Just add food and replace evaporated water!
~ Okay so what's your guarantee?
Our systems are designed as an artistic vision balanced to mimic natures natural cycle, giving your tank a natural clarity seen in the purest ponds and lakes across the world!We guarantee that your tank will stay clear, and your fish and plants will thrive and have an enjoyable life for years by simply following a simple set of instructions we provide specifically for each system design. If your fish die prematurely from natural causes we will replace the fish and clean your system accordingly on us. If you ever do need heavy maintenance we will always make the trip for simply gas reimbursement, we can offer this without worry because our systems are designed to mimic natures natural cycle.
How does the ecosystem maintain the tank?
You add food in the morning - the fish eat the food and create excrete - bacteria eats the excrete and creates plant food - the plants eat the food created by the bacteria - your plants grow large and add oxygen to the water while removing any natural toxins - the process starts over the next morning.
Why Fresh water ecosystems instead of salt water ecosystems?
Ask anyone who owns a salt water tank, or simply look up information about them online, no mater what your always spending large amounts of money and time setting up and keeping a saltwater system working and balanced. We always provide you with breathtaking colorful fish some of which are even rare found in fresh waters ecosystems across the world! Our tanks live up to and ever surpass the beauty found in salt water tanks and are much less tedious and costly saving you time and thousands of dollars!
Why do I always have to measure out food before I add it?
Over feeding is easy and the best of us do it! You go to tip a little food into the tank and then half the bottle falls in. Like we stated it happens to the best of us so why not have it happen on a table over a dry spoon instead of over your ecosystem with a delicate cycle being put into a unbalanced state.
What do I do if a fish dies?
Fish have a natural life span from one year to over a hundred years depending on the type of fish. Always take the fish out of the tank asap with the net we provide you because it will decay and put toxins in your ecosystem. If it is found after a weekend or has fuzz around it, suck out half of the water with pump and bucket provided and replace it with fresh water asap to keep your system healthy. This takes about fifteen minutes and is a very clean process.
How do I replace evaporated water?
Fill up your water bucket and simply add a drop of water conditioner to the water and pour it in the tank slowly to keep the sand settled at the bottom of your tank.
Why do you recommend changing half the water every four months on fully covered tanks?
Water doesn't evaporate as quickly in these systems and you're not replacing enough water to keep the system balanced and fresh. This is just an extra step you should consider to insure your water is balanced and full of natural minerals which relaxes the fish while feeding the plants keeping your system at its healthiest. It is also like an oil change, it will flush any unwanted material out of your water and replenish it with health fresh water.
What happens if I overfeed?
We always give you a spoon to measure out your food before putting it in the tank with written instructions on how much food you need to put in daily. If you do end up putting in too much food as long as it isn't more than double what we suggested, you should be fine, just skip feeding the next day. Otherwise, take your net and remove the extra food immediately. If you've added fish on your own we recommend squeezing out your filter every once in a while under mild water to help balance the excrete level in your tank though it isn't always needed. Your filter will be fresh and smell like dirt due to the helpful bacteria it houses, although we provide you with gloves for this task.
What kind of food should I buy?
We recommend using the same food we provided with the tank although their are alternative frozen foods you can purchase as a treat which will also help bring out your fishes' natural colors.
My water is murky?
If your water's murky you are overfeeding or bought extra fish and added them in the system unbalancing its natural harmony. Once your water's murky you're behind the natural maintenance cycle and should replace half the water asap, then squeeze out your foam filters once a day for two days to get rid of the extra fish excrete. To keep your system from being murky in the future, squeeze out your filter one to four times per month depending on the population of fish you have.
My fish have white sand specs sticking to their fins and body?
Our systems are made with high water flow and extra filtration so this should never happen unless your ridiculously overfeeding your fish and not following our written instructions and measuring out the food before putting it in! If you are overfeeding your fish a natural organism that feeds off the excess food called ick will build a hatch-ling community on the bottom surface that eventually swims up and starts feeding of your fish as parasites. Go to your local fish store and buy an ich away product. You will have to add it into your tank for at least a week and a half, read the instructions on your product and change half the water at least twice during this period as well! You can call us for help on the matter will make such a rare trip.
