Aquarium Care

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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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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Research has shown that watching fish swim in an aquarium reduces stress and blood pressure. Beginning a brand new aquarium requires some understanding of the process. If done without any understanding, many fish put into a new fish tank may die of new tank syndrome. This article will show you exactly how to start a new aquarium and reduce the frustration of new tank syndrome.

The first step is deciding on the size tank you would like to purchase. There are tanks with capacities of just a few gallons to tanks with over 50 gallons. When you purchase your tank, be sure to also buy a sturdy stand. You can figure the weight of a filled tank by multiplying the total tank gallons by 10. If your tank holds 40 gallons of water, it would weigh 400 pounds filled.

After choosing the tank, other supplies you will need include a filter, air pump, hood, gravel, heater, ammonia, nitrite and pH test kits and water conditioner. You will also need an algae scraper, gravel siphon and decoration. Plan to purchase between one and 1.5 pounds of gravel per gallon of water. Hold off on buying the fish for now. If you have added an EcoBio-Stone, it will need some time to build up an adequate amount of beneficial bacteria before adding fish; otherwise, your fish could succumb to new tank syndrome. New tank syndrome, a condition where fish die a short time after being introduced to a new tank, is caused by high nitrite and ammonia levels. If fish are put into a new aquarium, there may not be enough beneficial bacteria to keep the nitrite and ammonia levels at a safe level.

Once you have your supplies, if you have purchased an EcoBio-Stone, be sure to place it in chlorine-free water and let it soak overnight. While it is soaking, it is time to start putting your aquarium together. Your first step is rinsing the tank and gravel thoroughly. Do not use soap or any other kind of detergent. This will kill the fish. Next, set up the filter and the heater according to the manufacturer’s directions.

Now add the gravel, decorations and attach the air pump to any decorations that require it. Follow this with water. Make sure you add a water conditioner to remove any harmful chemicals, such as chlorine, from the water. A water conditioner will keep the pH level at 7.0, which is what most fish thrive in. Set the heater to a level that will keep the water between 76-78 degrees Fahrenheit. After soaking the stone, add it to your tank. Now it is time to cycle your aquarium.

To avoid new tank syndrome, you must cycle your aquarium. Cycling your aquarium refers to the process of letting the aquarium build up enough good bacteria to support fish. On its own it takes about 35 days to build up enough good bacteria to keep ammonia and nitrite levels in check. Using EcoBio-Stone, your tank will have colonies of good bacteria built quite quickly. One block lasts about two years and will keep your tank water clear and bacteria levels at the correct amount.

Now is the time to buy just two or three fish. Before releasing the fish into the aquarium, set the plastic bag you carried them home in into the tank. This allows the fish to adjust to the water temperature. Wait 10 minutes. Gently release the fish and throw the water in the bag away as it will have fish waste in it.

Each week you should check the pH levels, nitrite and ammonia levels. The latter two should be zero. Each month change 20% of the water (remember to add water conditioner), clean the gravel using the siphon. Add new activated carbon to the filter and wash the filter itself. If you take the time to learn how to start a new aquarium, you will avoid new tank syndrome and enjoy your new fish tank for years to come.

An EcoBio-Stone is a must when you prepare to start a new aquarium. It helps to provide attractive equipment and healthy environment for the inhabitants.

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Your fish will be much more pleasing to look at and they will have a much needed places to hide and rest, if your fish tank is decorated.

The first decoration that should go into your fish tank look on the bottom, gravel. Your dealer will carry a wide range of colors and sizes of gravel. But beware that once you install all of your plants and other decorations you may not notice your gravel. Most fish will look better in fish tanks with dark gravel black, dark blue, dark green, and darken natural gravel’s tend to show dish pretty good. Small size gravel is usually better than larger pebbles, but you can mix them for a more pleasing effect. How deep should my gravel being using a palms per gallon rule to choose your gravel to is the best way to go. I would go on the average with a 10 pounds per square foot of surface area rule.

There are many choices for the background of your fish tank, printed scenes, mirrored backgrounds, or just about anything that you can tape to the back of your fish tank.

You can use large rocks for building blocks inside of your fish tank, your fish will love them.

You are going to need to choose between live plants, or plastic plants. Whatever you decide they will provide hiding places, shade, and beauty to your fish tank.

Be careful if you decide to collect rocks and drift wood and stuff for your fish tank, because they could be contaminated and be a danger to your fish. Store-bought items, will be clean and safe for your fish tank.

You can also purchase action action ornaments made of plastic and sometimes ceramic air driven ornaments to go in the bottom of your fish tank. You can find treasure chest that open and close, divers, and octopuses, and sunken ships. No fishing signs are an old standby and ceramic frogs and turtles are popular to.

In conclusion a decorated fish tank is more comfortable for your fish, and much more pleasing to look at. Choose gravel that is 1/8 inch in colors that bring out the color of your fish. Backgrounds are attractive and hide electrical cords. Have fun decorating your fish tank.

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So you want to set up a fish tank, well the first thing that I will tell you is that you have to be patient and should not jump right into putting fish in your tank. In this article I will be explaining all of the steps to setting up a fish tank for tropical fish only.

Before you go out and start buying aquarium equipment determine what kind of fish that you will want to put in there and how many. This is necessary as you will need to know what size tank to get, if you are on a budget you will have to work with it. The general rule is for small to medium fish is 1 inch per one gallon of water.

Some of the things you will need to set up a tropical fish tank will consist of the aquarium itself, a stand for the aquarium, filter pump, heater pump, thermometer, water conditioner, bacteria supplement. Some other additional options you can add to your fish tank would be a lamp, decorations and wall paper for the back of the fish tank.

Find a space in your home that you want to set up the fish tank at. This should be somewhere that is not in the way and make sure you are happy with the spot because moving a tank can be a pain once you have fish in it.

The next thing that I would do is make sure that there are no leaks in the fish tank. Fill up the tank with water to the top, and just let it sit there for about a day, more if you want. Once that day is up check the surrounding area for any signs of water, once you know your tank is not leaking you can empty it.

While you are leak testing your aquarium you can start filling up jugs of tap water. Mix the tap water with water conditioner as fish do not like plain tap water. I also add bacteria supplement to the water also. Make sure you follow the directions on the water conditioner bottle exactly.

Next you can start setting up the interior of the tank with decorations and gravel while the tank is still empty. It is very critical that you was anything that you put into the tank very well, even if it is brand new. There will still be dust and dirt on the gravel so make sure that it is rinsed with water before putting it into your aquarium.

Once you have it decorated set up the rest of the equipment, the filter pump, the heater, overhead light, etc. Start adding all of the pre-treated water into the tank, once you have it to the top turn on your filter pump and heater. Let the water cycle for about a week before adding fish, make sure the water temperature supports the fish you want.

Let the fish tank cycle the water for at least one week. After that one week you can add a couple of fish to get the tanks ecosystem in action, but do not add anymore fish for at least 5 weeks. Be patient and your fish will be healthy and live for a long time.

The author has been putting together aquariums of all types for many years and has great knowledge on aquariums. You can visit his store if you need to purchase a home aquarium. aquariums For Sale

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