking for a hungry heron! A pond cover net should protect your pond fish from Herons.

Garden ponds in winter will freeze over. You can keep any area of your pond ice free by using a small pond heater. They don't heat the water, they just keep a small area of the surface of your pond ice free so gases can escape from your pond so as not to poison your fish.

When ice does form, be sure to prevent animals such as dogs and cats from walking on the ice and falling in.

The water temperature will be very low and access to escape from the garden pond may be limited, not to mention the damage they may cause too. If your garden pond is deep and large, you may also wish to ensure that children can't fall in too.

So with the right measures in place, your garden pond can be as vibrant in winter as it is in summer.

Our annual 12 Days of Christmas Competition will be starting on Christmas Day

Join our Facebook Page, if you haven’t done so already, and you’ll be able to see our fantastic prizes to be won every day starting 25^th December – yes Christmas Day! As last year, this is a lot of fun and simple to enter.

At 0900hrs each day we shall post the prize up for grabs that day. Simply ‘like’ the page by midnight and the winner will be announced the following day!

As an added bonus, anyone who takes part in the competition every day will be included in a draw to win an additional prize - £25.00 gift voucher to spend on-line or in-store.

Good luck and enjoy ….

Merry Christmas from everyone here at Fish Fish Fish

Live aquarium plants can help an aquarium in lots of different ways.

With live aquarium plants in your tank, your fish are more likely to display natural behaviours, reduce aggression between your fish and create a more interesting tank to look at.

Swaying leaves from live aquarium plants create better hiding places for the animals and also creates better breeding grounds too.

Many fish like to nibble on the leaves of the plants which help their digestion, improve their health and reduce their susceptibility to diseases. Vegetation is key in ensuring your fish get a balanced diet.

To ensure your plants maintain optimum health, good lighting is required. You may also require CO2, good substrate and plant food to make sure your live aquarium plants are kept healthy and green.

We sell a great range of live aquarium plants delivered to your door

When Adding Fish To An Aquarium, it is very important to ensure you avoid transferring any diseases to an aquarium. It isn't practical for most people to have a seperate quarantine aquariums so it is essential when adding fish to any aquarium you ensure the origin and condition of the fish, undertake an appropriate acclimatisation regime for the fish being introduced.

Before adding fish to an aquarium, turn off the aquarium lights to reduce stress to your fish.

Float the fish bag in the water for approximately 20-30 minutes or until the water in the bag equalises to the same temperature as in the water in your aquarium.

Once the water temperature has equalised, open the fish bag and roll down the edges from the top so it floats on the surface. Add a small amount of aquarium water to your fish bag and leave for a further 20 minutes. This will allow the pH levels to equalise and reduce shock to your fish when you introduce it to your aquarium.

Depending on the fish being introduced and the level of pH in your aquarium vs the pH in the fish bag, then you may have to repeat the cycle of adding more aquarium water more than once.

When ready, you can now introduce the new fish to your aquarium. Don't tip the bag allowing the water in the bag to enter your aquarium. If possible gently tilt the bag and allow your fish to swim out or gently catch the fish using a fish net and place in your aquarium.

When selecting your fish, look carefully when choosing to ensure there are no evident diseases on the fish or the other fish in the tank.

The whole Juwel Vision aquarium range is made with a suspended base, removing the need for polystyrene between the aquarium and cabinet.

Black silicone is used throughout to prevent staining and all Juwel Vision aquariums have fixed integral filtration, with a heater chamber.

The versatile hood has two removable flaps for good access to the aquarium and is made of easy clean PVC which will not warp or swell. All Juwel Aquariums are suitable for tropical, marine and coldwater fish keeping.

All Juwel Vision Aquariums come with Juwel High Lite Units, Bioflow Filtration, Filter Media, Bioflow Pump and Heater as standard.

Why don’t you check out this fantastic range of Aquariums from Juwel.

The whole Juwel Rio range is made with a suspended base, removing the need for polystyrene between the aquarium and cabinet.

Black silicone is used throughout to prevent staining and all Juwel aquariums have fixed integral filtration, with a heater chamber.

The versatile hood has two removable flaps for good access to the aquarium and is made of easy clean PVC which will not warp or swell. All Juwel Aquariums are suitable for tropical, marine and coldwater fish keeping.

All Rio Aquariums come with Juwel High Lite Units, Bioflow Filtration, Filter Media, Bioflow Pump and Heater as standard.

Why don’t you check out this fantastic range of Aquariums from Juwel.

Juwel Rio Aquariums

Things to consider:-

Location of your pond is key. You will want to enjoy your pond so you should be able to see if from various locations within your garden and home. You want to avoid shady areas, full sunshine areas and areas below deciduous trees (if possible).

The type of pond is important – do you want a preformed pond, a rubber liner pond which enables more flexibility or a raised/sunken pond.

The size of pond is important dependant on what you want to feature within it. Don’t forget to keep your pond’s size in proportion to your garden.

The depth of your pond is important too. Different plants require different depths of water to survive and nature ponds require ledges to enable wildlife to get in/out of your pond.

Remember you may need electricity to power pumps, filter and lighting. Electricity and water are now a good combination so you will professional advice to ensure your pond design and installation is safe.

And last but not least – ensure you give yourself more than enough time to build your pond!

Design your pond:-

Try out different designs in your head and on paper first. Go to your local Aquatic Retailer and have a discussion with them on the suitable options, equipment required and materials available as part of your design process. There is a practical need to be fulfilled in filtration and maintenance of your pond as well as the aesthetics.

Where possible you should consider a gentle slope to all ponds in one areas to offer animals such as  hedgehogs a means of escape should they fall in.

Digging your pond:-

Mark out the area your pond is going to be either with string lines, hose or dry sand. Remove the turf and stack away from the working area.

Now dig the whole area to the depth of the first shelf from your pond design. At this depth, mark the shelf line with string lines, hose or dry sand (as you did for the outer perimeter of the overall pond).

Then dig out to the next level and repeat the process until all shelves have been dug and you’ve reached the maximum depth required.

Check each shelf is level and dig away as required.

If making a raised pond, you will have to ensure that the base of your pond is strong and the supporting walls are designed with strength to withhold the weight of the water within.

Lining your pond:-

Remove all sharp items, lumps and stones from your dug out pond. Each surface needs to be as smooth as possible.

Spread a layer of soft builder’s sand over the whole area approx. 3cm thick. This will help prevent your liner being punctured as the weight of the water pressurises down.

On top of the sand lay Pond Underlay or old carpets.

Take your pond liner or preformed pond and lay evenly in the pond hole you’ve dug. Take care not to drag or damage your pond liner or preformed pond. Once placed into the hole, secure the sides of the liner with bricks.

Once you have made all the required adjustments, you’re ready to start filling your pond up with water.

Filling up your pond:-

Start filling your pond with water.

As the water fills up, pull the edges of the liner so that it fits neatly over the contours of the pond (or if you have a preformed pond liner ensure it sits tightly in the hole as the water pushes out the preformed structure).

Continue this process until the pond is full.

Finishing the edges:-

Once the pond is full, you can then tidy the edges. Allow an overlap all the way around the edge of your pond of approx. 30cm. Trim off any excess pond liner accordingly.

You can then cover the overlap pond liner with either paving/edging stones or if creating a more natural pond, turf over the top allowing the turf to reach the water’s edge.

Now you’re ready to add things to your pond, but ……..

If you’re planning to add fish, wait approx. 6 weeks for the water to settle. You will need to consider adding Aquasafe to dechlorinate the tap water before adding fish.

If you’re planning to add plants, ensure you use Aquatic Compost as this has been ‘steralised’ and shouldn’t contaminate your water with other chemicals found in ‘normal’ compost.

Patience & Perseverance are the name of the game. You Koi are unlikely to take food from your hand until they get to know and trust you – it’s nature’s way of protecting them!!! You need to build up their trust of you and not make sudden movement or noises when feeding them.

Step by step, let your Koi get to know you and be happy with your presence close up. Crouch down or sit beside your pond and wait for the Koi to start to swim by before beginning to feed them. Ensure that you feed them from the same spot every day and over time ( a week or two perhaps), you Koi will gradually get used to you being there and begin to recognise that this means feeding time! Given time, they will go to this spot everytime they see someone approach the pond.

Over time, you will be able to submerge your hand in the water with some food in it. Allow the water to take one or two pellets from your fingers at a time (slowly) until all the food has been released. Initially, your Koi will only take the food floating away from you but given time, one or two braver Koi will eventually swim over and start to take the food from your hand. As they do this, confidence will grow within your other Koi and you will see more of them come and take food from you – a magical experience.

Make sure you don’t have any sudden movements, keep calm and enjoy the wonderful experience of feeding your Koi by hand.

When selecting your Koi food, look at the ingredients and aim for food that is higher in protein and has Fish, Fish Meal and other Fish products as the top ingredients. Koi Food that has ‘corn’ as a main ingredient should be avoided as corn is used to bulk out food and can lead to unhealthy and overweight Koi.

During the seasons your Koi will like different food.

Winter months, when the temperature is below 10◦ Celsius they won’t require feeding. Between 10◦-15◦ Celsius they will like a little amount of food. Over 15◦ Celsius, your Koi will simply love food!

As Koi do not have stomachs they won’t ever feel full. They will therefore eat whatever is given to them and this can lead to overfeeding. Overfeeding your Koi will case an over accumulation of waste which in turn will pollute your Pond Water.

Moving into later Spring and into Summer when the water temperature is above 15◦ Celsius, you can now feed them high protein food such as NT Labs Probiotic, Beauty or Health foods to ensure that your Koi get high quality food during the growing season. These foods will also help enhance the colouring on your Koi Fish.

Your Koi  will love treats such as shrimp (cut up or available as shrimp balls), watermelon, oranges and most greens and vegetables. Citrus fruits are a great source of vitamin C used for ailing fish.

At the end of summer, you’ll need to cut back on the food you feed as the water temperature begins to drop. Once this goes below 15◦ Celsius move onto Wheatgerm based foods until the temperature reaches about 8◦ Celsius when you should stop feeding altogether.

Be plant wise to the threat of invasive plants, which can take over your pond and damage the environment.

For information about some of the key invasive pond plants including photographs, descriptions and how to dispose of them, follow the link below:

What should I do if I find invasive aquatic plants in my pond?

Act quickly - if you find you have an invasive plant and want to remove it, act quickly. Waiting a
few weeks or months could allow the plant to spread.

Remove every last bit - most invasive species can re-grow from tiny fragments, so try to remove every last bit. You won't always get everything so make sure to check for re-growth in the following season and remove new plants as necessary.

Time your work - problem plants can be pulled out at anytime, but big clearouts should be saved for autumn, when they will cause the least disturbance to your pond.

Clean your kit - make sure to clean your footwear and equipment when removing unwanted
plants. Tiny fragments could be carried on them and regrow.

Don't spread plants with your waste water - any waste pond water should be emptied away from streams, rivers, ponds, lakes and lochs, or drains that flow into them. You could use the excess water on the lawn or to water plants in your garden.

Protect pond life - before disposing of plants leave them for a few hours beside the water, so that pond animals can return to the pond.

Don't dump your plants in the wild - if you dump any of your aquatic plants in the wild you could be breaking the law.
[In Scotland it is already illegal to introduce (e.g. by disposing of waste material) four of the five invasive species we have listed in the wild, and from 6 April 2010 in England it will be illegal to introduce all five in the wild.]

Tips for dealing with five invasive plants that are causing problems

Getting rid of some of the worst invasive species can take some time and a number of growing seasons. It is important to remove as much of the plant material as possible, while avoiding breaking it into many small pieces which could encourage spread. By regularly checking for and removing re-growth you should be able to keep these plants under control. Here are some tips for controlling five problem plants.

Floating Pennywort (Hydrocotyle ranunculoides)

In short: Repeated cutting / pulling is usually necessary. You'll need to re-visit and regularly clear out any new growth.

Floating Pennywort is difficult to control due to its rapid growth rates (up to 20cm per day!) and its ability to re-grow from a small fragment. Regular cutting from May-October will prevent complete dominance and so help manage this plant. Cut material needs to be removed from the water immediately.

Hand pulling (or spot chemical treatment) should follow cutting to reduce re-growth. Pulling is likely to work best on small infestations rather than larger areas. Chemical treatment should only be used at the end of the growing season when all other plants have died back.

Parrot's feather (Myriophyllum aquaticum)

  In short: Uproot it manually as soon as you notice it.

Regular cutting (at least every 6-9 weeks during the growing season - cut more frequently if necessary) will help to weaken the plant. In your garden pond you can thin using a rake. Cut material must be removed from the water as soon as possible and all fragments need to be removed to prevent re-growth (or spread downstream if you are clearing an area of river). Careful pulling out of stems by hand after cutting will help eradicate it.

New Zealand pigmyweed also known as Australian swamp stonecrop (Crassula helmsii)

  In short: Pull it out as soon as you see it. You'll need to re-visit and regularly clear out any new growth.

Early and regular treatment is highly recommended. In small ponds, regular pulling out of the plant may be an effective control technique. New Zealand pigmyweed does seem to be less vigorous in ponds with plants that provide some shade, like the native bogbean Menyanthes trifoliata for example. Shading by covering with black polythene for at least three months during the growing season can also be effective, although this will have adverse effects on other species in the pond.

While herbicides can be used to help control this plant, they should only be used in winter months when all other plants have died back. However, any use of herbicide in ponds will cause damage to other species and should only be undertaken where pigmyweed has completely invaded the pond.

Water fern - also known as fairy fern (Azolla filiculoides)

 In short: Remove from the surface of your pond with a net before spores are released (spores are released at the beginning of winter or once dense mats have formed).

The easiest way to ensure you get all of the plant matter out of your pond is to scoop it up with a net. The RHS suggest that by disturbing the water surface, fountains may help to reduce infestations. In larger ponds and lakes, a floating boom can be used to sweep the water surface. Complete control is very difficult and so repeated clearance will be necessary.

It is important to attempt control before the spores are released (at the beginning of winter, or once dense mats have formed). If spores have already been released then be extra vigilant the following year to catch re-infestation early.

Water primrose (Ludwigia grandiflora, Ludwigia uruguayensis or Ludwigia peploidesJussiaea). also sold incorrectly as

A Garden Pond activity varies with the seasons. Garden Pond Life is much more active in the summer and may lie dormant in the winter. Pond maintenance also varies with the seasons and we have set out below the main activities for your benefit.

SPRING
Much work on your Fish Pond needs to take place in Spring, so be prepared for a busy time!

Fish Feeding
Start to Feed Your Fish more regularly and change their diet to Growth Fish Food, Pond Sticks or Pellets and Fish Flakes. However, care must be taken not to overfeed your fish.

Pond Water Quality
Test your Pond Water regularly for High Nitrite levels. High Nitrite levels indicate that your Pond Biological Filter is not established or you are over Feeding Your Fish. When adding fresh water (tap water) to top up your pond, use a de-chlorinator (Tap Water Conditioner) to take out the dangerous chlorine levels from your Pond Water that would damage your fish.