I have a question not found on this page?
Contact us we have all the answers and will add it or make a trip out asap to make an evaluation of your system or to replace your system if you want for simply gas reinstatement.
Help for you do-it-yourselfers out there that comes with our instalations:
We love you, your local fish store obviously doesn't in most cases, love your fish, love your living work of art!
Placing Your Ecosystem
First off we will always help you upon installation and give you guidelines depending on the spot you chose for your tank's location if you have us set up your system.
Where you decide to put your new aquarium is very crucial to maintaining its clean and beautiful habitat. Direct sunlight is never on your side, it curses your aquarium sides with a barrier of algae that no group of sucker fish could devour. A good aquarist will place their aquarium strategically like a bottle of fine wine, keeping it out of direct sunlight yet still in a well lit peaceful area where luring eyes can't help but inquire! For best results place your aquarium in a room with windows that are facing north or south. If this is not an option and you have windows facing east or west put it up against the same wall as the east or west windows with at least two feet between the window and the tank. This method uses the wall itself as a barrier against the sun and the distance between the windows and the tank should keep your tank free from direct sunlight that may enter from a side angle thru the window. If this still is not a option or simply isn't working you can set up solid red drapes over your windows which will stop algae from growing simply by blocking the correct light spectrum it needs to survive.
**Please don't ever put your tanks in a basement or windowless room as some sunlight is necessary to naturally take your fish peacefully out of slumber. Keeping your aquarium in a windowless, pitch-black room will always shock the fish each time you switch on the light which will lead to aggression and a shorter life span as well as other issues depending upon the fish community kept in such a tank. If for some reason you must keep your fish in such an environment turn on a light in the distance a half hour before you turn on your tanks allowing your fish to slowly be drawn out of slumber by a non direct lighting system.
Why do we stock our tanks for you?
Every fish has its own traits and living habits which will decide whether it will live in harmony or not within a fish tank community. The biggest problem with introducing fish into a community is that even fish which are known to co-exists peacefully together might clash in a aquarium due to their personal traits and settings. (Ex. you might have a hyper fish that is driving all your peaceful fish crazy with its constant motion and sense of unease. Or you might have a fish that needs its own layer of hiding places that has no were to hide in your particular setup and goes loco.) We place your entire community in one of our own personal tanks for at least a week to ensure that the community you purchase has lived in coexistence with its tank mates and you won't be calling us a week after purchase saying this fish has killed this fish and the other fish are constantly trying to jump out of the tank! Another thing to think about if your going to do this on your own is to think about is how to balance the tank population to keep the fish peaceful the tank super clean. We usually stock a few large fish mixed with some smaller fish that have the job of constantly eating any grunge in the tank that builds up on fake plants and decorations, good fish for this job are kissing fish which can keep cichlids at bay, and platy's who work well in community tanks. A school of 4 to 7 rosy barbs is also good to help keep your plants from overgrowing and you can usually find them for under $2 at petco and pet smart. If you want to stock your own tank we will discount your tank price with out the stock included, but keep in mind were now leaving the job of creating a community that coexists in just the right balance in your own hands and will not replace or restock any of your fish that die or don't get along in your tank, although we will take donations of un-coexsisting fish of your hands as we have enough tanks to find the right home for them at our facilities.
Minimalist Approach to Adding Fish.
Any ecosystem is set to fail without the proper balance of fish. Try to have 1 gallon for every inch of fish in your tank to maintain a low level of fish excrete which bacteria can destroy naturally. (ex: eight 5" fish plus ten 1" fish = 50 gals.) This is a sure shot for a clean tank even with bad filtration. The craftier you get on good filtration the more fish you can add but keep a watch and squeeze your filters with some gloves on under mild water often to stay ahead of maintenance so you never have to change your water, just add more when it naturally evaporates. Ex. 30 Gal tank would work with ten 3" to 5" fish. 10 gal would work with five 2" sized fish or ten small fish. If you are going to push these limits you should squeeze out your foam filters bi weekly or over load your tank with natural plants to consume their excrete and give happy homes to your bacteria.
~ Okay so what's your guarantee?
