Aquatic Eden

Homepage

Articles: 1, 2

Gigantic Cylindrical Aquarium in Berlin
2007-01-12 21:55:00
I know this isn't a freshwater tank, but I just had to share this when I found it. This is the world's largest cylindrical aquarium apparently. It's located at the Radisson Hotel in Berlin and by my calculations is roughly 695,000 gallons! It's so big you can scuba dive in it. Imagine doing a water change on that?
More About: Aquarium , Gigantic , Giga , Anti

Benefits of Plants in the Aquarium
2007-01-11 01:51:00
While surfing around the other aquarium websites on the internet, most dealing with fish only freshwater aquariums, I noticed that a large part of keeping a fish only aquarium is trying to overcome the drawbacks of not having live plants. It also made me realize how hard it was to actually keep fish when I still had a fish only aquarium. Diseases such as Ich were commonplace, and although the medicine was available to treat the diseases, I still invariably lost a few fish along the way. This never struck me as strange until now. Instead of desperately trying to keep the fish alive, in a planted aquarium the goal shifts to keeping the plants happy. If the plants are happy, the fish thrive. This is due to the immense benefits that keeping live plants in an aquarium can bring, including:Aeration - Fish only aquariums are often aerated with an airstone in a desperate attempt to keep oxygen levels high so fish can breathe. In a planted aquarium, as in nature, the live plants provide all ...
More About: Plants , Aquarium , Ants , Bene , Benefits

Aquascape Analysis #4: Filipe Alves Oliveira's "Across the River"
2007-01-09 04:06:00
This week's Aquascape Analysis is not an Amano aquarium, but that of Filipe Oliveira. This aquarium, "Across the River " won him the 2006 International Aquascaping Contest promoted by the Aquatic Gardner's Association, so it's no small surprise that it's being featured here!First, it's easily apparent that the profile of this aquarium is that of a mound, or an inverted "V." This creates attention near the center of the aquarium, which is desired for obvious reasons; in this case it is to bring the viewer in towards the focal point and the mysterious darkness right in the middle of the aquarium.The focal point of this aquarium is the Ludwigia inclinata var. verticillata "Cuba" and more specifically, a section to the right of the center (circled in red). This section is un-obscured by driftwood and is the brightest section in the photograph. Note the use of hardscape to "frame" the focal point to eliminate the creation of too many or too large a focal point. There is also a second...
More About: Live , Cape

Aquascape Analysis #3: Amano's "Dance of the Angels"
2007-01-01 23:07:00
For this week's Aqua scape Analysis , I've decided to analyze Takashi Amano's aquarium "Dance of the Angels " from his book Nature Aquarium World Book 3. This is a very large aquarium (2590L or 673 Gallons!) that is designed to be viewed from both sides. I wasn't able to find a picture of the other side of the aquarium, so just understand that this is a particularly wide aquarium and has an entire other aquascape on the other side. The advantage of having such as large aquarium is you can use larger plants like Cyperus helferi and let them grow to full size. This aquascape can be imitated in a smaller aquarium though, simply by substituting larger plants like the C. helferi with smaller plants, like Blyxa japonica or Echinodorus tenellus.First, we can see that the profile is partly obscured by the top of the photograph (or aquarium) but it has overall a sloping profile, meaning it starts lower on one side of the aquarium and slopes upwards to the opposite side. The viewer's gaze w...
More About: Cape

Rummy Nose Tetra
2006-12-29 18:19:00
Common name: Rummy Nose TetraScientific name: Hemigrammus bleheri (false), H. rhodostomus (true), Petitella georgiae (false)Geographic location: South AmericaSize: Up to 6.5cm (2.5 inches)Temperament: PassiveConditions: 72F-82F, pH 5.5-7.0Skill level: IntermediateMinimum tank size: 20 gallonsThe true Rummy Nose Tetra (H. rhodostomus) is often confused with two other species: H. blehri and Petitella georgiae. All three are sold under the same common name and the differences are not easily observed. Unless you are searching for a particular species for some reason (and I can't see why most hobbyists would) all three look similar and behave similarly. For those of you looking to distinguish them, H. bleheri have sharper white markings on the tail and the mouth is red, and H. rhodostomus has a black stripe that enters the body from the tail. All three have gorgeous red noses and heads, which is where they get their common name. This red marking is highly dependent on water quality and...

