Guppies may be small, but they are extremely colorful. The guppy would/could add the perfect touch to any freshwater aquarium. Guppies also advance in so many different types, and they’re all compatible with each other.
Guppies are vulgar maintenance, which means they don’t require a lot of your time. The average guppy stays around 3” long. They don’t require anything specific in their water, unless they are ill, and they don’t need a big tank.
Tank size:
A guppy only requires a 10 gallon aquarium to house about 20 guppies. It doesn’t matter whether or not the tank is long, high, short, fat, circle, square, they don’t care.
Colors of the guppy:
Yellow, blue, unlit, red, white, gold, green, orange, pink, purple, silver, and so many more, and guppies are usually more then just one solid color. Guppies are very comely when you get a whole bunch of them and their all swimming and blending their colors.
Water conditions:
Like I said before, the guppy doesn’t require specific things for their water unless they are sick. They do require special temperatures which are usually around 65-75 degrees F. The water in a guppy tank must be spring water no saltwater or anything.
Average life span for a guppy:
Guppies will live anywhere from 2-5 years of age, but you must take care of them the best you possibly can.
Special requirements for a guppy tank:
All you need for a guppy tank is: about a 10 gallon aquarium for every 15-20 guppies, a couple plants to conceal behind, a couple caves to hide in, a filtration system, air pump, and gravel. You can always add whatever you would like in your tank, but these just give you a little idea of the small requirements for your guppy(ies).
pH for a guppy tank:
The pH in your guppy’s tank should be 7 to 8.5. if you have a tiny fluctuation in the pH level, it probably won’t harm your guppy, as long as it’s not too bad and you obtain it fixed rather quick.
Tank mates:
It’s best to keep their tank mates around the same size as your guppies, and try to keep their temperaments the same too. Here’s a couple possible tank mate for the guppy: neon tetras, cardinal tetras, small catfish, small goldfish, dino fish, and others in these categories.
That’s pretty much all the general information that there is for a guppy. The bottom line is, they’re very peaceful fish, easy to care for, and they don’t require a lot.
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Filed under Ge Whole House Water Filters by on Nov 15th, 2011. 
If you’re like me, this whole “living green” business is really expensive. I know it’s worth it in the end, preserving the Earth for future generations, but I’m not made of money, and have very little to spare. Here are some ideas to lessen your guilt factor about not being able to afford a solar powered house and an electric car:
1. Win the bus. Seriously, it’s cheaper than gas, insurance, and car payments. Minneapolis has one of the better public transportation systems. You can purchase a reloadable bus pass online for as little as $10 that is also good for the light rail system (great for trips to the airport or the Mall of America) as well as multiple fares. Take advantage of the public transportation methods your taxes are paying for. Another budget-friendly option for suburbanites working in the city is www.erideshare.com. It’s basically a Park-and-Ride system for carpoolers, which can cut down on gas emissions immensely.
2. Use cloth grocery bags. Or at least use paper ones and recycle them as your trash bags at home. You’ll be surprised how much plastic you don’t need. When shopping and buying just a few items, re-use shopping bags or go without. Some figures indicate that most plastic shopping bags take between 400 and 1000 years to biodegrade, and are the cause of some 100,000 marine animal deaths per year. (www.natural-environment.com)
3. Exhaust Tupperware instead of Ziploc bags. Make your motto re-use before recycle.
4. Use cloth napkins, not paper ones. Relatively inexpensive, a set of cloth napkins will last you and your family years. Getting rid of one-time-use paper napkins is an easy procedure to shorten your eco footprint.
5. Don’t buy “cleaning wipes.” This disinfecting throw-away wipes are easily replaced with a sponge and a sink full of anti-bacterial cleaning solution. Personally, I find these wipes just plain lazy.
6. Use energy efficient light bulbs. They last up to 10 times longer than incandescent bulbs and are about 4 times more efficient, and if you catch them on sale are the same price as the old ones.
