ccaqua's Space

Construction

Info and images on tank and store construction will go here.
Read more here Construction

The tranquil sound of flowing water and the graceful beauty of schooling fish combine with the peaceful swaying of ocean plants and corals, creating an atmosphere of peace and harmony.

The beauty and elegance of an aquarium enhances any environment. Adding an aquarium to your business will reduce stress while increasing productivity and morale. We can provide you with a fascinating experience by bringing the underwater world into your home or office. Come in to our full-line retail store and see for yourself the many benefits of owning an aquarium.
Read more here

Why Own an Aquarium?

The tranquil sound of flowing water and the
graceful beauty of schooling fish combine with the peaceful swaying of ocean plants and corals,
creating an atmosphere of peace and harmony.

The beauty and elegance of an aquarium enhances any environment.  Adding an aquarium to your business will reduce stress while increasing productivity and morale.  We can provide you with a fascinating experience by bringing the underwater world into your home or office.  Come in to our full-line retail store and see for yourself the many benefits of owning an aquarium.
Read more here Why Own an Aquarium?

Caring for Predators

The ocean is full of animals that prey on other animals. These predators can even be brought into your home or office aquarium. But unlike the friendly community tank, or the beautiful reef tank, predator tanks require a bit of a different take.

Tank Setup


Predator tanks require the same base setup as all other tanks. Get the proper tank, fill it with rock, let it cycle, and make sure everything is just right before adding animals. There are a few difference to the predator tank though. When aquascaping your rock, make sure there are lots of caves and "mountains." Eels love to hide in cave systems, and triggerfish often sleep in caves and will retreat to one when scared. Lionfish love to perch on tall objects (and usually at odd angles) , so having your rock form a small mountain can be a boon for everyone involved. Have a little fun with setting up structures with your rock, just make sure it is all sturdy. Since most Predators eat coral, you won't be constrained to how well said coral will get light, current flow, etc. Lighting is also less expensive and time consuming if you don't plan on adding any coral. Do keep in mind that there are predators that do NOT eat coral (such as eels) and you can do a coral reef tank with such
a predator in it. In which case, make sure there is an abundance of cave systems and places to put the coral. In either case, adding invertebrates to the tank is a very bad idea, as almost every predator will use them as a food source. Now if you want to spend the money for some early inverts (hermits, snails) to help get your tank set up and healthy, you can. Just remember that what you're doing is giving the predators an snack when they're hungry. Tank size is also very important, as most predators get very large. A 100+ gallon tank is recommended. You can however start out small and get a larger tank when the time comes. There are also ways to do small predator tanks, but we will get into that later.

Compatibility


Most predators will live together in harmony if they are roughly the same size and are introduced either together, or in the right order. It is important to note the growth of each one, because if someone doesn't get very large, while the other do, your small fish could become a snack. Eels are notorious for this, so never put a small fish in with them.

Feeding


Feeding predators is slightly different from feeding a reef tank. Predators can require larger amounts of food to sate their appetite. Feeding them brine when they are small and working up to krill and whole shrimp as they get bigger is the best way to raise predators. However there are some who will not eat frozen food and will only react to live food (Lionfish are notorious for this). If that is the case, feeder guppies are a good substitute. If you want to stay within the realm of saltwater, small chromis and glass shrimp are a great, if mildly expensive, feeder fish. Feeding time is at your discretion, though it is best to only feed them when they are visibly hungry. Eels usually come out of their caves and swim around to show this and lionfish will also get more active. Triggers and Puffers may follow you around the tank to show that they are hungry. If your predators start to go at one another, it may be a sign that they are underfed and need to be fed more often.

Types of Predators


There are many types of predatory fish for your tank, and most will get along if they're introduced right and are roughly the same size. Here is a rundown of the most popular.

Triggerfish are one of the most common predators for a tank, and are a good compliment to an eel, since triggerfish are very "tall" with their trigger out. Most triggerfish get over a foot long, so a large tank is necessary. Triggerfish will eat everything from brine (when they're little), to whole shrimp. Triggerfish will also eat feeder fish. Triggerfish are very energetic and very territorial. Because of this, it is best to introduce them last or with other fish. At feeding time it is fun to watch a a trigger swim erratically around the tank waiting for its meal.

Eels are a popular choice for a predator tank due to their serpentine nature. Most eels get longer then two feet and love to hide in caves and crevices. because of this, it is best to have a large tank with a series of caves in your tank for the eel to hide in. Eels usually only come out for food and can be seen poking their heads out of their dens almost all the time. If you want to keep other fish with your eel, make sure they are quite large. Eels can easily consume a fish twice their size will try and eat anything that fits in their mouth, including smaller predators. With the use of a feeding stick, eels can be trained to eat frozen krill or shrimp by faking that it is alive. After a couple weeks of this it is best to simply drop the krill or shrimp into the tank and see if they take it without coaxing. If not, keep trying with the feeder stick. Some eels may never take to the food without thinking it is live. While aggressive, eels may become more docile as time goes on
.

While incredibly beautiful, lionfish are poisonous and picky eaters. The long fins on a lionfish are tipped with venomous spines that it used as a defense against other predators. If stung by a lionfish, run hot water over the sting for a good period of time. The hotter the water the better. At about 100 degrees Fahrenheit is considered the best method. if you experience any dizziness, swelling, or extreme discomfort go see a doctor! Lionfish are incredibly docile. They often will sit at odd angles on or under rocks and remain still for hours at a time. Unless provoked (on purpose or by accident) lionfish are generally good with other fish and will not do them serious harm. While some will eat frozen krill and shrimp, lionfish are notoriously picky and many times will only eat live food. Some may be trained to eat frozen food from a feeding stick.

