Aquarium and Pond Care with EcoBio-Block

If you are thinking about building a pond in your backyard, you should first consider some things before you make a final decision and start the proceedings. Adding a pond to your landscaping is becoming more popular, and will add value to your home, but did you know, for example, that in order to have a sparking and pristine pond with gorgeously colored fish swimming about, you must do certain things to maintain that look? That is just one of the aspects of being a pond owner that requires some thought.

Before you go out in your backyard with a shovel and start to dig, there is some pondering to do. It goes without saying that the size, depth, and design of the pond you buy should be decided upon well before you purchase the materials needed to make it. You will also want to make your mind up concerning the types of fish or other aquatic life that you want to add to your pond.

You may want to choose a natural pond design, one built and landscaped so as to give the initial impression that the pond has been there for many years. This design can take many forms if the person making it remembers to follow the natural curves and forms of ponds found naturally in nature. Roughly hewn rocks look fantastic in a design such as this, and you can choose plants that are taller and that appear more like what you would see in a nature setting.

You may be more interested in a more formal pond. This design is usually a geometric form, chosen to work well with the design of your house and any outbuildings you may have. Most of the time, it will be symmetrical and have an edge that is either of smooth, flat stone or paved. You can most definitely use plants with this type of pond, but the look is more subtle than the wild plantings more suited to a natural pond. Your formal pond may work best for you if it is raised off the ground, though it does cost more to build this design.

Remember what we spoke of above? We mentioned how maintenance is necessary to keep the water in your pond looking clear and clean. You can cut down a lot on the pond maintenance that would normally be necessary by making use of the EcoBio-Block nsM or the EcoBio-Block Wave products.

Choosing an EcoBio-Block product is one of the easiest methods around for keeping your pond water clear. Both have beneficial bacteria inside of them that will live and reproduce for more than two years. This naturally helps to keep the pond water clear, as these bacteria will also get rid of any organic matter by decomposing it. It also discourages algae which can also discourage mosquito larvae. It is safe for your fish and your plants, and will really save you a lot of time – time that can be spent enjoying the sight and sound of your new pond.

Saltwater or Freshwater Aquqrium?

You are interested in the hobby of keeping fish, but you cannot make up your mind between a freshwater and a saltwater aquarium. You have heard that saltwater tank care can be difficult, but if your heart is set on owning a few of those bright blue and yellow fish you saw in a magazine, you will want to consider a saltwater tank. If you have had a freshwater tank for a few years, and want a new challenge, then a saltwater tank may be just what you are looking for.

The two main considerations should be the amount of money you wish to spend on your new hobby, and the amount of time you have to spend maintaining your tank. Saltwater tank care is very different from the care required of a freshwater tank, but it does not have to be difficult.

A freshwater tank costs less to set up and to maintain. On average, you can set up a 10-gallon tank and stock it with a few fish for a minimum of $75.00. The fish that will live happily in a freshwater tank are less expensive than saltwater fish. Once you have a freshwater tank up and running with your fish added to it, the maintenance is not all that time consuming. At a minimum, you can expect to keep the water level topped up, add water conditioner, and perform partial water changes on a weekly basis with a freshwater tank. Plan to vacuum the bottom of the freshwater tank and change the filter material once a month. The cost to maintain a freshwater tank for a month, counting fish food and the occasional replacement fish, is probably $20.00 or less.

A saltwater tank can range from being a little expensive all the way up to the “money is no object” range, depending on what you put inside it. The live rocks that go into saltwater tanks can cost you from around $25.00 all the way up to several thousand dollars. It all depends on their size, and on where the live rock originated. Compare these prices to a few bags of aquarium gravel for a freshwater tank, and you can begin to get a better idea of the cost differences.

However, setting up a saltwater tank takes more than just live rocks. You still may want some form of substrate for the tank bottom, a few live plants, a hydrometer to tell you how much salt is in the tank water, and a good filtration system that was made for salt water. A sturdy tank heater and a thermometer that can take the punishment that salt water can dish out are also required.

You will want a powerhead for water movement, a protein skimmer to remove any sort of organic trash from the tank water, and an air pump and external water pump for the protein skimmer. You will also need a couple of boxes of aquarium salt, depending on the size of your tank, and a few various test kits to keep a check on the water. Yes, some of these same accessories are needed for a freshwater tank, but a marine tank generally requires a more heavy-duty form of the chosen item.

Saltwater tank care can take you several hours per week. The water must be tested for salt content every day. The temperature of the tank must be monitored, as well as the water quality. Your live rocks must also be cared for, or they will die. They need a particular form of lighting, and it must be balanced for them to be healthy.

If you want to simplify maintenance, the use of products from the EcoBio-Block family Products can help you to keep the water in any tank, whether saltwater or freshwater, clean and clear. Users of the EcoBio-Block have noticed less trouble with excess nitrates and ammonia spikes as well.

Saltwater tank care seems like a lot of work compared to a freshwater tank. However, a well-maintained saltwater tank is visually stunning, and well worth the time and attention you give to it. Saltwater tank care can be made easier when the proper bacteria and nutrients are added to the water, and the EcoBio-Block can do all this for you.

In the end, the decision between freshwater and saltwater is up to you.