Until the water clears, change up to 20 percent of it on a daily basis. Remove some of the dirty water and immediately replace it with fresh water.  Do not change more than 20 percent of the water in one day. Changing more can shock you fish and cause them to become ill or die. Changing out some of the water removes at least some of the waste. The bacteria thriving in your water then begin to starve, thereby creating cleaner water. After the water clears, you only need to change water once every two weeks or so. If your fish do not regularly eat all of the food you put in the tank, reduce the amount of food by 5 to 10 percent.  When fish food breaks down, its particles can make the water dirty. The decayed food can also breed bacteria. Check on the aquarium 10 minutes or so after you feed your fish. If the fish have stopped eating at that point, use a net to remove any uneaten food. Too many chemicals can hurt your fish, but regular doses of aquarium salt, water conditioner, or quick cure can help clear your water. These chemicals are formulated to clear debris and correct bacteria levels.  Follow the dosage on your box of aquarium salt and apply the salt once. Follow the dosage on the bottle of conditioner and apply it each day until te water clears. Use half a dose of quick cure each day until the water clears. Only use one of these chemicals at a time. Mixing chemicals can hurt the ecosystem of your aquarium. Sprinkle a handful of gravel from an established aquarium into your tank. Wait roughly 24 to 48 hours and note the results.  Established gravel has beneficial bacteria on it. Unlike the harmful bacteria living in your tank, this bacteria can digest waste and balance out its harmful cousins. Beneficial bacteria also helps to establish a bacteria colony in your filter. When a colony grows in your filter, it attracts and draws bacteria out of the tank itself, clearing up the water. The gravel must come from an established tank with health fish. You can usually purchase some from a store that sells fish if you do not know anyone who can give you some for free. The aquarium must have a power filter, and that filter must be clean and working properly.  Feel the outside of the filter. If it seems abnormally warm, it might be clogged or damaged. Check the instructions for your particular filter model to determine the proper way to clean it.

Summary: Change some of the water. Reduce the amount of food. Add aquarium chemicals. Mix in some gravel. Check the filter.


Trips can be expensive, so it’s important to know how much money you have to spend on a birthday trip for your girlfriend. It’s not just hotel costs that you should think about too -- you’ll need to consider transportation, food, and entertainment expenses as well. Set a firm budget, so you can start to narrow your destination options. You don’t need to have a lot of money to plan a special birthday trip. Even one night away at a bed and breakfast can mean a lot to your girlfriend. When you’re choosing a place to take your trip, budget will play a role. However, you should also try to find a destination that will be special for your girlfriend. That may mean taking her somewhere that she’s always wanted to go or taking her back to a place where you’ve shared happy memories before. It can also be as simple as taking her for a weekend to an amusement park that you know she loves. Make the trip all about her, so you know that she’s sure to enjoy it. If you’re having trouble coming up with ideas for your getaway, talk to your girlfriend’s friends and family to see if they have any ideas. Once you’ve settled on a destination, you can make hotel reservations and arrange for transportation, such as airline or train tickets. Use a travel site to find the best deals for the area, so you’re sure to stick to your budget. You should also figure out if you need any other reservations for the trip, such as for dinner at a trendy restaurant, tickets for a show, or admittance to a local attraction.  Make sure to plan ahead, so you’re not making reservations at the last minute. You may wind up with limited options if you wait too long to plan the trip. If you’re not sure if you need other reservations, speak to the staff at the hotel. They can usually help you figure out what you might want to plan ahead. You’ll want to have something to give to your girlfriend on her birthday, so put together a gift package that hints at the trip’s location. For example, if you’re taking her for a weekend of vineyard tours, put together a basket that includes a map of the area, a couple of bottles of her favorite wine, and a monogrammed wineglass. For a weekend away at the beach, put some sunscreen, sunglasses, flip flops, and a towel inside a beach bag for her. If your destination doesn’t lend itself to a gift box, just print out your itinerary or reservation confirmation, place it in a box, and wrap it for your girlfriend to open.

Summary: Figure out a budget. Think of a special destination. Make reservations. Create a gift box that goes with the destination.


Turn on or light the grill and leave it to preheat to medium, which is about 350 °F (177 °C). You can cook the sweet potatoes on any type of grill you like, including:  Gas Wood Charcoal Electric Rinse the sweet potatoes under running water. As you rinse them, use a vegetable brush or clean cloth to scrub the skin and remove dirt. Pat the sweet potatoes dry with a clean towel and place them on a cutting board. Sweet potato skins are thin and packed with nutrients, so there's no need to peel them before grilling. Hold a sweet potato steady with one hand and use a sharp knife to carefully cut it in half lengthwise. Place the halves cut-side down on the cutting board. Cut each half lengthwise into quarters, and each quarter into eighths. Each sweet potato will give you 8 wedges. You can also slice the sweet potato widthwise into quarter-inch (6-mm) medallions instead of wedges if you like. In a small bowl, combine the oil, salt, lime zest, and cayenne pepper. Whisk the ingredients together to combine them into a dressing to season the sweet potato wedges. Add black pepper, to taste, and whisk to incorporate the new addition. The lime zest will help to balance the sweetness of the sweet potatoes. You can substitute lemon zest for the lime zest, or add a tablespoon (15 ml) of lemon or lime juice to the dressing for even more of a citrus taste. Drizzle the dressing over the sweet potatoes. Use a spoon to mix the sweet potatoes around in the bowl and coat them evenly with the dressing. You can season the sweet potatoes with a teaspoon (2 g) of any other herbs or spices you like, including:  Cinnamon Ginger Paprika Chili powder Rosemary Thyme Chipotle powder Use a pair of metal or heat-proof tongs to transfer the wedges to the grill. Arrange them diagonally on the rack in a single layer so you get the classic grill marks. Place a heat-proof metal lid or bowl over the wedges to keep in the heat and help them cook faster. Flip the wedges twice as they cook. Continue cooking until the sweet potatoes are tender, can be pierced easily with a fork, and are golden browned. Remove the wedges from the grill with a metal spatula or tongs. Arrange the wedges on a serving platter and finish them with the cilantro and extra salt and pepper, to taste. Serve the wedges with your favorite dipping sauces, such as ketchup, salsa, or chipotle mayonnaise. You can use fresh parsley in place of the cilantro.
Summary: Preheat the grill. Wash the sweet potatoes. Cut the sweet potatoes into wedges. Make the dressing. Toss the wedges with the dressing. Arrange the wedges on the hot grill. Cover and grill the wedges for 40 minutes. Garnish with cilantro and serve.