Our systems are designed as an artistic vision balanced to mimic natures natural cycle, giving your tank a natural clarity seen in the purest ponds and lakes across the world!We guarantee that your tank will stay clear, and your fish and plants will thrive and have an enjoyable life for years by simply following a simple set of instructions we provide specifically for each system design. If your fish die prematurely from natural causes we will replace the fish and clean your system accordingly on us. If you ever do need heavy maintenance we will always make the trip for simply gas reimbursement, we can offer this without worry because our systems are designed to mimic natures natural cycle.
How does the ecosystem maintain the tank?
You add food in the morning - the fish eat the food and create excrete - bacteria eats the excrete and creates plant food - the plants eat the food created by the bacteria - your plants grow large and add oxygen to the water while removing any natural toxins - the process starts over the next morning.
Why Fresh water ecosystems instead of salt water ecosystems?
Ask anyone who owns a salt water tank, or simply look up information about them online, no mater what your always spending large amounts of money and time setting up and keeping a saltwater system working and balanced. We always provide you with breathtaking colorful fish some of which are even rare found in fresh waters ecosystems across the world! Our tanks live up to and ever surpass the beauty found in salt water tanks and are much less tedious and costly saving you time and thousands of dollars!
Why do I always have to measure out food before I add it?
Over feeding is easy and the best of us do it! You go to tip a little food into the tank and then half the bottle falls in. Like we stated it happens to the best of us so why not have it happen on a table over a dry spoon instead of over your ecosystem with a delicate cycle being put into a unbalanced state.
What do I do if a fish dies?
Fish have a natural life span from one year to over a hundred years depending on the type of fish. Always take the fish out of the tank asap with the net we provide you because it will decay and put toxins in your ecosystem. If it is found after a weekend or has fuzz around it, suck out half of the water with pump and bucket provided and replace it with fresh water asap to keep your system healthy. This takes about fifteen minutes and is a very clean process.
How do I replace evaporated water?
Fill up your water bucket and simply add a drop of water conditioner to the water and pour it in the tank slowly to keep the sand settled at the bottom of your tank.
Why do you recommend changing half the water every four months on fully covered tanks?
Water doesn't evaporate as quickly in these systems and you're not replacing enough water to keep the system balanced and fresh. This is just an extra step you should consider to insure your water is balanced and full of natural minerals which relaxes the fish while feeding the plants keeping your system at its healthiest. It is also like an oil change, it will flush any unwanted material out of your water and replenish it with health fresh water.
What happens if I overfeed?
We always give you a spoon to measure out your food before putting it in the tank with written instructions on how much food you need to put in daily. If you do end up putting in too much food as long as it isn't more than double what we suggested, you should be fine, just skip feeding the next day. Otherwise, take your net and remove the extra food immediately. If you've added fish on your own we recommend squeezing out your filter every once in a while under mild water to help balance the excrete level in your tank though it isn't always needed. Your filter will be fresh and smell like dirt due to the helpful bacteria it houses, although we provide you with gloves for this task.
What kind of food should I buy?
We recommend using the same food we provided with the tank although their are alternative frozen foods you can purchase as a treat which will also help bring out your fishes' natural colors.
My water is murky?
If your water's murky you are overfeeding or bought extra fish and added them in the system unbalancing its natural harmony. Once your water's murky you're behind the natural maintenance cycle and should replace half the water asap, then squeeze out your foam filters once a day for two days to get rid of the extra fish excrete. To keep your system from being murky in the future, squeeze out your filter one to four times per month depending on the population of fish you have.
My fish have white sand specs sticking to their fins and body?
Our systems are made with high water flow and extra filtration so this should never happen unless your ridiculously overfeeding your fish and not following our written instructions and measuring out the food before putting it in! If you are overfeeding your fish a natural organism that feeds off the excess food called ick will build a hatch-ling community on the bottom surface that eventually swims up and starts feeding of your fish as parasites. Go to your local fish store and buy an ich away product. You will have to add it into your tank for at least a week and a half, read the instructions on your product and change half the water at least twice during this period as well! You can call us for help on the matter will make such a rare trip.
I have a question not found on this page?
