很多新手開缸，一開始便買一些自己喜愛的魚來養，經過兩三星期後大部份的魚便相繼死去，他們便以為是魚缸不清潔於是便將沙及過濾器來一次大清洗，然後從頭開始再買魚，之後兩星期魚又死清，因此使很多人都覺得鹹水魚很難養。我曾經養鹹水魚十多年，在起初幾年，交了不少學費，到後來我掌握了其中竅門，自此之後自己開缸或替人開缸都十分順利，所養的魚也能健康成長，其實鹹水魚開缸並不困難，現將我的經驗和心得和大家分享。
基本裝備 ：
> 魚缸 (以48吋大為例)
> 喉架左右各可接駁潛水泵一個
> 粗幼沙混合比例為五幼一粗鋪至四五吋高
> 缸頂濾水器（水槽為自制密封式的，魚街有售），你當然可選擇其它，但如果用缸頂濾水泵， 就不要選有排氣口的泵，因那些排氣口很容易會被鹽封密，所以便很容易壞。
> 過濾用品包括，生物環，高密度棉及一般過濾物料。
> 強力氣泵用一粒氣石打氣（我是用一種日本泵，價錢比較貴，但很強力，又靜及很耐用，幾年也不需要更換）
> 缸頂光管
> 珊瑚石（不是活珊瑚）兩三件以作為魚兒被追打時的避難所及晚間棲身之所
> 化學鹽，殺菌水，增鹼素
> 鹽度計及溫度計
> NO2, PH 試劑
> 硝化細菌水 - 我不用的，新開缸五至六星期左右會自然有，加不加硝化細菌水結果也是一樣，所以我不花錢買
開始注意事項
> 將喉架放入缸中並套好潛水泵，在鋪上沙前一定要將潛水泵套好及固定，要小心不要弄斷喉架，如弄斷喉架一定要更換，否則你永遠不會成功。
> 將珊瑚石放入魚缸
> 將鹽倒入，分量可看說明或向魚店查詢，加入水，待鹽溶解後用鹽度計測度鹽度並將水調校至適合的鹽度。
> 將瀘水器架好，開啟瀘水器及氣泵，打氣一天，第二天可落魚。
開缸注意事項
> 開缸過程大約要五至六個星期，所以一定要有耐性。
> 最先不要亂買魚，我們要買一些對水質不敏感的魚來開缸。適合開缸的魚有- 籃魔（10至20 條）、四間（6條）、三點白（6條）、小丑（6條）、新娘（1條）及蕃茄（1條）等。魚的數量不妨多些，這些魚都比較平，死了便算數。在開缸期間，死魚是平常事，在我過往的經驗，用這些魚來開缸死亡率不高，可能死幾條，死了便將牠撈走，不用再添加。
> 放入魚後，可以餵食，每天餵食次數不限，數量以在三十秒內吃清為原則。
> 開缸後大概一星期後，水質便開始變壞，你可用NO2試劑量度，你會發覺試管的水是橙色與紅色之間。再過幾天，再用NO2試劑量度，你會發覺試管的水是深紅色的，這表示水質非常壞。新設的鹹水缸水質通常在兩星期後開始到達非常惡劣的狀況，除了上述的開缸魚能忍受如此差的水質外，其它的魚必死無疑。
> 在之後的期間，我們應每天用NO2試劑量度，大概五至六星期左右，有一天你會發覺試管的水是會由深紅色變淺色少許，那麼成功在望了。不到好幾天試管的水是會變為淺黃色（第一格的淺黃色），這表示你開缸成功了--- 硝化細菌己足夠過濾現時魚的排泄物，現在你可考慮添加自己喜愛的魚。
加魚注意事項
> 每次加魚不要一次加太多，大魚（比手掌大）每次只可一條，中型魚（手掌般大）一次可加兩三條，小魚一次可加五六條。
> 心目中要加的魚最好依由小至大的次序去購買及加入，可減少大魚欺負小魚的機會。
> 最好不要買太大的魚，大魚很難開口（不吃東而死去）。
> 我覺得比較易養的魚如下（依難度次序）：
n 上述的開缸魚。
n 倒吊類 – 例如：籃愛、雞心吊及彩愛。
n 仙類 – 籃紋、高欄、北斗、籃面、黃帝、灰仙、法仙、一橦仙、紫月。
n 蝶魚 – 關刀、白眉、人字，黃網。
² 其它魚 – 自己冒險。
² 買仙類每種買一條（法仙除外），不可買兩條因為會打架。
² 黃帝是很多鹹水魚愛者都必選的，我也贊成一定要皇帝，因為皇帝對水質比較敏感，牠可以作為缸中水質的指標，如果你養開的皇帝的狀態不佳，這就是你的水質有問題，你便要立要做功夫補救。
² 新買的魚要將未拆的膠袋浸在魚中大概十至十五分鐘以平衡溫差(任何魚也適合的常識)。之後要將新魚盛放在膠篩內給牠安靜一段時間才將牠放出來。
² 加魚後NO2可能變為深黃色（第二格），但如果你一次過不是加太多魚，過幾天又會變回淺黃色。
