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Wednesday, May 29, 2013

10 tips to set up nano reef aquarium

Julian shares his top ten tips on how to set up the reef aquarium with proper aqua spacing at home.


Equipments necessary in order to have a saltwater aquarium in which all the fish will thrive.


1) First identify a place to keep marine aquarium. The place shouldn’t be very busy, noisy and the temperature of the place should not fluctuate too much.

2) Select an aquarium that helps to keep track of fish due to clear visibility & provides a unique visual effect capturing emotion and serenity within a contemporary setting. You also need to consider the ease of movement of aquarium.\

Take large aquarium because the water chemistry will be easier to maintain over time. I prefer Fluval Edge Aquarium because It’s made of quality glass tank with modern look. However this model isn’t ideal for heavily planted aquarium and complex aquascape due to a small opening to the tank at the top.

3) When selecting a lighting system for a reef aquarium, the main factors to consider are:

Light intensity - A splash shield is recommended for all metal halide lamps. A ventilated lighting system with a splash shield would allow the metal halide bulbs to be safely placed as close as possible to the water surface with minimal heat transfer. Spectrum - Photosynthetic invertebrates should be kept under lamps rated at or near the Kelvin temperature where the invertebrate was collected. Shallow water species should be kept under 10000K lamps while deep water species would prefer 20000K lighting. Longer photoperiods will not compensate for incorrect light spectrum or intensity.

Tank Inhabitants - actinic supplementation should be used with 10K metal halide lighting but is not necessary with 20K. You may select separate 120 watt aquarium coral reef LED dimmable grow light. It has separate plugs and switches for blue and white light along with separate dimmer knobs for Blue and white. Corals like my frogspawn, hammer, plate, and brain coral look spectacular under these lights.

4) I recommend to set up aquarium with instant Ocean Sea Salt and change 25% of water every week. It’s fast dissolving & nitrate and phosphate-free. The critical point the new saltwater and the tank’s water need to be matched as closely as possible to avoid to avoid pH changes that can arise from the different environmental conditions in different rooms. API Saltwater Master Test Kit is very useful for testing high range pH, ammonia, nitrite,nitrate, tray & rack. Tests water 4 ways to protect marine fish from dangerous water conditions. API Saltwater Master Test Kit is very useful for you.

5) Filtration is one of the most important aspects for setting up a saltwater aquarium. The aquarium water should be filtered and sterilized at the same time. For this purpose, you can consider ozone filtration and protein skimmer. Filtration should be performed in such a way that some useful bacteria and microbes are retained in the water. Protein skimmers clean the organic debris before they get converted into plant nutrients.

On a smaller tank (less than 40 gallons) regular weekly water changes can be used in place of a skimmer.

Mostly I use live rock crumbles or products such as SeaChem Matrix which is even more effective, in place of ceramic bio media, plastic bio balls, bio stars, or similar for DE-nitrification as these other filter medium only provide aerobic bio filtration, thus creating high nitrates.

When live rock crumbles and/or Matrix (often volcanic rock can be substituted, although not as effective) are used this can avoid the “nitrate factory” aspect that these filters have been labeled with. The use of Purigen can further help with Nitrate & Phosphate Control.

6) Temperature is another criterion that should be maintained carefully in a saltwater aquarium. Majority of the marine fish are active between 75 to 80 degrees F. Accordingly, you can set the temperature of the heater. Closely monitor the thermometer level for any change in the temperature inside the saltwater aquarium.

7) Speaking about the substrate, use one pound of gravel per gallon of water that the aquarium holds. Vacuum clean the gravel before adding in the aquarium. Once the substrate is added, place the decorative live plants by inserting their lower portion on the substrate.

8) Marine fish are more expensive than the freshwater aquarium fish. There are wide varieties of saltwater aquarium fish and invertebrates to choose from. Nevertheless, the criteria for selection of aquarium inhabitants should not be solely on the appearance and color of the fish. Rather they should be selected after understanding their basic requirements in terms of food and environmental conditions.

Some of the spectacular saltwater fish varieties are angelfish, tangs, gobies, clownfish, butterflyfish, dragonfish, rays.

