Monday, 15 July 2013

Hydor products now available at Holiday Aquatics

Hydor products now available at Holiday Aquatics

We have some great news in that we are now able to offer Hydor products to all our customers.

Another fantastic range of products at low prices.
We have all the range of Circulation pumps, powerheads, centrifugal pumps, Wavemaker, Protein skimmers, calcium reactors and spares.

Like the Hydor Koralia Evolution range, that offers one of the lowest power consumption of any pump on the market and are equipped with an electronic start up system, new technology rotors and propellers.

Hydor is one of the few companys that offer great quality in design, reliable and well built products at such a competitive price. If you've not tried any of Hydor's range then we recommend you do to see for yourself

You can check our full range at www.holidayaquatics.com

If you're looking for anything specific and you can't see it listed on our site then please contact us and we will be more than happy to source for you.

Holiday Aquatics
 


Saturday, 22 June 2013

Koi Pond Filters and how they work

Koi Pond Filters - Just how do Koi Fish-pond Filters Do the job?

To be able to keep koi fish or just about any pond or maybe aquarium often people query how a Koi Pond Filter performs and what would it actually do.

A number of the commercially available filter systems designed for compact ponds look like box with compartments along with some foam plus a bag of what look like hair curlers added.

Usually what is in the innovative hobbyists system is clear pond water so they can start to see the bottom of the pond and all the fish and plants and so on and believing that a fish-pond filter is really a kind of sieve which removes all the obvious waste and also dirt suspended in the fish-pond water. Although the fact is any pond, whilst normally having some form of mechanical purification somewhere at the same time, is actually a existing micro bacterias that convert noxious waste which can be in the water coming from fish waste for example.





The explanation for having a filtration system on a koi pond should be to create a clean up, pollutant free surroundings for its residents to live. The belief that your normal water may be crystal clear does not mean the pond water is suitable for your Koi

There are two typical elements of koi fish pond filters which is the mechanical process accompanied by the organic process.

Mechanical Filtration

Mechanized filtration removes the shades waste prior to a water getting into the chemical or biological steps. This is important because solids could potentially cause blockages additionally along the filtering method, heavy waste can cause poor normal water quality, which in turn will cause koi health problems, condition and demise.
To a less or larger degree, most filter media use physical filtration, the greater delicate a filter channel, the better your mechanical filtering.
The more fine the marketing is, the better the risk of blockage. Many pond filters use a settlement chamber, say for example a vortex as the very first stage on the filtration procedure. A vortex is really a round container in which the pond water is swirled. This result sucks your heavy waste parts on the bottom on the chamber wherever it can be flushed away. This could certainly save time in cleaning the filter out as much less solid waste is entering the latter phases of the filtering.

The latter part of the filter will contain brushes, Media for bacteria to grow and sponges to polish off the water before entering into the main pond.

The more strong waste you could remove within the first period of the filtering system process the more efficient the filter is going to be as the final parts of the filter system will remain cleaner which results in less maintenance.

As previously mentioned, the natural process can be 'alive' and potentially quite sensitive so never strip down your filter for a clean and always wash sponges etc in old pond water rather than tap water that way your not killing the beneficial bacteria.

Theres lots of Koi pond filters out on the market and we would advise to always invest that little bit extra in the filter and the pond pump that way they will serve you well for a number years.

Holiday Aquatics
www.holidayaquatics.com

Wednesday, 5 June 2013

Evolution Aqua Sequence Pumps

Evolution Aqua Sequence Koi Pond Pumps

If your looking for a high quality low cost running Koi pond pump then look no further than the Evolution Aqua Sequence pond pumps. These Pumps are robust and very well made.

Looking at most other sequence pumps on the market and for the price the EA sequence pump comes ontop for us, the pump even pay for itself !

It's that efficent compared to other pumps the money you save on running these pumps pay for themselves and with their smooth running and robust quality parts these pond pumps are built to last.

For example: "A Sequence 12000s that uses 82 watts will cost you on average and approximately £79 per year. A pump that is rated the same at 12,000 litres per hour and uses 250 watts, will cost you £241 per year! A pump that uses 1,000 watts, will cost you £960 per year. That's why we call it "the pump that pays for itself"!! "

Available from Holiday Aquatics in the following sizes :

Sequence 8000S8,000 lph1,760 gph72-83 watt2" in1.5" out
Sequence 10000S10,000 lph2,200 gph72-87 watt2" in1.5" out
Sequence 12000S12,000 lph2,600 gph72-92 watt2" in1.5" out
Sequence 15000S15,000 lph3,300 gph146-218 watt1.5" in1.5" out
Sequence 18000S18,000 lph3,960 gph152-262 watt1.5" in1.5" out
Strainer (8000S-12000S)2" in2" out
Strainer (15000S-18000S)2" in1.5" out

Further information can also be found at Evolution Aqua

Holiday Aquatics

Wednesday, 29 May 2013

Internal and External Aquarium filters

Internal and External Aquarium filters


In the 20 years that I have been involved in keeping aquariums, filtration ideas have only very recently changed. The common perception was filtration must be slow, maybe twice the turnover of the tank water per hour which of course relates to Tropical Aquariums and Marine Aquariums is more around a bigger turnover again to replicate the Ocean.