² 亦需要定時檢查PH（8.2 – 8.6 為正常），尤其是發覺魚游來游去時好像沒有氣力似的，那就表水質開始變酸，那就需要落增鹼素。
² 購新魚前應檢查NO2、PH ，正常才加魚，如果讀數不正常，新添加的魚便可容易死。
2009年7月16日 星期四
養魚很難嗎？
養魚很難嗎？其實對於會養的人來說，應該算是不難，抓對了方向往往就能成功，所以養到有經驗的人，
要他換一個缸子再養出一個漂亮的魚缸通常都不困難。
而對初學者或者入門不久的人來說，養魚就真的很難了！尤其是搞錯方向，沒人可以求助時，這時候遇到的挫折往往更多，
這時遇到一個好老師比什麼都重要，但是如何判斷這個人是好老師？建議可以看看他養魚養得如何，是否要照著他的路繼續走。
如果你是初學者，又遇到好老師，恭喜你，你成功了一半，但是切忌一件事！老師講的話要聽，老師的忠言帶你上天堂，
亂聽的意見帶你住套房！但忠言逆耳，往往不是因為沒耐心想要求速成，要不然就是聽了雜七雜八意見，心智動搖，
反而越養越慘，最後再去怪罪於老師，所以老師就一個個消失了，都被這樣的牽托給燒光了。
在我養魚的過程中，老師有很多，但是我一直秉持同一位老師的意見一路走下去，等到走到自己已經熟悉如何開創自己風格時，
還是謹慎戒之，一一去參考其他老師的意見，適合自己的方法就繼續用，不適合自己的方法就銘記在心當作參考，
走了這一段路，還是感謝各位的幫忙，謝謝大家！
要他換一個缸子再養出一個漂亮的魚缸通常都不困難。
而對初學者或者入門不久的人來說，養魚就真的很難了！尤其是搞錯方向，沒人可以求助時，這時候遇到的挫折往往更多，
這時遇到一個好老師比什麼都重要，但是如何判斷這個人是好老師？建議可以看看他養魚養得如何，是否要照著他的路繼續走。
如果你是初學者，又遇到好老師，恭喜你，你成功了一半，但是切忌一件事！老師講的話要聽，老師的忠言帶你上天堂，
亂聽的意見帶你住套房！但忠言逆耳，往往不是因為沒耐心想要求速成，要不然就是聽了雜七雜八意見，心智動搖，
反而越養越慘，最後再去怪罪於老師，所以老師就一個個消失了，都被這樣的牽托給燒光了。
在我養魚的過程中，老師有很多，但是我一直秉持同一位老師的意見一路走下去，等到走到自己已經熟悉如何開創自己風格時，
還是謹慎戒之，一一去參考其他老師的意見，適合自己的方法就繼續用，不適合自己的方法就銘記在心當作參考，
走了這一段路，還是感謝各位的幫忙，謝謝大家！
2009年4月26日 星期日
2009年4月1日 星期三
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2009年3月23日 星期一
Seven steps to a successful planted tank by JBL
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PBbaECv0W3o&feature=related
Aqua Journal Notes 7 -- Problems of the Initial Setup Period
Problems of the Initial Setup Period
Some people call the initial setup period of a planted aquarium as the terrible first week, or the terrible first month. The initial setup period is the most time-consuming and also the critical time for establishing and maintaining Nature Aquarium aquascape. Let us examine the conditions of an aquarium in this period and how to maintain the aquarium.