If you have any bottom dwelling inverts such as crabs or snails, prepare for them to go missing. Stingrays love crustaceans. Stingrays will glide around the bottom of your tank when active and bury themselves in the sand to sleep. Given their size and love of movement, a large tank is almost essential to owning a stingray.
Read more here Caring for Predators

You have questions. We have answers.
Aquarium Care
Q: What is acclimation?
A: Acclimation is the process of gradually introducing a marine animal to an aquarium by the use of transferring water. For a detailed description on how to properly acclimate fish, see our article on acclimation.

Q: My tank is blowing bubbles, what’s going on?
A: Most likely your sump has been drained to the point where it is sucking air and not water. Simply refill your sump! if the problem persists after several minutes and your sump is full, you may have a loose tube or a crack where air is getting into your system.

Q: What does “Reef Safe” Mean?
A: Reef safe refers to fish that do not eat coral. Since the core component of a reef tank is having lots of coral, it would be wise to stay away from not reef safe fish. For a full review of reef safe fish, see our article on reef safe fish.

Q: My fish refuse to eat, help!
A: When fish don’t eat it is  likely that you’re not giving them the right kind of food. if you are, try adding some garlic supplement to their food, fish love garlic! For more on the matter, see our article on feeding.
Store Assistance
Q: Do you guys sell used tanks?
A: Yes we do. We sell a wide variety of used equipment to suit your needs.

Q: My busy life does not permit me to constantly maintain my aquarium. What do you suggest?
A: I suggest you hire us. We have a full maintenance service for those that want the beauty of an aquarium without the hassle of the upkeep.
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F.A.Q.

You have questions. We have answers.

Q: What is acclimation?
A: Acclimation is the process of gradually introducing a marine animal to an aquarium by the use of transferring water. For a detailed description on how to properly acclimate fish, see our acclimation page.
Read more here F.A.Q.

Crystal Clear Aquariums is a proud Distributor of Reef Nutrition products!
Phyto Feast (Live)


Phyto-Feast is a blend of the most important marine microalgae, those chosen by universities and hatcheries for their superior nutritional value: Pavlova, Isochrysis, Thalassiosira, Tetraselmis and Nannochloropsis.

With six species in 5 classes, Phyto-Feast Live provides a diversiy of Phyto-pigments, lipids, omega-3’s, amino acids, carbohydrates and cell sizes. Proprietary harvesting and stabilizing processes keep cells intact and insures nutrients get to your animals. Phyto-Feast Live has the same algae as Phyto-Feast but is handled with special care. Phyto-Feast Live is harvested and shipped fresh each week and has better short-term cell viability. Phyto-Feast has better long-term nutritional stability. Both are equally good for your aquarium.
Roti Feast


Roti-Feast® contains five million fully intact marine rotifers Brachionus plicatilis with millions of eggs! Grown and enriched with Instant Algae® and Phyto-Feast® for an optimum nutritional profile. Contains a diverse nutritional profile including critical phyto-pigments, fatty acids and proteins.
Arcti-Pods


Arcti-Pods are large, nutrition-packed planktonic copepods (3000 microns) harvested fresh from artic waters. In the ocean, copepods form the basis for much of the marine food chain.
Tigger Pods


Tigger-Pods are attractive large red copepods, Tigriopus califoricus. They swim upwards with a stimulating, jerky swimming motion which is attractive to both fish and people. Finicky fish love them!
Macro Feast


Macro-Feast – Gracilaria pacifica is simply the best live feed for all of your herbivorous fishes. Hard to feed Tangs, Moorish Idols and Angels, simply love this algae, and its presence will help the feeding response of most other finicky fish as well.
Fuzzy Phytes


Fuzzy-Phytes are live red macroalgae with very fine filamentous branches. Their nutritional value is similar to other red algae.
Fish Love Them!
Oyster Feast


Reef Nutrition’s Oyster-Feast® is a mix of both oyster eggs and ovarian tissue (1-200 microns).
Mysis Feast


Mysis-Feast® is refrigerated, concentrated freshwater shrimp harvested by Piscine Energetics® from pristine cold lakes fed by mountain glaciers. Mysis feed on phytoplankton and have a balanced nutritional profile high in Omega-3 and -6 fatty acids.
Read more here

Reef Nutrition

Crystal Clear Aquariums is a proud Distributor of Reef Nutrition products!

Phyto Feast


Phyto-Feast is a blend of the most important marine microalgae, those chosen by universities and hatcheries for their superior nutritional value: Pavlova, Isochrysis, Thalassiosira, Tetraselmis and Nannochloropsis.


Roti Feast


Roti-Feast® contains five million fully intact marine rotifers Brachionus plicatilis with millions of eggs! Grown and enriched with Instant Algae® and Phyto-Feast® for an optimum nutritional profile. Contains a diverse nutritional profile including critical phyto-pigments, fatty acids and proteins.

Arcti-Pods


Read more here Reef Nutrition

Crystal Clear Aquariums offers used aquarium equipment and tanks for low prices to get you started if you’re on a tight budget.
Supplies
We have a broad selection of working used supplies at discount prices for all types of aquariums. These supplies are in full working order and can be used for replacement parts, new systems, or for extra power.
Kits
We offer entire used systems at a discount price and make sure that everything we use is in proper working order. If you want to get an aquarium setup, but find that new tanks and supplies are to expensive, we can help get you the best price on a used aquarium.
Read more here