Hygrophila Polysperma "Rosanervig" - Sunset Hygro
2006-12-01 01:38:05
Scientific name: Hygrophila polysperma var. RosanervigCommon name: Sunset HygroGeographic location: AsiaTemperature: 68F-84FpH: 5.0-8.0Light: Low (1.5WPG) to High (3WPG+)Growth: FastDifficulty: BeginnerHygrophila polysperma "Rosanervig," or Sunset Hygro as it is more commonly known, is a very versatile and beautiful cultivated variation of H. polysperma. Its leaves have veins of white (thought to be the result of a harmless virus) and turn shades of pink and red under adequate light. An undemanding plant, Sunset Hygro does not require CO2 or high light to grow. However, if these are provided, the plant will grow very rapidly, often requiring weekly trimming. Through frequent trimming the plant can be trained to take on a low, compact, bushy form and thus it can be a midground as well as a background plant. It is a perfect plant for beginners or lower light, low tech aquariums as it can survive in almost any conditions. If well trimmed and trained, it can also make a gorgeous centerp...
More About: Phil , Erma , Perm , Sperm

Vesicularia montagnei "Christmas Moss"
2006-10-20 09:24:02
Common Name: Chris t mas Moss , Xmas MossScientific Name: Vesicularia montagneiGeographic Location: UnknownTemperature: 65F-77FpH: 5.0-7.5Light: Low (1.5WPG) to High (3WPG+)Growth: SlowDifficulty: BeginnerChristmas Moss is as mysterious as some of the other mosses in the aquarium hobby. There is no consensus on its geographic origins and even the scientific name has a tendency to change. Its growth habits and appearance are just as varied. When grown attached to a piece of driftwood or rock, it forms triangular fronds in the shape of Christmas trees (hence the common name). If allowed to grow free floating, it tends to have a much less organized appearance and the triangular fronds are much less pronounced. In this form, it is often confused for the much more common Java Moss. In lower light, it grows much less densely, and again, is often much less organized in structure. Only under higher light conditions, attached or anchored to an object, does Christmas Moss show its true structur...
More About: Aria

Blyxa japonica
2006-10-18 09:12:01
Common Name: Blyxa japonicaScientific Name: Blyxa japonicaGeographic Location: Southeast AsiaTemperature: 68F-78FpH: 5.0-7.0Light: Moderate (2.5WPG) to High (3WPG+)Growth: ModerateDifficulty: BeginnerBlyxa japonica is a great plant for aquascaping. It is not very demanding, only needing moderate light and CO2 injection, and it forms such beautiful grassy effects. Widely used by Takashi Amano in his nature aquariums, this plant prefers acidic water. It is in fact, not a grass-like plant, but a stem plant with a tiny distance between leaves on the stem, creating a look of grass. In higher light, newer leaves will turn a goldish-red color. This can be one of the most frustrating plants to get rooted however, as they are very buoyant and are slow to grow roots to hold themselves in. Once you get a few plants rooted though, they will grow new shoots out of the base which can be trimmed off and replanted to propagate the plant. It appreciates a nutrient rich, fine substrate since it is a ...
More About: Japon

Ludwigia inclinata var. verticillata "Cuba"
2006-10-11 08:21:03
Photo copyright Oliver KnottCommon name: NoneScientific name: Ludwigia inclinata var. verticillata "Cuba "Geographic location: CubaTemperature: 72F-84FpH: 5.0-7.5Light: High (3WPG+)Growth: FastDifficulty: AdvancedLudwigia inclinata var. verticillata is a beautiful stem plant. Its whorls of copper colored leaves can add a bouquet of color to any aquarium, but this plant is not for the beginner. It is very demanding in terms of light and fertilization. CO2 is a requirement as is regular NPK and trace element fertilization. Without CO2, the plant will have larger green leaves and will grow much more slowly and less full. It is a heavy iron user, and if new leaves are pale or white, the plant is not getting enough iron. It also demands high light, at least 3 watts per gallon. Each stem can reach 4 inches wide, so adequate space is also a must for this plant. It will quickly outgrow most smaller aquariums. When the ideal conditions are provided, this plant will grow very fast and will for...
More About: Nata , Vert