If you want exotic and poisonous fish, you can consider leaf fish, lionfish, scorpionfish and rockfish.
While pairing them, ensure that the fish requirements are matching. You can also introduce coral reefs or other live rocks in the saltwater aquarium. Before adding these inhabitants, allow to stabilize the temperature, light, and water chemistry in the aquarium.

9) There are many sub types of the reef aquarium systems, such as a cold water aquarium, but in all types of reef aquarium setups, energetic water circulation is what is necessary. Always remember that reef organisms are stimulated with heavily circulated water flow. Also, heavy water movements also diffuse and distributes oxygen and other materials like waste. So, it is always necessary to maintain good water circulation for a healthy and quality aquarium.

10) Live Rock is the basis on which the fish tank will be called reef aquarium. Use calcareous rocks or sand as it meliorates the life of the reef aquarium, physically as well as chemically. Water pH gets buffered by this calcareous matter and hence, the water becomes more nutrient free (this is the normal biological process).

One can decide to add almost any reef organism into the aquarium. People popularly add octopus, sponges, mantis shrimp and several kinds of fish to their aquariums. Breeds like fire corals, fire-worms and mantis shrimp are the most desirable reef organisms. Always remember that the live rock and sand are an inevitable part of a living reef aquarium setup.

Tips for Frogspawn Coral Care

Experts put this coral in the list of species which are moderately difficult to care for, mainly owing to their requirements. The frogspawn will only thrive well if the necessary conditions are provided to facilitate its growth. It will grow well in water with pH level ranging between 8.1-8.4 and hardness of 8° to 12° dH. In order to facilitate proper growth you will have to make sure that the temperature in its habitat ranges between 75°F-82°F. You will also have to make sure that the aquarium in which you house this species has moderate to high lighting and moderate flow of water.

You need to take note of the fact that the frogspawn species is quite aggressive when it comes to interaction with other coral types. The frogspawn species has an amazing ability of extending its lengthy sweeper tentacles as far as six inches beyond its base. In this process, it can also sting other coral species in the reef aquarium which are within its reach. That being said, you have to take special precautions when it comes frogspawn coral placement. Ideally, you should make sure that you leave enough space between the frogspawn and other species of corals in your reef aquarium to make sure that they don't harm each other.


Having a saltwater aquarium is a great hobby. Aquariums are the second most popular hobby, behind photography, in the United States today. The hobby of having an aquarium can easily be turned into a business when you retire or as a second job. So if you enjoy the hobby of having an aquarium and you turn it into a business, you will never work again.

You can set up an aquarium design company that specializes in integrating bespoke aquariums into modern interiors and modern lifestyles.

If you are new, you should consult

Sunday, May 26, 2013

7 Tips To Get Rid of Computer Neck & Back Pain

How Isabel Got Rid Of her Neck, Back & Thumb Pain?


As a software professional I was suffering from neck & back pain for almost last 5/6 years. Tried various options but never got very good result.

Last December, I  read few interesting articles on ART (Active Release Technique) while I was searching on how to cure neck & back pain at home. After that I really worked on improving my posture. This is more critical for me as I very healthy.
Isabel with neckpain


I gathered below tips from internet and used them in my life. I can say that I'm doing good after following these tips  & methods for last 4 months.

You may try after consult your doctor for achieving a healthy back & neck posture while performing everyday activities specially while you are working at computer.

1. When working at the computer or at a desk, I keep my head balanced directly over my spine as much as possible. That means both feet rest on the ground. Buttocks are far back in  chair. I also use  a small pillow to support my lower back. I guess this helped me to get rid of the pain in back of neck.

Here are three 3 favorite exercises of Dr. Kevin  that I do while sitting at my computer.



2. I normally spend a lot of time on the phone. So, I  try to avoid leaning my head to one side  while talking.

3.I  try to maintain an upright posture while sitting at chair.  I do isometric neck strengthening exercises every 2/3 hours even in office. Here is an important video from  Dr. Mandell on how to correct your posture.

4. I stopped using avoid high heels and I got good results. I started wearing Merrell Women's Barefoot Shoes most of the times.

5. I use a backpack designed to put weight on the hips instead of just the upper back. Here is a great video by Susan for upper back pain relieve.