The dirt in the water is nutrients
Let us assume that we have set up a new planted aquarium and will maintain it for a long time. While brand new water is used at the beginning, the water right after the setup is the “dirtiest” in most cases. The "dirty" water here means that the water contains excessive nutrients, but not that any harmful substances are dissolved in the water that will affect tank organisms. Let’s think about where such nutrients are generated. In Nature Aquarium, the substrate is built at the bottom of an aquarium first. It is not simply the place where aquatic plants spread their roots, but it is a place where the nutrients that are taken up by the roots are stored ahead of time. It will become the habitat for the microorganisms that decompose the nutrients and make them available to aquatic plants. Power Sand contains such nutrients, which tend to dissolve in the water when the water is added to an aquarium during the initial set-up. Since Aqua Soil is laid on top of the Power Sand, a large amount of nutrients does not continue to leach out. The dissolved nutrients in the initial setup period must be removed through water changes. Another large source of nutrients is the dead leaves of aquatic plants. Newly planted aquatic plants often have emersed grown leaves which soon die under water. When dead leaves melt, a considerable amount of nutrients are released. For example, in a fish only aquarium, new water is circulated with a filter and fish are placed in the aquarium after microorganisms have multiplied in the filter sufficiently. However, the microorganisms need nutrients to reproduce. To encourage them to reproduce, sturdy plants, such as Amazon Sword, that are sold with emersed grown leaves are sometimes thrown into the aquarium. The microorganisms start multiplying with adequate nutrients that are leached out from the leaves and this matures the water quickly. The amount of nutrients that are released as leaves die is high enough for that to take place. Similarly, when aquatic plants are planted, they are cut to certain lengths or their roots are trimmed, resulting in a large amount of damaged cells. Nutrients leach out from such damaged areas as well. Due to these reasons, the amount of nutrients that leach out of aquatic plants in the initial setup period is unexpectedly high, thus creating the need for water changes. Nutrients leach into the water in the initial setup period the most abundantly. Frequent water changes would be the easiest method to get over the so-called terrible first week or first month.
The decomposition and absorption of the excessive nutrients
Let us consider what happens to the nutrients when some time passes after the initial setup of the aquarium. First, organic substances are decomposed in the filter. The nutrients in uneaten food and dead leaves turn into ammonia, which is converted to nitrite and then to nitrate by the microorganisms in the filter. When this mechanism is working well, the water quality stabilizes and fish can be kept without a problem. However, during the initial setup period when the filter is not functioning adequately, the filter cannot keep up with the large amount of nutrients generated in the aquarium. The nutrients exist in the form of toxic ammonia and nitrite in the water. Therefore, it is dangerous to put fish in the aquarium at this point. Due to this reason, fish are placed in the aquarium one month after the initial setup. It is advisable to test for ammonia and nitrite with reagents before adding fish to the aquarium. I call them nutrients because they are nutritional substances to aquatic plants. In fact, they are taken up and used by aquatic plants. When aquatic plants photosynthesize, they produce materials to build their bodies using nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium, and various other elements. Since aquatic plants can absorb these nutrients in the water from their leaves as well, well-growing aquatic plants absorb more. Actually, in an aquarium with high light and a sufficient CO2 injection, the nutrients in the water are absorbed by aquatic plants and the water becomes cleaner. This process is the purification of water by aquatic plants. However, the volume of aquatic plants is small in the initial setup period. The purification capacity is low until new shoots develop and the amount of photosynthesis increases. Therefore, a large amount of nutrients exist in the water. The excess nutrients that are not used by aquatic plants are used by algae, and algae proliferate in the aquarium. Since the water purifying abilities of the filter and aquatic plants are still weak in the initial setup period, it is necessary to remove excess nutrients through frequent water changes. The excess can be adsorbed by using activated carbon, such as NA Carbon, as the filter media.
