Aquarium and Pond Care with EcoBio-Block

Once you have successfully built and set up your outdoor pond you may think that the hard part is over. While building your pond may indeed be the most difficult part of the process, you should also put a considerable amount of effort toward selecting the fish for your pond. You cannot simply go to the pet store and purchase a dozen feeder goldfish and expect them to thrive in your pond. There are only a few types of fish that are suited to living in outdoor ponds and each variety has certain requirements. Before you purchase the fish for your pond, perform some basic research to decide which type of pond fish is best for you and for your pond size.

Types of Pond Fish

Colorful koi

When it comes to outdoor ponds, koi are the most well-known species of ornamental fish used for stock. Koi come in a variety of shapes and colors including black, gold, red and orange. These fish look similar to goldfish but grow much larger and exhibit a wider variety of shapes in their fins and bodies. Because they grow to be quite large, koi require a pond capacity of at least 1000 gallons in order to thrive. These fish also require a variegated diet including fresh vegetables, fruit and specially formulated koi foods.

Goldfish come in a variety of shapes and colors which makes them a popular choice as a pond fish. Some of the most popular varieties of goldfish include Comets, Shubunkins and Orandas. Comets come in red, orange and white varieties – the calico varieties are called Shubunkin Comets. Orandas are a type of fancy goldfish known for the prominent hood that develops on top of its head.  In general, goldfish are a hearty species which does well in ponds with adequate filtration and aeration. Most goldfish prefer peaceful or slow-moving water and require a pond capacity of 250 gallons or more to thrive.

Precautions to Take with Pond Fish

Just as you should exercise caution when stocking your home aquarium, be careful when selecting the fish for your pond. Some species can grow very large or may become aggressive around other species. By doing some research before you purchase your pond fish you can prevent a disaster from happening later. Comets, for example, can be aggressive and should not be mixed with most other types of pond fish aside from koi. Goldfish and Orandas are generally peaceful species that can get along with a variety of species.

Tips for Keeping your Pond Healthy

A healthy pond requires routine maintenance in order to keep water quality high. Because goldfish and other pond fish are notoriously high producers of waste, adequate filtration is key to maintaining water quality. To give your pond a boost, consider installing one or more EcoBio-Block Waves. These blocks are infused with beneficial bacteria that multiply naturally to establish a colony in your pond. Once established, this colony of beneficial bacteria will help to break down organic waste products, remove odors and clarify cloudy pond water. While you should still maintain proper filtration and execute regular maintenance procedures, an EcoBio-Block Wave can help to keep your pond clean and healthy for your fish.

Saltwater Aquarium

Many newcomers to the world of keeping saltwater fish are wondering about the proper accessories for saltwater tanks. A lot depends on what kind of saltwater tank system you prefer. Do you want a reef tank system, a system with live rock and fish, or a system with just fish? Some accessories are considered to be basic; you would need them no matter which kind of system you chose.

Let us assume that you have already chosen the aquarium in the size you prefer. You know where you are going to place it in your home, and you have a suitable stand that can bear the weight of your tank when it is filled with water. You will need to decide what sort of lighting you are going to use. A hood for the top of the tank usually holds the lighting system you have chosen. Remember that for saltwater tanks, the lighting must be very similar to that of the sun. Otherwise, marine fish and coral will not do well.

Gravel, aragonite sand, crushed oyster shell and crushed coral are popular choices as a substrate for saltwater tanks. Since calcium is so important in maintaining the pH in the water of a marine tank, choosing a substrate like gravel, coral or oyster shell that can provide this mineral is a wise choice.

The plants chosen for saltwater tanks are generally live ones. Plastic plants, while attractive and hardy, cannot take a constant bath in salt water without a change in appearance. Live plants that are known to grow in salt water should be chosen. Live rock and coral are often considered as part plant, part decoration by the aquarium hobbyist. These choices grow and need nutrients just as plants do. The shapes and colors of coral are as beautiful a decoration as anyone could want.

Your aquarium filter should be chosen with both the size of the tank and the type of water that will be used in it in mind. A canister filter is a good choice. Saltwater tanks often prefer a filter that includes a protein skimmer. An aquarium heater will be needed as well. Choose a heater that is intended to use around 3 watts per gallon. You will need a thermometer, preferably digital, though some in the fishkeeping hobby do prefer the standard type of aquarium thermometer.

You will need a synthetic salt mix in order to make your salt water, available at any store that sells supplies for marine fish. Do not use regular table salt! A few buckets are handy to have to mix the salt water. In fact, five gallon buckets are a fine accessory for helping you maintain your tank. They can be used to hold plants, substrate, even fish if necessary for a short time. The proper mixing of the water is crucial for the saltwater tank. Just as the quality of the water that marine fish are used to in their native habitat is constant, so must the water that you mix and add to the tank also be.

A powerhead is an excellent choice as one of the proper accessories for saltwater tanks. Powerheads duplicate the wave action of the ocean. As so many of the marine fish sold today are wild caught, having conditions that match the ocean’s is crucial for success.
One of the best accessories possible for your saltwater tank is an EcoBio-Block. This product keeps the aquarium water clean and clear, and releases beneficial bacteria and nutrients into the water to help deal with the organic waste matter. It helps keep the ammonia, nitrate and nitrite levels down, and keeps the pH at a constant level. The EcoBio-Block can help you maintain your tank with very little work.