6. Improper lifting techniques put stress on the neck as well as the lower back. I follow the advise to bend bend my hips and knees instead of my back.


7.Avoid sitting for long.Neck and shoulder pain are often associated with poor postural habits and weakness in the muscles that stabilize the shoulder blades and upper back.

This video demonstrates how to perform band exercises for "scapular stabilization", with exercises targeting key muscles of the upper back and shoulders. These exercises are often helpful for neck pain and shoulder pain issues.

 

Acupuncture and Acupressure entails placing needles at specific points of the body to trigger a biological chemical or electrical response to release pain-relieving hormones.  I liked acupressure but not Acupuncture. Results were not very good for me.


Hydrotherapy reduces your stress levels and decreases discomfort and pain using motion and temperature. For example, some of the techniques hydrotherapy experts use to eliminate neck pains include; socking in warm water or hot compress and whirlpool tabs such as Jacuzzis.

Actually I started applying ice pack every night at neck and it really helped me for good sleep. I got this tip from Ian Hart's Back Pain Relief4Life program.  

Click Here! to down load Ian's book for upper back and neck pain. See my testimonial on the site.

Reference : Rubber band exercise for  thumb pain cure.

Please let me know your opinion on the above tips on neck pain causes & treatment. Please discuss  below.

Monday, May 13, 2013

DIY Aquaponics Systems

Why I Thank John Fay For his Guide For Diy Aquaponics Setup? 

In Jan’12, I attended a seminar on " DIY Aquaponic Systems" by FAO, Food and Agricultural Organization of the United Nations on sustainable agriculture.

Aquaponics 4 you
Aquaponics systems
The agenda of the session was how to use technology & sustainable agriculture in rural parts of countries to increase farm productivity to meet the demand of food for 9.1 billion people by 2050.

 3 Top Reasons For Global Food Crisis 

  1. Lack of water 
  2. Farmable land to feed the world
  3. Climate change 
These are currently interfering with steady food supplies  which triggered spiraling staple food prices around the world.

I really liked the presentation and demonstration of a new food producing system called Portable Farms™ Aquaponics Systems that is far less dependent on water and land than conventional agriculture. It is not affected by climates or seasons, and provides pesticide free and locally grown food as a business investment in commercial aquaponics to solve the possible food crisis in near future. 



One of the seminar, I met with Mr. John Fay. He is an aquaponics expert and certified organic farmer. He authored a best selling ebook Aquanponics 4 you.I downloaded the book online and build one in 2 months by following the step by step process of organic gardening as explained by John in his book.

Are you interested to grow vegetables at your backyard?


Click the link to down load do it yourself Aquaponics manual  for step by step instruction.

In this article, aquaponics information for beginners, I will discusshow you can set up aquaponics system at home. I also share my experience on Tilapia farming  which is one of the most famed fishes with high
commercial value.


Aquaponics is a sustainable food production system that combines traditional aquaculture (raising aquatic animals such as snails, fish, crayfish or prawns in tanks) with hydroponics (cultivating plants in water) in a symbiotic environment.

diy aquaponics
Aquaponics 4 you - a step by step guide to build the system at your back yard

In the aquaculture, effluents accumulate in the water, increasing toxicity for the fish. This water is led to a hydroponic system where the by-products from the aquaculture are filtered out by the plants for vital nutrients, after which the cleansed water is recirculated back to the animals. The term aquaponics is a portmanteau of the terms aquaculture and hydroponic.

The whole aquaponics system is a biofilter. To know this system is working you need to check the levels of ammonia, nitrite & nitrate in the water. Visit  Aquaponics Journal to learn more about  the biofilter. I personally prefer to use trickling bio-filters because you get much more nitrification than a grow-bed of a similar size, it is cheaper to build and it works well for limited space.

What is amazing in Aquaponics is that, once the system is initialized, the water stays Ph balanced and remains crystal clear.

What You Need To Create Your Own Aquaponic System For Your Home

Here is a video on How To Build A Desktop Aquaponics System For Indoor Gardening, which helped me a lot initially along with the  Aquanponics 4 you book. You can easily download aquaponics 4 you pdf  at your computer. It costs $37 only and comes with money back guarantee.