7. Recycle- everything. Places are now taking batteries, old appliances, tvs, clothes, rubber, pretty great anything you’d throw on the curb. Just a quick google and bus ride to form sure odd items and appliances are re-used and recycled properly. A fantastic website has sprung into popularity called www.freecycle.com, a place where you list everything you don’t need anymore for others to pick up and re-use. It’s free, and has everything from ancient plastic bottles to household furniture. It’s like Craigslist, but free.
8. Ban water bottles. Not only is bottled water manufactured with lower regulations than tap water, but the effect on the environment is catastrophic. Nearly 90 percent of water bottles are never recycled, ending up in landfills for hundreds of years before biodegrading. (www.treehugger.com) Tap water is often safer to drink and it’s free. For those of you who just can’t handle the taste, water filtration systems like BRITA are fairly inexpensive to win.
9. Use newspaper to clean glass around the home. This is a trick I learned from a window-cleaner. Windex and newspaper leaves windows streak-free and bright, lessening your paper towel usage.
10. Use less water. Consume shorter showers, turn off the faucet when brushing your teeth, and wash dishes by hand instead of using a dishwasher.
While these things may seem like not a sizable deal, doing them every day can originate a definite impact on our environment. If everybody in the world make a conscious effort to change small habits in their lives, impartial imagine what a greener world it would be.
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Filed under Whole House Replacement Water Filters by on May 12th, 2011.
The idea of “going green” has been around for more than a hundred years in America. Environmentalist and advocates like Teddy Roosevelt soon realized that Industrialization and public expansion was seriously eroding the natural beauty of the land. Environmental concern finally leads to establishing national parks and forest reserve. New agencies were created like The Environmental Protection Agency, which led to The Neat Air Act, Water Pollution Control Act, and many other laws against damaging the atmosphere, land, and water.
The green politics of today is global with worldwide “green organizations” from almost every industrialized country. The green party is very concern with ecological health and against any sort of pollution to the natural world. America and some other countries like England, India, Canada, New Zealand, Germany, Australia, and Africa, are leading the way to protecting the environment.
Going green isn’t just for the average person. With the creation of Earth Day in 1970, it has brought more attention to help protest against the deterioration of the environment and to celebrate the appreciation for Earth’s natural beauty. There has always been a strong political tone in America to improve the environmental standards. Past U.S. Presidents like Bill Clinton and Jimmy Carter have made attempts to race a “greener” energy-efficient, environmentally conscious White House, but the Obama administration has already taken steps to really make it work.
First Lady Michelle Obama has already started a herb, fruit, and vegetable garden on the White House lawn. The Obama administration has made it clear that they intend to make LEED certification. LEED is an internationally recognized green building certification system, developed by the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC). The White House will implement changes in design and strategies to improve performance in water efficiency, energy saving, ventilation, heating, and recycling.
How does one help on Earth Day? Earth Day is celebrated in the U.S. on April 22. But you don’t have to wait for April 22 to celebrate Earth awareness. Earnest people who really want to “live green” can net attend from these web sites listed below. Learn about Earth Day activities that the whole family can do, get free stuff, and tips on living a greener, healthier lifestyle.
Planet Green is a 24-hour TV network and web site dedicated to eco-friendly living. Their web site PlanetGreen.com is full of helpful solutions, tips, latest information, and an active community forum for conversations. They give expert advice on practical ways to live green and healthy. Other major sites like Treehugger.com and go-green.ae are excellent resources. The Go Green Initiative station is a wonderful non-profit organization geared for teaching schools and students to recycle everything and respect nature. The Kaboose web site has a wide range of Earth Day activities. The most popular activities are the arts and crafts that the whole family can do together.
Here is a list of free tips on living green. Solar panels, a suitable way to become energy independent and make your own electricity. Biodegradable products, saves our landfills from expanding. Green transportation, walking, biking, trains, boats, carpooling, or driving vehicles using Ethanol, Hydrogen, Natural Gas, plug-ins, and Biodiesel fuels. Local Library, why buy when you can read, watch, and listen to it for free. Magnetic generator, a tiny and cheap plot that can make electricity for your home. Cleaning products, Vinegar, Baking Soda, and Vodka. Cleaning laundry with Vodka kills odor-causing bacteria. Cleaner water, install a water filtration system. Composting, reduce garbage output and a great way to feed your garden. Going paperless, popular alternatives are Hemp paper, Bamboo paper, Sugar Cane paper, and Kenaf paper, all near from plants that are much easier to develop and harvest.