Blue Ram - Microgeophagus ramirezi
2006-10-10 20:18:02
Common name: Blue Ram, German Blue RamScientific name: Micro geophagus ramireziGeographic location: Venezuela, ColumbiaSize: Up to 5cm (2 inches)Temperament: PeacefulConditions: 75-85F, pH 6.5-7.0Skill Level: AdvancedMinimum Tank Size: 10-20 gallonsThe Blue Ram is a dwarf cichlid from South America, although it is now captively bred in Europe and Asia. It is a mainly peaceful fish that thrives in well planted tanks with softer water. In the wild, it lives in warm pools that are heated by the sun, so it is tolerant of higher temperatures. These fish are very complex fish behaviorally, which makes them a pleasure to own and watch. Often, they are not afraid of a hand in the tank like other more skittish fish and will hold their own against much larger, more aggressive fish. Males and females look similar, except males have a longer black spike on their dorsal fin and have no blue markings in their black spot on their side. Blue Rams form faithful pairs and are quite easy to breed in th...
More About: Ramirez

Welcome to Aquatic Eden
2006-10-10 20:18:02
Welcome to Aqua tic Eden , my very first blog. Bear with me while I get the hang of this, but as soon as I do I hope to bring honest and decent advice, reviews, and news about freshwater aquariums. Subscribe to my feed for helpful articles, tips, and aquarium supply reviews.
More About: Welcome , Come , Quat

Cherry Shrimp - Neocaridina denticulata sinensis
2006-10-10 20:18:02
Common Name: Cher ry Shrimp , Red Cherry Shrimp, RCSScientific Name: Neocaridina denticulata sinensis var. redGeographic Location: TaiwanSize: Up to 3cm (1 inch)Temperament: PeacefulConditions: 60-82F (ideally 72-78F), pH 6.5-7.5Skill Level: IntermediateMinimum Tank Size: 2.5 gallonsCherry shrimp are some of the easiest shrimp to keep and breed in the aquarium. Often called Red Cherry Shrimp or RCS, these shrimp thrive in planted aquariums, where they eat algae. Juveniles should be purchased, as they adapt better to new aquarium conditions, and at least 10 should be purchased to ensure a mix of males and females. Males are often mostly clear with just a few red stripes and are smaller than females. Juvenile females are similar to males, but as they reach 2-3 months old they develop a solid red color. Around the same time, they should become pregnant with yellow-ish eggs. They carry these eggs around with them in their swimmerettes for roughly 30 days. Unlike other shrimp, the eggs hat...
More About: Dina , Sine

Limnophila aromatica
2006-10-10 20:18:02
Common name: Rice paddy herbScientific name: Limnophila aromaticaGeographic location: Southeast AsiaTemperature: 70F-85FpH: 5.0-8.0Light: High (3WPG+)Growth: ModerateDifficulty: ModerateL. aromatica is a very pretty plant for the aquarium, and it is easy to grow as well, provided you have enough light. It looks similar to the much harder to grow P. stellatus or L. inclinata "Cuba" with whorls of reddish-purple tinted leaves. It grows at a moderate pace and is tolerant of a wide range of water conditions. It does require fertilization and CO2 to grow to its full potential. In the aquarium, it is best suited in the midground as the deep purple undersides of the leaves tend to make it a focal point. It can be trimmed by cutting the tops off and replanting them in the substrate where they will grow roots. As a side note, L. aromatica is also used in Vietnamese cuisine as an herb.
More About: Roma , Phil , Aroma

Eheim 2217 Review
2006-09-30 22:28:00
The Eheim 2217 is the largest of the Classic series you can buy. It's rated at 264 gallons per hour and the filter itself is a hefty 6 liters (roughly 1.5 gallons). This is significant because the volume of the filter container determines how much media you can put in and the more media, the more filtering capacity. Many people mistakenly think that the flow is what determines what size tank a filter can handle. Although this holds true in some cases, larger filter volume will always mean larger filtering capacity. It doesn't matter how fast you push water through a tiny container, it will only have so much media that can do the job. Although the 159 gallon rating may be a bit optimistic (like the 2213's 66 gallon rating), this filter can certainly get the job done on any tank below its upper limit. If anyone asks you why an Eheim is one of the best filters available today, you can point to the flawless German engineering and efficiency. The 2217 only uses 20 watts to push all t...
More About: Review , View