One Stop Garden Museum

Zen Gardens Fish

Your Mini Enchanted Forest – The Bonsai Garden

Most will agree that a garden will do wonders to one’s home. It is the reason why many have turned into an avid gardener. A well looked after garden; no matter the size will do wonders to the one’s home and will definitely create the serene and welcoming look.

Worried that your area is too small? Don’t be because size does not matter much for a beautiful garden is not determined by the size. It is all up to your creativity and effort. Time and budget is another important element that you will have to put into your garden. Take the initiative to start from scratch and you will not miss the one of the most enjoyable part which is shopping for your garden needs.

Starting it could seem a daunting task, but it is also an extremely rewarding venture when everything just starts to blossom in ways that every homeowner knows that they would.

The best way to start is to visualize the end result before you put in place your plan. You can put some potted plants under a few patio umbrellas for a start only to provide a space for the family to relax before you take on your garden mission.

The joy in seeing the progress can be quite exhilarating, to say the least. It’s best to be planned together with any major renovations so that the garden patio complements the home and does not end up looking like a mere add-on of an afterthought.

If you are working on a small area, you have the advantage of extending your budget to quality purchases such as teak furniture that is durable and create a classy look for your garden. Be it a corner garden or indoor; let your imagination run wild utilizing what ever area you have.

If there is absolutely no way you can have an outdoor garden due to space constraint, opt for an indoor garden instead; this of course requires a bit more money and you to devote extra time. A pergola as a focal point for your garden can be quite expensive so you can instead work on a Bonsai. You can scout for a perfect tree at any nursery.

You will be surprised to see the many ranges of bonsai tree available in your local nurseries from wheat farms to mountain rages. Opting for bonsai will provide you with a creative and Zen like look and feel.

Incorporating a concrete-based Fish Pond underneath the centerpiece would allow the garden to nurture itself and giving an added attraction to the miniature garden. There is also nothing more soothing than watching fishes swim in crystal clear water as you let the calm takes away the day’s weariness.

Have some patio furniture in place, and you have a ready made guest area for those days when you are less than inclined to invite visitors into the living room, and the conversations over a cup of tea could focus on the bonsai and the accompanying water fountain model which provides the base for the bonsai to stand on. An outdoor coffee table could not be more superfluous.

This setting is flexible in a sense that you will be able to change the tree whenever you feel like it. After all, a bonsai tree enthusiast will always be creating the beautiful bonsai tree every year.

Heaters are good investment for your garden too. Outdoor heaters for the garden will ensure that your garden will be fully utilized even on those cold evenings and best of all, you can still sit out there, enjoy the serenity and your cup of tea!

About the Author

Kenny Leichester is a foremost expert in the interior design industry specializing in the outdoor or patio settings using
patio furniture
, patio umbrellas, outdoor cushions, patio heaters, patio lighting and so on to create exquisitely beautiful layout. His work on
teak furniture
are widely distributed and is a regular contributor to PatioShoppers.com.

OMG I just got a betta fish & I don’t know how to take care of it… Which tank should I get? PLEASE HELP!?

Okay so my friend just gave me a betta fish as a present. It’s sitting in a bowl right now. I want to buy a tank for it.

Things You’ll Need
It is best to have a home for your betta fish ready to go before he arrives from the pet store. Your betta will be fine in a small tank or bowl, but the larger it is, the happier he will be. There are a couple recommended setups for betta fish:
an individual small tank for one betta fish, 1/2 gallon or larger
a glass or plastic fish bowl for one betta fish, 1/2 gallon or larger
a divided tank for several male or female betta fish
a community tank for one male or several female betta fish

Regardless of which setup you choose, you will need:
betta fish food
aquarium gravel
a live plant or plastic plant
a net and siphon or gravel vacuum
a pH test kit

Also recommended:
basic freshwater test kits especially ammonia test kits
an aquarium thermometer, and if your tank is 5 gallons or above, a heater
water conditioners, stress relief, and medications for betta care
A tablespoon of freshwater aquarium salt
a separate bucket or container for preparing water
Preparing the Tank
Water
There are three obvious options when filling the tank with water.

Tap water is generally safe for your betta fish, but should be left standing for 24 hours in order to condition it and bring it to room temperature. If your city has especially hard water, you may want water treatment chemicals to remove chlorine and other contaminants.

Bottled water varies as much as tap water does, and if you choose to use it, be sure to stick to one particular brand. If you do decide to change brands, make the change gradual, adding a bit of the new water to the old water over a couple of days. Using betta conditioners is still a good idea.

Distilled water should be avoided.

The PH level of your water source is important to measure and adjust as needed (betta buffers do this for you). The betta fish prefers as close to neutral water as possible, 7.0, but can manage in water that is between 6.5 and 7.5

The temperature of the water is also important, as the betta fish is considered a tropical fish. Water between 72 and 82 degrees Fahrenheit is ideal but the betta can adapt to lower or higher temperatures as long as the change is gradual.

One way to tell if the water is too hot or too cold is by watching the betta fish’s behavior. A sluggish, listless fish is likely too cold and a hyperactive fish (unless it is feeding time) indicates water that is too hot.
Gravel and plants
Plants help keep your aquarium stress-free for your betta fish, who likes to rest on the leaves, while gravel make the tank or bowl look more attractive to humans. Make sure you buy aquarium gravel as ordinary rocks from the street or your backyard will not do. Plastic aquarium gems will also be fine.

Before adding the gravel to the aquarium, rinse it in a separate container, changing the water out and repeating until it remains clear.

Live Plants can be bought as bulbs from the pet store or you can prop up some artificial plants in the gravel.
Filters, heaters, and maintenance
Aquarium filters and Aquarium heaters are not needed for tanks less than 5 gallons and actually should be avoided.

The gravel in your tank should provide adequate biological filtration in this setup. Everything should be fine as long as you change the water frequently and remove excess food and debris immediately.

For a tank smaller than a gallon, change 100% of the water once a day or at least 3x/week. For a larger tank, do partial water changes of 25% of water a week. Be sure to siphon or vacuum your gravel when you change your water.

Because the betta fish breathes at the surface of the water, the water does not need to be aerated either. In fact, aeration and circulation may create too much flow for your betta, who are not accustomed to having to swim very hard.

If you do buy a heater for your aquarium, invest in a thermometer as well. Monitor the temperature of the water carefully, as extreme or fluctuating temperatures can kill your betta fish.
Acclimating the Betta Fish
Your betta fish will likely come from a different water environment than what you have waiting for it, so it’s very important to ease him through the transition without shocking him. Follow these steps closely to avoid harming your fish on his first day home:
Keep the fish away from direct sunlight and cold air vents on the way home. Bring him home immediately, do not leave him in the car for longer than necessary.
Float the bag or jar that your betta fish came home in inside the aquarium or fish bowl you already have set up. This will make the temperature change more gradual. Let it float for some time.
Cut open the bag and add a little bit of aquarium water to the bag. Keep the bag floating in the aquarium for about thirty more minutes. (You can use a clothespin to clip the bag to the side to prevent it from sinking).
Continue adding a bit more aquarium water to the bag. Repeat this step until the bag is mostly aquarium water. Depend

Lets Play Zomg Part 25 – Finishing Zen Gardens.