Maidenhead Aquatics Burton Latimer

30/07/2024

Hi, hope everyone’s tanks are coping ok in the recent warm weather. This week we thought we would include some tips for dealing with the hot weather.

Do

- Open the lid of the aquarium if the temperature gets too high to allow heat to escape
- Change the operating hours of your lighting if required as reduction in light for a short time is less harmful than a high temperature
- Have a fan aimed at your tanks water surface if possible (safely positioned to avoid electrocution) as this will help to get rid of heat
- Consider closing blinds and curtains and opening windows to keep ambient temp down
- if you have a marine tank check your salinity regularly and top up when necessary with re-mineralized RO water.
- Consider buying a chiller if it is within your budget as its generally cheaper than replacing your livestock
- Consider an auto top up to help with maintaining salinity in a marine aquarium.
- Use a cool pack or bottle of frozen to help to cool the tank

Do Not

- Turn off the heater – heaters are thermostatically controlled and a correctly working heater won’t come on unless the temperature drops below what it is set to
- Carry out large water changes with cold water as it will drastically reduce the temperature and cause problems
- Top up your tank with salted water if it has lost water through evaporation (check salinity before topping up)

Teco chillers are available to order for next day home delivery.
Enjoy your week

23/07/2024

Can you help us identify this lady. The police would like to talk to her. Please see the comments for a better picture.

19/07/2024

Just to let everyone know, we have been unaffected by the Microsoft issues. We are open and trading as usual 🐟

29/06/2024

Can’t decide which pond plants are best for your pond?
Check out our Pond Plant Databank for ideas and inspiration or chat to the staff at your local store for specific advice about which plants are best for your needs. https://ow.ly/ZOve50SofNb

29/06/2024

Tips to keep your pond clear and healthy, year-round. Read more for our experts advice.

22/06/2024

Lots of fighters now available from our last delivery

License number:19/01516/AWSP

21/06/2024

We are very proud to say one of our very own customers is one of the lucky winners! Congratulations!

You can still download and make use of all the great features of our app such as access to our fish database, maintenance reminders and logging of water test results, all for free! Just search for "Fishkeeper" in the app store.

Congratulations to the 40 lucky winners of our app prize draw who have been contacted by email! Each of them wins a £400 Maidenhead Aquatics gift voucher to spend online or in-store. Thank you to everyone who has taken the time to download the app and be part of our prize draw.

We hope that you continue to find the app helpful in supporting with your everyday fishkeeping. Keep an eye out for some exciting new app features coming soon...

20/06/2024

Amazing what difference 1 month and a bit of sunshine can make! (Top photo was taken May 15th and the bottom photo today). 🪷

These Blagdon Affinity above ground ponds are fantastic if you don't want to tire yourself out digging a big hole or simply don't have the facilities for a dug out pond. They are available in 3 styles (octagon, corner and half-moon) and 3 sizes of each style (View, mocha, grand). They all come with filtration systems to keep your pond water quality healthy for your aquatic inhabitants and the larger two sizes of all styles also come with an inbuilt UV. There is a UV upgrade kit available as an add on item with the view models.

The viewing windows on the side allow for curious fish and aquarists alike to gain a fresh view into the world of pondkeeping. We often find the fish in our two display models looking out the windows and often greet us in the mornings this way! 🐟❤️

We currently have a mocha half moon, mocha octagons and a grand octagon in stock. All other sizes available to order, just speak to a member of the team in store!

16/06/2024

Last day to enter today!

https://ow.ly/iT8E50SiKjZ

15/06/2024

What a great start to our anniversary celebrations! We're back open again tomorrow (Sunday 16th) 10:00-4:00 pm for more fun! Tomorrow is the last opportunity to make use of our 10% savings offer and to enter our raffle and prize competitions.

A big thank you to everyone who joined in with our celebrations!

The Burton Latimer Team 🐠🐟🐠🐡

15/06/2024

A bit of fun! Limited edition 40th Anniversary Fishkeeper Socks! Only a limited amount available and there's a couple available in our raffle! Tomorrow is the last day to make the best of all the fun things on offer including 10% off EVERYTHING* in store, the raffle, face painting between 12-3 for over 3's, a children's scavenger hunt, word search and colouring competition with the prize being a starter aquarium!

15/06/2024

Our Raffle has just got bigger!! Lots of goodies to win! Running this weekend only, pop down and grab some tickets to be in with a chance to win!

14/06/2024

Now available 6ft Elite Aquariums! We have one Mekong Grey in stock, with the other colours available to order in. If you download our Fishkeeper app, you will receive a 10% off voucher valid this weekend 15th and 16th June only. Why not make use of this fantastic offer to upgrade your aquarium! 🐟🎊

14/06/2024

13/06/2024

We are holding a raffle! Lots of fantastic prizes up for grabs with the top prizes of Aquariums, Fluval Aquasky LED lighting, and a Blagdon solar pond feature available to win! There are also socks, towels, food and water treatments all to be won! The draw will be held on Monday 17th June so be sure to make the best of our special offers running this weekend (15th and 16th June) and come in and have a go!

12/06/2024

From our beginnings as one small ...