Fish-Fish-Fish recommend using Hagen Test Kits and Tetra Pond Aquasafe

Fish Pond Cleaning
After a long hard winter it is essential to remove any Pond Covers or Pond Netting and clear off any debris and sludge. Use a supplement to break down any sludge in the pond bottom. Fish-Fish-Fish recommend Tetra Pond Crystal Water. Replace your Pond Cover if damaged to ensure predators are deterred. Spring is a good time for hungry Herons so you may wish to consider additional protection by deploying a Heron Scarer.

Clean out any Pond Filter Foam using clean water and replace with new if required. Wash your Pond Media in the old Pond Water to retain the Bacteria within your Pond Filter replacing any worn out Pond Media gradually over the next few weeks as required. Do not replace all your Pond Filter Media at the same time as you will lose the vital Live Bacteria required to help keep your Pond Water clean and healthy. If required, add a supplement to boost your filter’s biological efficiency. Fish-Fish-Fish recommend NT Pond Aid Mature

Ideally UV Filter Bulbs should be changed twice a year and if you haven’t already done so, now is the time of year to replace your UV Bulb.
 
Check for Pond Leaks and winter damage around your Pond Liner and Filter Fittings ensuring you repair or replace where necessary.

Your filters must now run continuously!

Your Garden Pond Water Pump is a vital piece of equipment and it is essential that this is well maintained. Now would be a great time to clean it up and then place back, if possible, in the deepest part of your Fish Pond.

Pond Plants
Spring is the best time of year to add new Pond Plants. If any have outgrown their Pond Planter, re-pot them into new Pond Soil in new Pond Plant Baskets ensuring they are lined with hessian and topped with aquatic gravel.

Fish Treatment
Once your Fish Pond Water is above 12ºC, this is the time to treat any Fish Diseases. A Floating Pond Thermometer may assist in knowing when your Pond Water is above 12ºC. Fish-Fish-Fish stock a great selection of Fish Treatments and if you need any free advice on which disease your fish have or which treatments you should use, please feel free to contact Fish-Fish-Fish on 01799 550 943 or e-mail anytime

It is essential you turn off any Ultra Violet Lights for 48 hours during any Fish Treatment.

New Pond Life
Spring will be the breeding period for Fish and Garden Pond Wildlife. Please feel free to ask Fish-Fish-Fish on 01799 550 943 or e-mail anytime for our advice on the raising of the new additions.

SUMMER
Fish Feeding
Your Pond Fish may be fed in moderation up to three times a day, but be conscious of the water temperature and condition and change the amount of Fish Food your give accordingly.

A Feeding Ring will encourage your fish to become tamer and keeps the Fish Treats or Fish Food in one location within the Garden Pond. A Feeding Ring also helps maintain the water quality and prevents overfeeding.

Pond Water Quality Testing
Test your Pond Water regularly for High Nitrite levels. High Nitrite levels indicate that your Pond Biological Filter is not established or you are over Feeding Your Fish. When adding fresh water (tap water) to top up your pond, use a de-chlorinator (Tap Water Conditioner) to take out the dangerous chlorine levels from your Pond Water that would damage your fish.

Fish-Fish-Fish recommend using Hagen Test Kits and Tetra Pond Aquasafe

Pond Plants
During the Summer months you should continue to prune your Marginal Pond Plants and remove any weeds. It is essential to keep your Oxygenating Plants healthy and disease-free. Feed your plants with a slow release pellet fertiliser.

When adding Pond Water Lilies and Floating Plants make sure their leaves will not be splashed from Pond Fountains or Garden Waterfalls.

Fish Health and Treatment
It is essential that you check the health of your Pond Fish regularly and use Fish Treatments to address any symptoms as soon as they appear. Fish-Fish-Fish stock a great selection of Fish Treatments and if you need any free advice on which disease your fish have or which treatments you should use, please feel free to contact Fish-Fish-Fish on 01799 550 943 or e-mail anytime

It is essential you turn off any Ultra Violet Lights for 48 hours during any Fish Treatment.

Now is the best time to increase your New Fish to your Fish Pond and if you need any assistance Fish-Fish-Fish are happy to advise on the best ways to introduce new fish.

Pond Pumps
As the air and water temperature increases you may need to add an Air Pump to maintain the oxygen level within your Garden Pond.

During the summer your Pond Pump works hardest. It is essential to ensure your Water Pumps are working fully and replace any pre-Filter Foam as required to ensure that Pond Water and air flow is maintained to the full.

Pond Algae
Algae and Blanket Weed love warm sunny weather. It is essential to remove these as they grows to ensure that your Garden Pond maintains a healthy balance for your Pond Fish. FishFishFish
can supply Pond Treatments that help clear Algae and Blanket Weed and the use of a Pond UV Clarifier will also help in ensuring your Water Feature remains clear and weed free.
 
Predators
Herons and other predators may appear especially when they have young to feed, so be prepared to ward them off with the use of an appropriate Pond Cover Net or Heron Scarer.
 
AUTUMN
Fish Feeding
As the air temperature begins to fall your Pond Water temperature will also drop and Autumn is the time of year to begin reducing the quantity of Fish Food you give to your Fish. Autumn may also be the time to change to a more digestible type of Fish Food, for example Wheatgerm.

A Pond Thermometer will help you know the Pond Water Temperature so you can determine the frequency and amount of Feeding Your Fish will require.

Pond and Fish Treatments
Kill any Fish Parasites that are on your Pond Fish before the Pond Water Temperature falls. It is difficult to Treat Your Fish in very cold water. Fish-Fish-Fish stock a good selection of treatments and if you need any free advice on which disease your fish have or which treatments you should use, please feel free to contact FishFishFish on 01799 550 943 or e-mail anytime

It is essential you turn off any UV clarifiers for 48 hours during any treatment.

Pond Plants
Now is the time to cut back your Pond Marginal Plants, remove any dead material and prepare for winter.

Floating Pond Plants should be removed and stored in a frost-free environment over Winter.

Submerged Pond Plants should be cut back to protect them in the cold months and prevent contamination of your Pond Water as the Pond Plant decomposes.

Unprotected Pond Plants may die and contaminate your pond as they decompose.

Pond Equipment
Cover your Garden Pond with a Pond Cover Net to prevent leaves and other debris from falling in to your Pond Water, especially if your pond is surrounded by trees.

Consider Pond and Garden Lighting to prolong your enjoyment of your Water Feature as the days shorten.

Autumn is the best time to install new water features for next year – so get working and do your enhancements ready for next year!

WINTER
Fish Feeding
Feeding Your Fish should be done sparingly and use a special Winter Fish Food. Most Pond Fish will not want to eat during these cold months.

Ice
Ice over prolonged periods can damage your Fish Pond and kill your Fish.

It is essential to have thawed spots within the ice to enable any carbon dioxide to escape and allow oxygen in.

Never smash the ice as the shock may kill your Fish.

Use a Pond Heater to keep at least a part of the surface ice-free. If you don’t have a Pond Heater, use hot water slowly poured onto the ice to breakthrough and create a “hot-spot”. You will have to pour the water onto the same spot each time to ensure that you maintain a hole to allow carbon dioxide to escape from under the ice and oxygen in to your pond.

Pond Pumps
In Winter it is preferable to move the Pond Pump to a shallower region of your Garden Pond close to the Pond Filter Outlet. This reduces circulation to a minimum and reduces heat loss. It is best to keep your Water Pumps on to keep your water circulating and the Pond Pump will generate some heat and this combined with water circulation helps prevent the water in your Fish Pond from freezing.

Pond Filters
Filtration can be safely turned off and can be removed to a frost free area to prevent any damage.

We hope your have found the guidance above of use and it assists you wish some trouble free, pleasurable fishkeeping. Please feel free to contact Fish Fish Fish on 01799 550 943 or e-mail anytime should you have any queries.

Why is calculating your pond volume so important? It is important to know the volume of your Garden Pond so you know what size Pond Filter is required, size of Pond Pump (flow rate) and also, when required, how much Pond or Fish Treatment is needed.

How do we calculate this?
The diagrams below shows a simple way to assess the volume of an irregular shaped Fish Pond by breaking it down into smaller sub units

In this example the Fish Pond has been divided in two main sections A and B. Measure each section of the Water Feature in feet. All figures should be rounded UP to the nearest whole foot. For Pond Water Filtration purposes you would be better to over estimate the volume. (This only applies to Pond Filtration calculations and NOT for Pond or Fish Treatment - it is GOOD to over filter but BAD to over medicate).

The volume of each Fish Pond section is calculated using length x width x depth. This gives us an volume answer in cubic feet. The volumes of the two sections (A & B) should then be added together to give the total cubic feet capacity.

Each cubic foot holds 6¼ gallons or 28½  Litres of water.

Feeding Your Fish Guide, like all animals, the diet you feed your fish is very important. In the wild your fish will ensure they have a varied diet keeping them healthy, their colours vibrant and energy levels high.

It’s important that in your care, you provide them with the same good varied diet. Malnourishment and vitamin deficiency within any animal can cause stunted growth, weakness and diseases and treatment will become more difficult.

Fish Food comes in a wide range to suit the different requirements/needs of your different fish and offer the variety and balance they need to ensure that your fish maintain good healthy balanced diets as they would in the wild.

Carnivores, Herbivores or Omnivores?!

Like all animals, different fish eat different things! Some are meat eaters (carnivores), some are vegetarian (herbivores) and some are both (omnivores)! Their digestive systems are designed differently to enable them to process different food and fish foods are designed to accommodate your fish’s different requirements.

When choosing your fish food, take a look at the ingredient list on the packet. As with most foods, the ingredients listed first tend to be the prime ingredients. When choosing for carnivores, make sure that the meat based proteins from aquatic animals comes first and when choosing for herbivores ensure vegetable based proteins such as soybean or spirulina are first.

Carnivores get their nutrients primarily from meats and not vegetation.
They tend to eat small fish, invertebrates and insects.

Herbivores can not usually digest meat and get their nutrients primarily from aquatic plants. They tend to ‘graze’ on live plants, seaweed and algae.

Omnivores require a mixture of meat and vegetation to get all the nutrients they require for a healthy balanced diet.

Nutritional Needs of Your Fish

As well as understanding your fish’s primary source of nutrients it is important to understand that all fish have different nutritional needs to meet their different requirements and fish foods are designed to accommodate these different needs.

Fats provide a primary source of energy, although you should avoid saturated fats and keep to “DHA” fat which is found in marine fish oil. Carnivores need <8% fat in their diet whilst Herbivores need <3%.

Proteins are required to ensure continued health and good growth. Carnivores need approx 45% protein in
their diet whilst Herbivores require 15-30% dependant on the fish.
Fry (babies) need approx 50% or more to help their growth and development.

Fibre helps to keep the fish’s digestive system healthy. Carnivores require <4% fibre whilst Herbivores require 5-10% fibre in their diets. Commercial fish foods usually contain less fibre so you may need to supplement with vegetables to assist herbivores.

Within commercially produced fish foods you will find lots of other items too used as “fillers” or to ensure that the right nutritional balance is obtained. It is useful to understand these and the affects they have on your fish:-

Moisture and Ash
As a result of the processes used in preparing fish foods you will get moisture and ash within the finished product. The greater the moisture level, the shorter the shelf life. The Ash is generally a bi-product of bone matter. Find the fish food with the lowest levels of moisture and ash content possible.

Carbohydrates
Used within the processing of fish food as binding starches. Fish don’t usually require carbohydrates to functional though sometimes whole wheat is included as ‘roughage’ to aid digestion. High levels of carbohydrates will cause serious problems to the health of your fish so lower levels are best.

Phosphorus
Fish need very small amounts of phosphorus for proper growth (less than 1%). If you have more than this, it is likely that you will have algae problems as algae consume phosphorus to grow.

Calcium
Bone and fish meals supply calcium which is important to help growth and maintain good bone and teeth health in your fish. Good fish food will contain calcium products.

Carotenoids, Krill and Spirulina
These are natural colour enhancers for fish in the wild.

Testosterone
This is sometimes added to fish foods as a colour enhancer. Often this will produce unpleasant physical behavioural issues within fish and you should try and avoid fish food with testosterone added in favour of foods with natural products such as Krill and Spirulina.

Vitamins
As with all animals, vitamins are key to maintaining great health. Vitamin A is required to assist good growth and prevent deformities. Vitamins E and A are required to maintain breeding health. Vitamins K and H are required for blood to clot and blood cells to form properly. Vitamin C is required for good digestion, bone and tooth health. Various vitamins B are required for normal growth, good digestion and overall health.

It is important to realise that a well balanced fish food will ensure your fish have a healthy life. Vitamins and nutrients are added to fish food to ensure that your fish obtain all the required nutrients that they would naturally get in the wild. Vitamin content of dried foods can quickly drop over time, so it is important to ensure that you keep smaller, fresher quantities of fish food rather than large stocks.

If you primarily feed your fish on live, frozen or freeze-dried food then vitamin additives are especially important to ensure that your fish get all the balanced nutrients they require. Vitamin additives are also a good idea at  times of stress – e.g.  when introducing fish to your tank or making big changes.

Different Types of Fish Food

So do you choose Fish Flakes, Granules, Pellets, Wafers, Gels, Liquids, Live Food or Frozen?  Such choices, but each has its place in ensuring your fish has the right food for them.

Fish with upturned mouths such as Archer fish, feed at the waters surface; fish with down-turned mouths such as Catfish forage along the ground; most other fish feed somewhere in the middle picking up lots of different floating foods as they move around your aquarium. It is best to understand what type of feeding your fish like and then buy food to suit.

Don’t forget, fish food usually comes in various sizes to suit larger, medium and smaller fish. Ensure you buy food that is of a suitable size for the size of your fish and sometimes you will need different size foods to accommodate your different size fish.


Flakes generally float and are ideal for top feeders. However, they do have the shortest retention of full vitamin and nutritional content.

Pellets and Sticks both float and sink and can be used for top feeders and mid-water feeders. They are great for fish that find the flake texture strange and are usually suited for larger fish.

Granules both float and sink and can be used for top feeders and mid-water feeders. They are great for fish that find the flake texture strange and are usually suited for smaller fish.

Wafers and Tablets usually sink and are great for bottom feeders and scavengers. They are usually designed to meet the nutrient needs of bottom feeders.

Liquids are generally used for filter feeders (e.g. Corals and Sponges). They often contain plankton and are generally used in salt water aquariums.

Gels are slow sinking and often used for mid-water feeders. They often contain medication.

Live or Frozen fish food is ideal for mid-water and bottom feeders. They often incite predatory response carnivores.

Live and Frozen Fish Foods

Some fish will only accept live food, particularly marine fish. Live food is also turned to when ‘picky’ fish fail to eat other forms of fish food.

Often live food brings out the prefatory response in carnivores that other dried foods can’t due to the movement live food bring to the water. Live food can often be difficult to obtain and it is often thought ‘cruel’ to feed with some live foods. Please be aware when introducing live foods to your aquarium as they can often carry parasites, fungi or bacteria that could contaminate your aquarium. Most people tend to not use live food unless they have a trusted source and feed frozen food instead.