For more eco-friendly products and totally free stuff are listed here. Ecobunga, has great stuff for going green, BookMooch.com is great for music and books. Greenerbuyer.com is good for interesting gadgets, clothes, and green products. For nearly and totally free sites try these: Green Giveways, Freecycle.com, Greenshopaholic.com, The Freesite, Craigslist, Swapster, Seventhgeneration.com, and Swaptree for games, music, and dvds. Checking the internet will bring up a host of Green-going sites and ample products.
Going green and celebrating Earth Day can be both a learning experience and fun. Save energy, save money, recycle, have a greener garden, live healthier and cleaner. Simply changing one’s lifestyle to a more nature friendly one can help the environment and improve our standard of living.
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Filed under Ge Whole House Water Filters by on May 12th, 2011.
If you’re like me, this whole “living green” business is really expensive. I know it’s worth it in the kill, preserving the Earth for future generations, but I’m not made of money, and have very little to spare. Here are some ideas to lessen your guilt factor about not being able to afford a solar powered house and an electric car:
1. Take the bus. Seriously, it’s cheaper than gas, insurance, and car payments. Minneapolis has one of the better public transportation systems. You can purchase a reloadable bus pass online for as little as $10 that is also good for the light rail system (great for trips to the airport or the Mall of America) as well as multiple fares. Take advantage of the public transportation methods your taxes are paying for. Another budget-friendly option for suburbanites working in the city is www.erideshare.com. It’s basically a Park-and-Ride system for carpoolers, which can cut down on gas emissions immensely.
2. Use cloth grocery bags. Or at least use paper ones and recycle them as your trash bags at home. You’ll be surprised how much plastic you don’t need. When shopping and buying just a few items, re-use shopping bags or go without. Some figures indicate that most plastic shopping bags take between 400 and 1000 years to biodegrade, and are the cause of some 100,000 marine animal deaths per year. (www.natural-environment.com)
3. Use Tupperware instead of Ziploc bags. Make your motto re-use before recycle.
4. Use cloth napkins, not paper ones. Relatively inexpensive, a station of cloth napkins will last you and your family years. Getting rid of one-time-use paper napkins is an easy way to shorten your eco footprint.
5. Don’t buy “cleaning wipes.” This disinfecting throw-away wipes are easily replaced with a sponge and a sink paunchy of anti-bacterial cleaning solution. Personally, I find these wipes just plain indolent.
6. Use energy efficient light bulbs. They last up to 10 times longer than shining bulbs and are about 4 times more efficient, and if you net them on sale are the same price as the old ones.
7. Recycle- everything. Places are now taking batteries, old appliances, tvs, clothes, rubber, pretty distinguished anything you’d throw on the curb. Just a quick google and bus ride to accomplish sure irregular items and appliances are re-used and recycled properly. A extraordinary website has sprung into popularity called www.freecycle.com, a place where you list everything you don’t need anymore for others to select up and re-use. It’s free, and has everything from old plastic bottles to household furniture. It’s like Craigslist, but free.
8. Ban water bottles. Not only is bottled water manufactured with lower regulations than tap water, but the finish on the environment is catastrophic. Nearly 90 percent of water bottles are never recycled, ending up in landfills for hundreds of years before biodegrading. (www.treehugger.com) Tap water is often safer to drink and it’s free. For those of you who just can’t handle the taste, water filtration systems like BRITA are fairly inexpensive to buy.
9. Utilize newspaper to clean glass around the home. This is a trick I learned from a window-cleaner. Windex and newspaper leaves windows streak-free and bright, lessening your paper towel usage.
10. Use less water. Take shorter showers, turn off the faucet when brushing your teeth, and wash dishes by hand instead of using a dishwasher.
While these things may seem like not a ample deal, doing them every day can make a positive impact on our environment. If everybody in the world make a conscious effort to change small habits in their lives, just imagine what a greener world it would be.
