5 comments about Setting up a Tropical Aquarium Week by Week.

1. Very complete and detailed. Show a sequence of tasks to build a planted tank, stuff for work, types of plant and fishes.
   
   I liked the part of how to treat wood and substrate.



2. I got this from a local library. Its very good. The author sets up a single tank in the beginning and by the end of the book (week 12) it is fully established. The book is great for people who want to use real plants in their tank.
   
   Theres a big section with various plants arranged into four categories: background plants, midground plants, foreground plants, and floating plants. There are full color pictures on every page. Various species are pictured and described. The fish section is arranged into three groups: first fish, second fish, and third fish. (First fish should be added to the tank first, second fish should be added second, etc.)
   
   The only problem I had with this book is that there is too much emphasis on plants. Personally, I am more interested in animal life and less interested in the plant life. But if you're a beginner and you want to have real plants in your tank then you will love this book. If there was an updated, cheaper, paperback edition, I'd probably buy it.



3. This is a great book with lots of illustrations and information. In setting up a new tank, this author has isolated all the important information a beginner should have and if you follow it, the results are awesome. A must have!



4. This is a nice book for anyone that wants to set up an aquarium properly. Very helpful.



5. This book covers different topics from tank setup to maintenance. It is a well written book with a lots of pictures. Anyone can get a lot of information from internet, however, this book gives the best coverage of planning a beautiful planted aquarium step by step. I wish that I could read this before I bought my starter kit.
   While this is a great tool book to own for a beginner, I do wish it can go a little bit deeper on some of topics.

5 comments about Manual of Fish Health: Everything You Need to Know About Aquarium Fish, Their Environment and Disease Prevention.

1. The book is pretty good for most aquarists as all should have something to help with the diagnostics and treatment of their pets. There's some pretty good photography of various diseases that simplifies the text, and in each section there is a little box of explanation of a point in the text, be it a bacteria type or similar. Where the book falls slightly short in my opinion is in the treatment section. I would not advocate the use of all the chemicals in this chapter and some may well be impossible to obtain for most people. In this case, I would recommend using the book then visiting a professional fish keeper, specialist shop or vet with your diagnosis after consulting the treatment section to see if there is an alternative.
   
   All said and done anything that can help easy diagnosis and lead to the correct treatment of fish disease is a good thing.



2. I bought this book based on the great reviews here, and have not been disappointed. That said, there are a few deficiencies that drove me back to the web for more information and hence this review.
   
   There is very little information about contemporary brands and their products that can be used to treat fish diseases. Using the book, one can easily diagnose pop-eye (which I was combating in my prize altum angels). But the suggestions are not terribly helpful in finding the right product to treat this affliction. For example, there are 3 or more different drugs under the Mardel brand that all claim to treat pop-eye. Some target gram-positive bacteria, some target gram-negative bacteria, and some are broad-spectrum antibiotics. At the same time, some can be simultaneouly administered with other treatments, some cannot. And so on. It would have been helpful if the book had helped me sort these details out (which I eventually did) and if it had suggested possible courses of action. Even something that lists all common antibiotics and adds a classification chart to go with them will address this concern.
   
   And as one reviewer pointed out, some of the suggestions are beyond the scope of the hobbyist. But let this not detract you from purchasing a guide that will save you time and help you narrow your diagnosis.



3. I have Aquarium books coming out of my ears. In my quest for knowledge on how to care and treat my freshwater fish, I have purchased books, but most left a lot of my questions unanswered, or were vague on discriptions of fish diseases and/or how to treat. This is by far the best all around book for the Aquarium Hobby enthusiast. It has everything you need to know about aquarium fish, their environment, disease and prevention. The pictures of diseased fish help you pin point the proper ailment, bacteria, and cure. I give this book 5+ stars and highly recommend it to anyone who has aquarium fish.



4. This book is amazing! I absolutly recomend it to everyone I've talked to. Not only does it use casual scientific terms but it does also explain them for anyone that doesn't have a BSc. Great information not only on fish disease, but on maintaining a properly balanced aquarium & preventing diseases from occuring in the first place.