There are many high quality frozen foods available which can be served on a feeding prong and moved within the water to create a ‘live’ effect to entice predator like behaviours. Alternatively, just defrost and place in your aquarium like any other food and allow gravity to create the movement. Ensure you have chopped some of the food up into smaller pieces so your smaller fish get a share of the food.

How Much and How Often

Herbivores are natural grazers / nibblers and usually have small stomachs. As a result, they tend to eat little and often throughout the day grazing on plants and algae or anything else available. Hang a lettuce leaf into your tank and watch them graze on this during the day! Herbivores and Omnivores should therefore be fed a small portion of food once a day. They should be fed enough food that they can consume within 3 minutes and after this time; you should remove any excess that remains using a siphon or a net.


Carnivores prefer a feast! They have larger stomachs and often will eat one large meal that will digest over a few days. Carnivores should be fed every other day (or say 3 times per week) and the same 3 minute rule should be applied.

Fry and young fish will need frequent feeding of protein rich foods to help them grow strong.

Bottom-feeders sometime miss out. You need to ensure that your bottom-feeders get sufficient food and you may need to distract the top and  middle feeders to ensure sufficient food reaches the bottom-feeders. One way is to place floating and slow sinking foods into your aquarium first and then, after a couple of minutes, drop in the sinking wafers or tablets. Once food has reached the bottom, the same 3 minute rule should apply.

Corals, Sponges and filter feeders that rely on liquid diets should be fed phytoplankton during the day and zooplankton at night. Ensure that you turn off protein skimmers when feeding plankton.

Nocturnal fish , such as Catfish, need to be fed at night. This is to mimic their natural nocturnal behaviour and could be done a little after turning off your tank day lights.

Over feeding is a common and harmful activity. If is more harmful than underfeeding. Most fish will survive a few days without feeding as they would in the wild when food sources are sometimes scarce. Overfeeding will lead to quick pollution of your aquarium making it appears dirtier but more importantly, increase the ammonia levels as excess food breaks down.

It is important therefore to keep your feeding to the right level and if you see your ammonia levels increasing then overfeeding may be a cause. Do not allow excess food to remain in your aquarium as this will decay and get caught in your gravel or decorations within your aquarium and continue o affect your water quality.

If you are going on holiday, you may wish to consider an automatic fish feeder for use whilst you are away as neighbours, friends or relatives that come and feed your fish whilst you’re away do have a tendency to over feed! If you do get someone to come in and feed you fish, perhaps you could pre make ‘portions’ of food they could use on set days/visits, thus helping toe ensure your fish are not overfed. Another alternative is time release food blocks. The quality of these is improving and they may be suitable alternatives for you when on holiday.

Summary
A varied diet is very important to all animals – your fish included! Like us, they will like the odd ‘treat’ along with their main meals. This will replicate the experiences from their natural environment where they will eat different foods at different times.

The variety of food given to your fish will ensure that they receive all the nutrients they require from a varied diet and ensure your fish remain as healthy as possible, be vibrant in colour and remain full of energy giving you much enjoyment from your aquarium.

Dealing with Power cuts are a fairly rare occurrence but can cause problems with aquariums. A few simple steps can reduce
any damage to your aquarium to a minimum. We have set out these 5 steps

Preparation
Make sure you have a torch with a good battery and the telephone number of your electricity supplier to hand. They will most likely be aware of the situation and can give you some idea on how long the power outage will last.

If you are faced with a possible long power cut consider buying or hiring a small generator. Compared to the cost of your aquarium, the price may be very reasonable.

Ensure you have a Nitrite testing kit and a battery-powered air pump is also very useful.

Filtration
Power cuts can have a major detrimental effect on your filtration set-up. The lack of flowing water will decrease the oxygen available to the beneficial bacteria, which will begin to die after about 1 hour.

There are two things that you can do to reduce the damage. Minimise any feeding, so the bacteria have fewer waste products to deal with. Set up the battery-powered air pump in your aquarium and hang a bag of filtration media in the stream of bubbles. This will keep some of the bacteria alive until the power returns. The oxygen will also help your fish survive.

When the power cut is over, check that the filtration pump is working. The impeller may be jammed with limescale or gunge.

Water quality
The lack of filtration will reduce the water quality. Your fish may exhibit signs of distress such as heavy breathing Due to lack of oxygen. Check the water quality regularly for high nitrite and ammonia with a test kit. Fish-Fish-Fish recommend Seachem Stability to increase the beneficial bacteria in your filter to lower the nitrite and ammonia levels.


The oxygen from the battery-powered pump will help reduce the deterioration in water quality.

Heating Water does not lose heat quickly so if your aquarium is indoors, you should be okay.

However, if your fish are kept in an out building, particularly one which has only electric heating, you will need to take additional action to reduce heat loss.

You should insulate the aquariums with old towels or blankets. Since the majority of the heat is lost through the top, make sure that area is well covered.

A good temporary emergency heater is a hot water bottle or plastic bottle partially filled with hot water. This will float on the surface and provide a continuous temporary heat source.

After the power cut When power has been restored you will need to check your water quality for nitrite and ammonia over the next few days. If the power cut was prolonged it may take several weeks before your filtration bacteria are fully functional. Treating the aquarium with Seachem Stability will help speed up the process. Endeavour to keep ammonia and nitrite levels low. Carry out small regular water changes to help and feed your fish lightly during this period. The water quality will return to normal fairly quickly.

In addition, it is advisable not to add any more fish to the tank until the water is in optimum condition.

We hope you have found these tips useful but if you have any queries or need further advice, Fish-Fish-Fish are only a phonecall away and will offer you free advice anytime

A good Aquarium Maintenance regime is vital to keeping your Aquarium healthy and your Fish happy. A typical, and simple, Aquarium Maintenance schedule is as follows:

1. Aquarium Glass Cleaning - every 3 days
Algae often builds up on Aquarium Glass making the appearance of your Aquarium unsightly. You will never prevent Algae build up as this occurs due to light. Aquarium Algae is very easy to remove using a combination of Aquarium Cleaning Tools.

Fish-Fish-Fish recommend Tetra Aquarium Glass Scraper.

2. Aquarium Gravel Cleaning - every 2 weeks
Fish Waste will naturally build up on the bottom of your Aquarium. It is very important to clean Aquarium Gravel to remove the Fish Waste that has settled. Aquarium or Fish Tank Gravel Cleaners make this job very simple.

Fish-Fish-Fish recommend Tetra Hydroclean Vacuum Cleaners.

The way Aquarium Gravel Cleaners work is by siphoning the water from your Aquarium (into a bucket) and as this is happens you push the end of the cleaner into the Aquarium Gravel which in turn cleans it!

Make sure you don’t remove to much Aquarium Water - 20% is about right (see below)

3. Aquarium Water Change - every 2 weeks
Changing Aquarium Water is best done at the same time as cleaning the Aquarium Gravel (see above). It is very important to undertake regular water changes to dilute the nitrate.

Put some Fresh Cold Water (Tap Water) in a big container to the volume of 20% of your Aquarium. You will need to add some Tap Water Conditioner to remove the Chlorine from the Tap Water then leave to stand for a few hours. We feel it is best to leave the water overnight. When you have done this top up your Aquarium with the water from the container.

Fish-Fish-Fish recommend Seachem Prime as a Tap Water Conditioner.

4. Aquarium Filter Cleaning - every 3 weeks

Take the Filter Media from your Aquarium Filter. You will notice there are variable grades of Filter Sponge and some Filter Ceramic or plastic Biological Media.

The Aquarium Filter Foam or Filter Sponges should be washed under clean tap water or replaced as required. Fish-Fish-Fish stock a large range of Aquarium Filter Foam, Filter Wadding and Filter Sponges for a large range of well know branded Aquariums.

Aquarium Biological Media MUST NOT be cleaned in tap water. Biological Media from must be cleaned using the Aquarium Water to help keep the beneficial Aquarium Bacteria alive. (This Live Bacteria turns the Fish’s Waste Nitrite into Nitrate. This is very important because Nitrite is poisonous to your Fish where as Nitrate is only dangerous in high levels).

Fish-Fish-Fish stock a range of Aquarium Water Test Kits that help you monitor your Nitrite and Nitrate levels.

Knowledge:
Aquarium and Fish keeping Books and the internet are great ways of learning the basics for keeping and maintaining an Aquarium. You can find a good selection of books and information sheets on our website.

We hope your have found the guidance above of use and it assists you wish some trouble free, pleasurable fishkeeping. Please feel free to contact Fish-Fish-Fish on 01799 550 943 or e-mail anytime should you have any queries.

Choosing An Aquarium Filter is just as important as choosing your Aquarium and your Fish. When deciding on which Aquarium Filter is best for you consider reliability, ease of use and trouble free maintenance as being vital. Since your Aquarium Filter is such a crucial part of your Aquarium, this is an area on which you should not economise.

The well-being of your Aquarium Fish depends upon the correct Aquarium Filtration and getting this wrong could result in Fish fatalities.

You have a choice of Internal Aquarium Filters, External Aquarium Filters and either Air Powered Aquarium Filters or Aquarium Power Filters.

Internal Aquarium Filters
The most widely used Internal Aquarium Filters are Canister Filters, Air Powered Sponge Filters and Under Gravel Filters.

Probably the most common Aquarium Filtering process is using the Canister Filter. Canister Filters prove to be effective, are inexpensive and have the most acceptable noise level.

By and large, Internal Aquarium Filters will have a Sponge for Biological and Mechanical Filtration. Better quality Internal Aquarium Filters might have dual sponges. This will enable a rotational cleaning process that maintains high Bacteria levels. These Internal Aquarium Filters also allow for a trouble free substitution of one of the sponges, without disabling your chief Biological Filter.

Additional characteristics of these Internal Canister Filters include variable nozzle direction and flow, a disposable Polyester Pad or Carbon Filtration Foam for both tropical and coldwater aquariums up to 120cm wide and approximately 200 litre capacity. Above this size Aquarium Internal Canister Filters would not be recommended.

Aquarium Air Powered Filters
Although Aquarium Air Powered Filters have been available for many years, they have now been virtually surpassed by the Aquarium Internal Power Filter.

Nevertheless, the Air Powered Filter Sponge still has its usefulness. With finer Filter Foam the Air Powered Filter produces a more gentle flow. This will be more appropriate with the keeping of Small Fish.

Under Gravel Aquarium Filters
Originally Under Gravel Aquarium Filters were the most widely used Aquarium Filter but they can be very troublesome if not correctly maintained.

Aquarium Waste can be absorbed into the Aquarium Gravel, obscuring the perforated Filter Plate of your Under Gravel Aquarium Filter. If the Aquarium Waste is not frequently removed this will prevent the Bacteria on the Aquarium Gravel from obtaining essential Oxygen supplies.

Under Gravel Aquarium Filters are known to hamper Aquarium Plant growth as the flow over the Aquarium Gravel diverts the essential nutrients from the Aquarium Plant roots. Although the addition of a Powerhead may improve matters, difficulties are still a strong possibility with unclean
Aquarium Gravel and Nitrate build up being the main problems.

External Aquarium Filters
External Aquarium Filters are only offered as Power Filters. Power Filters are the largest and most powerful Aquarium Filter Systems available.

External Aquarium Filters are most effective on Aquariums of 120cm or more wide, having a 200 litre plus capacity and External Aquarium Filters have three major advantages:

1. A higher volume of Filter material
2. Extra Biological Media for the breakdown of Ammonia
3. Greater scope for further Media such as Carbon.

Usually the External Aquarium Filter will have a flow rate of between 600 and 1000 litres per hour.

Most successful on the dirtier Aquariums, the External Aquarium Filter will draw off both Fish and Plant waste rapidly as it is formed.

Although External Filters are larger Filters they can usually be hidden in a cupboard beneath the tank. Their very low noise level is also a distinct advantage. It is worth noting that when fitting these External Aquarium Filters special attention should be paid to the instructions as they are more complex to install than other types of Aquarium Filters.


SUMMARY
External Filters are usually more expensive than Internal Aquarium Filters as they are larger and use more Filtration Media. External Filters do offer a superior cleansing system leading to a healthier Aquarium For Your Fish.

Internal Filters are great for Small Aquarium to Medium Aquariums which house small and medium Fish. Internal Aquarium Filters will only work for Aquariums with up to 200 litres of water.

Aquarium Air Powered Sponge Filters are not powerful enough to Filter Aquariums over 60cm wide. Although inexpensive to purchase, there is the additional cost of an Air Pump and Non-Return Valve to enable it to work.

A range of Aquarium Filters are available on the Fish-Fish-Fish website. 

We hope your have found the guidance above of use and it assists you with some trouble free, pleasurable fishkeeping. Please feel free to contact Fish-Fish-Fish on 01799 550 943 or e-mail anytime should you have any queries.

Moving An Aquarium can be daunting whether you’re moving home or just Moving An Aquarium within your house. However, with a little forethought and planning Moving An Aquarium can be made easier.

Since Moving An Aquarium is not a simple task; if possible set aside a separate whole day. Doing it while the rest of your possessions are being moved is not the ideal circumstance.

Equipment needed for Moving An Aquarium

Before you start, make sure you have the following apparatus to hand:

Containers:
Aquarium Water containers
Aquarium Décor containers
Polystyrene Fish Boxes
Fish Bags & rubber bands
Plastic buckets

Equipment:
Fish Nets (at least two)
Plastic scoop or measuring jug
Battery Powered Air Pump
Water Quality Test Kits
De-chlorinator (Tap Water Conditioner)
Length of Water Hose

Miscellaneous:
Bubble wrap
Old blankets or towels
Timetable

Moving An Aquarium Timetable

The day before you want to Move An Aquarium, Do not Feed your Fish.

On the day you wish to Move An Aquarium take the following steps:-

1. Switch off Aquarium Heaters and allow to cool (approximately 30 minutes).

2. Remove all Aquarium Décor. Some Small Fish may hide in the Aquarium Ornaments. As you raise the Aquarium Decoration to the surface the small fish should slip out and swim away. If  the Fish stubbornly stay ensconced, place the Aquarium Ornament in a Fish Bag with some  Aquarium Water and seal it with a rubber band.

3. Stack Aquarium Décor in the Aquarium Décor containers. If you have a lot of Aquarium Stacking Rocks, make sure the Aquarium Décor containers are not overloaded.

4. Siphon off about three-quarters of the Aquarium Water in the Aquarium into your Aquarium Water Storage Containers.

5. Prepare your Fish Bags by filling them one third full with Aquarium Water.

6. Catch your Fish using Fish Nets and transfer them to the Fish Bags, sealing them with rubber bands. The majority of Fish are best bagged singly. This avoids any potential damage and aggression. However, some of the tropical tetras and live-bearing species can be bagged in groups.
It is easier to catch Fish using two Fish Nets; use one Fish Net to herd the Fish into the other Fish Net. Once you have caught your Fish, when moving the Fish Net, keep one hand over the opening to avoid the fish jumping out and place the Fish into a prepare Fish Bag with Aquarium Water.
This is a very stressful time for your Fish.

6. For extra safety, you can double bag your Fish. This involves placing the sealed Fish Bag inside another bag which is also sealed with a rubber band. This technique also provides additional insulation.