The thinking behind slow turnover for tropical aquariums was that in the wild, water movement was relatively slow and as we are trying to replicate this in an aquarium, turnover in the tank must also be slow and consistent. Only in the last few years has this changed but it must be stressed that the new thinking comes from the high tech approach to planted aquariums where they use CO2 in order to push plant growth forward rapidly.
So what should your turnover be and what sort of filtration should be used? With beginners to the tropical hobby, the best option is to buy the largest filter you can afford (but not so large it looks out of place). Bigger filters are able to clean your water better, they require less maintenance and you can choose which media you decide to place in them, but tank size must be a consideration. Filter flow rate should be a minimum of twice the turnover for a non CO2 tank. So if your tank is 100L, your filter must turnover a minimum of 200L per hour, but preferably 400L per hour. In a high tech planted aquarium you need to consider a filter that can turn over 10 times its volume. So using the 100L aquarium example, the type of filter you need to consider is one that turns over 1000L per hour – as you can imagine this will limit your choice and lead you towards the largest and latest internal or external aquarium filters.
There are two main types of filters available to hobbyists: Internal and External. Internal filters are inexpensive, simple and effective but are generally geared towards smaller aquariums. When maintaining them they can be a little messy when you remove them from your tank for cleaning.  Internal filters sit on the inside of your aquarium and come in a variety of different sizes. They range from the very small (max tank size 20L) up to versions suitable for 200L tanks. However they do take up space in any tank, often hold little media (just sponges on smaller types) and can be a little unsightly. Prices range from £10 and up so can be great if you’re looking for a cheaper start up the try a Superfish range of filters or go for a little more advanced with an  Interpet Internal Filter or a Tetra Internal Filter range. In recent months manufacturers are investing more technology into these filters, some have built in heaters and others are able to store larger amounts of media which helps to improve water quality, but unfortunately this also means they become bigger which means less aquarium space.
Externals filters are what I recommend – the less equipment that is visible in your tank the better (the focus then remains on your aquascape). External filters are simple to set up, easy to maintain and you can run an external on most tanks regardless of their size – modern brands have flow adjusters so you can set the output speed to whatever you want. These filters are more expensive than internal filters but well worth it.  The most popular brand of external filters are Tetra. They have been the market leader for over 20 years, are reliable and have great functions. Some also have built in heaters which is ideal for keeping more equipment out of the tank. The typical route for newcomers to this hobby is to start with an internal filter and then move onto an external filter.

If you just think the bigger the tank more space you have then an external filter is a must have. If Space is tight and the aquarium is small then you can get away with an Internal filter. This is just a guide and i have seen many larger tanks with internal filters that have had great success.

Which ever filter you choose make sure its suitable for your requirements and always think ahead which will save you buying a bigger filter at a later date.

Holiday Aquatics
www.holidayaquatics.com

Sunday, 26 May 2013

Pond Pump size Calculator

Pond Pump Flow Calculator


Building a pond or maybe upgrading, not sure what pump will do the job ? then use our Pond Pump Calculator to give you a guide on pump size needed :http://www.holidayaquatics.com/pond-pump-calculator-25-w.asp


Holiday Aquatics 
www.holidayaquatics.com
 

Monday, 20 May 2013

Aquarium and Pond Volume Calculator

Aquarium and Pond Volume Calculator

Are you thinking of getting a new aquarium pump or a new aquarium filter or maybe you have just got a disease or blanket weed outbreak in your Koi pond but not sure what volume your aquarium or Pond holds ?

Then you need a water volume calculater, to calculate how much water your aquarium or pond holds, that way you know you are purchasing the correct equipment and not wasting your money or dosing the correct level of chemicals so your not overdosing or underdosing.

Our pond and Aquarium volume calculator works out the volume in gallons and Litres and you can enter dimensions in either Metres or Feet and Inches.

Times when you might need it :

Building a Koi pond
Buying a Koi Pond Filter, UV Clarifier, Air Pump and Pump
Dosing your Pond for a disease outbreak
Working out how much fish you can hold
Buying a New Aquarium
First time purchase of an Aquarium filter and pump
Dosing your aquarium with disease control or if you have a Marine tank how much Vodka or phytoplankton to add

Always take in consideration and rockwork, substrate etc before dosing your aquarium or pond.

So why not try our Pond and Aquarium volume calculator

Holiday Aquatics
www.holidayaquatics.com

Wednesday, 8 May 2013

Aquarium Chillers

Aquarium Chillers why you should consider this valuable kit

Aquarium Chillers where something that the normal household hobbyist longed for but prices pushed these out of the everyday market. It's great now to see that prices are dropping and thye are in reach for us all, but why buy an aquarium chiller ?

An aquarium chiller becomes a must when the ambient room temperature is higher than the desired water temperature or if your lights and pumps are making the water temperature rise an fall in extremes as it can be deadly for the creatures inside the tank, especially Marine Corals and invertabrates.

The aquarium chillers that are known for being quiet and made using high compact design only should be bought for the reason that these are highly beneficial and give higher ROI. Advanced aquarium chillers tend to have LED display that give precise temperature control which can be considered highly beneficial vis-à-vis operation so keeps the temperature constant no matter what heat is thrown at the aquarium.



An Aquarium chiller is a must buy for any serious hobbyist who is thinking on spending lots of money on high value corals as excessive heat fluctuation will push your coral to the brink of it's life.

Holiday Aquatics
www.holidayaquatics.com