Category: GCKA Library

By Donna M. Recktenwalt         In a previous issue we attempted to demystify those hard to read, impossible to pronounce Latin names that are so important to maintaining precision and clarity. The organization of Latin names is simple enough, with genera first and species names second. But what about those appendages of words and numbers…

By Donna M. Recktenwalt         You’ve decided to use that old tank that’s been sitting on the back porch for a couple of years, or you’ve just acquired a tank that’s been sitting in someone else’s basement for who knows how long. It’s a mess– not only filthy and cobwebbed, but encrusted with all kinds…

By Donna M. Recktenwalt         Cleanliness in our aquaria – the homes for the fish we keep – is an important aspect of fishkeeping.         We all know that.         Normal cleanliness, of course, varies from fishroom to fishroom and tank to tank, but usually involves such regular maintenance as wiping down the glass and…

A term that is readily recognized by most aquarists is “carbonate hardness.” But what, exactly, does it mean?         Carbonate hardness is the result of contact between water (H2O) containing carbon dioxide (CO2) and lime or chalk (CaCO3). Carbon dioxide reduces calcium carbonate to calcium hydrogen carbonate, which imparts carbonate hardness to nearly all fresh…

A Few Good Starter Fish         With all the various beautiful species of killifish available, it is bewildering to a beginner to know just which species he should first try.         Most killi-fanciers have their favorite fish, but most can suggest a few species that have proven hardy and fairly easy to keep and to…

By Donna M. Recktenwalt Why filter?         The “why” is simple. Filters clean the water, reduce toxic solubles, exercise the fish, and reduce maintenance time. That’s sufficient reason to use filtration in your aquaria, but even the best systems are only a pale imitation of what occurs in nature. The natural hydrological cycle evaporates water…

By Donna M. Recktenwalt         You’ve decided that it’s time to build (or to redesign) your fishroom.         It’s an exciting, and daunting, prospect. But before you get carried away, let’s review some of the basics.         By definition, a fishroom is a place where you keep and maintain fish. It may be as simple…

By Donna M. Recktenwalt         In a word, yes. The answer has nothing to do with elitism, and everything to do with precision.         Newcomers to the aquatic hobby often bewail the fact that we use latin names, but any time you move beyond the most basic beginner level in the hobby, you will find…

By Donna and Tom Recktenwalt         The Internet and the World Wide Web are buzzwords currently being bandied about with abandon. Terms once used only by the computer world are now making headlines and moving into the area of ordinary discussion.         It almost sounds too good to be true – a person at home can connect to computers…

There’s a wealth of opportunity out there … By Donna M. Recktenwalt a-q-uar-i-um 1. a container (as a glass bowl) or an artificial pond in which living aquatic animals or plants are kept. 2: an establishment where such aquatic collections are kept or exhibited. (Webster’s Seventh new Collegiate Dictionary)         Most of us still think of…