   Personally I think it should be a manditory buy with ever first-fish purchase.




5. The fish hobby is made up of two different types of people. Some hobbyists do not really bother to understand their fish, they simply buy replacements when the current ones die. The second type of fish-keeper wants to know as much information as he or she can on the types of fishes they keep. This book would be of most value to the second type.

   Sometimes, we mistakenly assume that fish are fragile and that there is simply no way to maintain them at optimum health. But that is not the case. Most fish are quite hardy. They can easily be maintained in the home aquarium if attention is given to their particular needs. Even so, from time to time, our fishes do get sick despite of our care. This book will help you diagnose some of the more common diseases that afflict fishes, as well as some possible remedies.

   Some of the procedures in the textbook are simply not feasible for the average aquarists. Most of us do not have access to a laboratory. However, there is enough solutions in the book that are easy enough to follow. I highly recommend this book.

3 comments about A PocketExpert Guide to Reef Aquarium Fishes: 500+ Essential-to-Know Species (Microcosm/T.F.H. Professional).

1. What can I say? This is the best book when you're ready to stock your saltwater tank. Do the fish a favor and read this BEFORE you buy a Naso Tang for your 90-gallon tank. Helps avoid many costly mistakes. And it's not just the cost: this book saves fish lives!



2. This is an updated edition of this series of guides. It does contain more fishes and is a little more organized but I did notice that some fishes were left out that were in the older edition. Otherwise, this is a great guide for aquarists and reefers alike.
   
   I rated it four stars because it a great guide, but not perfect.
   
   Ejoy your fish!



3. Part of the outstanding "The Pocket Expert Guide" series from TFH Publications, Reef Aquarium Fishes by Scott W. Michael is a comprehensive and in-depth guide and reference for a vast number of fishes suitable for home or office aquariums. Enhanced with colored key codes for aquarium suitability and reef compatibility, Reef Aquarium Fishes knowledgeably presents a wealth of succinct information on over five-hundred species. Reef Aquarium Fishes is profusely illustrated with color photographs of the fish and offers aspiring aquarium owners with intricate and detailed descriptions with expert coverage of all the most popular and commonly available reef-appropriate species, along with up-to-date information on their selection care, and feedings. Simply put -- no aquarium owner should be without a reference copy of Reef Aquarium Fishes.

No comments about A Practical Guide to Building And Maintaining a Koi Pond: An Essential Guide to Building And Maintaining (Pondmaster S.).

3 comments about The Marine Fish Health & Feeding Handbook: The Essential Guide to Keeping Saltwater Species Alive and Thriving.

1. I've successfully kept tropical marine aquariums in all sizes and shapes for almost thirty years - I started with a baby lionfish in a then-fashionable perspex cube and my last one was a ten-feet long, 240-gallons beautiful monster of a tank housing a whole complex reef community. I think I can safely say that Bob Goeman's new book is an exceptionally complete, well-written, easily understandable, beautifully illustrated guide to the do's and dont's of reef keeping which should not go missing from any serious marine aquarist bookshelf. I wish something of this scope had been available in the past - it would have saved me quite a few heartbreaking disasters!



2. The Marine Fish Health and Feeding Handbook should be on the shelf of every novice as well as veteran saltwater hobbyist. It is a beautifully presented book. It provides an excellent common sense overview of general marine fish maintenance, feeding and healthcare.
   
   The 232 page volume is broken down into 3 parts: The Healthy Marine Aquarium, Foods and Feeding, and Diseases and Conditions. The information contained in the 10 chapters provides a good starting point to assess why your saltwater fish tank and fish may not be thriving.
   
   The Section on Diseases and Conditions gives the aquarium hobbyist an introduction into the complexities of treating and diagnosing fish disease. However, the medical information contained in the book is general, and in a continually changing field of new treatments and medicines for use in marine fish, is not intended to supplant the use of an aquatic animal veterinarian, or aquarium consultants such as the author Lance Ichinotsubo, to correctly diagnose and treat many similar looking fish diseases and saltwater aquarium problems.
   