7. Remove all Aquarium Plants and seal them into Fish Bags with Aquarium Water.

8. Remove and pack the rest of your Aquarium Equipment. Wrap Aquarium Heaters in bubble wrap carefully to prevent breakage. The Aquarium Filter should be kept damp to preserve live Bacteria. An ideal way to transport the Filter Medium is in a Fish Bag partially filled with Aquarium Water. Long journeys may necessitate the use of a Battery Powered Air Pump to keep the Filter Media Oxygenated.

9. Drain the remaining Aquarium Water into the Aquarium Water Containers.

10. Scoop the Aquarium Gravel or any other substrate into plastic buckets. A plastic measuring jug is an ideal implement.

11. Pack everything into your vehicle. Use the bubble-wrap, old towels or blankets to cushion the Aquarium. Make sure EVERYTHING is firmly secured and cannot move whilst in transit.

Setting Up An Aquarium At your new home/room

1. Unpack your Aquarium and place it in position.

2. Scoop the Aquarium Gravel back into the Fish Tank.

3. Pour the Aquarium Water you have saved back into the Fish Tank.

4. Unpack your Aquarium Heater, Aquarium Pumps and Aquarium Filters and re-assemble your set up. Switch them on and check they are functioning correctly.

5. Replace a few items of your Aquarium Décor or a small number of Aquarium Plants. You can replace the rest when the Aquarium has become more established.

6. Replace your Fish as if you had just bought them. Open the Fish Bags and float them on the surface of the Aquarium Water for about 30 minutes. Add a little Aquarium Water every 10 to 15 minutes. Gently release your Fish into the Fish Tank. During this time and for a few hours afterwards, switch the Aquarium Lights off to avoid distressing the fish.

7. Top up the tank with de-chlorinated water.

8. Over the next few weeks, monitor the Aquarium Water Quality e.g. the ammonia and nitrite levels, and Feed Your Fish sparingly – a little every other day.

For further information on Setting Up An Aquarium, see our ‘Setting Up An Aquarium’ fact sheet on www.fish-fish-fish.info.

We hope your have found the guidance above of use and it assists you with some trouble free, pleasurable fishkeeping. Please feel free to contact Fish-Fish-Fish on 01799 550 943 or e-mail anytime should you have any queries

The great thing about Setting Up An Aquarium is that you can start simple and then grow to more complex Aquariums as your knowledge increases. Coldwater and Tropical Freshwater Aquarium are the best systems for beginners.

Tropical Aquariums are relatively cheap and Tropical Fish are usually hardy. Marine Aquariums, with Saltwater Fish, are more expensive and you will need a lot of knowledge and good techniques from the outset.

Aquarium Cleaning:
Carefully clean the inside of your Aquarium with clean tap water, checking for leaks whilst doing so. There are lots of Aquarium Cleaning Tools designed to help with this task so as to prevent any scratching or damage to your new Aquarium. Then empty the Aquarium of the tap water.

Aquarium Cleaning Tools

Wash the Aquarium Gravel:
Place the Aquarium Gravel in a bowl and place under cold running tap water. Keep stirring the Aquarium Gravel until the water that flows from it is clean as it pours over the side of the bowl. Stir the Aquarium Gravel around vigorously to make absolutely sure you get it as clean as possible.

Aquarium Gravel

Plant Substrate

Aquarium Decorations, Ornaments and Aquarium Silk Plants:
Wash any Aquarium Ornaments, Silk Aquarium Plants, Plastic Plants and Aquarium Rocks thoroughly using cold running tap water. If you have an Aquarium Background ensure that it is securely fitted to your Glass Aquarium.

Aquarium Ornaments

Aquarium Plants

Before you ‘fill’ your Aquarium:
 Before you fill your Aquarium with water for your fish
1. check your Aquarium Filter is firmly attached and Filter Foam firmly in place and
2. no Aquarium Ornaments or Plants are in the way of your Filter
3. check your Aquarium Heater, if applicable, is firmly attached and set at 27 degrees (Do NOT turn your Aquarium Heater on yet!)
4. ensure your Aquarium Light is working
5. ensure your Aquarium Thermostat is positioned correctly (if you have one)

Now you can
Add your clean Aquarium Gravel:
Make sure there’s a depth of 4 cm over the base of your Aquarium. Fish Fish Fish recommend using Hugo Kamishi Gravel or Seachem Substrate (if using live plants).
Add your conditioned Tap Water to your Aquarium to the half way level:
Do not fill your aquarium with water at this stage.

Add your cleaned Aquarium Decorations, Ornaments and Aquarium Silk Plants or real Plants:
Make sure they are securely placed and use your gravel or substrate to help secure them in position if required. It is best to put your taller Aquarium Plants at the back and your smaller Aquarium Plants and Décor at the front where they can be seen.

For ease of maintenance, Fish-Fish-Fish recommend using Artificial Plastic or Silk Plants such as those in the Hugo Kamishi or Biorb range as they look very realistic in most sized Aquariums.

If you use Aquarium Rocks as Aquarium Décor, make sure they are firmly bedded in so that they can never topple and damage other ornaments or the Aquarium.

Now you can your conditioned tap water to your new Aquarium all the way to the top:
Watch out because if you fill it right to the brim, then later you want to change the arrangement and put your hands in and the water overflows- whoops!

Important!! Condition the water:
Before adding any Fish to your new Aquarium you MUST remove the chlorine from the tap water. Tap Water Conditioner is readily available and is essential when adding tap water to your aquarium (see Aquarium Maintenance).
Chlorine/Chloramine can damage your Fish and Fish-Fish-Fish recommend Seachem Prime for conditioning your Tap Water.

Seachem Prime

Turn your Aquarium ‘on’:
1. Turn on your Aquarium Heater
2. Turn on your Aquarium Lighting
3. Turn on your Aquarium Filter (you should get a noise and a flow of bubbles when you turn the Aquarium Filter on)

Before adding any Toprical or Cold Water Fish:
You must let the Aquarium Filter run for 5-7 days before adding Fish to your Aquarium (sorry ! ). It is essential you let the Aquarium ‘settle’ first.
You may notice that there maybe a lot of ‘bubbles’ clinging to your Glass Aquarium during the fist few days. This happens because cold tap water is pressurised and as the cold tap water warms in your Tropical Aquarium natural gasses are released. There is nothing to worry about, let these cling onto the Glass Aquarium as they will disappear when aerated.
Make sure that the Aquarium Heater is set correctly, at about 26-27 degrees Celsius.

After 5-7 Days - Add your Fish!!:
It is best to add Aquarium Fish Stock a couple of Fish at a time.
Use the "Equalising Method". Leave your Fish in the Fish Bag in which they were purchased. Open the Fish Bag and leave floating in your Aquarium Water for approx 30 mins. Then gently add some of your aquarium water into the bag by tilting the bag and leave for a further 20 minutes. This allows the water temperature in the Fish Bag to reach the same water temperature as your Aquarium Water and also allow the water quality to adjust. A swift change of water temperature is very stressful for Fish. Moving Fish is very stressful to them too, so take great care in handling them. Once the 50 minutes has passed then you can allow your fish to enter your aquarium by gently tilting the fish bag and allowing them to swim out.

In store Fish Stock

Adding more Fish to your Aquarium:
Before adding more Fish make sure your existing Fish living in your Aquarium are happy and healthy. Before adding Fish to your Aquarium, it is a good idea to do a Water Quality Test for Nitrite. If your Nitrite level is reading high it is best not to add any more Fish to your Aquarium until the level has reduced. Fish-Fish-Fish recommend Hagen Nitrite Test Kit for this. If your nitrite levels remain high, please phone Fish-Fish-Fish for advice.　

When the Nitrite level in your Aquarium is okay you can add more fish.

Fish-Fish-Fish always suggest adding a couple of fish at a time, take things slowly as there is no rush!

Test Kits

Feeding Your Fish

You must not over feed Fish. 1 small pinch of food every other day is sufficient when setting up a new Aquarium. More Fish Food Feeding will be required once your Aquarium is well established.

Fish Food

We hope your have found the guidance above of use and it assists you wish some trouble free, pleasurable fishkeeping. Please feel free to contact Fish-Fish-Fish on 01799 550 943 or e-mail anytime should you have any queries

The iQube 3 comes as a complete aquarium with LED lighting, acrylic finish and a large filter system for the size of the aquarium.

The large filter is hidden behind a false wall. The water overflows from the front to the back chamber holding the biological sponge contained in the filter chamber. The water then flows over a diffusion plate to enable an even flow of water to be distributed over the filter media. Whilst the biological media does a good job, adding some poly foam will ensure that finer particles are removed.

Once the water has been filtered, the compact return pump pushes this water through a small duckbill nozzle back into the main tank. The pump is also hidden in the rear section of the aquarium and with a gentle flow created by the nozzle this superb little aquarium is ideal for small fish or even shrimp (as we have it set up in our shop).

The LED light is simply connected to the back of the aquarium. With its dimmer switch, this light is easily adjusted. There is also available an acrylic cover which prevents livestock jumping out.

Being a small tank, the water evaporates quickly. You need to ensure that the water levels are maintained to prevent the pump and the filter running dry. Daily checks are required.

The stylish look makes the Superfish iQube 3 Aquarium is ideal for the office, bedside cabinet, kitchen work top or little bit of space anywhere else spare in the house!

  Superfish iQube3 Aquarium Black

  Superfish iQube3 Aquarium Blue

  Superfish iQube3 Aquarium White

  Superfish iQube3 Aquarium Green

  Superfish iQube3 Aquarium Pink

Mars Fishcare, the owners of Rena, Aquarian and API have given us a new Nexx Filter for trialling  in store. We have

connected the Nexx External Filter to our Juwel Lido 120 aquarium that is set up with Malawi Cichlids.

Having used external filters for many years from different brands and appreciated the benefits of doing so, what have Rena brought to the aquatic world that is new, different and innovative and why should you use a Nexx External Filter rather than one of the other brands?

Well, the Nexx external filter is simple to set up and use - that's why!

There is no need to prime your Nexx filter as it is designed to have the pump in the main fish tank rather than sitting on the top of the filter canister. This makes setting up easy. Place the pump in the aquarium, connect to the hose that takes it to the Nexx filter and switch it on - the filter then fills up with water without the need of priming as is often required with 'traditional' external filters.

In the past you've grown to love your aquarium but then want to upgrade to a larger tank. When you do this you often have to get additional filter to accommodate the extra volume and ensure your new tank retains the clarity you've become used to. With the Rena Nexx filter, you can simply add an extra module onto your existing filter. No need for a new pump, no need for a new filter and no need to upgrade to a new model.

The Nexx filter is able to cope with aquariums up to 200 litres. If you have a larger tank, then you just add more Nexx modules and bolt onto your existing Nexx filter to accommodate the extra volume or stocking densities. Each external filter module gives an additional 200 litre capacity.

Maintenance is simple too. The yellow handle on the top turns 90 degrees and cuts off the water supply to the Nexx filter chambers. Simply lift off the canister and take to the sink. Once you have completed your maintenance simply place the Nexx filter back on the docking station, turn the yellow handle back 90 degrees and the water will start to flow again.

So far, so good.

The downsides of the Rena Nexx External Filter is the cost of the replacement media. Whilst the media does a stirling job using biochem-zorb it is rather expensive compared to others on the market. The media is simple and quick to replace and the biological media sits neatly in the bottom of the canisters.

Seem people don't like the fact that you can see the pump positioned in your aquarium. We have found this really easy to hide with ornaments and plants so it just takes a little imagination when positioning the pump and decorating your fish tank.

Overall, the Rena Nexx External Filter is simple to install, simple to operate and easy to maintain. Adding modules makes this external filter sustainable for the long term by modules being able to be added as you grow the size of your aquarium or increase the stocking density. The downside could be the cost of replacement media.

 Rena Nexx External Filter

It is worth supplementing their diet with some special shrimp food. We recommend hikari shrimp cuisine but as this is rich

food and the shrimp are small, please ensure you don't over feed!

Shrimp food is often rich in vegetable matter as shrimp are omnivores. Shrimp do prefer seaweed and spirulina based food products to supplement their scavenging around the tank.

Shrimp food offers the necessary minerals required for proper ecdysis (shedding) and contains copper which is required for blood generation.

Hikari shrimp cuisine assist with accelerated growth and doesn't cloud your water and gives an all round balanced diet for your shrimp.

Hikari Shrimp Cuisine 10g 

Shrimp are excellent cleaners. They pick up all the little bits of food and algae from the aquarium, make an excellent job of sifting through the sand and can often be found on moss balls or plants munching on their prey. Shrimp are really interesting to watch feeding and if you give them specialised shrimp food such as hikari shrimp cuisine you will see them move across your tank at breakneck speed - making full use of all their legs! Remember, don't over feed these small creatures as they manage to get lots of food from micro-organisms inside your aquarium.

Freshwater shrimps don't usually grow any more than 3-4cm. This makes them ideal for keeping in small aquariums. They are also not to fussed with the water temperature so long as it is maintained above 21 degrees. A small heater is only required if the room temperature drops below this, which in most homes is rare.

Ideally, it is better to have a dedicated shrimp tank. Any fish with a big enough mouth will see shrimp as fine dining! That said, there are certain fish that will mix well with shrimp but you will need a bigger tank.

Shrimp do enjoy places to hide. Rocks, plants, driftwood and moss balls all make for a happier shrimp.

As shrimp aren't usually that cheap, it is best to make sure you have a lid to your aquarium. They have been know to jump out and be lost on the lounge carpet as a result - something to avoid if possible. Also, take care when using water additives. Being small, shrimp are susceptible to changes in water quality changes. They are very sensitive to copper and if your not careful, you could wipe out your shrimps.

If you haven't tried it, give shrimp a try. They are fantastic to watch and offer a real change to an average fish tank.

Have you seen the brand new Probiotic Tropical Fish Food from NTLabs?

NT Labs Tropical Fish Food is the only Probiotic diet on the market for community tropical fish. Probiotics comes in small pellets which means less waste from uneaten food and less waste from your fish, all adding up to a cleaner aquarium for your enjoyment.

With spirulina to enhance your fish's colouration, this probiotic tropical fish food helps Tom maintain the immune system to help keep your fish healthy and in too condition.

Krill and Squid Meal helps maximise palatability of this special fish food. The slow sinking granules are ideal for surface, mid-water and bottom feeding Tropical fish.

This premium fish food doesn't come at a premium price, which is great news for you and your tropical fish. So why not try some today as it comes in handy 45g and 120g tubs.

Nt Labs Tropical Food Probiotic 45g

Nt Labs Tropical Food Probiotic 120g

To help your Aquarium Plants grow, why not give Seachem Flourish™ a try. We have been using this on our planted Aquariums in our shop and we’ve noticed a huge difference in the quality, growth and health of our plants. Why don’t you give Seachem Flourish™ a try and see what it can do for your planted aquarium.

Seachem Flourish™ is a comprehensive plant supplement that contains a rich assortment of micro elements, trace elements and other nutrients including calcium, magnesium & iron.

Seachem Flourish™ compliments the nutrients in your other substrates and can be used alongside Seachem Flourish Nitrogen™, Flourish Phosphorus™ and Flourish Potassium™.