Related Posts
Filed under Whole House Replacement Water Filters by on Feb 24th, 2011.
Too Much Fluoride
Recent articles on the health risks associated with long-term fluoridated water ingestion may have spurred your interest in removal of fluoride from your home water supply. If you live in a community with a fluoridated water supply, you may have personal interests in ingesting less fluoridated water. If the children in your area have dental fluorosis, this is a sign of too much ingestion of fluoride. There are several things you can do in your own home to decrease fluoride intake.
Background on Water Filtration
Most of the water filter systems do remove chlorine and some contaminants. Carbon-based filters such as Brita, Pur and most refrigerator filters do not prefer fluoride, but do choose chlorine and contaminants such as lead and arsenic. Boiling water does not remove the fluoride, but instead concentrates the fluoride rather than eliminating it. Freezing water does not effect the removal of fluoride.
Find out if the filter removes fluoride and what percentage is removed. NSF is a third party non-profit testing agency that rates water filters for the past 50 years. See if the water filter is NSF certified. Water filtration systems require installation in the home in several different ways: on the cabinet-top, under the kitchen sink, in the refrigerator water line with an ice maker, or a whole house filtration system. These products can range in cost from $100 to several thousand dollars.
Activated alumina filter media, bone char carbon, and reverse osmosis systems are the three EPA recommended methods for removing fluoride from drinking water. The activated alumina filter and reverse osmosis are available for in home use and are the most effective ways to remove fluoride in households. Bone char carbon only removes about 50-60% of fluoride from treated water and is used in some industrial systems for fluoride removal.
Distillation also removes fluoride from water. However, distilled water does not imply that a product is suitable for drinking water, as other impurities may still be present in the water with this process.
In-Home Water Purification to remove Fluoride
Consumer Reports (CR) and Consumers Digest Magazine are some of the best online and publication resources for the best water purifier reviews. You may also need to talk with a water filtration system specialist to find the best model to bewitch fluoride for your budget.
A full cartridge of 100% activated alumina is needed to allow proper contact time for effective fluoride removal! Activated alumina is aluminum oxide. (This is not aluminum, which is a more highly-processed metal made from activated alumina.) Activated alumina has a very high surface-area-to-weight ratio, with a lot of tunnel-like pores that hasten all through it. This means that there is a lot of surface area against which the water interacts, thereby removing fluoride (and arsenic). Through the attraction of the metals, 90% to 98% of fluoride (and arsenic) is normally removed. The fluoride coats the surface of the alumina over time and eventually the cartridge needs to be replaced (usually once a year for a family of four). The best rated models have two or more cartridges: one or more for effective fluoride removal and one or more for the removal of other contaminants as chlorine, arsenic, etc. Another consideration is checking the water flow rate for optimal fluoride removal.
Faucet mounted water filters install directly on the kitchen water faucet and provides a button or lever to switch between filtered and unfiltered water. These are only one cartridge filters. Some remove fluoride, but this type is not the best product on the market. CR’s best buy for a faucet mounted water filter is the Culligan FM-15, but it does not pick fluoride.
The countertop water filter system allows for large volumes of filtered water, but also requires room for the unit on the counter. CR recommends The Crystal Quest Countertop Replaceable Triple Multi PLUS Water Filter System CQE-CT-00109 which removes fluoride. The price on eBay starts at $125. Placement and size consideration is necessary as this model is the size of a bread-maker. This intention is one of the best values and good quality for fluoride removal.
CR reported that refrigerator in line filters do not work well at removing impurities. But CR did recommend using an under-sink system with a diversion that will feed the kitchen sink and the refrigerator as well. These install under the kitchen sink and connect to the water line allowing for gigantic volumes of water without modifying the faucet. CR recommended three models but none of these removed fluoride including Culligan Preferred Series 350 Drinking Water System, the Everpure H-300 Water Filtration System EV9270-70 and the Everpure H-1200 Water Filtration System EV9282-00. The under the sink system for fluoride removal should have at least 3 cartridges to remove bacteria, fluoride and other contaminants. These models start at $150. A professional may be needed to install the more complicated under the sink systems. The refrigerator filter needs to be changed frequently even if there is an additional external filter. There are some brands of in-line fluoride removal filters for use in refrigerators with ice-makers or water through the door. These models start at $100.
