Aquarium Care

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Posts Tagged ‘Chemicals’

How to Obtain Clear and Good Aquarium Water Quality

Aquarium with neon tetras

Water quality management should be a very important consideration for those who own an aquarium. This is made possible with the help of different products in the market such as EcoBio-Block among others. However, you must also be refilling the tank regularly, have proper feeding habits and also good filtration in order to have the best aquarium water quality.

Majority of the people give up keeping an aquarium as a hobby within two years because the task of maintaining clarity all the time is very challenging. You have to clean the tank once or twice a month. Even after doing this in the right way, cloudy appearance might still occur.

It is difficult to come up with one solution for the cloudy appearance because it is caused by many issues. However, you should be encouraged because the problem can be dealt with easily. Gravel that is not washed properly can result to this during the first setup. Therefore, the residue will be washed out when the tank is filled.

The gravel can also react with the liquid to cause leaching of chemicals resulting in clouding. It is good to first test the substrate before you could fill up the tank. This is done by first knowing the pH of the water before the substrate could be added. You should add small amount of substrate and then leave it for some days. You might have to change the substrate if the pH happens to rise.

A cloudy appearance might also be caused by the bacteria bloom that the tank of the fish receives after the beginning of the nitrogen cycle. This happens many times so you can choose to wait it out or do partial refills during the first days. The aquarium might also be having more than enough fish food or a lot of fish waste. This will result to a build up of bacteria.

The other causes of this problem can also be excessive light, a lot of nutrients and also imbalance in the tank. This means you might go a long way in order to tackle the problem. However, EcoBio-Block can be very helpful in this situation. You only have to rinse the block in water that is free from chlorine. You need to soak the block through the night before you could drop it into your first tank.

The tank content will be clarified and the speed of nitrogen cycle will be increased once this step is used. It also eliminates bad smell because the new tank syndrome will be shortened. This is the best way of enjoying better aquarium water quality even without frequent refills.

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Learn How To Clean Your Aquarium Quickly And Effectively

Fishkeeping can be an interesting hobby, and knowing how to clean your aquarium can help keep it looking great. It can also keep your fish and other tank inhabitants healthy.

Many inexperienced fish keepers make the mistake of thinking that cleaning the tank involves removing all of the water and inhabitants, cleaning it, and then replacing everything. This is completely wrong and can result in problems like fish loss and a cloudy tank. The cloudiness is usually from overfeeding. It is often seen as a reason to clean the tank again, or add chemicals, but it is a natural part of any tank and will disappear once the proper balance has been reached.

If you have made this mistake with your tank, or even if your aquarium is well established, you can ensure there are always sufficient bacteria by adding an EcoBio-Block. This volcanic rock is filled with bacteria, and when positioned in the tank near the filter output or by an air stone, the bacteria will begin to reproduce and populate your tank keeping your tank clear and healthy.

The first cleaning step is to unplug the filter and any air pumps you have running. Next, remove algae that may have accumulated on the sides. This can be accomplished by using an algae scraper, available in pet stores, or by using a new, clean sponge that has never been used for any other purpose. Once this is done, the water will appear cloudy, but that is okay, this will disappear in a short while.

If plants and tank decorations are very dirty, they can be removed and cleaned with a tooth brush, but this is not necessary if they do not have a build up.

Using a tank siphon, insert one end in the gravel, and run the other end into a bucket that is clean, chemical free, and preferably only for tank cleaning. Gently probe the gravel, and you will notice debris flowing through the tubing and into the bucket. Remember to move quickly as you do not want to remove too much water. Also ensure that no fish end up in the bucket as you clean. This dirty water can be discarded or it is wonderful fertilizer for your plants.

Next, take the lid off the external filter if this is the type of filtration system used, and lightly rinse away any accumulated debris. You can use a toothbrush to clean the tubes that protrude into the water, as they may have collected a film. Never clean the filter entirely, and don’t replace all of the filter media at the same time. Many of the beneficial bacteria in your tank live in the filter and will be removed if you clean it too thoroughly. Always follow the instructions on carbon packs, sponges and other filter components when replacing them as some may need to be rinsed before use, others may not.

You will now need to replace the water you have removed. Ensure that you treat tap water with a product that can remove chlorine and chloramine in the water, as these will kill your tank inhabitants. Mix the chemical with water that is the same temperature as the tank water, and gently pour it into the tank. Do not pour too quickly as it may disturb decorations and plants, or harm fish.

Ensure that your tank stays clean by performing this whenever necessary, and reduce your cleaning tasks by adding an EcoBio-Block to help keep beneficial bacteria at optimum levels. Cleaning your fish tank is easy, once you know what you are doing.

Get the exclusive inside scoop on how to clean your aquarium quickly and effectively now in our aquarium care and clear water review.

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Proper Fish Tank Water Treatment For Healthy Fish

If you want to have healthy fish, you need to have the right type of water in your fish tank. Many people who are just beginning to set up a fish tank don’t understand how important it is to test your water and treat it for any imbalances. You need to have the right water for your fish.

Different fish have different requirements when it comes to the condition of the water that they will do best in. It is always a good idea to test your water for the pH, gH, and kH levels and try to get fish that thrive in water similar to the water that you already have. This will mean less work for you when it comes to fish tank water treatment.

Tap water tends to be the best type of water for your freshwater fish tanks, but it does need some treatment before it can be used. Chlorine is not good for fish, so you need to remove the chlorine from the water before adding it to your tank. You can use a conditioner as a way to try to correct any imbalances in your water and add beneficial substances. This type of fish tank water treatment is common. It will get rid of the chlorine. You can also leave tap water sitting out for 24 hours to get rid of chlorine, though this will not correct any other imbalances.

If the pH of your water is not at the right level, or is not remaining stable, you might need to do a fish tank water treatment in order to correct this. Sometimes this can be as simple as mixing a small amount of spring water in with the tank water. Other times you will need to treat whatever is causing the pH fluctuation.

You also need to make sure that the kH, or concentration of carbonates and bicarbonates, in your water is at the proper level. These help to buffer the water so that the pH stays more constant, otherwise as time goes on it will get acidic. There are a number of different options you can use for fish tank water treatment if you have high or low kH levels, including various chemicals you can purchase at the store.

You gH is the general hardness of your water. Some fish prefer harder water and some prefer softer water. You can use peat moss to soften the water, or add rocks to help harden the water. The simplest thing to do is get fish that suit the water that you already have so you don’t need to do too much treatment of your water.

Dustin Williams is a writer and hobbyist who has kept aquarium fish for several years. He has learned much about owning a home aquarium from reading books and personal experience. To learn more about proper fish tank water treatment please visit HomeAquariumSupplies.com.

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