A 100ml bottle should treat a 160Ltr tank for up to 6 months.

Seachem Ammonia Alert is a simple to use, easy to read, colour coded tester using Seachem Sensor Technology. The Seachem Ammonia Alert constantly reads the Ammonia levels of the water in your Freshwater or Marine Aquarium.

The sensor changes colour to advise  whether or not your water is within safe levels. Safe <0.02ppm (Yellow), Alert 0.02-0.05ppm (Light Green), Alert 0.05-0.2ppm (Light Blue) and Toxic 0.5ppm (Dark Blue). The colour coding of this sensor is easy to read and you can quickly and easily keep an eye on your ammonia levels.

The great thing about these Seachem Ammonia Alert™ is the compact size. Being small it can be discretely placed in your Aquarium and easily read due to the clarity of the colour coded sensor. There are no chemicals or testing procedures required for using,

Simply place your Seachem Ammonia Alert™ anywhere in your Aquarium or Filter where you can easily read it. After 30 minutes it will begin to work and will update every 15 minutes or so thereafter. If you have tried to reduce the level of ammonia in your Aquarium it may take up to 4 hours for the Seachem Ammonia Alert™ Sensor to adjust.

Each Seachem Ammonia Alert™ will last between 6-12 months and is available individually or as part of a combo pack with Seachem pH Alert™.

Seachem Ammonia Alert

Seachem has introduced some simple to use, easy to read, colour coded testers using Seachem Sensor Technology.

The Seachem pH Alert™ constantly reads the PH levels of the water in your Freshwater Aquarium. The sensor changes colour to advise of the PH level and shows readings between 5.8-8.6 so you can easily see if your PH is within the correct tolerances for your fish.

The great thing about these Seachem pH Alert™ is the compact size. Being small it can be discretely placed in your Aquarium and easily read due to the clarity of the colour coded sensor. There are no chemicals or testing procedures required for using,

Simply place your Seachem pH Alert™ anywhere in your Aquarium or Filter where you can easily read it. After 30 minutes it will begin to work and will update every 10 minutes or so thereafter.

Each Seachem pH Alert™ will last between 3-6 months and is available individually or as part of a combo pack with Seachem Ammonia Alert™.

Seachem PH Alert

This great looking aquarium is small and stylish and will make a big impression. The new lifestyle aquarium has beautifully designed rounded glass edges and fantastic low energy fluorescent lighting technology.

Superfish Easy Breeding Boxes Now In Stock, The Superfish easy breeding box is a complete aquarium breeding set. With this aquarium breeder set you can now breed many kinds of fish and even shrimp for yourself.

Place the Superfish Easy Breeding Box onto your aquarium and connect all parts as explained on the manual side of the box.

Connect an air pump onto the circulation pipe and fill the unit with aquarium water. Now your aquarium breding box is ready, the water will circulate from the aquarium in and out of your Breeding Box, keeping your water quality and water temperature perfect but seperating the breeding fish and eggs, young fish or shrimps.

 Superfish Easy Breeding Kit

Seachem Stability 500ml Now In Stock, Seachem Stability will rapidly and safely establish the aquarium biofilter in freshwater and marine systems, thereby preventing the Number 1 cause of fish death: new tank syndrome.

Seachem Stability is formulated specifically for the aquarium and contains a synergistic blend of aerobic, anaerobic, and facultative bacteria which facilitate the breakdown of waste organics, ammonia, nitrite and nitrate.

Unlike competing products, the bacteria employed by Stability are non-sulfur fixing and will not produce toxic hydrogen sulfide. Stability is completely harmless to all aquatic organisms as well as aquatic plants, thus there is no danger of over use.

Stability is the culmination of nearly a decade of research and development and represents the current state of the art in natural biological management.

Directions:

Use 1 capful (5mL) for each 40 L (10 gallons*) on the first day with a new aquarium. Then use 1 capful for each 80 L (20 gallons*) daily for 7 days. Fish and other aquatic species may be introduced at any time as long as dosage is maintained for 7 days. For optimum biofilter performance use 1 capful for each 40 L (10 gallons*) once a month or with each water change and whenever introducing new fish or whenever medicating an aquarium.

Seachem Stability 500ml

It is important then to narrow down your requirements and settle on a smaller number of fish to search for.

How big is your tank?

This will determine the number of fish you can have and also the type. You must consider how big the fish you have and the fish you buy will grow to.

Large Fish vs Small Fish?

Yes it’s true, some large fish will eat anything that fits in their mouth! So when choosing the mix of fish you have in your fish tank, consider whether the large and small fish will actually get on – or will one of them become dinner!

Shoaling or Loaners?

Do you wish to have a shoal of fish or are you quite happy to see individual fish within your aquarium. Some fish prefer to be in shoals and some of course are very happy being alone. Beware, loaners often are quite aggressive so this may also affect your ability to add more fish species in the future should you desire........

Territorial Fish?

Some fish are very territorial and may require a large amount of space. They will often ‘fight’ off other fish to protect ‘their’ space.

Nippers?

Some fish, such as Barbs, have a tendency to ‘nip’ the fins and tails of the other fish in your aquarium. This could lead to the other fish becoming stressed or lead to infections.

Live Plants?

If you like live aquarium plants then you’ll need to consider carefully which fish to have. Many fish love to nibble, graze or just rip up live plants. If you’re after creating a beautiful Aquascape with plenty of live foliage, then it is very important to consider whether you want fish in your aquarium at all.#

Gravel or Sand movers?

Some people love fish that move the aquarium gravel or sand. By doing so, the fish are churning up the muck that settles in the base and hopefully this dirt will end up in your filter. One downside is you can often be left with seeing the bottom of your glass tank on one side and a ‘mountain’ of gravel or sand on the other. If you have live plants, they will not necessarily enjoy being up rooted as part of the process.

 It can be fascinating to watch your fish work hard at moving and cleaning the gravel though.

Water Quality?

Different species of fish require different water qualities. Whilst we understand the basics of coldwater, tropical and marine, there are also other things to consider with some species of fish such as PH levels, temperature parameters, brackish water etc.

Wild caught or domestically raised?

This is a very important consideration when picking your fish. Sustainability is very important for yours and future generations enjoyment of fish-keeping.

Cost?

One factor not to be underestimated is cost. Most retailers will ‘guarantee’ your fish for 24hours after you have left. This is usually subject to water conditions being good. Large fish are not always more expensive. The main driver behind the cost is rarity value. The more unusual fish tend to have a higher price so you’ll have to consider carefully when paying for premium fish. Are you ready to move up a gear and start to keep the more expensive varieties successfully?

Existing fish?

It is VERY important to consider your existing fish species and varieties when considering adding new fish to your aquarium. Developing your aquarium around your fish will usually mean you have less stressed fish, healthier stock and a great looking aquarium.

So when considering which fish to have, consider the above and discuss your ideas and thoughts with your OATA approved retailer who will always be happy to give great advice.

This fantastic little tank comes complete with

• 16W energy saving LED lighting unit with dimmable control
• Integrated filter which is easy to clean and maintain
• Pump with adjustable output of between 200-300l flow

The Superfish iQube3 aquarium is fantastically easy to set up, modern in design and will look stunning in any home, office or shop counter!

We also have one on display for you to look at im our retail store

A BEAUTIFUL CRYSTAL CLEAR POND
STARTS WITH HEALTHY WATER

A simple water test will tell if the water of your pond has the correct composition. The correct composition is essential to make a success out of your pond. This is how you make the fundaments for a crystal clear pond with healthy fish. By testing the water and following the 4 steps on the next pages clear and healthy water is at hand so that you can maximise the enjoyment from your pond and fish.

Nitrate Pond Test Kit	Nitrite Pond Test Kit
Ammonia Pond Test Kit	PH Pond Test Kit
Phosphate Pond Test Kit	Quicktest 25 Strips

Seachem Nourish Now In Stock comprehensive vitamin, amino acid, and trace element supplement developed to address nutritional requirements commonly associated with long term closed system housing of freshwater ornamental fish. Seachem Nourish contains potassium iodide in a heavy base of spirulina and chlorella.

The nutrient iodine is essential for the biosynthesis of the thyroid hormones thyroxine and triiodothyronine. Both spirulina and chlorella contain a rich assortment of amino acids and vitamins. Seachem Nourish can be used on marine ornamental fish; however, it is specifically designed for freshwater fish.

Why It's Different

Nourish's™ formulation is based on the most scientifically current information on fish nutrient requirements (National Academy of Science) while addressing specific requirements of freshwater fish. Nourish™ contains potassium iodide in a heavy base of spirulina and chlorella (see above for the unique benfits of spirulina and chlorella).

Directions

Shake well before using. For best results, soak one capful of fish food in one capful of Nourish.

ngredients: Water, spirulina (Spirulina platensis), chlorella (Chlorella pyrenoidosa), phosphoric acid, calcium chloride, magnesium chloride, ascorbic acid, ferrous sulfate heptahydrate, zinc sulfate heptahydrate, copper sulfate pentahydrate, manganese sulfate, potassium iodide.

Seachem Nourish 100ml

Often referred to Canister Filters, these filters usually are positioned below your Fish Tank. Being larger and more powerful than the internal aquarium filters they are better at keeping the your aquarium nice and clear.

Simple in design, external filters take water from the aquarium, filter it and then simply pump it back again. The canister filter contains all the usual filter media and filter foams as you would expect but can handle a greater flow rate, thus keeping your aquarium cleaner for longer.

One important issue to consider is the location of your external filter. It needs to be below the fish tank, have access to power and be in a position where the pipework doesn’t have any ‘kinks’ in it (smooth curves/bends are what you’re after).

The Arcadia Led Bar Luminaire has a great looking control box that can fit neatly to the side of your aquarium and comes Complete with a full Suspension kit.

AQUARIUM LED LUMINAIRE

Adjust overall colour temperature through seperate dimming of deep blue LEDs with a spectral peak of 450nm, and cool white LEDs selected for a colour temperature in excess of 8000K

Multiple high output LED panels which should last in excess of 5 years

Independently dimmable high output White and Blue LED’s

Radiates very little heat into the aquarium

Complete with Suspension kit and Dimming Controller

Plecostomus (commonly referred to as Pleco) is the name used for a wide range of catfish from the Loricariidae family. Most people keep Plec’s to help keep the Aquarium glass clean as they munch their way through the algae that forms on the fish tank surfaces.

Plec’s can grow to various sizes and you should carefully consider this when deciding which Pleco to purchase for your tank. Your local Aquatic retailer should be able to advise you how big the Pleco will grow and whether it is suitable for your tank. As most Pleco’s can live up to 20 years in captivity, this give ample time and opportunity for it to grow – so choose your Plec carefully!

Some Plec’s can be quite territorial. These should not be kept with other Plec’s unless in a large Fish Tank. However, there are many Plecostomus that will successfully and happily live in the same Aquarium.

Plec’s love having somewhere to hide or shelter. Some Aquatic plants or ornaments are ideal for them but best of all is some driftwood. They really like to ‘suck’ the driftwood and they gain lots of nutrients in the process. Most Pleco’s are nocturnal so don’t be surprised if you only see them ‘hiding’ in your ornaments, rocks, plants or driftwood.

A popular and friendlier Pleco is the Bristlenose Catfish. Keeping more than one in an aquarium is fine and different sized Brislenose’ get on well.

Being agile jumpers, your aquarium must be fitted with a lid. They are also known to disappear down pipework exploring and searching out new or better homes. This is part of their natural behaviours from the wild so you need to ensure that they can’t escape!

Unusually so for fish, they have an ability to absorb oxygen from the air we breathe. So if they do jump out, then they have the ability to live a little longer than most fish – giving you time to rescue them from the floor!

In our shop, we have often seen the Plec’s sucking and cleaning the Fire Eels. The Eels tend to sit there and let them give them a clean and it’s really great to see the Plec’s working their way up and down the fire eels. Once ‘cleaned’ the Fire Eels go back and ‘hide’ in the wood.

Primarily feeders on Algae, they are known also to enjoy supplements. We often feed them on Cucumber & lettuce – both of which they love – and they’re also seen to eat the Bloodworm and Mussels that we feed our other fish on. It is important to have a piece of driftwood wood in your Aquarium if you have a Plecostomus – not just for hiding in, but also for the nutrients they will take from the wood to ensure they remain healthy.

The Professional Range of UV Clarifiers from Evolution Aqua

Evolution Aqua’s range of Pond UV Clarifiers consists of the

Evo30 (30 watt UV bulb),

Evo55 (55 watt UV bulb)

Evo110 (2 x 55 watt UV bulb).

The evo30 is suitable for garden ponds up to 30,000 litres, the evo55 is suitable for garden ponds up to 55,000 litres and the evo110 is suitable for garden ponds up to 75,000 litres. There are factors that can affect this, in particular surface area of your pond, the amount of shade given to your pond and stocking levels.

The Evolution Aqua ensures that your pond water will have amazing clarity, by killing the single cell algae that causes green water.

All of the pond clarifiershave been designed using the very latest design techniques to ensure that the water will flow effectively within the unit, allowing the ultraviolet light to destroy the algae as it passes through.

Not only does the pond UV look very stylish, making it a fantastic addition to any pond, but it has been designed with a fully UV stabilized, tough outer casing. This means that the UV can withstand the recommended operating pressures.

The evoUV has a low energy, electronic ballast that is positioned in a fully water tight compartment, fused, with full thermal overload protection. Your evoUV is built with both safety and low running costs in mind.

The evo30 and evo55 units are supplied with 1½” stepped hosetails. This allows easy installation with flexible pond hose. You can also install the evoUV to hard pipe, using standard 11/2" BSP threaded male connectors, The evo110 can be fitted to hard pipe using standard 2" BSP connectors. These are not supplied with the evo110.

Every Evolution Aqua UV is simple to install, and are supplied with pre-fitted stainless steel mounting brackets that allow you to fix the unit horizontally or vertically.

All The pond UV filters come complete with a 2 year guarantee for total peace of mind.

There are lots of dechlorinators on the market such as Seachem Prime, Tetra Aquasafe and API Tap Water Conditioner.

So what do they do and why do your Aquarium Fish need them?

These conditioners are all designed essentially to turn our tap water into water that is better suited for your aquarium fish.

Our tap water has chlorine in it and this will immediately kill off any good bacterium that has built up in your filter and impact greatly on your aquariums ability to turn nitrite (fish waste) into nitrate. Without the good bacteria doing its job your fish will not be living in healthy water, will become weak and infected and in turn possible die.

Tap water contains lots of different mineral and metals in it. The conditioners are designed to remove the copper, lead, zinc and other metals from the water as these are not good for your fish.

In addition, the aquarium Tap Water Conditioners add essential elements that are often to be found in your fish’s natural environment, such as: Iodine (for vitality), magnesium (for growth and general well-being), vitamin B to support resistance to stress.

One of the downsides for using these is a potential to increase the level of ammonia in your tank so be mindful of this when choosing which product to use. Seachem Prime includes an ammonia binder to detoxify the ammonia produced as part of the de-chlorination process. Other branded  products may require additional treatments to reduce ammonia.

