Picture of the Week! English Bunnydog

  by  dr_XeNo 

Keeping A Clear Fish Tank, And A Clear Conscience

I remember my first aquarium. I was so excited, I had been perusing the local fish stores for weeks looking at all the beautiful fish from all over the world and I couldn't wait to make my first little ecosystem in my own room. I set up my ten gallon and it was perfect. The water was crystal clear, the plastic plants carefully arranged, and a small rock formation placed ever so carefully so my new fish could hide but I could still see them. I was very proud, and very naive. I went to the pet store and picked out about a half dozen of the prettiest fish I could find. I brought them home and placed them in my fish tank, the most beautiful thing I had ever seen.

  by  ryarwood 

But like most people, it didn't last. As I slept that night, with visions of colorful fish darting to and fro in my fish tank, nature took over and crushed my dreams. Within a day, the water had turned cloudy. Two days later the tank was so cloudy I couldn't see anything, and my fish began to die. It was hopeless, or so I thought.  It wasn't until years later when I learned what had really happened in my aquarium that week, and how it could have been prevented. 

When we have an aquarium, we are caring for a complete ecosystem in a glass box. If we don't put something that is necessary into this system, it won't be there. Likewise, if we don't take out things like fish waste, they will remain there forever, building to lethal levels. Nature is willing to give us a hand with a natural process that happens constantly in the world we live in. It's called the nitrogen cycle. It is the constant recycling of nitrogen in our environment, so levels don't get too toxic for life.  This cycle runs constantly in a healthy aquarium, processing toxins from fish waste and converting them to non-toxic compounds. It's like a very slow motor, constantly driving the process of life in your fish tank. 

Like a very slow motor, it has to get up to speed before it runs efficiently. Each step in this cycle takes 2-3 days to complete. After your fish tank goes through this cycle the first time, it is a constantly occurring process. When I added fish to my tank the way I did, I basically inserted fish waste into the tank, and started the cycle. At day two, my tank was still probably only on the fist step, and the fish waste was being converted into ammonia. If I had only known I still had two more steps to go through before my tank would be safe for my fish! This is why my tank turned cloudy after a day, and the fish began to die after two.

So what should I have done differently? I should have set up the tank and added a small amount of bacteria to get the process started. This can be done by buying a bottle of bacteria from your local pet store, or adding 1 or 2 very small fish, depending on the size of the tank. In a small tank like a ten gallon, buying a bottle of bacteria culture would have been my best bet. Even one fish in a ten gallon tank or smaller, can have a gigantic impact on the cycle. 

The second thing I should have done, is the most difficult task of any aquarium owner. I should have done nothing. I should have let the tank sit empty, with the filters running for a week. To be a successful aquarium hobbyist, patience is a virtue. After a week has gone by, and the tank has gone through it's first cycle, then fish should be added 2-3 at a time. Every time fish are added, you should wait another week before adding more. This will allow the cycle to catch up to the new amount of waste you have added to the tank.

If you find yourself in the same position as I did, there is still hope. Since we are in control of this ecosystem, we have the ability to physically remove the toxins ourselves. We can do this by doing water changes. If you have added fish to your tank too soon, and your water starts to become cloudy, you can take out 25% - 50% of the water and replace it with fresh dechlorinated water. This will drop the levels of ammonia down to a safer level for your fish. These water changes must be done every day to keep the levels safe. Anyone who attempts to do this for the first week will be thankful mother nature takes care of this for us! If we didn't have bacteria converting toxins to safer chemicals, we would have to do this constantly to keep fish alive in an aquarium.

Learn from my mistakes. When you take the plunge and set up an aquarium for the first time, patience will guarantee you success. When the proper precautions are taken during the initial setup, an aquarium can be a gorgeous addition to any room. Fish and other aquatic creatures are interesting and relaxing to watch, so take your time, and you will keep your fish and yourself happy!

Product Review - Fooey and Bitter Apple Biting/Chewing Deterrent

Chewing or biting by your pet can be an unpleasant habit that at times seems impossible to break. Some animals, such as dogs, chew objects to ease stress. Birds, ferrets, and other small animals bite objects to get a sample of their smell, taste, and texture. Biting and chewing is a natural behavior of our pets that helps them to perceive their world. 
Unfortunately, when they are trying to perceive your finger, or your kitchen table's legs, the results can be pain or the destruction of your prized possessions. There are many products available that claim to deter your pet's natural behavior. The most effective of these are the sprays Bitter Apple and Fooey.

by  Bukowsky18 


The first of these, Bitter Apple, is a spray that you apply to any object you don't want your pet to chew or bite. It is non-staining and can be applied to almost any object. It's secret is it's ingredient, pure alcohol. There can be a slight odor when applied, but it dissipates quickly as the alcohol evaporates. The evaporation rate of alcohol is also this product's downside. While the taste is unpleasant, it doesn't last long. If the animal is curious enough to try and put the object in their mouth a second time, it's likely they will learn the taste starts to go away.



In my opinion, a more effective deterrent is the Fooey Ultra Bitter Spray.  I have personally tasted both of these products, and I tell you from experience, Fooey is exponentially worse tasting. It still has a bitter taste, but it doesn't evaporate like Bitter Apple. Once the taste gets on your pets tongue, beak, or lips it is there to stay. Some dog owners have found that their dog actually enjoys the taste of Bitter Apple, but this will not happen with Fooey. Fooey is not made with alcohol, but grapefruit skin extracts. It also has no odor, and won't stain. Fooey can even be used topically on a dog that may be chewing at itself, and it won't burn an open sore like the alcohol in Bitter Apple could. If I have had to choose between these two products, I would definitely choose the Fooey for every occasion.

While it may be impossible to prevent your pet from biting and chewing, it is possible to deter them from biting or chewing certain objects. Both of these sprays are effective at making your pet think twice about chewing anything the spray is applied to, including fingers. By directing you're pet's chewing behavior to more acceptable objects like toys, you'll be able to make both you and your pet happier!


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Picture of the Week! Beautiful Horses!

  by  ashleycareyphotography

Bud and Rufus from Fountain, Florida (Reader Submission)