Contact us we have all the answers and will add it or make a trip out asap to make an evaluation of your system or to replace your system if you want for simply gas reinstatement.
Help for you do-it-yourselfers out there that comes with our instalations:
We love you, your local fish store obviously doesn't in most cases, love your fish, love your living work of art!
Placing Your Ecosystem
First off we will always help you upon installation and give you guidelines depending on the spot you chose for your tank's location if you have us set up your system.
Where you decide to put your new aquarium is very crucial to maintaining its clean and beautiful habitat. Direct sunlight is never on your side, it curses your aquarium sides with a barrier of algae that no group of sucker fish could devour. A good aquarist will place their aquarium strategically like a bottle of fine wine, keeping it out of direct sunlight yet still in a well lit peaceful area where luring eyes can't help but inquire! For best results place your aquarium in a room with windows that are facing north or south. If this is not an option and you have windows facing east or west put it up against the same wall as the east or west windows with at least two feet between the window and the tank. This method uses the wall itself as a barrier against the sun and the distance between the windows and the tank should keep your tank free from direct sunlight that may enter from a side angle thru the window. If this still is not a option or simply isn't working you can set up solid red drapes over your windows which will stop algae from growing simply by blocking the correct light spectrum it needs to survive.
**Please don't ever put your tanks in a basement or windowless room as some sunlight is necessary to naturally take your fish peacefully out of slumber. Keeping your aquarium in a windowless, pitch-black room will always shock the fish each time you switch on the light which will lead to aggression and a shorter life span as well as other issues depending upon the fish community kept in such a tank. If for some reason you must keep your fish in such an environment turn on a light in the distance a half hour before you turn on your tanks allowing your fish to slowly be drawn out of slumber by a non direct lighting system.
Why do we stock our tanks for you?
Every fish has its own traits and living habits which will decide whether it will live in harmony or not within a fish tank community. The biggest problem with introducing fish into a community is that even fish which are known to co-exists peacefully together might clash in a aquarium due to their personal traits and settings. (Ex. you might have a hyper fish that is driving all your peaceful fish crazy with its constant motion and sense of unease. Or you might have a fish that needs its own layer of hiding places that has no were to hide in your particular setup and goes loco.) We place your entire community in one of our own personal tanks for at least a week to ensure that the community you purchase has lived in coexistence with its tank mates and you won't be calling us a week after purchase saying this fish has killed this fish and the other fish are constantly trying to jump out of the tank! Another thing to think about if your going to do this on your own is to think about is how to balance the tank population to keep the fish peaceful the tank super clean. We usually stock a few large fish mixed with some smaller fish that have the job of constantly eating any grunge in the tank that builds up on fake plants and decorations, good fish for this job are kissing fish which can keep cichlids at bay, and platy's who work well in community tanks. A school of 4 to 7 rosy barbs is also good to help keep your plants from overgrowing and you can usually find them for under $2 at petco and pet smart. If you want to stock your own tank we will discount your tank price with out the stock included, but keep in mind were now leaving the job of creating a community that coexists in just the right balance in your own hands and will not replace or restock any of your fish that die or don't get along in your tank, although we will take donations of un-coexsisting fish of your hands as we have enough tanks to find the right home for them at our facilities.
Minimalist Approach to Adding Fish.
Any ecosystem is set to fail without the proper balance of fish. Try to have 1 gallon for every inch of fish in your tank to maintain a low level of fish excrete which bacteria can destroy naturally. (ex: eight 5" fish plus ten 1" fish = 50 gals.) This is a sure shot for a clean tank even with bad filtration. The craftier you get on good filtration the more fish you can add but keep a watch and squeeze your filters with some gloves on under mild water often to stay ahead of maintenance so you never have to change your water, just add more when it naturally evaporates. Ex. 30 Gal tank would work with ten 3" to 5" fish. 10 gal would work with five 2" sized fish or ten small fish. If you are going to push these limits you should squeeze out your foam filters bi weekly or over load your tank with natural plants to consume their excrete and give happy homes to your bacteria.