The cloudiness of the water – Aqua Soil
The clarity of the water is often low and the water seems somewhat cloudy in the initial setup period. There are many reasons for this and the countermeasure depends on the reason. When the water appears whitish, very fine particles are often floating in the water. These particles may be the fine particles of Aqua Soil. Aqua Soil is made by heat treating natural soil and processing it into granules. Although they are not easily crumbled in water, the fine particles on the granules become suspended in the water when the water is added to the aquarium initially. The fine particles will not continue to come out for long. If the water becomes cloudy, the water should be replaced with new water. The cloudiness will disappear after a few water changes. The use of Clear Dash is also effective for eliminating cloudiness. Aqua Soil Amazonia is very popular among the Aqua Soil Series substrate materials due to its ability to grow aquatic plants. However, it can stain the water yellow in the initial setup period. This color seems to be caused by humic acid, which is the active ingredient of the raw material of Aqua Soil, black dirt. Since humic acid encourages the growth of aquatic plants, growing plants is easier with Aqua Soil. Still, a lot of it can leach into the water depending on the water condition. Staining seems to occur more often when the water is alkaline. However, it is a natural ingredient and does not affect aquatic plants and fish adversely. The yellow color usually disappears gradually through normal water changes. If it is annoying, it can be removed by frequent, larger-than-usual water changes or through the use of activated carbon.
The cloudiness of the water – Other causes
Regardless of the age of the aquarium, the cloudiness can become much worse in a short period of time despite repeated water changes. The water becomes cloudy as if milk were poured into it, and left untreated, it gradually turns green. This occurs when the microorganisms in the filter are not functioning sufficiently. If organic materials are not broken down by the filter and a large amount of them exist in the water, the microorganisms that feed on them multiply and cloud up the water. They become so prolific that water changes cannot keep up with them, and the cloudiness persists. The aquarium sometimes recovers if it is aerated with light, the CO2 is turned off, and if a few water changes are made over three days or so. If the condition is severe, an UV sterilizer can eradicate the microorganisms. This method removes the cloudiness in a short time.
Starting plants
If aquatic plants are growing densely and photosynthesizing actively, the water condition improves due to the water purifying ability of the aquatic plants. However, some aquatic plants grow slowly and absorb nutrients slowly as well. If the water purifying ability of the aquatic plants is highly desirable, stem plants should be used for a layout. Since stem plants establish themselves quickly and their volume increases in a short time, they absorb the excess nutrients in the initial setup period. We call this type of plants starting plants. Although stem plants are sometimes difficult to maintain in a good condition for a long time, they are great starting plants. Floating plants can also be used as long as they don’t interfere with a layout since they absorb nutrients well.
Other problems
We often hear about driftwood floating up once water was added to the aquarium after driftwood had been arranged and aquatic plants were planted. Some driftwood can float if dry. If the driftwood gets soaked in water ahead of time, it will not float easily. If it still floats, a rock should be placed on top of it to weigh it down. The rock can be removed in a week or so since the driftwood will be waterlogged and sink. The leaves of Cryptocoryne may melt right after planting. However, their rhizomes are usually intact and develop new leaves. This is a biological mechanism that allows them to cope with a change in a condition such as water quality and light source. In this respect, Cryptocoryne is a tough plant. Although it would be a problem if its leaves melted right before taking photographs for a contest, it should not be a problem if this occurs in the initial setup period since healthy leaves will develop eventually. However, melting leaves should be siphoned out with a hose since they dirty up the water.