All reverse osmosis water filtration systems will remove fluoride. For use in the home, this is the most expensive way to remover fluoride and contaminants from household water. The disadvantage is that several gallons of water are wasted in purifying each gallon of water for drinking with some brands. Some of the highest rated systems are Pentek RO-3500 Reverse Osmosis System and the WaterFilters.NET RO5-WF 5 Stage Reverse Osmosis Systems. These systems will cost several thousand dollars to install.
Bottled Drinking Water and Beverages
Unless the bottled water is distilled or reverse-osmosis is weak to purify the water, the water is probably from a fluoridated public water supply. Some companies merely bottle tap water. On a commercial scale, reverse-osmosis is used by several bottled water companies to remove fluoride and other impurities and this is listed on the bottle label. If fluoride is present, the amount will be listed. Choose brands that clearly indicate a fluoride content of 0.2 ppm (parts per million) or less.
Here’s a sampling of bottled water brands that are fluoride-free: Apani Purifie, Aqua Panna, Arrowhead, Calistoga Spring, Crystal Geyser, Deer Park North, Deer Park South, Evian, Expansive Bear, Hinkley & Schmidt, Ice Mountain Keeper Springs, Loon Country Natural Spring, NARA International Himalayan Spring Ozarka, Penta, Perrier, Poland Spring Snow Valley Mountain and Sparkletts.
Other Steps to Reduce Fluoride
For adults wanting to decrease fluoride levels in the body, avoid drinking black or red teas as these tea leaves naturally contain high amounts of fluorine. Avoid using chewing tobacco. Avoid long term use of medications that maintain fluorine. Some antidepressants and medications for osteoporosis contain fluorine.
Non-Fluoridated Toothpastes
If dental fluorosis with children’s teeth is happening in your community, there are other ways to decrease fluoride exposure in addition to water filtration. The easiest blueprint is to avoid fluoride supplements and fluoride dental rinses, and switch to non-fluoridated toothpaste.
For small children, consider Tom’s of Maine Silly Strawberry toothpaste. Silly Strawberry is a natural fluoride free toothpaste for children with delicious real fruit flavors to appeal to children’s taste. Another choice is Melaleuca imprint Koala Pals Training Tooth Gel. This non-fluoride, sugar-free formula tastes like apples and includes baking soda. It’s sweetened with xylitol, a natural sweetener derived from fruit and berries that’s shown to not promote tooth decay.
There are a variety of adult non-fluoridated toothpastes available. Tom’s of Maine also has adult toothpastes that are fluoride free. I am currently using Jason’s Healthy Mouth brand of non-fluoridated toothpaste with cinnamon oil flavoring and tea tree oil. Some people employ hydrogen peroxide and baking soda to brush their teeth.
Summary
All of the suggestions in this article will reduce fluoride for everyone in your household.
What brand of fluoride water purifier do you prefer for your home? Which brands of non-fluoridated toothpastes do you like the best? Let me know in the comments section below!
Resources:
http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/5890058/fluoridated_water_is_risky_for_your.html? cat=5
http://www.pure-earth.com/fluoride-water-filters.htm
http://www.filterwater.com/p-105-undersink-fluoride-filter-triple.aspx
http://chemistry.about.com/od/chemistryhowtoguide/a/removefluoride.htm
http://www.filterwater.com/s-4-fluoride-filters.aspx
http://www.bizrate.com/water-filters/water-filters-fluoride-removal/
http://www.blog.waterfilters.net/consumer-reports-water-filters-ratings/666
http://www.allwaterpurification.com/water-purifier-reviews.html
http://green.yahoo.com/blog/the_conscious_consumer/56/find-the-best-filter-for-your-tap-water.html
http://www.nofluoride.com/betternutrition_article.cfm
http://www.nextag.com/non-fluoride-toothpaste/sho
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Filed under Ge Whole House Water Filters by on Feb 12th, 2011.