   Both authors have done a highly commendable job providing a wealth of practical knowledge in this book, garnered over their years as both aquarium hobbyists and professionals.
   
   Les Gerson, D.V.M. Aquatic Animal Veterinarian



3. I have been a tank keeper for twenty years and have read every book written on the subject. This new book by Bob Goeman's is by far the the most comprehensive, up to date,accurate, well written, and organized book to have been published in several years. The chapters on feeding and maintaing the health of the corals and fish are outstanding but there is so much other information in the book about the latest techniques of maintaining salt water aquariums. The book's title could have been "Everything You Need To Know To Maintain a Spectacular Marine Aquarium". There are at least a hundred beautiful photos and the information is cutting edge. Your tank can only benefit by your reading of this book!. It should be part of every "Reefers" library.
   Dr. Paul Carpenter

5 comments about Reef Secrets: Starting Right, Selecting Fishes & Invertebrates, Advanced Biotope Techniques.

1. What a great cut-to-the-chase reference for the reef hobiest. The selection guide is very helpful, especially if you are concerned about compatability or just want to develop a specific region in your own reef tank.



2. As a beginning reef aquarist, I enjoyed reading this book, but I am not sure it is a practical book for the novice.
   
   Some of the advice it gives seems designed for the advanced hobbiest who has little need for the book. For example, it advises no more than about a 10% water change each year. That is probably enough for an established, well-maintained aquarium in service for a couple of years already, but I doubt it is a regime suitable for someone just starting.
   
   The authors' advise seems to defy conventional wisdom in other areas. The suggested Ph paramaters, for example, vary from anything I have seen elsewhere. Perhaps that's why they are called reef "secrets". Or perhaps they are just "typos"
   
   Interestingly, the book presents a photo of what it bills as one of the finest amateur marine aquariums anywhere. I went on-line to learn more about that system and learned that the owner has a maintenance regime and water paramaters at odds with the recommendations in this book!
   
   Still, all in all, an enjoyable and well-informed read. It's just not a suitable "how to" book for most of us. On the other hand, the section at the end on species selection was very useful.



3. Very good for beginners. Covers all important topics. Very simple language, without technical jargon which is often overwhelming people who just starting with hobby. Very nice stocking guide and chapter about biotops which is not found often in similar position.
   
   I recommend it to anyone who thinks to start with reefkeeping hobby.



4. Loved it! Has some of the best reefing information available, without the over-technical mumbo jumbo! The stocking guide is excellent; just lacking on a few species.



5. One can appreciated the authors' long experience with marine aquaria who elegantly and with simple language explained larger biological concepts yet provide detailed instructions on how do to what and why. Very inspiring are the suggested biotopes that include among others "seagrass aquarium", "reef gorge aquarium", "pizza anemone aquarium", "rubble zone aquarium" as well as the standard reef tank. These are refreshing ideas that are needed with the current predominance of grocery store shelf-like stocked, overcrowded best-of-the-month SPS tanks. Also contains a comprehensive guide about most creatures possible in a reef tank and essentially makes e.g. Sprung's "Quick" guides unnecessary in one's library.

5 comments about Saltwater Aquariums For Dummies (For Dummies (Lifestyles Paperback)).

1. Helped me to start my information gathering for starting a salt water tank. Also helped me know what questions to ask when looking for other sources of information.



2. This is a wonderfully informative book for a anyone just getting into salt water aquariums



3. This book is filled with lots of wonderful information for starting your first saltwater aquarium. However, it reads like a dictionary. It's simply need-to-know information without much rhythm. I found myself actually nodding off while trying to read this book at 5 p.m. More pictures would probably have helped keep my interest, but I can't say for sure. Otherwise, Saltwater Aquariums for Dummies had useful information that I was able to apply to my aquarium hobby.