It is therefore important to use dechlorinators when setting up your fish tank and when cleaning and maintaining your aquarium to ensure that your fish are maintained in the best conditions and to promote excellent fish health.

Seachem Prime                                              - 100ml treats 3,800 ltrs 

Tetra Aquasafe                                                 - 100ml treats 200 ltrs

API Tap Water Conditioner                             - 100ml treats 6,080 ltrs

Seachem Matrix Now In Stock, Matrix is a high porosity aquarium biomedia that provides efficient biofiltration for the removal of nitrogenous waste.

Seachem Matrix is a porous inorganic solid about 10 mm in diameter. Each liter of Matrix provides as much surface (>~700 m²) as 170 liters of plastic balls! Plastic bio-materials provide only external surface area, whereas Matrix provides both external and internal macroporous surface area.

These macropores are ideally sized for the support of nitrifying and denitrifying bacteria. This allows Matrix, unlike other forms of aquarium biomedia, to remove nitrate along with ammonia and nitrite, simultaneously and in the same filter. Matrix is completely inert and will not breakdown.

It need not be replaced. Since the majority of the bacteria are internal, Matrix may be rinsed when needed without damaging the filter. Matrix is compatible with all types of wet or wet-dry aquarium filters.

Directions

Use 500 mL of Matrix for each 200 L (50 gallons*) of water. Matrix may be placed in any kind of fish tank filter, and is particularly effective in a canister filter.

Seachem Matrix is sufficiently large that no filter bag should be required for most applications. Matrix works well in drip tray systems, but you may find that the larger Pond Matrix is better suited for such applications.

Seachem Matrix 250ml Click Here

We’ve all seen the wonderful, well established aquariums that experienced fish keepers have with all the vibrant colours and textures that their fish, plants, rocks and ornaments create. Aquarists often refer to the final outcome as being a living picture due to the ever changing look of their aquarium.

It’s odd really that people tend to give great consideration to the type of tank they wish to purchase, whether to have live, silk or plastic plants, natural style or themed style ornaments, wood, rocks and gravel or sand. Only then do people tend to then consider what type of fish to have.

Really, you should consider the type and number of fish first as this will help you determine all of the above.

Don’t rush things. This is so important when setting up a new tank. Remember, the experienced aquarist will have taken a long time to master fish keeping and, no doubt, made the odd mistake along the way and learnt from their own and others experiences. With this in mind, it is important to consider the type and number of fish you want.

When choosing your first fish make sure they’re hardy breeds such as

Zebra Danios

Lemon Tetra's

Glowlight Tetra's

Scissortail Rasbora

Penguin Tetra's

Once you’ve mastered keeping these and your aquarium has established well, then you can consider moving onto to other more sensitive species and adding variety to your tank – creating your very own ‘living picture’.

Seachem HeadStart Now In Stock, this pack of Seachem conditioners combines Prime, Stability, and Clarity into one convenient pack. It’s great for any aquarist but is ideal for the beginner.

Seachem Prime 100ml

Seachem Prime is the complete and concentrated conditioner for both fresh and salt water. Prime removes chlorine, chloramine and ammonia. Prime converts ammonia into a safe, non-toxic form that is readily removed by the tank’s biofilter. Prime may be used during tank cycling to alleviate ammonia/nitrite toxicity.

Prime detoxifies nitrite and nitrate, allowing the biofilter to more efficiently remove them. It will also detoxify any heavy metals found in the tap water at typical concentration levels. Prime also promotes the production and regeneration of the natural slime coat. Prime is non-acidic and will not impact pH. Prime will not overactivate skimmers. Use at start-up and whenever adding or replacing water.

Seachem Stability 100ml

Seachem Stability will rapidly and safely establish the aquarium biofilter in freshwater and marine systems, thereby preventing the #1 cause of fish death: "new tank syndrome". Stability is formulated specifically for the aquarium and contains a synergistic blend of aerobic, anaerobic, and facultative bacteria which facilitate the breakdown of waste organics, ammonia, nitrite and nitrate.

Unlike competing products, the bacteria employed by Stability® are non-sulfur fixing and will not produce toxic hydrogen sulfide. Stability is completely harmless to all aquatic organisms as well as aquatic plants, thus there is no danger of over use. Stability is the culmination of nearly a decade of research and development and represents the current state of the art in natural biological management.

Seachem Clarity 100ml

Seachem Clarity is the ultimate clarifier for both fresh and saltwater. It employs an advanced polymeric flocculating agent that is both reef and plant safe.

Clarity is the only clarifier on the market that does it all! Clarity will clear all types of clouding including, but not limited to, chemical clouding and particulate clouding (i.e. stirred up gravel bed). Freshwater and Marine. Plant and reef safe.

Why It's Different

Although MatrixCarbon™ has the lowest detectable leachable phosphate content of all major carbon brands tested, some phosphate is still released. Adding PhosGuard™ to the mix compensates for this. Both components are bead shaped for optimum water flow characteristics and penetration. The components enhance each other and are ideal for reef and marine use.

Directions

Use 500 mL for each 300–450 L (80–120 gallons*). Use in a filter bag. Rinse in freshwater before use. Use caution, since product will fizz and heat on initial wetting. SeaGel™ will function 3–4 months. May also be used in freshwater that is not phosphate buffered.

Seachem Seagel 250ml Click Here

There are two types of live bearing fish - Ovoviviparous & Viviparous.

With Ovoviviparous the young are born in the same way as mammals. The fish eggs grow using the nutrition from the egg yolk, hatch internally and the fish are born in a fully-formed state having received a protected environment from the maternal fish.

With Viviparous the fry (baby fish) receive their nutrition from the maternal fish via a sort of placenta.

Males livebearers do tend to have a high sex drive and it is therefore recommended to ensure the females outnumber the males to reduce stress amoungst all your fish. Male sperm can remain in the female fish for quite a long time – even up to 1 year – so don’t be surprised if you buy females and then later find you’re seeing lots of fry in your tank.

Sexing the live-bearing fish can be done. The males tend to have an anal fin that is used to fertilise the females. In species such as Platies, Swordtails and Mollies this anal fin is easily identifiable.

They are extremely efficient with silent operation.

They have high quality componentsfor long lasting, continuous operation.

Compact design - simple to install and maintain.

The air filter and diaphragm are both easy to replace.

Specifications:

H2Air 60: Produces 60 litres of air per hour. For aquariums up to 50 litres
H2Air 80: Produces 80 litres of air per hour. For aquariums up to 75 litres
H2Air 100, twin outlets: 100 litres of air per outlet per hour. For aquariums up to 200 litres
H2Air 120, twin outlets: 120 litres of air per outlet per hour. For aquariums up to 400 litres

Aquael Moonlight

MOONLIGHT LED is a nocturnal aquarium lighting. It has the form of a small round

module equipped with four blue LED diodes of total wattage of just 1,5 W. It can be installed both under and outside of the water. Installation of lighting is facilitated thanks to the double hang-on system consisting of strong suction cup and magnetic hanger.

The lighting can be safely immersed in water (both fresh and salt) since it conforms

to IPX8 water-tightness standard, meaning that it is completely secured from water. 12V technology in which the device is produced, ensures total security for both the animals inhabiting the tank and their owner.

The strong blue light emitted by MOONLIGHT LED illuminates the tank interior perfectly imitating the natural moonlight. It ensures perfect feeding conditions for nocturnal animals. It has been also experimentally proven that application of such a type of lighting can stimulate reproduction of so called “problematic” fish species that tend to be reluctant to spawn in aquarium.

MOONLIGHT LED is also perfect for small marine tanks with corals as actinic lighting. It intensifies the fluorescence effect of corals and makes them look more attractive. The double hanger makes the lamp easy to install practically everywhere, both to the tank glass as well as the cover or other elements of aquarium equipment. MOONLIGHT LED can also be successfully used for purposes not related with aquaristics, e.g. for lighting small indoor spaces.

Aquael Air Lights

New Air Lights LED nozzles are equipped with a round aeration stone which releases fine air bubbles. The stone encompasses four LED diodes of intensified brightness, and a set of 3 interchangeable covers. The airlights can be either plugged into a mains socket, or used with USB.

• Energy Saving (1w only)
• Aerates water effectively
• Creates various lighting effects
• Can be used as nocturnal lighting
• Easy to install

New Product From Evolution Aqua, evolution Aqua's Pond Treats Variety mix are natural, high protein treats to supplement the diet of all pond fish. These high protein treats are Silkworm, Mealworm, Gammarus, and Shrimp. These treats can be fed to your fish with their regular food.

The amount of food released each time can be easily adjusted and controlled. Between 50 and 1400grams of food can be released each day. Features a unique brush mechanism which ensures that food does not get blocked. Suitable for use with pellet foods the Automatic Koi Feeder has a digital pad which allows you to easily set the amount of food to be released and the time it is released.

The battery operated feeder is easy to install, safe to use and guaranteed for 2 years.

The Superfish Automatic Koi Feeder has a capacity of 10 litres, equivalent to approximately 4kg of food, allowing you to feed several times a day.

The feeder will run for up to two months on one set of batteries (4 x C Alkaline - not included).

Evolution Aqua have teamed up with Matsuko to develop a range of quality, high performance switchboxes that manage all the electrical needs required in the garden and pond environment. Evolution Aqua Matsuko Switchboxes are ideal for controlling all types of water garden appliance.

They give owners an extra level of freedom and protection by enabling up to 5 devices, such as pumps, filters, skimmers, fountains and lights to all be programmed and controlled by one single control unit.

3 Switchbox Models

There are 3 types of switchbox available:

• 5 Way Switchbox - Offering up to 5 lines of power up to 1500 W per line. Each device that is connected can be manually powered on or off at the touch of a button.

• SwitchMaster - 5 Way Programmable Switchbox - Offers 5 lines of power each delivering 1500 W per line. Every device that gets connected can be individually programmed to power on or off at your convenience.

• SwitchMasterPro - 5 Way Programmable Switchbox with PumpGuard™ - This high end model offers all the flexibility and security you need from a 5 way programmable switchbox, with the added benefit of PumpGuard™. If a pump is connected to this switchbox, PumpGuard™ will monitor its performance, check on its parameters and perform checks to help prevent any damage to the pump. This model will also tell the power consumption of every device connected.

All models are weatherproof for outdoor use at least to IP56, IP66 when installed in accordance with our instructions.

What is PumpGuardTM?

PumpGuard™ is a patent-pending, smart technology that helps to avoid possible disasters occurring when your pump blocks or overloads.

Line 1 of every Matsuko switchbox with PumpGuard™ is set to automatically “learn” how the first pump that is connected to it behaves in normal use.

Once the learning process is over (approximately after the first 20 min of running) PumpGuard™ goes into monitoring mode. It’s just looking out for your pump showing signs of overloading or cutting out, all day every day.

PumpGuard™ also knows how long you’ve programmed your pump to run every day.

So, if the pump should start to overload, or cut out, PumpGuard™ works on a series of recovery - “keep it going” - plans. PumpGuard™’s program tries to keep the pump running but minimising the overload, or avoiding any cutting out, while still running as far as possible for the full programmed time during the day!

As soon as an overload situation has occurred PumpGuard™ sounds a warning alarm (the signal for a warning alarm is a steady beeping sound plus a red LED on line No.1) the display shows “PumpGuard™ active”.

A pump that constantly keeps restarting can easily burn itself out. PumpGuard™ detects this situation and will, if the cutting out cannot be stopped by running on a lower intensity program, disconnects the power. PumpGuard™ saves your pump from damaging itself. In this situation PumpGuard™ sounds a stop alarm (the signal for a stop alarm is a faster beeping sound plus a red LED on Line No. 1) and the display shows “Pump fail”.

When you want to connect a new pump to your switchbox, you just reset PumpGuard™ on the control panel and the learning process will start again. PumpGuard™ is integrated into the top of the range 5 Way Programmable switchbox.

To stand a chance of winning; simply log onto our website and select a product you’ve used before and write a review on it. It doesn’t have to long, but must be printable!

Competition closes 30^th April 2012.  The winner will be randomly chosen from all the reviews made via our website. Judges decision will be final and winner will be announced during May 2012.

Good luck and get writing!!!!

Well most of us can’t have a moat but adding a Garden Pond is a great way of enhancing your outside home space. We have a great collection of Tropical & Coldwater Aquariums too, so whether you sit inside or outside after a hard day, you can relax listening to the tranquil sound of running water and watching your fish swimming around.

Modern Fish Keeping is easier than ever and we can supply everything you need to enhance your home or garden this spring. With pond liners, filters, pumps, nets, waterfalls in stock, we have everything you need to get your pond ready for summer. Our new Pond Plant collection has just arrived and we have a great variety of Pond Fish in stock.

For details of our current Pond & Tropical Plants, Coldwater & Tropical Fish Stocks, check out our website for details www.fish-fish-fish.com. We look forward to seeing you soon and helping you enhance your home and garden.

Well most of us can’t have a moat but adding a Garden Pond is a great way of enhancing your outside home space. We have a great collection of Tropical & Coldwater Aquariums too, so whether you sit inside or outside after a hard day, you can relax listening to the tranquil sound of running water and watching your fish swimming around.

Modern Fish Keeping is easier than ever and we can supply everything you need to enhance your home or garden this spring. With pond liners, filters, pumps, nets, waterfalls in stock, we have everything you need to get your pond ready for summer. Our new Pond Plant collection has just arrived and we have a great variety of Pond Fish in stock.

For details of our current Pond & Tropical Plants, Coldwater & Tropical Fish Stocks, check out our website for details www.fish-fish-fish.com. We look forward to seeing you soon and helping you enhance your home and garden.

Over the coming days we shall be getting more varieties of Tropical and Coldwater Fish in stock but you can always see what’s currently available via our website. Our Aquarium Plants are due in a couple of weeks and if there is anything special you’re looking for, give us a call and we’ll try and get it in for you.

We have a large supply of dry goods from all the major brands and we have a great range of Frozen Food available in store or by post. We stock a great range of Aquariums from Aquael, Superfish & Juwel,  Aquarium Ornaments, Artificial Plants, Fish Foods, Aquarium Heaters, Pumps, Filters and Media/Foams – all available in store or on-line.