Heating Your Aquabana Ecosystem
Heating your aquarium is another thing to keep in mind. If you keep it in a room that stays heated throughout the winter, your fish can survive at a happy temperature without the cost of plugging in a heater and chancing cooking your fish's atmosphere which causes diseases and a very high loss of water due to evaporation. This can also lead to mold in the room. Most fish live comfortably at a mid to high seventies range so keep that in mind when you set the rooms thermostat and research your fish before jumping into buying a heater.
Revolutionizing Lighting and Covers (A balanced ecosystem will not smell and can be left uncovered.)
When picking out a tank cover you don't always have to play by the books. If you have fish that are known to jump, you need a hood. But you may still want top view of your ecosystem. We can use filters that are inside the tank, allowing a glass or caged top to bring out more visibility and 3D expression of your aquarium because here at Aquabana we understand that a pond isn't only breathtaking from an under-the-water side view. We can also provide overhead standing lamps for lighting (floor lamps and reading lamps) in such a situation which allows the aquarium to be even more open to the eyes beyond just the tank instead of a long traditional aquarium side view with a strip light blocking your view from above.
**** Make sure you get lights that have the correct spectrum for plants using the wrong spectrum will kill your plants and muck up the water with their disintegrating leafs and stems. These lights can be found expensively at hardware and all in one shop stores like home depot and walmart. A basic 40 watt bulb in a lamp works great for keeping a vase ecosystem blooming with plant life.
Cichlids Can Live With Plants!
Many experienced aquarists claim that cichlids will just uproot your plants and will advise you to not purchase plants for that reason. This of course puts an end to a happy ecosystem which we obviously do not want. Aquabana has discovered the answer! It is simply to utilize top plants such as lily pads (water lettuce) and other floatable plants that are also delicious treats to many types of fish and add a beautiful floating element to your aquarium. To keep this key ingredient from getting sucked into your filtration system, we set up a poly-foam buoy system to make a circle of plant free water in front of your filter which stops any vegetation from being pushed to the bottom of the tank and getting sucked in by the skimmer. You can also weight down your plants with an ancor such as a sea shell or bury it in deep gravel and sand although you must have big plants with big roots to keep them safe with cichlids.
Heating your aquarium is another thing to keep in mind. If you keep it in a room that stays heated throughout the winter, your fish can survive at a happy temperature without the cost of plugging in a heater and chancing cooking your fish's atmosphere which causes diseases and a very high loss of water due to evaporation. This can also lead to mold in the room. Most fish live comfortably at a mid to high seventies range so keep that in mind when you set the rooms thermostat and research your fish before jumping into buying a heater.
Revolutionizing Lighting and Covers (A balanced ecosystem will not smell and can be left uncovered.)
When picking out a tank cover you don't always have to play by the books. If you have fish that are known to jump, you need a hood. But you may still want top view of your ecosystem. We can use filters that are inside the tank, allowing a glass or caged top to bring out more visibility and 3D expression of your aquarium because here at Aquabana we understand that a pond isn't only breathtaking from an under-the-water side view. We can also provide overhead standing lamps for lighting (floor lamps and reading lamps) in such a situation which allows the aquarium to be even more open to the eyes beyond just the tank instead of a long traditional aquarium side view with a strip light blocking your view from above.
**** Make sure you get lights that have the correct spectrum for plants using the wrong spectrum will kill your plants and muck up the water with their disintegrating leafs and stems. These lights can be found expensively at hardware and all in one shop stores like home depot and walmart. A basic 40 watt bulb in a lamp works great for keeping a vase ecosystem blooming with plant life.
Cichlids Can Live With Plants!
Many experienced aquarists claim that cichlids will just uproot your plants and will advise you to not purchase plants for that reason. This of course puts an end to a happy ecosystem which we obviously do not want. Aquabana has discovered the answer! It is simply to utilize top plants such as lily pads (water lettuce) and other floatable plants that are also delicious treats to many types of fish and add a beautiful floating element to your aquarium. To keep this key ingredient from getting sucked into your filtration system, we set up a poly-foam buoy system to make a circle of plant free water in front of your filter which stops any vegetation from being pushed to the bottom of the tank and getting sucked in by the skimmer. You can also weight down your plants with an ancor such as a sea shell or bury it in deep gravel and sand although you must have big plants with big roots to keep them safe with cichlids.