DIY Aquaponics video





To build the system at home will require some basic items. First, you’ll need a small pond and a Grow-Tub with a Grow-Bed that is to be kept above the fish tank.

Here are the following parts you'll need to purchase ( at least I purchased) in order to Do It Yourself Aquaponic

Kit & Supplies diy aquaponics setup

  1. Pondmaster PMK1250 Pond Filter with 250gph Pump
  2. MT99 HD Oval Tank, 140-Gallon -a  heavy-duty, smooth edges, impact resistant with industrial endurance. 100-Percent recycled LDPE flexible plastic which gives a rubber-like quality.
  3. AquaBundance SpaceSaver Aquaponics Grow Bed
  4. Hydrofarm CK64050 Germination Station with Heat Mat
  5. A 1000-1500 liters Pump for the pond that is powerful enough to pump the water up towards the plants’ tank, which is usually situated at a height of 1 meter or more.
  6. Aquaponics Bell Siphon
  7. A waterproof extension cable that is about 10-15 meters long
  8. An Air Pump with dual outlets that are at least 15 meters in length.
  9. EHEIM Everyday Fish Feeder Programmable Automatic Food Dispenser
  10. An Automated Surge Protector that will pump water into the system every 2 to 3 hours.
  11. A Water Purifier Pump for constant circulation, purification and oxygen supply.
  12. You'll need Tiles or Slaps of Brick to make a roof for the fish tank.
  13. A Wire Gauze Or Bird Wire to protect the aquarium fish from prey.
  14. A long Garden Hose Pipe
  15. A pH level testing kit like Poolmaster 22260 Basic 5-Way Test Kit with Case
  16. API Freshwater Master Test Kit
  17. Electric Tape, a Drill and a Pair Of Scissors.

Last but not the least, some aquaponics fish, the type you like to eat or keep as pets such as:Angelfish, guppies, gold fish or the Betta fish, as well as aquatic plants (as vegetables or as decoration).

You can get everything you need from Amazon.com, like I did, and you can read other people’s reviews before you buy to make sure you are getting the best products for your needs.

The whole DIY aquaponics setup for home costs me a total of $165 (
without grow bed).


Now, initial success of  aquaponics systems, motivated me to create a large non profit commercial project in rural areas of India. In my next post, aquaponics gardening, I will share you my idea in more detail related to business plan, investment etc. along with detailed instructions on how to build an aquaponics system at home.

Please visit my article on  aquaponics kits & supplies from various stores with various price ranges.


Related tutorials which you can follow to expand your commercial aquaponics business

(1) How to solve food crisis problem in Africa using simple solutions


(2) A business with multiple revenue streams is a more viable, resilient business model because alternate revenue streams can self fund aquaponics farm growth and expansions.

Here are excellent guides on Tilapia , Koi , Mushroom & Shrimp farming which can work as additional revenue stream for your aquaponics farm.

I thank John for teaching me these simple system which is really helpful to rural villages where water & farmable land is an issue. With little effort & guidance villagers can solve their food crisis problem for ever.

Also, small business owners can do good business by marketing organically created environment friendly vegetables, fishes & mushroom  in local and international market. 



About the author : Alex Zorach is biodynamic certified organic farmer. He co-founded and editor-in-chief of RateTea .

Biodynamic & organic agriculture aim to promote sustainability by reducing the use of synthetic, chemical inputs which can potentially be harmful to the environment and to human health.Click the link to know ho we are using aquaponics systems to support feeding the hunger to eradicate world hunger.


Alex has an M.A. in statistics from Yale (2008), an M.S. in applied mathematics from U. Delaware (2007), and a B.A. from Oberlin College (2002). He has worked as a consultant in statistics and information technology, and also has experience in operations research,  ecology, and accounting. He is helping Kunal to set up commercial aquaponics along with  Nile Tilapia  fish farming at Pen area, Maharastra.

Please note some of these links are affiliate links. I personally read them or use them.This means if you click the link & subsequently buy, I might be compensated. This money will help me to expand our project to other villages.

Share your experience with  DIY Aquaponics systems or any other relation information below as comments.