Want to Set Up an Aquarium at Home? Here's How - The Seeker

Want to Set Up an Aquarium at Home? Here's How - The Seeker

Want to Set Up an Aquarium at Home? Here's How - The Seeker

Posted: 28 Sep 2020 01:00 PM PDT

Pets are a wonderful addition to a household. They have the power to make the home livelier and to make your day brighter. However, when talking about house animals, most of the time, the question is – Are you a dog or a cat person? Although both of these furry companions are a good choice, there are more options out there.   

When it comes to popular pets, fish are probably ranked among the top 5. Beautiful and generally easier to maintain than cats or dogs, it comes as no surprise they are positioned so high on the popularity ladder. The fact that they will not ruin your shoes or furniture is certainly a big plus.

So, if you have been thinking about installing an aquarium at home, these are some of the things you should know before you start.

Choosing the Right Tank

The size certainly matters in this case and for several reasons. First of all, fish need oxygen to breathe, and a bigger tank will provide them with sufficient amounts of this chemical element. A wider tank has a larger surface area than a taller one, so you will actually be able to put more of these cute underwater creatures in it.

Also, make sure you check how much space a certain fish requires before you go out and buy it. After all, you want to create a happy and healthy environment for all the inhabitants of your aquarium. For example, goldfish will feel much better in a larger space than a bowl. This type of setting is more suitable for guppies and white clouts.    

The size of the tank will depend on the available space in your home, as well as on how big of a community you want to build. They start at around 2.5 gallons and go up. Make sure you commit to something you can handle. Starting small is not a bad idea for those who are doing this for the first time.    

Freshwater or Saltwater      

The next decision you need to make is about the type of aquarium setup you want to have in your home – saltwater or freshwater. This is not a small decision for different reasons, including the financial one.

Simply put, saltwater tanks are more expensive to maintain. You will have to mix the water yourself or buy it in the store. Also, you might need to provide your new pets with special lighting. Although freshwater ones also require dedication and regular maintenance, they are generally easier to keep. This is especially true if you're just stepping into this sphere.

One of the things you don't have to worry about is the visual appeal. Both of these can provide you with a tranquil and beautiful effect.

Appropriate pH Level

The environment in which fish live also has to meet certain requirements. One of the major things you need to pay attention to is the acidity of the water. You can check this out by testing its pH level. Don't let this scare you. As people from https://sellingmykidney.com/ say, it can all be very confusing to newbies, but everything you need to know is easily found online. Just do the necessary research, and soon enough, you will fall in love with this hobby.

Most fish can have a perfectly good life in a wide pH scope, but a small number of them have more specific needs. It's very important to keep the environment as stable as possible when it comes to pH. The proper tank chemistry is a key factor for having healthy fish. For those that come from tropical areas, you will have to regulate the water temperature as well. However, bear in mind that the heater reduces the oxygen levels and that you will probably have to add an air pump.

Decorations

Choosing the look for your aquarium is quite fun. You can add a personal note to it and make it catch the eye of anyone who enters your house. If you want, you can recreate the natural habitat of the species present in your tank. Something like Hawaiian Reef or Amazon River certainly sounds exotic and exciting. There is also an option to opt for a design that will accentuate the appearance of the fish and their behavior. 

These are some of the main things you need to consider if you want to set up an aquarium in your house or apartment. It is something that requires dedication and time, but it will give you a sense of peace as well. Whatever type of fish you choose for your tank, it will make your home more beautiful and more interesting. 

Here are the Best Animal Livestreams - The New York Times

Posted: 04 Oct 2020 05:39 AM PDT

If you spend hours scrolling through cat videos online, there's a scientific explanation for why that's a hard habit to kick: A new study has found that watching footage of cute animals can reduce your anxiety, blood pressure and heart rate.

The study, led by the University of Leeds in Britain, Singapore Airlines and Western Australia's tourism agency, featured videos of a quokka — a cuddly-looking wallaby native to Australia that the internet dubbed "the happiest animal on earth." But footage of other wildlife can also elicit positive emotions like adoration, awe and love, said Dacher Keltner, a psychology professor at the University of California, Berkeley, who studies how nature impacts the human psyche. "We are a visual species," he said. "We derive a lot of health and happiness from our relationship to the natural world."

If you can't get out into the natural world, let it come to you. The internet has dozens of smile-inducing animal feeds from around the world.

Not a dog person? Kitten Rescue, a nonprofit in Los Angeles, has live feeds in its nursery and a private room where kittens and cats wait to be adopted.

Check out one of the museum's six live feeds to see black-footed ferrets, cheetah cubs, naked mole-rats, lions or elephants. Volunteers aren't currently operating the cameras, so the animals may not always be visible. And while naked mole-rats don't top the cute animals list, it's still a treat watching them nibble on vegetables.

Whether a gorilla is cute really depends on your point of view, but the footage from the Gorilla Rehabilitation and Conservation Education Center, a sanctuary in the Democratic Republic of Congo, might win you over. The rescued primates are usually napping or grazing on vegetation.

Fans of nature documentaries like the BBC's "Blue Planet" series will want to tune into this California aquarium's underwater feeds. Watch jellyfish delicately swim in and out of the frame, or enjoy the aquarium's largest exhibition, an awe-inspiring, one million-gallon tank that houses an array of sea creatures, including stingray, sharks and turtles. Each camera operates on a different schedule; check the website for details.

The San Diego Zoo runs live cameras from 10:30 a.m. to 10:30 p.m. Eastern and rebroadcasts the day's stream at night. There's something here for everyone: Hippos, baboons, rhinos, tigers, giraffes and more. The zoo even lists the names and bios of each of its nine elephants, so you can get to know them while watching.

This breeding center at the Wolong National Nature Reserve in China has live feeds of pandas in 11 different yards. Toggle between the feeds to see the gentle giants playing together, lounging on logs or chowing down on bamboo.

If you prefer admiring animals in their native habitats, this national park in Alaska is home to roughly 2,000 brown bears, and its cameras capture them from multiple angles and locations. See them fish for salmon or swim in a river against the backdrop of breathtaking mountains.

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