There are other setup-time specific problems such as shrimp getting sluggish or even dying due to the insecticide that had been applied on Cryptocoryne and Anubias. However, if you are resolved to care for an aquarium meticulously during its initial setup period, it would be a lot easier to maintain it afterward.
Some people call the initial setup period of a planted aquarium as the terrible first week, or the terrible first month. The initial setup period is the most time-consuming and also the critical time for establishing and maintaining Nature Aquarium aquascape. Let us examine the conditions of an aquarium in this period and how to maintain the aquarium.
The dirt in the water is nutrients
Let us assume that we have set up a new planted aquarium and will maintain it for a long time. While brand new water is used at the beginning, the water right after the setup is the “dirtiest” in most cases. The "dirty" water here means that the water contains excessive nutrients, but not that any harmful substances are dissolved in the water that will affect tank organisms. Let’s think about where such nutrients are generated. In Nature Aquarium, the substrate is built at the bottom of an aquarium first. It is not simply the place where aquatic plants spread their roots, but it is a place where the nutrients that are taken up by the roots are stored ahead of time. It will become the habitat for the microorganisms that decompose the nutrients and make them available to aquatic plants. Power Sand contains such nutrients, which tend to dissolve in the water when the water is added to an aquarium during the initial set-up. Since Aqua Soil is laid on top of the Power Sand, a large amount of nutrients does not continue to leach out. The dissolved nutrients in the initial setup period must be removed through water changes. Another large source of nutrients is the dead leaves of aquatic plants. Newly planted aquatic plants often have emersed grown leaves which soon die under water. When dead leaves melt, a considerable amount of nutrients are released. For example, in a fish only aquarium, new water is circulated with a filter and fish are placed in the aquarium after microorganisms have multiplied in the filter sufficiently. However, the microorganisms need nutrients to reproduce. To encourage them to reproduce, sturdy plants, such as Amazon Sword, that are sold with emersed grown leaves are sometimes thrown into the aquarium. The microorganisms start multiplying with adequate nutrients that are leached out from the leaves and this matures the water quickly. The amount of nutrients that are released as leaves die is high enough for that to take place. Similarly, when aquatic plants are planted, they are cut to certain lengths or their roots are trimmed, resulting in a large amount of damaged cells. Nutrients leach out from such damaged areas as well. Due to these reasons, the amount of nutrients that leach out of aquatic plants in the initial setup period is unexpectedly high, thus creating the need for water changes. Nutrients leach into the water in the initial setup period the most abundantly. Frequent water changes would be the easiest method to get over the so-called terrible first week or first month.
The decomposition and absorption of the excessive nutrients
Let us consider what happens to the nutrients when some time passes after the initial setup of the aquarium. First, organic substances are decomposed in the filter. The nutrients in uneaten food and dead leaves turn into ammonia, which is converted to nitrite and then to nitrate by the microorganisms in the filter. When this mechanism is working well, the water quality stabilizes and fish can be kept without a problem. However, during the initial setup period when the filter is not functioning adequately, the filter cannot keep up with the large amount of nutrients generated in the aquarium. The nutrients exist in the form of toxic ammonia and nitrite in the water. Therefore, it is dangerous to put fish in the aquarium at this point. Due to this reason, fish are placed in the aquarium one month after the initial setup. It is advisable to test for ammonia and nitrite with reagents before adding fish to the aquarium. I call them nutrients because they are nutritional substances to aquatic plants. In fact, they are taken up and used by aquatic plants. When aquatic plants photosynthesize, they produce materials to build their bodies using nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium, and various other elements. Since aquatic plants can absorb these nutrients in the water from their leaves as well, well-growing aquatic plants absorb more. Actually, in an aquarium with high light and a sufficient CO2 injection, the nutrients in the water are absorbed by aquatic plants and the water becomes cleaner. This process is the purification of water by aquatic plants. However, the volume of aquatic plants is small in the initial setup period. The purification capacity is low until new shoots develop and the amount of photosynthesis increases. Therefore, a large amount of nutrients exist in the water. The excess nutrients that are not used by aquatic plants are used by algae, and algae proliferate in the aquarium. Since the water purifying abilities of the filter and aquatic plants are still weak in the initial setup period, it is necessary to remove excess nutrients through frequent water changes. The excess can be adsorbed by using activated carbon, such as NA Carbon, as the filter media.