Pond Hose, Pond Pumps and Pond Equipment are now available on-line and via our shop. Our Pond Liner and Underlay is due very soon and Pond Plants will arrive once the weather allows! We have a limited supply of Pond Fish at present but again, stock is due in over the next 4 weeks so keep an eye out via our website for what is in stock. We will also be supplying Waterfalls and Lanscaping goods very soon. Now the weather is warming slightly we have a great range of Pond Treatments in stock and a large range of Pond Filters  including the New Evolution Aqua EazyPod’s and UV’s

We look forward to seeing you very soon – pop in and say “hello”

 simple to connect and tighten - gives a perfect seal

 no cleaning, drying and glueing needed

 no more mistakes and having to use the hacksaw wasting time and money !!!

 reusable over and over again !

 connects imperial to metric pipe

 very flexible and forgiving - easy to apply in tight spaces

 if your pipe run is slightly out of line, these fittings will allow a slight deviation.

 ideal for permanent use, emergency repairs, temporary show vats or quarantine systems

 ideal for the koi keeper who likes to 'tinker' and likes to add and remove new products for testing - no wasting old fittings

 ideal for connecting a ball valve, UV,circulating pump etc for easy  removal - fittings can be used again

 ideal for all types of hosetail connections

We hope you have all enjoyed our 12 Days of Christmas Competition. Here are the winners:-

“On the 12^th Day of Christmas Fish Fish Fish did send to me”

An Aquael LED Air Light (Vern Mcclelland)  

API 5-in-1 Test Kit (Steve Uttley)  

Aquarian Goldfish Food (Lisa Griffiths)  

Tetra Aquasafe & EasyBalance (Donna Griffiths)  

Hugo ‘Mini’ Car (Alison Cooper)

Aquarian Tropical Fish Food (Kevin Mcnulty)

Deluxe Airstone (John Mitchell)

5 Hugo Kamishi Plaaaaants …….. (Paul Derricott)

An Interpet Stacka Rock B (Glynn Thomas)

Superfish Air Pump (Anna Butler)

A Juwel Digital Thermometer (Lisa Vaughan)

And a Juwel Aqua Gravel Cleaner (Dave Neal)

Thank you everyone who has entered and congratulations to all our winners. Next competition is in March (so watch this space).

In the meantime, if you need any advice or help with your fishkeeping please feel free to contact us on 01799 550943, post@fish-fish-fish.com or 

The Aquael MidiKani 800 combines all the advantages of the classic canister filters (great efficiency, big capacity of filtration media, versatility, precision of workmanship and easy installation.

For MIDIKANI 800 filter, the AQUAEL constructors have used the solution already proven in case of the smaller filters (MINIKANI 80 and 120).

Miniaturized pump is located outside the filter and is designed to pump the water directly into its chamber. Thanks to that many construction elements unnecessarily obstructing the installation of the device were simply eliminated.

Therefore, MIDIKANI 800 consists of only few basic parts: pump, set of connecting tubes and hoses and air-tight container with valves and baskets filled with filtration cartridges.

It is designed for tanks of capacity of up to 250 l. External pump powering the device, pumps up to 800 l of water per hour that guarantees the actual maximum efficiency of around 650 l/h. MIDIKANI 800 is equipped with a container containing four baskets of the total capacity of 7 l.

They are filled, respectively, with fleece, sponge, zeolite, Thanks to its very simple construction, the filter is extremely efficient and very resistant to being clogged with mud and other debris. What is more, it has a very important advantage over traditional canister filters: thanks to application of force-pump, it can operate both under aquarium and placed next to it or even above the water level.

Thus, it can be used also in very shallow water, e.g. in ponds of bigger aquaterraria or paludaria with semi-aquatic turtles and other reptiles.

large filtration capacity

easy to install and use

filter can be placed wherever you need (also above the aquarium)

two variants of pump installation (in aquarium or outside)

where we are giving away daily prizes until January 5^th.

Orders despatched on Thursday 22^nd will be via our courier - APC Overnight - so should be with you on Friday 23^rd December.

Orders after 0900 hrs 22^nd December will be despatched from Wednesday 28^th December.

Wishing all our customers a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.

Outside – we now have 6 display fish tanks and 2 plant display stands ready for next spring when we shall be stocking the Pond fish and Pond Plants. The fencing around the outside is now complete and it is beginning to look like outside shop space. These features are in addition to the work already completed in the construction of the main display pond and main filtration unit.

Inside – our well insulated barns have had all the electrical work completed. Fire alarms are installed, emergency lighting installed and certification has been completed. Walls and ceilings are now painted, shelving has gone in and the tropical fish, cold water and plant aquarium bases are built – we are now just waiting for the Aquariums! Additional mood lighting has been installed to ‘show off’ the products on the shelves, new shelving has gone in to increase storage and display and we are now starting to bring stock back in so we can continue to offer great service to all our web customers whilst continuing to build our shop.

What’s next – the groundworks for access and parking is our main priority. We are in the hands of the council processes but these will be completed as soon as possible. We are also waiting for the new Aquariums for stocking our Tropical and Cold Water Fish together with the Aquarium filtration system …… still loads more to do but we’re cracking on and look forward to seeing you soon ……

New Fish Fish Fish Shop Progress

We've got the planning permission to open our very first shop

watch this space for updates

Thank you to all our loyal customers who have supported us since the launch of our new website at the end of 2010.

By the end of 2011, we will be opening our very first shop.

We looked at the feedback from all our customers and many of you often asked if you could visit our shop. Everyone is welcome, but alas we had no shop and those of you that have visited only saw store rooms – not very inviting and welcoming.

We decided that by converting our store barns into a shop and opening up our garden to Fish ponds would allow everyone to come and visit – so the planning began!

What does this mean for you?

As well as continuing to receive excellent customer service via our website for all dry Aquatic goods, you will also be able to come and visit us where you can buy everything available on our website plus Tropical and Coldwater Fish, Aquatic Plants and Frozen Foods too.

Watch this page as we progress on the build and share more details with you as we progress on our build.

The story so far ……

We received confirmation of planning Mid-August.

So what are we planning to do?

There will be a new entrance with car parking; a natural habitat water feature to attract wildlife and showcase what can be done; outside stock ponds with cold water fish and pond plants; convert the barns into one shop that stocks all the items you currently see on our website plus Tropical and Coldwater Fish and live Aquarium plants.

So far …..

We have temporarily relocated our stock so we can continue to serve all our website customers and maintain the highest standards that you have come to expect from us. We have consolidated office space too so that the work can be done with minimal interruption.

The barns are now starting to be converted with loft space being created, walls being insulated and boarded, lighting and power being installed and ‘surplus’ items disposed of!

Koi Fish and other Pond Fish are cold-blooded. As a result, their body temperature and metabolic rate is determined by the temperature of the water they are in.  As the water temperature rises the metabolic rate of your Pond Fish also increases.

As a result, your Fish’s ability to digest and absorb higher levels of protein from their diet increases and this is why people often concern themselves with the level of Protein contained in Fish Food’s.

As the temperature begins to drop your Fish’s ability to digest ‘normal’ fish food and absorb protein reduces. Between 8°-12° C, the metabolic rates and digestion efficiencies are low in your fish, as indeed are your Fish’s protein requirements. At this time, significant quantities of Protein would not be used for Fish Growth and would be wasted and exreted into your Fish Pond, which in turn would increase the levels of Ammonia. This is why people swap to a Wheatgerm Fish Food.

Wheatgerm is the ‘heart’ of the wheat grain. It provides an easily digested vegetable based food form that is low in protein.  Because of this, your fish will receive all the nutrients they require and the amount of ‘waste’ will be reduced, thus ensuring your water quality and the well-being of your Pond Fish is maintained.

Here are some simple steps to help your Aquarium Fish during this hot spell.

1. Keep an eye on the temperature by using a thermometer or for more sophisticated set ups you may wish to invest in Seneye.

2. Keep electrical equipment such as TV’s, Hi-Fi’s and table lamps away from your Aquarium if at all possible. 

3. Keep your Aquarium well ventilated – do not push up against a wall; ensure there is a gap all the way round it – top and sides. If needed, use an electrical fan to assist air circulation.

4. Turn off your Aquarium light – you’re fish won’t mind (honest!) and this will keep the heat down.

5. Ensure your tank hood has vents in it – or open the feeding hatch – and as the heat rises it will be able to escape from your Aquarium.

6. Close blinds or shutters during the peak times of sunshine and help keep the light out of the room where your Aquarium is.

7. In extreme cases, we’ve also placed a sealed bottle of frozen water into our large tank to help drop the temperature. It just floats on the top and after the fish have been nosey and had a look, they leave it alone and it just slowly defrosts. You can then refreeze the sealed bottle of water for another day!

Don’t forget, it isn’t just us and our furry pets that don’t enjoy the heat. Our Aquatic friends also feel the rising temperature and don’t enjoy it when the water gets too warm.

A Water Garden often starts out as a ‘pond’ but is transformed.

Add some flowing water either through a water fall or fountain and the water is no longer stagnant. Add some plants that break up the ‘hole-in-the-ground’ and you will add colour and texture to this part of your garden.

Insects are attracted to your water haven. This in turn will frogs, toads, newts, birds and other wildlife either seeking a meal or a drink.

If you add some fish to your pond, then the whole experience has changed from looking at a hole full of water to what is now a water garden.

At a recent computer expo (COMDEX), Bill Gates reportedly compared the computer industry with the auto industry and stated, 'If Ford had kept up with technology like the computer industry has, we would all be driving $25 cars that got 1,000 miles to the gallon.'

In response to Bill Gates's comments, Ford issued a press release, stating:
'If Ford had developed technology like Microsoft, we would all be driving cars with the following characteristics (and I just love this part):

1. For no reason whatsoever, your car would crash......... twice a day.

2. Every time they repainted the lines in the road, you would have to buy a new car.

3. Occasionally your car would die on the freeway for no reason. You would have to pull to the side of the road, close all of the windows, shut off the car, restart it, and reopen the windows before you could continue. For some reason you would simply accept this.

4. Occasionally, executing a manoeuvre such as a left turn would cause your car to shut down and refuse to restart, in which case you would have to reinstall the engine.

5. Macintosh would make a car that was powered by the sun, was reliable, five times as fast and twice as easy to drive - but would run on only five percent of the roads.

6. The oil, water temperature, and alternator warning lights would all be replaced by a single 'This Car Has Performed An Illegal Operation' warning light.

(I love the next one!!!)

7. The airbag system would ask 'Are you sure?' before deploying.

8. Occasionally, for no reason whatsoever, your car would lock you out and refuse to let you in until you simultaneously lifted the door handle, turned the key and grabbed hold of the radio antenna.

9. Every time a new car was introduced, car buyers would have to learn how to drive all over again because none of the controls would operate in the same manner as in the old car.

10. You'd have to press the 'Start' button to turn the engine off.

PS - I 'd like to add that when all else fails, you could call 'customer service' in some foreign country and be instructed in some foreign language how to fix your car yourself!!!!

The various sizes of Garden Pond Pumps will show difference flow rates and Maximum Flow. The figures quoted by manufacturers often base their pumps ability without consideration to pond hose and connections. Of course once you attach pond hosing , clips, reducers and connectors then these will often restrict the water flow.

So it is best to consider how much pond hosing is to be used and ensure that any pond pump you buy is able to deal with the reduction in flow these attachments will create.

“Maximum Head” describes, in simple terms, how high the water can be pumped! The level to which the pumps maximum head is shown can usually be found on the side of the box the pump comes in. If it is not shown, check with the retailer for details as it is very important if indeed you wish to pump water ‘upwards’.

The maximum head level is also quite misleading. If, for example, it states Maximum Pump Head 2ft then at the 2ft level the pump runs out of power and there will be no water flow at this height! So be very careful when choosing your pond pump to ensure that you have sufficient maximum head.

So what is ‘maximum head’?

In its simplest form, it’s the “difference in height between the pond surface and the inlet of a waterfall or fountain”.

So when you are considering which pump to buy, you must ensure that you have considered “Maximum Head” along with water volume / hour to be pumped.

This way, you will circulate your water volume 12 times in any day with the water preferably having been through some Pond Filter or UV Filter .

12 times / day water circulation should be sufficient to meet the needs of you Fish and Plants and be sufficient for the Filter Bacteria to cope with.

With this in mind, you don’t want to have too big or too small a Pond Pump and choosing the right pond pump is therefore very important to ensure you don’t spend too much, waste energy in running an oversized pump or get a pump that is too big for your Pond Filter.

If your pond is 5,000 litres in size a pond pump of between 2-4,000 litres per hour is ideal.

If your pond is 2,000 litres in size a pond pump of between 700-1,600 litres per hour is ideal.

Understanding what is happening inside your aquarium or pond is vital to ensuring that your aquatic life remains healthy. We’ve all tried, tested and benefitted from manual testing kits but Seneye water monitoring system takes this to a completely new level. Seneye allows you to continuously track the changes in the water parameters and alerts you wherever you have problems with your water quality before they affect your fish or plants. How cool is that?!

So how does Seneye work?

Simply drop the device into your aquarium and attach to your PC. It is that simple!

The Seneye reads the water quality continuously and the Seneye forecast engine analyses the data received. Seneye is clever and interprets the data to forecast predictions and can then inform you in advance of problems occurring – where ever you are!

We’re really looking forward to Seneye arriving; due in July 2011 – take a look at Seneye and what PFK have to say. Make your Aquatic Experience more fulfilling and give yourself that peace of mind that your fish are being cared for in the best manner possible.

Owning an Aquarium is a great and rewarding experience. Aquariums are first and foremost places for live fish and plants to grow and flourish with the added benefits of bringing colour, dimension and ‘art’ to your home.

Why do we put Aquarium Gravel in our Fish Tanks?

Well of course many people like to brighten up their aquariums as they are a main feature within any room. Bright coloured gravel, such as the Hugo Kamishi Aquarium Gravel range, will compliment any colour scheme you may already have.  Combined with Aquarium Plants or Aquarium Décor, aquarium gravel will enhance the overall look of your final aquarium and give you the vibe you’re after.

More importantly than looks though ……..

Aquarium gravel provides a biological filtration system! Live rock contain air pockets that hold gases such as nitrogen. These are slowly released and stored and help regulate the aquarium environment. In addition, the gravel creates a substrate layer acting as medium harbouring beneficial bacteria.  These beneficial bacteria are responsible for the breakdown of organics in the aquarium. These bacteria will colonise on any surface in the aquarium and the gravel is a great place for this bacteria to colonise.

In addition to the above, the gravel creates a great base to anchor and grow aquarium plants.

But be careful!

When cleaning your aquarium gravel can sometimes get caught on the cleaning tool and before you know it, you scratch your glass or acrylic aquarium and you will curse yourself for a long time.

So in summary, aquarium gravel brings lots of benefits to your aquariums environment, will help anchor plants in place and bring colour to the base of any aquarium – just be careful when cleaning!

Our ‘favourite’ pond weed – Spirogyra adnate – commonly known as Blanketweed, the most prolific aquatic weed known to pond-keepers in the UK. 

Blanket Weed Removal – the ‘best’ way?

Many people of course remove blanketweed by hand. This is a satisfying result as you feel that you have cleared your pond of the dreaded weed.

STOP PRESS!

Pulling Blanketweed out by hand will actually release spores which in turn produce even more Blanket Weed – so in fact the problem doesn’t truly go away. [But we still feel better for it even though the pleasure is short lived!].

The most common “natural” method includes using barley straw or barley straw derivatives. 

Nihikoi’s Goodbye Blanketweed and Yamitsu Green Go Blanketweed Treatment use this as the basis of their Blanket weed treatments.

Another great product with fantastic reviews seems to be Cloverleaf’s Blanket Answer which is a unique blend of minerals and enzymes designed to be effective in combatting blanket weed. The special formula works where many bacteria’s fail.

Both of these are safe to use and will not affect pond life.

So if you’re struggling with Blanket Weed issue, why not try one of these great products from Nishikoi or Cloverleaf or get more information from our article on Blanketweed.

