![]() They are freshwater fish native to East Asia that have been selectively bred for over 1,000 years. The goldfish (Carassius auratus) is a type of freshwater fish belonging to the family Cyprinidae – the carp family. Here’s what you need to know about the X most popular types of goldfish. Like betta fish, goldfish have been selectively bred for many sizes, body shapes, fin configurations, colors, patterns, and tail types. Native to East Asia, these fish are named for their bright orange-gold coloration, but they come in a wide variety of colors and patterns. Most plants and people enjoy a little sunshine, and planted tanks look their best when photographed in a bright, sunny room.Easily one of the most popular aquarium fish, goldfish are freshwater fish belonging to the carp family. If you have never felt particularly scorched when hanging out in the location where you intend to place your tank, I doubt it will be an issue for you either. In my experience, this has never been an issue. You could even test this prior to set up by measuring the temperature in a jug of water where the aquarium will be situated. With this said, it is a good idea to monitor the temperature of a new tank. A few daily hours of direct sunlight will not be enough to push your tank over the edge unless the ambient temperature in the room (or aquarium heater setting) is already borderline. Because the sun moves throughout the day, it is highly unlikely for this perfect storm to occur, unless the tank is located in a greenhouse or solarium with a glass roof. This tends to be a problem in rooms that are already very hot (perhaps not air-conditioned), and even then this only tends to occur when the tank receives sustained, direct sunlight for many hours at a time. The last, most serious pitfall: very prolonged direct sunlight can theoretically cause a tank to overheat. ![]() Do not skimp on plants in the hope that they will ‘fill in.’ I sometimes see beginners create a rock-heavy scape with very few plants, situated in a sunny room this is not a good idea. Thus, if you start a tank out in a bright room, you are at a serious disadvantage if you are not planting it heavily prior to adding water. Tap water itself can contain dissolved phosphates and sediments that can contribute to algae growth. Even if you are not dosing fertilizer, enriched substrate, fish, and decaying organic material can still leach nutrients into a tank. ![]() True plants will always outcompete algae if they are present in sufficient quantities to consume environmental nutrients. Much like society asks farmers to control their fertilizer runoff to prevent algae blooms, we should ask ourselves to avoid adding too much fertilizer (or fish food, or fish waste) to our tanks.Ī second, common pitfall: starting a new tank with a very small plant mass. If you can avoid these common errors and keep up a steady routine of water changes, you can typically avoid excess nutrients, and thus excess algae, especially as the tank matures. Thus, pitfall number one: adding too much fertilizer (especially in the early stages of a tank’s lifespan) and/or overstocking a tank. When this runoff causes environmental algae problems, does anyone suggest that the sun being too bright is what caused the algae bloom? Of course not, and why should an aquarium be any different? While algae require light to grow, and will indeed grow more vigorously under sustained bright light, the presence of excess nutrients is a requirement for this to occur. These ingredients are common in industrial and aquarium fertilizer, which is why fertilizer runoff from agriculture is well known to cause algae blooms in ponds and even oceans. Most commonly, the culprit is excess phosphates and/or nitrogenous wastes. Here is a quick guide to keeping your aquarium bright and clean, even if it is situated right next to a window.Īs I tell people all the time, the root of all algae problems is the presence of excessive nutrients in a tank, beyond what plants can utilize. All you have to do is avoid three common pitfalls that can lead to trouble. In reality, it is perfectly possible, even preferable, to keep your tank in a bright, cheery, sun-filled environment, with no algae problems. Unfortunately, the idea that sunlight causes algae, scares many hobbyists into keeping their tanks in darkened rooms. Sometimes the perfect space for an aquarium is near a window, or in a bright, sunny spot.
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