Benefits of a UV Sterilizer for Tanks.

Benefits of having a UV sterilizer are incredible but isn't always necessary for freshwater tanks.  I recommend UV sterilizers for Saltwater and Ponds.  The benefits of them in Freshwater tanks don't weigh out the cost of one.

Whats great about UV sterilizers is that they can help clear up cloudy or algae ridden water.  They clear cloudy water caused by algae blooms or parasite blooms.  These great lights can also clear up ich and other external parasites.

But what UV sterilizer do you choose when it comes to your tank or pond.  I love the twist flow UV sterilizer because it flows around the UV light and has a better kill rate.  The straight show UV's don't seem to work as well especially if the flow rate is to high.

For smaller tanks their is also a hang on version that hangs on the side of the tank just like a normal filter.

Remember to change your UV light every 6-8 months or 4,000 hours.  The bulbs cost $29-$59 on average.  That's what I love about the Aqueon Coralife Turbo Twist UV because you can bulbs for $29.  

Rumors have people believing that UV sterilizers will kill beneficial bacteria, and yes it does but only free floating bacteria which is little compared to the bacteria that settles on ornaments, plants, gravel and the aquarium glass. 


Here's a question for my viewers based on a $250 budget what UV sterilizer would you choose based on these Amazon Pricing tell me in the comments what you would buy under UV Sterilizer for Tanks

How to Breed Serpae Tetras, Sexing, Caring for Fry

Serpae Tetra by Luke Underwood

Serpae Tetra are a great beginner fish because they can tolerate a wide range of water quality conditions. I love these fish especially in large tank with a school of them. These fish also make great eaters, they are always up for a meal. Serpae tetras can sometimes be fin nippers when in a tank with longer fin fish.

Feeding Serpae Tetras: Flake Food, Freeze Dried Food, Frozen Bloodworms and Brineshrimp

Temperature: 75F-81F

Hyphessobrycon eques

Size: 2-3 inches

Breeding Serpae Tetras:  Breeding takes place in a school of them.  It's best to use Java moss for them and to put marbles in the bottom of the tank.  That way the parents don't eat the eggs.  Eggs hatch in 24-36 hours and are free swimming within one week.


Sexing Serpae Tetras: Males are more torpedo and slender looking from above, female serpaes are plumper and duller in color compared to males.

About Time for a Quiet Air Pump for Fish Aquariums-Whisper Air Pump Review

I've been on the search for a Airpump that is quiet and won't need me to place a towel or prop it up so that it stays quiet.  After searching for a while I finally broke down and tried the Tetra air pump the whisper air pump is a great design I wish it was grey though to be able to hide it better when I have no stand on some of my tanks.  With other air pumps I would have to unplug them when watching TV or going to bed because of that humming noise.  So I tried placing a towel under that but thought that could be a fire hazard.



So if your tired of humming and buzzing try this Tetra Whisper air pump, it comes in many different sizes for all sorts of tanks and the larger models have more than one output for air.  The price is another thing I love about this because it's cheap but works great.

Carib Sea Ecco-Complete Live Freshwater African Cichlid Review

 Looking to add a different look to your cichlid tank but not sure what to add.  Me personally i love adding sand to the cichlid tanks because it's easier on the mouths of the cichlids and stones and sometimes get stuck in their mouth and it's not fun pulling or trying to pull a stone of your prized african cichlids mouth.  I use Carib Sea Ecco-Complete Live Freshwater African Cichlid because just like it says it's a live sand making it easier to cycle your tank.  Minereralogically complete. Contains Aragonite. Maintains the high pH African Cichlids need without the constant addition of chemicals. Buffers automatically for the life of the aquarium! Adds calcium, magnesium, carbonate and more! Dark color encourages the richest coloration in fishes. Unique composition re-creates the African Rift Lake environment. 


The only complaint I had about this product is when it says that it doesn't need to be rinsed.  I recommend rinsing it well because I tried just adding it to my tank and it looked like this for 8 days even after 80% water changes three times.


After trying again I rinsed it and the result was much better.  So just remember rinse the sand.

Pond Season: The Best Koi Food

Now that Sring is here, it's time to think of are little fishy friends out in their pond.  Once the tempature reaches above 55F its time to break out the koi pond food.  This is important to feed the right food for the best nutrients for a great growth during the summer.  I use Tetra pond food because their are some for each season and the one I use is below.  It's a tetra fall and spring food that my koi and even my turtles gobble up.  It also will keep your pond clear unlike some cheaper made koi food that will cloud your water.  I can't wait to see the snapping at the top of my pond when my fish come up for that first feed.





Ingredients
Wheat Germ Meal, Ground Brown Rice, Feeding Oat Meal, De-hulled Soybean Meal, Dried Yeast, Wheat Gluten, Potato Protein, Algae Meal, Dehydrated Alfalfa Meal, Monocalcium Phosphate, Soybean Oil, L-Ascorbyl-2-Phosphate, Ascorbic Acid, Folic Acid, Menadione Sodium Bisulfite, Artificial Colors, Ethoxyquin and Citric Acid

Black water Extract Helps Breed Fish

Looking for a easier way to get some of your tetras to breed with little effort.  I use blackwater extract to help soften and enhance the water so that it kicks my fish into the breeding mood.  The only down fall of course is the tinting of the water to a brown color but it can actually help bring the color out in some fish.  Tetra makes this product and for a great price also making it affordable for almost any hobbyist to extreme breeder.  Also another great benefit to using a blackwater extract is Contains trace elements, vitamins, and extract of peat.  Hobbyist love this product and so will you if you love breeding or creating a more natural habitat for your fish.

How to Breed the Flowerhorn, Raising Fry, Sexing Flowerhorns

This is a great fish if your looking for a fish to display in your tank.  Breeding Flowerhorn cichlids is something alot of people wish to do and it's easier than you think.  When breeding flowerhorns their are quite a few things to think about before you jump into the investment.  Their are new balloon flowerhorn cichlids that I have seen recently which have caught my eye.

Tank Setup for Flowerhorn Cichlids: These cichlids require a large tank if you have a single breeding pair i recommend a 55-75 gallon tank but as always the bigger the better.

Conditioning Parent Fish:  No matter what people tell you do not feed feeder fish to condition these fish or any other cichlid.  To condition the parents feed frozen silver sides, beef heart, and even blood worms, and live earthworms.

Sexing Flowerhorn Cichlids: While sexing them can be confusing it's best to buy them at 4-6 months of age if you want specific genders.  With males their will be a thinker jawline, and a hump on their head.  Also look at the genital papillae. V-shaped papilla indicates a male fish, while a U-shaped papilla indicates a female fish.

The tempature isn't a huge deal but usually I set it for around 76-78F.  Flowerhorn cichlids breed like many south American cichlids, they pick a flat surface and lay eggs and are usually great parents and are very protective so make sure their in a tank alone.  Any other fish will be a threat to them.  To view pictures of sexing them check out this forum http://www.flowerhornusa.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=14646. 
 Eggs usually hatch in 2-3 days and free swimming usually in a week, like I said the parents will pretty much take care of the fry.  Learning how to breed flowerhorn cichlids is easy, if you have any question leave them in comments.