The cloudiness of the water – Aqua Soil
The clarity of the water is often low and the water seems somewhat cloudy in the initial setup period. There are many reasons for this and the countermeasure depends on the reason. When the water appears whitish, very fine particles are often floating in the water. These particles may be the fine particles of Aqua Soil. Aqua Soil is made by heat treating natural soil and processing it into granules. Although they are not easily crumbled in water, the fine particles on the granules become suspended in the water when the water is added to the aquarium initially. The fine particles will not continue to come out for long. If the water becomes cloudy, the water should be replaced with new water. The cloudiness will disappear after a few water changes. The use of Clear Dash is also effective for eliminating cloudiness. Aqua Soil Amazonia is very popular among the Aqua Soil Series substrate materials due to its ability to grow aquatic plants. However, it can stain the water yellow in the initial setup period. This color seems to be caused by humic acid, which is the active ingredient of the raw material of Aqua Soil, black dirt. Since humic acid encourages the growth of aquatic plants, growing plants is easier with Aqua Soil. Still, a lot of it can leach into the water depending on the water condition. Staining seems to occur more often when the water is alkaline. However, it is a natural ingredient and does not affect aquatic plants and fish adversely. The yellow color usually disappears gradually through normal water changes. If it is annoying, it can be removed by frequent, larger-than-usual water changes or through the use of activated carbon.
The cloudiness of the water – Other causes
Regardless of the age of the aquarium, the cloudiness can become much worse in a short period of time despite repeated water changes. The water becomes cloudy as if milk were poured into it, and left untreated, it gradually turns green. This occurs when the microorganisms in the filter are not functioning sufficiently. If organic materials are not broken down by the filter and a large amount of them exist in the water, the microorganisms that feed on them multiply and cloud up the water. They become so prolific that water changes cannot keep up with them, and the cloudiness persists. The aquarium sometimes recovers if it is aerated with light, the CO2 is turned off, and if a few water changes are made over three days or so. If the condition is severe, an UV sterilizer can eradicate the microorganisms. This method removes the cloudiness in a short time.
Starting plants
If aquatic plants are growing densely and photosynthesizing actively, the water condition improves due to the water purifying ability of the aquatic plants. However, some aquatic plants grow slowly and absorb nutrients slowly as well. If the water purifying ability of the aquatic plants is highly desirable, stem plants should be used for a layout. Since stem plants establish themselves quickly and their volume increases in a short time, they absorb the excess nutrients in the initial setup period. We call this type of plants starting plants. Although stem plants are sometimes difficult to maintain in a good condition for a long time, they are great starting plants. Floating plants can also be used as long as they don’t interfere with a layout since they absorb nutrients well.
Other problems
We often hear about driftwood floating up once water was added to the aquarium after driftwood had been arranged and aquatic plants were planted. Some driftwood can float if dry. If the driftwood gets soaked in water ahead of time, it will not float easily. If it still floats, a rock should be placed on top of it to weigh it down. The rock can be removed in a week or so since the driftwood will be waterlogged and sink. The leaves of Cryptocoryne may melt right after planting. However, their rhizomes are usually intact and develop new leaves. This is a biological mechanism that allows them to cope with a change in a condition such as water quality and light source. In this respect, Cryptocoryne is a tough plant. Although it would be a problem if its leaves melted right before taking photographs for a contest, it should not be a problem if this occurs in the initial setup period since healthy leaves will develop eventually. However, melting leaves should be siphoned out with a hose since they dirty up the water.
There are other setup-time specific problems such as shrimp getting sluggish or even dying due to the insecticide that had been applied on Cryptocoryne and Anubias. However, if you are resolved to care for an aquarium meticulously during its initial setup period, it would be a lot easier to maintain it afterward.
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