| The Chinese Emperor, Hungwu, established a | | | | something about the way the living plants float in the |
| company that is credited for building the very first | | | | water that is both soothing and breathtaking. On the |
| aquariums, in 1369. The aquariums Hungwu's company | | | | other hand fish, especially herbivorous fish that eat |
| designed were little more then porcelain tubs that | | | | sea plants, can be hard on living plants. If you |
| were then used to house Goldfish. As the years | | | | suspect that a living plant won't survive in your |
| passed, these tubs started shrinking in size until they | | | | custom saltwater aquarium you should opt for the |
| bore a strong resemblance to the aquariums we are | | | | artificial variety. There are several lifelike artificial |
| familiar with today. Almost five hundred years later, in | | | | plants available. |
| 1841, a tropical aquarium was introduced to the world. | | | | The use of driftwood has become very popular in |
| At the time of its introduction, toy fish and a few | | | | custom saltwater aquariums. The price of driftwood, |
| aquatic plants were the only inhabitants. | | | | it can be very expensive, often causes aquarium |
| Today the creation and maintaining of aquariums is | | | | owners to head to the beach. If you locate a nice |
| the one of the most popular hobbies in the world, | | | | piece of driftwood on the beach don't put it in your |
| second only to stamp collecting. It is believed that | | | | main aquarium. First put it in your quarantine tank, and |
| over sixty million people maintain aquariums in their | | | | keep it there for at least two weeks, or until the PH |
| homes. It is estimated that forty percent of that | | | | levels of the water match those in your main tank. |
| sixty million are thought to have at least two active | | | | Be sure to clean your driftwood thoroughly. You |
| tanks. | | | | may have to use rocks to anchor the driftwood to |
| As individuals become comfortable with their | | | | the bottom of your tank. |
| aquariums they start indulging in aquascaping. | | | | There are a few things you need to consider when |
| Aquascaping is the process of using driftwood, plants, | | | | you are adding rocks to your aquascaping project. |
| and rocks in a pleasing manner that customizes an | | | | Avoid rocks that have sharp edges and points, fish |
| individuals saltwater tank. | | | | can slice open their tender underbelly's on these |
| The first thing you need to remember when | | | | rocks. If you are stacking a group of rocks together |
| aquascaping your aquarium is that the design you | | | | to make a cave use an aquarium safe silicone to glue |
| choose must compliment the needs of the fish | | | | the rocks together, this will prevent the rocks from |
| inhabiting the tank. Before you begin, spend some | | | | collapsing and crushing the fish that makes the cave |
| time researching the natural habitat your fish inhabit. | | | | its own. Avoid soft rocks, they break down in the |
| You'll want to design a tank that duplicates their | | | | water. |
| natural environment. | | | | After you have completed customizing your |
| The use of living plants in your aquascaping project | | | | saltwater aquarium, you may want to enter it in an |
| will add another dimension to your tank. There is | | | | aquascaping contest. |