Aquarium Gravel from Hugo Kamishi comes in four styles – Neon Colours, Natural Colours, Pearly Colours and Single Colours.

Neon Aquarium Gravel brings vibrant colours and represents “full of energy”

Natural Aquarium Gravel gives a blending effect

Pearly Aquarium Gravel is peaceful yet brings a powerful presence

Single Coloured Aquarium Gravel gets it inspiration from the White capped mountains of Japan, the Lava from Volcanic Rock and the peaceful Blue Skies.

Whilst looking great, don’t forget that Aquarium Gravel has other benefits too in ensuring you maintain a healthy aquarium.

Aquarium Plants from Hugo Kamishi are some of the best designed artificial plants for aquariums currently available. They are stylish and colourful, come in all shapes and sizes and are exceeding deceptively real looking.

Some plants come with bases on them to help secure to the bottom of the aquarium, others come as part of a planted feature on rocks or ornaments.

So take a look at the great range of Hugo Kamishi products available and give your aquarium a well-deserved make-over.

Blanketweed is never good in any pond, see our previous article about Blanketweed, so should be treated to minimise the detrimental effect it will have on your Fish and your enjoyment of your Garden Pond.

Cloverleaf Blanket Answer is a great way to treat your pond should you have blankweed problems – take a look at the customer survey and comments  that compares many different blanket weed treatments.

100% safe for all pond fish, pond plants and biological filtration systems, plus no need to turn off UV units or protein skimmers, Cloverleaf Blanket Answer is by far the simplest and best product on the market for helping to clear blanket weed.

To make your life a lot easier and to ensure that you don’t have to worry whilst away, the Aquatic Trade has a range of Fish Foods and Automatic Fish Feeders that make the task of feeding your fish whilst you’re away a lot easier.

The Automatic Fish Feederfrom Hydor is a Battery operated fish food feeder that can feed fish for up to 1 month – great for those on an extended holiday. The automatic fish feeder has adjustable food dispensing and a unique mixing system that prevents the food from clogging so you can enjoy your break with the knowledge that your fish will be fed the right amount at the right time.

For those on shorter holidays, then the API Pyramid 7 Day Fish Food or the API Pyramid 3 Day Fish Food may be more beneficial. This slow release fish food block offers sufficient feed for your tropical aquarium fish for 3 days. With a soluble outer shell, which gradually dissolves, allowing slow release of the fish food into your aquarium, the API Tropical fish food feeding block is the great way to cover weekends away or any short period of time.

Tetra Pond Holiday Fish Food is specifically designed for your Garden Pond Fish. Tetra’s Holiday Food is 100% edible holiday food that provides 14 days of nutrition for pond fish. Providing a healthy nutritional balance with natural ingredients in Tetra’s patented gel-based formula, this holiday fish food will ensure that you can enjoy your summer holiday in the knowledge that your Pond Fish will not go hungry.

So now you can go away, relax and enjoy your holiday with the knowledge that all your fish are well fed and cared for thanks to these innovative developments from Tetra, Hydor and API.

In general, what are the guidelines for feeding your Pond Fish?

Feeding time should be one of the most enjoyable experiences not only for your fish, but you too! It is a time when you can check on the health and welfare of your fish, train your fish, watch their behaviour and also enjoy seeing them close up and on the surface.

Pond Fish prefer to be fed little but often. It should take no longer than 3-5 minutes for them to feed. If there is excess Fish Food left after this time, it is best to remove from your Fish Pond. A great way in helping control the spread of your Fish Food is to use a Feeding Ring. These encourage your fish to come and feed in one place to heighten your enjoyment and also make clearing excess Fish Food easier when required.

Over feeding your fish is quite common (unfortunately) and this in turn will reduce the water quality as the uneaten food soon pollutes the Pond Water.

As the weather warms, your Pond Fish will increase their appetite and consume larger quantities of Fish Food. You will have to adjust the amount you feed dependant of the time of year and temperature.

Nishikoi® Fish Food throughout the seasons

Nishikoi® has developed a range of foods suitable for different times of the year. Their range of foods contain

the anti-oxidant action of vitamin C & E which helps the immune system

vitamin D for strong bone formation

spirulina (enriched with fatty acids) that aid natural colour

highly digestible quality fishmeal’s

Nishikoi’s range of pond and koi foods provide a range of nutritionally complete diets from floating pond sticks, food flakes, sinking food pellets through to the higher specification Growth and Professional foods. They also come in a variety of sizes to suit different Pond Fish sizes too. Take a look at the Nishikoi range of Pond Food.

Springtime – is a period of fish coming back to ‘life’ after their winter of rest. As the water begins to warm their appetites begin to grow. A medium level of Protein is required to assist.

They like to be kept at temperatures between 20-35°

Garra Rufa can be kept in an aquarium but whilst hardy, they are not a great beginner’s fish.

The Garra Rufa fish originates from the Hot Spring Pools of the Tigress and Euphrates rivers that flow from Turkey through Syria, Iran and Iraq. Garra Rufa grows to a length of 4-7 cms and has a ventral shaped mouth (no teeth). Garra Rufa Fish has high metabolisms and they need plenty of balanced nutrients as provided by these natural Hot Spring Pools.

Garra Rufa Fish are legally protected in Turkey due to concerns of overharvesting for export. Garra Rufa can be kept in an aquarium but whilst hardy, they are not a great beginner’s fish.

The Garra Rufa Fish originates from Hot Spring Pools of the Tigress and Euphrates rivers in Turkey, Iran and Iraq. They grow to a length of 4-7 cms and have a ventral shaped mouth (no teeth) and have for many years been used for therapeutic benefits in this region of the world. The Garra Rufa Fish has high metabolisms and they need plenty of balanced nutrients as provided by these natural Hot Spring Pools. They like to be kept at temperatures between 20-35°

The beauty industry has caught on to the ‘benefits’ that the Garra Rufa Fish have in removing dead skin from their clients’ feet. Garra Rufa Fish have an enzyme called diathanal in their saliva which encourages skin regeneration and can also provide some relief for sufferers of psorisasis (a skin disease that causes red patches of thickened scaly skin).

In this unnatural environment, these open top Foot Spa’s are far removed from the Garra Rufa Fish’s natural environment or that offered by a fully filtered, temperature controlled well set up Aquarium. Health and Beauty Salons have lots of perfumes and other air borne particles around as part of their offerings to clients. Many beauty salon clients have Tan Spray on their feet or legs which are then placed in the Foot Spa with the Garra Rufa Fish. Many of the Foot Spa’s offered are for 2 or more people and there is a possibility for infections being spread.

Water is a great absorber of all these concentrated chemicals and Fish-Fish-Fish are very concerned over the short, medium and long term affect to the Garra Rufa Fish. Even though Garra Rufa Fish has high metabolisms, we are concerned that they will be over fed whilst not receiving sufficient nutrients from the dead skin. Once the novelty has worn off and people move onto the next fad, what will become of the Garra Rufa Fish supplied to the beauty salon industry as unlike other beaty salon tools, Garra Rufa Fish can neither be washed nor thrown away after use?

The RSPCA “have concerns about the welfare of any fish involved in this practice” The RSPCA also have concerns around “who would take care of the fish as required under the [Animal Welfare Act]. …the people with day-to-day responsibility for their care will not have adequate experience in fishkeeping..”

14 States in America have already banned these Foot Spa’s on health grounds. Various public bodies have concerns regarding the therapeutic use of Garra Rufa Fish and the potential to spread disease. The Independent Reported that Public Health Agency in Northern Ireland advised “that people avoid having fish pedicures, as it is not guaranteed that there is no risk of infection”.

There is a lot of information currently about the “benefit” to people’s wellbeing by using the Garra Rufa Fish in foot spa’s. There’s little concern about the wellbeing of the Garra Rufa Fish being used for cosmetic purposes in beauty salons and spa’s across the United Kingdom

What is Spirulina?

Simple, it’s a type of algae that is rich in raw protein and vitamins A1, B1, B2, B6, B12, C and E. Spirulina also contains beta-carotene which is a colour enhancing pigment. All of these are ideal for Fish and help maintain healthy conditions and colour.

So why put Spirulina in Fish Food?

Spirulina offers an effective diet for most Fish whether carnivore or herbivore. Remember, carnivores will often eat herbivore Fish in the wild, so they too will benefit from the intestinal items of the Fish they consume.

Look out for Fish Food that has higher levels of Spirulina as you will need about 15-20% content for the true benefits to be obtained by your Fish.

Your Pond Fish are now into ‘growth’ season and this is the time of year when they really appreciate some good quality, high protein Fish Food. All Pond Fish and Koi need a balanced diet and the Fish Foods generally on the market these days will ensure your fish will receive all the nutrients they require for healthy lives.

Protein is a very important part of any Fish’s diet to ensure they grow and their body repairs its tissues. Koi Fish particularly require higher protein levels. In the wild, Fish will often consume a diet which is 50% protein. This is very hard for us to replicate in the unnatural environment we keep our Fish as the waste becomes ‘concentrated’ and causes the Pond Water Quality to deteriorate at a much increased rate than would be experienced in the wild.

There are various factors that are considered when calculating the level of Protein contained in Fish Foods. There has to be a balance of Carbohydrates and Lipids to give energy as well as the vitamins that would normally be extracted from natural food sources. The protein level is therefore balanced out against the energy and vitamin levels to ensure that the different Fish Species receive the right levels of Energy Foods and not too much Fat, which will add strain onto the Fish.

Older Fish require less Protein

More active Fish require more Protein (especially as the water temperature increases)

Juvenile Koi require high levels of Protein to encourage rapid Growth (30-40%)

A ‘staple’ diet level of Protein is approx. 25-30%.

So depending on your Fish, the water temperature and the age of your Fish will all impact on the level of Protein that you should look for from your Fish Food.

Now you know what size of Pond Pump you require, do you choose an External or Submersible Pump?!

External Pumps

As the name suggests, these are sited outside of the pond. External Pumps are often referred to as ‘swimming pool pumps’ as this is in effect what they are! They are more suited for larger Fish Ponds and Water Features or where above-average Flow rates are required.

Submersible Pumps

Submersible or internal pond pumps are more common. There is a large variety of Submersible Pumps on the market able to accommodate a variety of Pond sizes. From the smallest Water Fountain, to the largest Waterfall or just to flow water through the Pond Filter then there will definitely be a Pond Pump to suit your needs.

These are usually very straightforward to install and come with lengthy guarantees.

These are usually compact Pond Pumps and the only moving part is usually the magnetic impellor assembly. All the other components are safely encased within hard resin within the water-tight body of the pump.

In summary, Submersible Pond Pumps come in a variety of makes and models that will suit most domestic Fish Ponds or Water Features. External Pumps are great for large water features and specialist Fish keepers who require large flow rates.

Pond Volume

You need to calculate the water volume of your pond so you can ensure you choose the correct sized pond pump. It is ideal for Fish Pond water to be circulated once every 2 hours. So, if your pond is 2000 gallons, then you need a Pond Pump that has a flow rate circulation at least 1000 gallons per hour.

Flow Rate Considerations

The flow rate of your Pond Pump is reduced as soon as your Pond Pump has to move water above the Pond Waters surface. So, if you are ‘diverting’ water through a Water Fountain or Waterfall then this will reduce the Pond Pumps performance and you should look to get a larger Pond Pump to compensate for these features.

The vertical distance between the waters surface and the top of the water feature (fountain or water fall) is known as the ‘head’. The greater the ‘head, the harder your Pond Pump has to work and this in turn lowers your Pond Pumps water turnover flow rate.

So keeping with the same example above, if your waterfall is 2 feet high you would need to look at a Pond Pump that has a flow rate of 1000 gallons per hour at 2 feet of head. This will inevitably be a larger Pond Pump than first thought. On the side of Pond Pump boxes, there is usually a scale/chart that helps you choose the right Pond Pump with different outputs for different head heights.

Comparing Like for Like Performance

With the large variety of makes, models and sizes available how can you ensure you are choosing the right Pond Pump for you? Dependant on where the Pond Pump is manufactured you will have some showing performance in Litres/Hr and others Gallons/Hr. Rough guide if 4.56 litres to one gallon for conversion purposes.

Your Pond Pump plays a very important role in any water feature. It is in essence the ‘heart’ of your water feature as it pumps water through your pond filter – the ‘liver and kidneys’ – and helps ensure that your Fish Pond remains healthy and clean.

Usually out of sight, your Pond Pump works hard. Working for 12 months of the year come rain, shine, sleet and snow, your Pond Pump handles light and heavy materials as it pumps water around the veins of your Garden Pond.

If your Pond Pump were to stop working, you would lose more than the view or soothing sound of running water from your fountain or waterfall. Your water would fail to be pumped round your pond filter – the liver and kidneys of your Fish Pond – and this in turn will reduce the quality of your Pond Water and lead to less healthy Aquatic Life or worse!

So take care of your Pond Pump – the ‘heart’ of your Fish Pond or Water Feature. Ensure it is cleaned and checked regularly and enjoy your Fish Pond in a healthy and vibrant state.

 Simple answer – No!

Oxygen is needed by all Pond Fish, Pond Plants and the beneficial bacteria responsible for removing poisonous ammonia, nitrates and phosphates from your Fish Pond.

The normal atmosphere contains approx. 21% oxygen.  This ‘normal’ oxygen is absorbed into the pond where the pond life uses this up rapidly as your pond is not a direct replica of natural environments such as lakes, seas and oceans as your Fish Pond is likely to have higher density (or stocking) levels.

In hot conditions, the oxygen is not absorbed into the Pond Water as easily. It is more likely that oxygen levels within your pond will reduce as cold water retains oxygen better than warm water

So how do I know if I have enough oxygen in my Fish Pond?

Watch out for your Pond Fish, particularly Koi, and if you see them gulping on the pond surface for air, this is a tell-tale sign that the oxygen levels are getting low.

If you see dead fish, then this is also a sign of lack of Oxygen too.

How can I help ensure there is sufficient Oxygen in my Fish Pond?

The Nitrogen Cycle above requires a vast amount of Oxygen to ensure that the cycle is completed effectively. The most basic, but important feature is to ensure you have a working biological pond filter.

The nitrifying bacteria (Nitrosomonas and Nitrobacter) that live on the biological pond filter media help remove the ammonia from the Fish Pond. You need the biological pond filter to convert the ammonia into nitrite and then into nitrate – and nitrate is plant food.

Of course, if you have healthy plants, then they will add to the oxygen levels in your pond.

Ensure that you never switch off the pump supplying water to the biofilter (except for essential maintenance). If you do, then the Nitrosomonas and Nitrobacter bacteria will start to die after only 4 or so hours and this will lead to an increase In lethal ammonia levels within your Fish Pond.

Introducing a waterfall or water fountain will add oxygen into your pond as the water cascades through the atmosphere capturing the oxygen in the water particles as they drop into your Fish Pond.

An air pump is also a great way of introducing oxygen within your Fish Pond. You can also attach different air-stones or air-discs to create different visual effects within the water.

If you need any further advice or support, please do not hesitate to contact us at www.fish-fish-fish.com ; e-mail us post@fish-fish-fish.com or call us on 01799 550943.