11/06/2024

Celebrate 40 years of aquatics excellence with us this weekend and save 10% off everything* in-store! Simply download our app (https://www.fishkeeper.co.uk/fishkeeper-app) to get your voucher (redeemable in-store only), pop into store and show your voucher at the checkout. You can save 10% on livestock, plants, dry goods, aquariums and ponds. Offer not valid in conjunction with existing promotions or for gift cards.

*Terms and conditions apply.
https://www.fishkeeper.co.uk/40th-anniversary-save10-promotion

10/06/2024

Arka BactoShots now in stock. We used one of these to help us establish our new nano system in store and had some very good results using it!

License number: 19/01516/AWSP

09/06/2024

It’s that time of the year when tender plants are everywhere and for pond keepers, that means Water lettuce (Pistia stratiotes). Floating plants are a great way to provide shade and mop up excess nutrients during the summer, as well as adding beauty to open-topped aquaria. You’ll find them in pond sections up and down the country and remember that they’ll either need protecting or disposing of when the frosts arrive in autumn.
https://ow.ly/U1Z850ScivB

09/06/2024

Having trouble with green water in your pond?

Green water is caused by excess light and nutrients which feeds a photosynthetic algae which can quickly populate your pond causing that “pea soup” like appearance. This algae does serve a purpose though, feeding on those excess nutrients helps to keep your nitrate and phosphate readings down overall, it also feeds small crustaceans such as Daphnia, however most people strive for a crystal clear pond and green is definitely not the ultimate goal.

Too much algae in the pond can also cause big swings in pH and oxygen levels overnight if there is not adequate aeration.
Luckily there are many ways to help keep the green water at bay, firstly a treatment such as “AquaPondCare Green Water Treatment” and “TetraPond AlgoRem”. These flocculants work by sticking together all of the green particles, so they become larger and heavier. In wildlife ponds with no water movement, this will cause the algae to sink to the bottom (thus clearing the pond) and those with filtration systems running, because of the large particle size, the mechanical filtration (such as sponges/brushes etc) are much more capable of physically trapping these particles to remove them from the system.

In fact with the former wildlife pond, if the algae is not removed from the system after sinking to the bottom, it can then be acted on by mineralising bacteria whereby it is then converted back into the nutrients that it had taken out originally and starts the cycle all over again. Products such as “Aqua Essentials Pond Vac” or “Blagdon cleaning net” are great for this purpose. These treatments are therefore only a short-term solution though and without repeat treatments, the algae will regrow again unless the source problem is resolved. Using these alongside another method is a great way of resolving the issue quicker, however.

The best overall method for controlling this green water is running a filtration system containing a UV Clarifier. Not only does the filter reduce the overall nutrient levels with proper maintenance, but the clarifier actually kills the algae as it travels past the bulb. Ensure you have the correct flow rate your filter recommends as too fast a flow of water past the UV will result in less effective algae control. These bulbs will require changing periodically, normally once a year. Even though your bulb might still turn on after this length of time, it is likely not giving out the correct wavelength of light to work as it should. Along with filter system kits for a vast array of pond sizes, we also stock UV units on their own such as the “Oase Vitronic” range. These can be added in line with existing filter systems.

Also, increasing the number of plants in the pond will help to outcompete some of the algae as the plants you add will utilise the same type of nutrients which can help overall but could still result in oxygen and pH swings overnight. Be wary of adding submerged plants when you have an algae bloom as they may not receive enough light and fail to thrive. The same can be said for the algae however, if you create enough shade, the algae will also starve itself of light and die off, resulting in a clearer pond.

License number: 19/01516/AWSP

08/06/2024

Our exclusive Aquamanta EFX Canister filters are designed to deliver the perfect balance of quiet operation, energy efficiency, and powerful performance for superb water quality.

We are pleased to introduce the latest model in the range . Ideal for aquariums up to 150 litres, this filter ensures crystal-clear water, maintaining a healthy environment for your aquatic life.

https://ow.ly/QCQx50Sc0mv

08/06/2024

Save the Date – 15th and 16th June 2024 - when we will be celebrating 40 years of aquatic excellence in our stores.
Keep on eye on your local store pages for local store events where you can come along and share in our celebrations.
https://ow.ly/38hP50Sa3cs

25/05/2024

Is your pond no longer clear? Follow the advice in this article and your pond will be clear again

25/05/2024

Now is a great time to add beneficial bacteria such as a Pond Bomb to help restore filter function and aid water quality. This is a good time of year to upgrade filtration and avoid extra work in high summer. As filters are largely only as effective as the bacteria they house, a filter that clogs regularly and needs lots of cleaning will be less efficient.
https://ow.ly/pTcT50RJzpv

25/05/2024

Nice selection of artificial rockwork back in stock. These make great hides for many different fish species 🐟 🪨

17/05/2024

Some nice bits of wood in stock including mopani, spider honeycomb and corbo root

License number: 19/01516/AWSP

17/05/2024

A large red damselfly has come to visit the pond section today and posed for some pictures. We have a great selection of pond plants available with an emphasis on native species to really encourage local wildlife into your garden!

License number: 19/01516/AWSP

15/05/2024

Take a look at these truly epic Cyperus helferi we've had delivered today. These are the biggest we've ever seen them come in and at £5 each for nearly 80cm of plant, they're an absolute bargain!

License number: 19/01516/AWSP