4. This book makes saltwater aquariums seem easier than they actually are. For one, I don't even think the book mentions the use of reverse osmosis or deionized water, which is strongly recommended by all marine aquarists. The author also doesn't mention the importance of live rock. In fact, he goes as far to advise against using live rock for fish-only tanks! Sure, you might be able to get away with not using live rock, but it won't be worth it in the long run. Also, I don't agree with the list of recommended filter combinations. One more thing, the book lists an air stone as essential equipment, but the only thing an air stone will do is aid evaporation and cause salt creep! If you have enough movement of water at the surface, you should get sufficient gas exchange. There is, however, one thing the book does get right: its strong recommendation of using a protein skimmer.
   
   This book is easy to understand, but you won't be getting the best information.



5. This is a great book for those who don't know how to keep a saltwater aqarium.

2 comments about How to Keep Koi: An Essential Guide (Interpet Handbooks).

1. Terrific book on Koi's, and a good book for my
   collection on how to help me with my Koi's.



2. We are starting to keep koi, and I have been shopping for a couple of good koi books but it's been tough going... most pet shops around here don't have much, and the bookshops don't either -- either they have books that are too simple, or too complex. There is a lot of detailed categorization and medical information available for the serious koi breeder, but for many of us, too much information is worse than too little. After a lot of research I settled on this title and one other, and I also upgraded to the complete online viewing edition of this title at amazon. Wow! This is a great book... there is clear and interesting text about the history of koi, how they are handled, their anatomy (with diagrams) and the different color patterns. The photos and pictures are lovely and clear as well. I highly recommend this book to anyone interested in keeping koi, or even if you are just interested in looking at nice photos and learning about them. :-)

5 comments about Ultimate Marine Aquariums: Saltwater Dream Systems and How They Are Created.

1. Ultimate Marine Aquariums: Saltwater Dream Systems and How They Are Created
   This Saltwater How To Book was very informative and interesting. It's full of beautiful color photos. It's easy to read, understand and follow.
   It's great for beginners as well as intermediate hobbyists such as myself. It has unique advice and point of views on certain topics. I got a lot of good ideas for setups and use in my own saltwater aquariums. I would definitely recommend this book to anyone looking to start a Saltwater Aquarium or expand their horizons for their current Marine setup!



2. This book is very nice in content but poor picture quality, would be nice if the new edition or next volume of this title comes with more equipment and arquitectural photos and diagrams as well.



3. This is an interesting picture book to compare how other aquarists keep their tank. However, most of the aquariums included in the book are pretty average in today's standard. There are numerous more matured and better looking tanks over the internet forums not to mention almost all tanks are in the USA only. Many of the pictures are also very blur. I would be very interested to buy a second book of the serie covering more "Ultimate" aquariums and with better picture quality.



4. This is an excellent book for those that just want to look at some incredible marine aquariums or those looking for information on starting their own masterpiece.



5. A nice book with some good information and lots of pictures. But only of real use if you are putting together a big system. Like over 200 gallons!

5 comments about The Simple Guide To Mini-reef Aquariums (Simple Guide to...).

1. this is a very basic book about the care of corals. if one is new to the hobby, then this is a starter. i finished reading this book in 1 hour.



2. it has a lot of good advices and it's easy to understand!



3. This comprehensive book will allow anyone who follows the advice given, to develop their first miniature reef aquarium. I've been a hobbyist for over 40 years and I even bought a copy for myself. The author doesn't pull any punches, and gives a very clear description of what you should expect from your mini-reef aquarium.



4. This book is just what its title implies. A reader could set up and run a mini reef after reading this book. Very little other information would be required to do a mini reef well. The book is fun, easy reading.



5. A fun and encouraging book that is practical when setting up a new tank. Up-to-date information that is well structured. On the downside, this book shys away from explaining some concepts or warnings in better detail and annoys when the author jokingly admits he doesn't really get it either because one has to be a chemist for this or that anyway.